11-23-17 Issue - 21 Volume IX Shore Sports Network Journal

November 23, 2017 Volume-IX Issue-21

The first thing fans, players, coaches & parents want to know after the big game is always,

”Is this going to be on ?”

?”

Shore Sports Network has established itself as a leader in scholastic sports coverage in Monmouth and Ocean counties, providing more video highlight clips, in-depth reporting, feature stories and regular updates than ANY OTHER OUTLET in the area.

Shore Sports Network Web Site Features

n Get Video Highlights of all the important games that Shore Conference fans will be talking about. n Catch up on the action you might have missed n Watch video clips of everything from the action early in the event to the big finish as well as video interviews with various athletes. n www.shoresportsnetwork.com is the most visited sports site in the Shore Conference during the scholastic year n Follow us on Twitter (over 16,000 followers) and Facebook, we keep fans posted on the latest scores and news

n Established leading portal for local high school coverage.

AOPPORTUNITIES DVERTISING

Check out our latest issue on stands now

AVAILABLE For your SPECIAL SSN FOOTBALL AWARDS

Kevin WILLIAMS

e part of a tradition that reaches a large and enthusiastic audience from Monmouth and Ocean counties by having your business featured in our SPECIAL 2017 FOOTBALL AWARDS PROGRAM.

S h o r e S p o r t s N e t w o r k Director

B

k e v in. wil lia m s @ to w ns q ua re m e d ia .c o m

Steve MEYER

Shore Sports Network Director High School Division

This detailed full color issue put together by the SSN staff will feature the this years Offensive/Defensive Players, Coach of the year and 1st, 2nd & 3rd SSN All-Shore teams. The issue will be distributed to Shore Conference High Schools, all Jersey Mike’s & Supper WAWA locations throughout Ocean & Monmouth counties, will serve as a keepsake for all the players & coaches involved. Not only is the program a chance for your business to reach a wide and passionate audience, it is a chance to become a permanent part of a lasting memory for many members of the Shore Conference community.

s te ve .m e y er @ t ow n s qu a re m ed ia .c o m 7 3 2 - 2 3 3 - 4 4 6 0

Senior Content Providers Bob Badders : Managing Editor bob.badders@townsquaremedia.com Matt Manley: Senior Staff Writer Mmanley21@gmail.com

Shore Sports Network Journal is published by: T o w n s q u a r e M e d i a 8 Robbins Street Toms River, NJ 08753

Copyright 2017 Townsquare Media All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of Shore Sports Network is prohibited

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C a l l T O D AY f o r m o re I n f o 7 8 3 2 - 2 3 3 - 4 4 6 0 VOLUME-IX

/ I S S U E - 21 / 1 1 / 2 3 / 1 7

Sansone Jr’s Auto mall Sign the No Texting While Driving Pledge

A

ccording to the National Highway Traffic Safety Organization (NHTSA), 3,477 people were killed and another 391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2015.

And, teens were the largest age group reported as distracted at the time of the fatal crashes. This is why Sansone Jr's 66 Automall in Neptune has teamed up with the Shore Sports Network to help eliminate distracted driving, specifically texting while driving.

Parents and teens, we encourage you to take our No Texting While Driving Pledge! To sign the pledge you can either download the Shore Sports Network App (shoresportsnetwork.com/app) or visit their website (shoresportsnetwork.com/make-the-pledge-to-not-textdrive/). Everyone who signs the pledge is entered to win a free remote starter, a $299 retail value, from Sansone Jr's 66 Automall's onsite accessory center, 66MVP.

If you sign the pledge and show us at one of the many games that our Shore Sports Network-Sansone Jr's 66 Automall vehicle, a 2018 Kia Sorento, will be at, you'll receive a pop socket from Sansone Jr's 66 Automall.

Free Pop Socket

“Sansone Jr’s 66 Automall is honored to be a part of the ‘No Texting While Driving” campaign. Make the pledge today,” said Paul Sansone Jr.

Win A FREE Remote Starter

3

By

T

Bob Badders

- Managing Editor

h r o u g h o ut t h e 2 0 1 7 s e a s o n , J e r s e y M i k e ’ s & S h o r e S p o r t s N e t w o r k s e l e c te d a T e a m o f t h e W e e k ba s e d o n i t s p e r f o r m a n c e o v e r t h e p a s t w e e k e n d .

W e e k - 6 I0/I3/i7

Manalapan-49 Howell-28

W e e k - 5 10/6/i7

Keansburg - 5 1

Week-I0

Point Beach - 43

II/I0/I7

Lak e w o o d - 2 2 Lacey - I4

T

he final Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week award for the 2017 season goes to Lakewood, which defeated Lacey, 22-14, to advance to the NJSIAA South Jersey Group III semifinals and continue a season that was in doubt just a few months ago. Shore Sports Network and Jersey Mike’s were at practice Tuesday afternoon to present the Piners and head coach L.J. Clark with a special game ball and a $500 Jersey Mike’s gift card.

Senior quarterback Zyheir Jones ran for 126 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries and threw for 11 yards and a touchdown to give Lakewood its first playoff win since 2013. Jones’ 11-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter gave the Piners a 14-7 lead and his 33-yard touchdown pass to Myles Jackson, plus a 2-point conversion, gave Lakewood a 22-7 lead in the second half.

The victory also served as redemption for Lakewood, as Lacey won a 34-33 thriller during the regular season between the Class B South rivals.

W e e k - 9 II/3/i7 Lakewood’s season was in doubt over the summer when the board of education elected to cut Freehold Boro-27 nearly all funding to the athletic department, which included the football team. Money was raised Long Branch - 20 to ensure the Piners would see the field this season, but adversity struck again when Jones, their star quarterback, was injured in a preseason game. Without Jones, Lakewood limped to an 0-2 start and it appeared the Piners would be in for a long year.

Jones returned in Week 3, however, and led the charge in a 32-29 win over Jackson Liberty that began a turnaround for the Piners. After dropping consecutive games to Lacey and division champion Point Boro, Lakewood won three straight games to qualify for the playoffs for the sixth W e e k - 8 I0/27/i7 straight season before beating Lacey to reach the semifinals.

Pt Boro - 4I Oc e an - I 8 Jones has been electric in just seven games for the Piners, rushing for 1,003 yards and nine touchdowns and passing for 1,002 yards and 16 touchdowns. His impact has been just as great on defense with a Shore Conference-best 8 interceptions, 4 sacks, 45 tackles and an interception return for a touchdown. He also has five 2-point conversion passes and five 2-point conversion runs.

His favorite target has been his twin brother, Jyheir, who leads the Shore with 12 touchdown catches and has 50 receptions for 809 yards. Jyheir Jones is also a standout on defense with 70 W e e k - 7 I0/20/i7 tackles and three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

SJV-35 Lakewood also has one of the most disruptive defenders in the Shore in senior defensive lineman RBC- I7 Josh Lezin. He has basically camped out in the opponents’ backfield this season with 80 tackles, 44 tackles for a loss and 11 sacks. A nightmare to deal with on special teams, Lezin has three blocked extra points, a blocked field goal and three blocked punts.

4

VOLUME-IX

/ I S S U E - 21 / 1 1 / 2 3 / 1 7

W e e k - 4 9/29/i7

Brick Mem.- 22 ( 2 O T ) Sayreville - 21

W e e k - 3 9/22/i7 Monmouth - 1 4 Matawan - 13

W e e k - 2 9/I5/i7

Howell - 55 Freehold - 35

W e e k - I 9/8/I7

Long Branch - 28 Manasquan - I9

5

E

very week this regular season, Shore Conference football fans will have their chance to vote for the Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey/Shore Sports Network Football Player of the Week on our Week-I0 II/I0/I7 Howell Sr. WR/DB website, with over 160,000 votes cast so far this season.

Na seim B r ant ley

T

h e w i n n e r o f t h e We e k 1 0 r e a d e r s ’ v o t e f o r t h e S h o r e S p o r t s N e t w o r k F o o t b a l l P l a y e r o f t h e We e k i s H o w e l l s e n i o r w i d e r e c e i v e r a n d d e f e n s i v e b a c k N a s e i m B r a n t l e y, w h o m a d e p l a y s o n offense, defense and special teams to help the Rebels to a 31-17 victory over Cherokee in the first round of the NJSIAA South Jersey Group V playoffs.

Brantley had a 55-yard touchdown run, a 96-yard kickoff retur n for a touchdown and an interception on defense to help the Rebels improve to 9-1 and reach the sectional semifinals for the second

6

VOLUME-IX

/ I S S U E - 21 / 1 1 / 2 3 / 1 7

straight season. Brantley also had two receptions for 23 yards and a pair of tackles on defense.

Brantley’s long kickoff retur n for a touchdown came at a crucial time for the Rebels, answering a Cherokee touchdown and giving Howell a 14-7 lead. His touchdown run in the fourth quarter gave Howell a 28-14 lead.

W e e k - 5 I0/7/i7

W e e k - 9 II/3/i7 St. John V iann ey Sr. DE

Nick Densieski

Lacey QB

Coleton Klaus

W e e k - 4 9/29/i7 Point Boro Sr. LB

Ronnie Leyda W e e k - 8 I0/27/i7 P oin t Be ac h Sr. WR

For the season Brantley has 39 receptions for 673 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also has a pair of touchdown runs. On special teams, Brantley has retur ned two kickoffs for touchdowns and also brought back a punt for a touchdown. On defense, Brantley has 27 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and an interception retur n for a touchdown.

Brantley had a late push from the Rebel faithful to overtake Manasquan’s Jake Fabean and Freehold’s Ashante Worthy with 38.88 percent of the vote.

Jean Verrier W e e k - 3 9/22/i7 Poi nt Be a ch Sr . QB/ LB

Luke Fruenheim W e e k - 7 I 0 /20/i7 Point Boro Sr. QB

James Fara

W e e k - 2 9/15/i7 Brick Memor ial Sr RB

Blaine Netterman

W e e k - 6 I 0 /I3/i7 Point Boro Sr. RB

Tanner Gordon

Week-1

9/8/i7

Barnegat Jr Tight End

Sean Morris

7

W

e’re just two weeks away from crowning state champions and concluding the 2017 football season. Aside from the eight games on Thanksgiving Eve and Thanksgiving Day, just seven teams remain in the NJSIAA playoffs. The results of the NJSIAA semifinals on Nov. 17 and Nov. 18 have caused some major movement in the latest Shore Sports Network Top 10.

Point Boro remained undefeated with a resounding 27-6 win over Manasquan to move up a few spots from the No. 8 slot it has occupied for much of the season. Mater Dei Prep also earned an impressive 35-34 victory over Holy Spirit to climb back into the top five.

Three ranked teams play on during Thanksgiving Week so there is a chance those games have an impact on the rankings ahead of the state finals. Shore Conference teams are represented by seven teams in six brackets, including Freehold vs. Long Branch in the Central Jersey Group IV final. The results of those games will go a long way to determining the final No. 1 ranking as well as the rest of The Jeep Store Top 10.

I

M analapan

.

5

(11-0)

Senior running back Naim Mayfield ran for 176 yards and five touchdowns on 13 carries to set the state record for points in a season with 276 as the Braves throttled Freehold Township, 63-22, in the Central Jersey Group V semifinals. Mayfield now has 2,546 yards rushing to leave him 44 yards shy of breaking the Shore Conference single-season rushing record of 2,589 yards set by Long Branch’s Dahmiere Willis in 2014. Senior fullback Chris Maksimik, senior right tackle Trevor Radosevich and junior quarterback Anthony Camarda each had rushing touchdowns while senior quarterback Luke Corcione threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout Scott Scherzer.

.

M ater D ei P rep (8-I)

Senior quarterback George Pearson ran for three touchdowns and tossed a go-ahead 11-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Clarence Lewis with 56 seconds left in regulation as the Seraphs stunned Holy Spirit, 35-34, in the Non-Public Group II semifinals. Sophomore running back Malik Ingram also had a touchdown run.

NEXT GAME: Sunday Dec. 3 at 2:30 p.m. vs. St. Joseph-Hammonton (11-0) in the Non-Public Group II final at Rowan University.

NEXT GAME: Saturday Dec. 2 at 1 p.m. vs. South Brunswick (9-1) in the Central Jersey Group V final at Rutgers University.

2

.

S t. J o h n V i a n n e y

(I0-I)

Johnny Buchanan and Zyaire Sterling ran for touchdowns and Haaziq Daniels threw a touchdown pass to Sam East, but the Lancers fell to DePaul, 42-21, in the semifinals of the Non-Public Group III playoffs. Senior A.J. Calabro made a triumphant return from a broken arm to make 15 tackles and force a fumble in his final high school game.

6

.

R ed B ank C atholic (8-I)

The Caseys’ season came to an end in the Non-Public Group III quarterfinals with a 49-13 loss to St. Joseph (Montvale).

NEXT GAME: Season complete.

.

F reehold (8 - 3)

.

Senior quarterback Ashante Worthy ran for 130 yards and three touchdowns, threw for 117 yards and a touchdown and intercepted two passes on defense to lead the Colonials to a 35-28 victory over Brick in the Central Jersey Group IV semifinals. Junior wideout Quincy Davis had a 28-yard touchdown catch and freshman Ahmad Dixon returned the opening kickoff of the second half 79 yards for a touchdown to put Freehold into its first sectional final since 2010. Worthy now has 2,589 yards rushing and 35 touchdowns along with 1,965 yards passing with 20 touchdowns this season. His 55 combined touchdowns and 4,554 combined yards are both state records. He is now tied with Long Branch's Dahmiere Willis (2014) with a Shore Conference single-season record 2,589 yards rushing and is 227 yards shy of the modern state record of 2,815 set last season by Salem's Jonathan Taylor. Worthy also needs just 35 yards passing to become the first player in state history to throw for 2,000 yards and run for 2,000 yards in a single season.

NEXT GAME: Saturday Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. vs. Long Branch (8-2) in the Central Jersey Group IV final at Rutgers University.

9

L o ng B r an c h ( 8 - 2 )

.

Next game: Season complete

3

8

R u mson- F ai r H a ven

7

(9-I)

Senior running back Peter Lucas ran for 157 yards and three touchdowns to break Rumson’s single-season rushing yards and touchdowns record with 2,110 yards and 30 touchdowns as the Bulldogs beat Wall, 28-13, to advance to their fifth straight sectional final. Senior quarterback Dan Harby added a 37-yard touchdown pass to junior right end Ian O’Connor. The Bulldogs will play Somerville in the Central Jersey Group III championship at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2 at Rutgers University’s High Point Solutions Stadium. The Bulldogs can become just the second Shore Conference program to win five straight state titles.

.

H o w el l

(9-2)

Senior quarterback Eddie Morales threw for 314 yards and two touchdowns on 29 of 35 passing and also ran for two touchdowns while senior wideout Naseim Brantley caught 10 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns, but the Rebels could not overcome a sixtouchdown performance from Lenape running back JoJo Kellum and fell to the top-seeded Indians, 63-28, in the South Jersey Group V semifinals

Jah'Kwan Gordon had two touchdown runs, Jermaine Corbett ran for a touchdown and Juwan Wilkins threw a 64-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Fosque as the Green Wave (8-2) shut down the Jackson Memorial in the Central Jersey Group IV semifinals to reach their first sectional final since 2007. Senior defensive end Kaymar Mimes had 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks and linebacker Luke Arnold had nine tackles, a forced fumble and 1.5 sacks to lead a defense that has yielded just three points in two playoff games. Long Branch will play Freehold in the Central Jersey Group IV final on Saturday Dec. 2 at Rutgers University.

NEXT GAME: Thanksgiving Eve at Red Bank (1-8)

NEXT GAME: Season complete.

NEXT GAME: Thanksgiving Day vs. Shore (4-5)

4

.

P oint B oro

I0

(II-0)

(6-4)

NEXT GAME: Thanksgiving Day at Wall (5-4).

NEXT GAME: Saturday Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. vs. Hillside (8-3) in the Central Jersey Group II final at Rutgers University.

VOLUME-IX

M a n a sq u an

Connor Morgan ran for 145 yards and Canyon Birch ran for 70 yards and a touchdown, but five turnovers doomed the Warriors in a 27-6 loss to Point Boro in the Central Jersey Group II semifinals to end their reign as defending champions.

Senior running back Brandon Cipriano had two touchdown catches and two rushing touchdowns and the Panthers defense forced five turnovers in a 27-6 win over Manasquan to reach the Central Jersey Group II championship game. It is Point Boro’s first trip to a sectional final since 2007. Senior quarterback James Fara ran for 121 yards and threw for 102 yards and two scores. Junior defensive lineman Trent Livolsi made 14 tackles, senior linebacker Tyler Sanchez had nine tackles, a blocked extra point and a critical fumble recovery in the end zone that changed the complexion of the game. Defensive back John Callander had an interception and a fumble recovery. the No. 6 seed in the Non-Public Group III playoffs

8

.

/ I S S U E - 21 / 1 1 / 2 3 / 1 7

9

#

Name

VOLUME-IX

Pos

Ht

Wt

#

Name

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt 195

I0

Jack Fabean

Jr.

TE/LB

5'10 180

5I

Mike LaPoint

Jr.

OL/LB

5'11

II

James Pendergist

Jr.

WR/DB

6'1

180

52

Andrew Miller

Jr.

OL/DL

6'1

170

I2

Tommy Antonucci

Sr.

QB/DB/P 5'10 185

54

Evan Hilla

Sr.

OL/DL

6'

210

I3

Cam Teza

So.

56

Charles Sawitsky

So.

OL/LB

6'2

190

I4

Rashid Tuddles

Jr. RB/WR/DB 5'10 190

59 Joe McKiever

Jr.

OL/DL

6'

170

I5

Brian Rogers

Sr.

QB/DB

6'1

60 Jack Cunningham

So.

OL/DL

5'11

175

I6

John Kinneally

Sr.

WR/DB

5'10 160

62 Alec Wells

Jr.

OL/DL

5'11

215

63 Dylan Aloi

So.

OL/DL

5'9

215

68 Aidan Byrne

So.

OL/DL

5'11 205 5'10 245

QB/DB

6'

175

20 Ryan O'Leary

Jr.

QB/DB

Sr.

WR/DB

5'10 155

Trey Triggiano

6'

165

2I

155

22 Connor Morgan

Sr.

RB/LB

5'11

215

70

Mike Masonius

So.

OL/DL

23 Jake Antonucci

Jr.

QB/DB

5'9

165

7I

Garrett Terlizzi

So.

OL/DL

6'5

24

Sean Rogers

Jr.

WR/DB

5'9

165

72

Sean Anderson

Sr.

OL/DL

5'10 190

25

Mike Page

RB/TE/DB 6'1

185

73

Jake Robustelli

Jr.

OL/DL

5'8

So.

WR/DB

5'7

165

74

Shane Ownes

Jr.

OL/DL

6'1

215

27

Jr.

RB/LB

5'10 185

77

Art Foreman

Jr.

OL/DL

6'4

245 255

Nick Pilatos

Jr.

245

26 Joe Introna

185

28 Matt McCann

So.

RB/DB

5'9

165

79

Jon Ellicott

Jr.

OL/DL

6'6

30 Luke Butkus

So.

WR/DB

6'2

160

80 Anthony Whille

Sr.

OL/DL

5'10

175

3I

Sr. TE/RB/LB 6'2

180

8I

Sr.

WR/DL

6'4

195 165

James Miele

Shaun Hunt

32 Leonardo Moreno

So.

RB/LB

5'10 160

83 Collin Harsin

Jr.

WR/DB

5'11

33

Jr.

RB/DB

5'8

175

84 Matt Lyons

Jr.

WR/DB

5'10 165

155

Canyon Birch

36 Angel Aparicio

So.

WR/DB

5'11

85 John Foreman

So.

WR/DB

6'

37

So.

WR/DB

5'10 165

87

So.

WR/DB

6'2

155

So.

RB/LB

6'2

185

88 Anders Scala

Jr.

TE/LB

6'2

190

6'

165

Jason Rosenfeld

40 Tom Shaughnessy

10

Grd

42

Riley Callahan

Jr.

WR/DB

44

Tyler Callahan

So.

RB/LB

5'10 180

50 Dylan D'Anton

Jr.

OL/DL

6'4

/ I S S U E - 21 / 1 1 / 2 3 / 1 7

190

Patrick Bilello

Head Coach: J. Price

185

#

Name

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt

6'

175

# Name

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt

2

Chevesse Covin

12

WR/DB

40 Devin Arroyo

11

WR/DB

6'

150

3

Aidan Mulreed

12

K/P

5'10" 163

41 Joe Shimko

11

LS/LB

6'

185 170

4

Brady McNally

12

RB/DB

5'11" 191

44 Ryan Kellett

12

FB/LB

5'6"

6

Eddie Scott

12

QB/DB

6'4" 201

50 Tyler Pappas

12

OL/DL

5'11" 263 5'11" 193

7

Dylan Richey

11

QB/DB

5'9"

51 Chris Buono

12

OL/DL

8

Ted Sharkey

10

WR/DB

5'10" 159

155

53 Ian Ackerman

10

OL/DL

9

Mike Cassidy

12

QB/DB

5'10" 163

55 Bryan Shulman

12

OL/LB

6'

206

5'11" 195

10 Stephen Riesco

11

QB/DB

5'10" 150

56 Tom Schneider

11

OL/LB

5'9" 188

11 Kamaal Cofer

11

RB/DB

5'11" 175

57 Sal Gargiulo

10

OL/DL

5'8" 180

12 Frank Passantino

10

QB/DB

5'10" 149

58 Avery Latz

10

OL/DL

5'10" 196

15 Tim McKernan

12

FB/LB

5'11" 187

65 Jack Wolter

10

OL/DL

6'1"

17 Mike Galos

10

WR/DB

5'10" 151

66 Jonathan Ruvalcaba

10

OL/DL

5'10" 260

18 Gus Setteducato

10

WR/LB

5'9"

151

70 Joe Fardella

11

OL/DL

6'1"

19 Steven Jackson

12

WR/DB

5'9"

164

71 Grant Berardo

12

OL/DL

5'10" 259 5'9" 200

190 244

20 Dale McNally

10

RB/DB

5'7"

137

73 Mike DeLaura

11

OL/DL

21 Dean Chapman

11

WR/DB

5'5"

148

74 Brady Scott

11

OL/DL

6'

22 Romeo Palmieri

12

WR/DB

5'9"

171

75 Shane O'Neill

10

OL/DL

5'9"

176

23 Matt DeSarno

10

RB/LB

5'9"

155

76 Vincent Lorenzo

10

OL/DL

6'1"

199 200

234

24 Josiah Schucht

12

WR/CB

5'9" 159

77 Jordan Ziegler

11

OL/DL

6'

25 Ryan Betz

10

WR/DB

5'8" 138

81 Jaden Carrasquillo

10

WR/DB

5'8"

147

26 Dean Terry

10

TE/LB

5'9"

142

83 Tanner Powers

11

TE/LB

6'

180

28 Alexander Latz

11

RB/DB

5'9"

170

85 Travis Aylett

12

TE/DE

30 Jim Cerbone

10

WR/DB

5'6"

116

86 Connor Molloy

11

TE/DB

6'3" 207 6'1"

189

31 Christian Tennant

11

WR/DB

5'10" 150

88 Dean Colatrella

12

TE/DL

5'11"

20

32 Jose Olivares

10

RB/DB

5'6"

33 Will Terry

10

RB/LB

5'10" 144

36 Eric Rodriguez

10

WR/DB

5'6"

155 Head Coach: Tony Grandinetti

132

11

#

Name

Pos

Grd

Ht

Wt

#

2

Joseph Vitiello

QB, CB

So.

5-7

136

3

Jd Harrison

CB, RB

Sr.

4

Nik Dileo

RB, OLB

5

Robert Eagle

7

Pos

Grd

Ht

Wt

#

Name

59 Brian M c neil

LB, G

Jr.

5-9

180

5-11 160

60 Avery Maski

T, DE

So.

6-0

225

Fr.

6-0

195

6I

T

So.

5-11 257

MLB

Sr.

6-1

190

63 Tommy Defeo

Ryan Gulya

QB, CB

Jr.

5-9

135

65 Cassey Bunting

T

So.

6

215

I4

Joe Smith

WR

So.

5-9

150

72 Zachary Michot

C, NG

Jr.

5-6

235

I7

Andrew Bartlett

FS, QB

So.

6-0

165

74 Dante Rodriguez

T

Sr.

6-3

355

I8 Garrett Brown

QB, FS

Jr.

5-10 165

75 Vinnie Pace

NG, G

Sr.

5-9 230

I9 Brennan Richardson

RB, FS

Sr.

5-9

76 David Kohler

T, DT

Sr.

5-10 251

77 Nick Carmona

DE, T

Jr.

5-11 255

G

Jr.

6-3 300

T, DT

Jr.

6-2

370 170

I 2 3 4 5 7 9 I0 II I2 I3 I4 I5 I6 I7 I8 I9 2I 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 3I 32

Levin Musawa Isaiah Chesney Dillon Balas Brian Finucan Caleb Schafer Dillon Muratovic Livi Bowen Elijah Chesney Joseph Herod Logan Malia Devyn Defilipo Matt Verneri Sean Madej Ryan Andrews Matt Scott Juan Axzavier-abraham Dewight Smith Thomas Krey Abdoulaye Diagne Nico Adorno Tristan Porcelli Peter Toth Charlie Cotton Lawrence Davis Matt Charland Michael Godfrey Zane Allen Rashidi Alleyne Brian Ewan

20 Kendrick Johnson 2I

Zack Ackerman

175

So.

Name

Jack Marlow

G, DT

So. 5-10 225

RB, CB

Sr.

5-10 160

78 Johnathan Makar

24 John Morrin

FB

So.

5-9

79 Jacob Lucas

26 Robert Lefevre

FS

Jr.

5-10 150

80 Kevin Cameron

WR, TE

Jr.

6-1

32 Jason Jeannotte

RB, OLB

Sr.

5-10 150

84 Ed Wilkinson

TE, OLB

So.

6-3 209

34 Christopher Milano

FB, LS

Sr.

5-9

155

85 Nathan Wyatt

Sr.

5-9

150

40 Evan Burton

LB, RB

Jr.

5-9

192

88 Joey Parkinson

OLB, TE

Jr.

6-1

225

TE

Sr.

6-0

250

89 Chris Lewis

TE, WR

Sr.

6-1

180

Bryan Mendez

T, NG

Jr.

5-8

225

Head Coach: Matthew Fuller

58 Nicholas D e martino

C, DT

So.

5-8

185

42 Dylan Bastian 5I

12

175

VOLUME-IX

Pos

Grd

Ht

Wt

#

Name

RB, DL RB, DB WR, DB QB, DB RB, DB RB, LB WR, DB WR, DB WR, DB WR, DB WR, DB QB, DB WR, DB WR, DB WR, DB RB, LB WR, DB QB, WR, DB RB, LB WR, DB WR, LB QB, TE, LB RB, DB WR, DB TE, LB RB, LB WR, DB RB, LB RB, LB

Sr. So. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. So. So. So. Jr. So. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. Fr. So. Jr. So. So. Jr.

6-0 5-6 5-8 6-2 5-6 5-9 5-7 5-10 5-11 6-1 6-2 5-10 6-0 6-1 5-8 6-1 5-11 6-0 6-0 6-0 5-7 6-0 5-8 5-10 5-7 5-6 5-9 6-0 6-0

195 129 152 172 168 215 145 170 150 155 175 146 160 139 138 215 138 155 174 180 160 162 185 145 189 180 141 158 228

33 35 36 37 40 45 46 55 56 57 58 59 6I 64 65 69 7I 72 73 74 75 77 80 82 89

Seth Geraghty RB, DB RJ Shields TE, DL Mark Belvett RB, DL Aaron Osborn WR, DB, K Dominick Guiro K Matt Davies TE, DL Dominick Aneses RB, LB Noah Mattiello OL, DL Anthony Grimes OL, DL Huner Dengler OL, DL Brandon Andrews OL, DL Steven Pitiak OL, DL Griffin Pezzuti OL, DL Griffin Jackstadt OL, DL Joe Lauer OL, DL Tim Lauterbach OL, DL Matt Truax OL, DL John Pannone OL, DL Ryan Pucylowski OL, DL Phil Gogarty OL, DL Eric Feroldi OL, DL Julian Schoenberger OL, DL Brendan Malia WR, LB Robert Armstrong Jr. TE, DL Sean Morris TE, DL

/ I S S U E - 21 / 1 1 / 2 3 / 1 7

Head Coach: Rob Davis

Pos

Grd

Ht

Wt

Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. So. So. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Jr.

5-7 5-9 6-1 5-10 5-6 5-8 5-8 5-8 6-1 6-0 5-11 6-3 5-10 6-1 6-0 6-1 5-8 5-9 6-0 6-2 5-11 5-11 5-11 6-1 6-4

135 198 213 164 167 158 199 205 280 171 230 250 228 222 244 272 214 244 227 265 231 242 159 195 220

Ashante Worthy’s 4 Combined TDs Help Freehold Reach I st State Final Since 20I0 By

Scott Stump

F

reehold senior qua rterback Ashante Worthy has turned the Shore Conference and state record books into his autobiogr aphy this season, but the distinction he wants the most cannot be accomplished by one p layer.

For the eighth-seeded Colonials to bring home their first state sectional title since 2010, it will take a full team effort like the one they turned in to beat fifth-seeded Brick 35-28 at Keller Memorial Field on Friday night to punch their ticket to the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV final.

"We win every game as a team,'' Worthy said. "I keep (the records) in the way back (of my mind). I just want to win this state championship for Freehold Boro. That's all I care about."

Freehold (8-3) will face Long Branch in the championship game on the first weekend of December at a neutral site to be announced by the NJSIAA. The Colonials, who beat the Green Wave in a 27-20 thriller in the regular season, are trying to become the first Shore Conference team to win a state title as a No. 8 seed since Long Branch did it in Central Jersey Group III in 1999.

Worthy had 130 yards and three touchdowns rushing along with 117 yards and a touchdown passing to add to his record-setting totals as Freehold avenged a loss to the Green Dragons (6-5) from last year's semifinals. Worthy also had a pair of interceptions on defense.

However, plays like a leaping 28-yard touchdown catch on fourth down by junior Quincy Davis, a kick return touchdown by freshman Ahmad Dixon and some timely defensive stops were just as crucial in putting the Colonials

- Shore Sports Network Contributor

in their first state final in seven years. "(Worthy) is the most unselfish person and player,'' head coach Dave Ellis said. "His goal every game is to get all five of his wide receivers a touchdown. Everybody executes their role, and that's why we win."

Freehold pulled ahead for good with a pair of unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter that snapped a 14-14 halftime tie. Dixon, a budding star and the younger brother of former Freehold standout running back Josh Dixon, made his presence felt on the big stage by returning the opening kickoff of the second half 79 yards for a touchdown.

"I saw the hole and took it,'' Dixon said. "It gave us a whole bunch of life."

"Ahmad is gonna be a special player, and that really sparked us,'' Ellis said.

Dixon's return energized a Freehold defense that had given up 225 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns in the first half. They forced a three-and-out and the offense then drove 77 yards in 10 plays, capped by a juking, 32-yard touchdown run on fourth down by Worthy that made it 28-14 with 5:28 left in the third quarter.

"We made some halftime adjustments and just tackled better,'' Ellis said.

Worthy, who played on defense more than usual given the enormity of the game, killed Brick's ensuing drive with his second interception of the night. That set up a 12-play, 67yard drive that put the game away. He broke about five arm tackles on his way to a 24-yard score that pushed the lead to 35-14 with 5:58 left in the game.

Brick made it interesting with a pair of late scoring drives, both of which ended with 2-yard touchdown runs by junior quarterback Jimmy Leblo. The second one cut the lead to 35-28, but junior Savion Macon recovered an onside kick

with 29 seconds remaining that allowed Freehold to take a knee for the win.

which ties the Shore Conference single-season record set by Long Branch's Dahmiere Willis two years ago and 226 short of the modern state record set by current Wisconsin star freshman Jonathan Taylor for Salem last year.

"This is just an amazing feeling right now,'' Davis said.

The Green Dragons kept Worthy relatively under wraps by his standards in the first half given that he was coming off a Shore Conference single-game record 635-yard effort in a win over topseeded Nottingham. They held him to 85 yards at the break, including only nine rushing yards, yet remained tied on the scoreboard.

Freehold Boros Ashante Worthy’s

The Colonials took advantage of a fumble recovery at the Brick 33-yard line on the first possession of the game to set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Worthy.

Brick answered with a 12-play drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Cole Groschel and then an eight-play drive capped by a 43-yard touchdown run by Groschel for a 14-7 lead. Groschel was sensational in defeat with 197 yards rushing and a pair of scores.

Freehold made sure it would be deadlocked at halftime despite being outgained 239-85 when Worthy lofted a jump ball on fourth down that the 6-foot-6 Davis leaped to catch and then wrestled away from two defenders for a 28-yard score with 3:59 left in the half.

"I practice high-pointing the ball all the time," Davis said.

It was the latest highlight play involving Worthy, whose 55 combined touchdowns between rushing and passing this season are a state record. He now has 2,5889 yards rushing,

He also has 1,965 passing yards, leaving him 35 yards shy of becoming the first player in New Jersey history to both rush and pass for more than 2,000 yards in a season.

Worthy's rise has coincided with the upward trajectory of the Colonials after they went 3-7, 2-8 and 2-8 in Ellis' first three years from 2011-13. Ellis was the defensive coordinator under Mark Ciccotelli, now the head coach at Scotch Plains, when Freehold won its only two state titles in 2008 and 2010 before he ascended to the head job. The Colonials are now 27-15 over the past four seasons of Worthy's four-year varsity career.

"I told our coaches after we went 2-8 in 2013 that we're like a business and no one is buying our product,'' Ellis said.

"It's been a long road, and there's been times when I didn't know if I would still be here. We just kept working and working, and that's why I'm so happy for these guys that they get to experience playing for a state championship."

Photo by: Ray Rich Photography www.rayrichphotography.smugmug.com

13

Second-Half Surge Boosts Long Branch to I st Sectional Final in I0 Years By

Matt Manley

M

ost of the players on this ye ar's Long Branch football team have been a part of the previous two seasons, during which the Green Wave won a co mbined fiv e games and had plenty of chances to break under the weight of losing in a rough-and-tumble division.

Instead, they rallied to author a redemption season in 2017 and when the Jackson Memorial offense bent Long Branch's defense during the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV semifinals on Friday night at Long Branch High School, it should come as no surprise that the Green Wave never broke.

Long Branch's defense delivered two critical goal-line stands, recovered two fumbles and enabled the offense to break open a tight game in the second half on the way to a 28-3 win over the seventhseeded Jaguars.

The No. 3 seed in the bracket, Long Branch will head to a sectional championship game for the first time since 2007 and will look to win its first sectional championship since 1999 when the Green Wave take on No. 8 Freehold Boro in two weeks.

"We just felt it in the air," senior defensive end Kaymar Mimes, who recorded one of Long Branch's six quarterback sacks in the game. "We knew we were in a special place with a special opportunity and we didn't want to waste this. We put ourselves in a state of mind where we knew we had to come out here and get it and give it our all."

The turning point in Friday's game came with a little more than seven minutes left in the third quarter and Jackson Memorial driving for a potential go-ahead score. On three consecutive plays, the Jaguars moved

14

- Senior Staff writer the ball from their own 32 to Long Branch's 3 yard line. Senior quarterback A.J. Tolmachewich found senior tight end Brandon Hirsch for a 37-yard completion, followed by runs of 19 and nine yards by senior fullback Tom Pellone.

That was when Long Branch's defense dug in. The Green Wave stuffed Pellone for no gain on 2nd-and-1 from the 3 and Tolmachewich misfired on a timing pass on third down. On 4th-and-1, junior tailback Leo Shimonovich tried the right side, but was met by a host of Green Wave defenders two yards behind the line of scrimmage.

"Nick Tranchina and his defensive staff are doing a great job and we have players," Long Branch coach Dan George said. "The Bill Belichick line, 'Do your job' applies to this group because when we have 11 guys doing what they're supposed to be doing, we're tough to deal with in any situation and I think it really shows when you have to make a play and get a stop."

"We put ourselves in situations like that in practice and when you perfect it in practice, you perform in the game," Mimes said.

Long Branch's ensuing drive got off to a shaky start with a false start on the first play, but after that, sophomore tailback Jermaine Corbett and the running game finally found their rhythm. Corbett carried the ball five straight times to push the Green Wave from its own 2 yard line to its own 45 to set up a 2nd-and-7.

The Green Wave changed things up with a pass on the second-down play and senior quarterback Juwan Wilkins hit Pasa Fields for a 30-yard gain over the middle.

After a seven-yard run by junior fullback La'Qym Morris, Corbett finished off the drive with a 12-yard run down to the Jackson Memorial 6 and a six-yard run to cap the drive and give the Green Wave a 14-3 lead with 1:39 left in the third following Paul Montague's extra-point.

Corbett labored for 19 yards on eight carries against Jackson

VOLUME-IX

/ I S S U E - 21 / 1 1 / 2 3 / 1 7

Memorial's defense in the first half, but piled up 61 yards on seven carries on Long Branch's second scoring drive alone. The sophomore back finished with 97 yards on 19 carries.

"There were some nerves in the first half," George said. "Guys were missing on some good looks and we just decided, backed up against our goal line, we're going to go old school. We're going put two backs in the backfield, come off the football and see if you can stop us. We kind of willed it the way we willed it defensively."

sr. WR Pasa Fields

The Green Wave put the game away with its other sophomore running back.

Jah'kwan Gordon sliced into the endzone from nine yards out on his first carry of the game and put the game away when he broke off a 50-yard touchdown run up the right sideline with 5:03 left to play.

As a team, Long Branch rushed for 175 yards on 28 attempts, with 165 yards coming on 19 second-half carries.

disrupted the Jaguars passing game.

Junior linebacker Luke Arnold led the effort with 2 1/2 sacks.

During the first half, Long Branch used a pair of fumbles by Jackson Memorial sophomore tailback Stephen Rodriguez to take control of a defensive battle. On the first play of the second quarter, junior La'Qym Morris stripped Rodriguez and classmate Hunter Metzler recovered on the Long Branch 36 yard-line to end a Jackson Memorial threat.

"There is a hunger out there when we're on defense," Mimes said.

"We're so close (to a championship) and we have to push to the limit to get to the championship. That has been the dream from all the way back in the summer and we've been grinding ever since. The dream is still alive and it's up to us to execute."

On the very next play, senior quarterback Juwan Wilkins aired out a deep pass down the middle for senior receiver T.J. Fosque, who bolted past the coverage, ran down the pass, and took it 64 yards for the first score of the game.

George guided Long Branch to a Central Jersey Group III championship

Senior Kevin Porch recovered another Rodriguez fumble on the second play of the ensuing possession, setting up Long Branch on the Jaguars 23 yard line.

Jackson Memorial, however, held firm and turned the Green Wave over on downs.

Long Branch turned in its first defensive stand at the end of the final possession of the half, as Jackson Memorial ate up the nearly all of the remaining five minutes and change while advancing the ball from its own 14 to the red zone. A 23-yard catch by sophomore Jake McKown set the Jaguars up at the Wave 11 yard line with 59 seconds left.

With no timeouts left, Jackson Memorial lined up for a 21-yard field goal on 3rd-and-3 from the 4 yard line with 13 seconds left. Long Branch, however, jumped offsides and the Jaguars decided to go for the touchdown from the 2 yard line. Jackson, though, committed a false start penalty, which prompted the Jaguars to once again settle for the field goal with seven seconds left in the half.

Jackson Memorial authored three drives that took the Jaguars into Green Wave territory, but came up with only three points because of the two fumbles and the two Long Branch stands inside the 5 yard line. The Jaguars ran 11 more plays in the game, but the Green Wave still outgained them 290-184.

Tolmachewich completed his first four passes and seven of his first nine against Long Branch's defense, but the Green Wave pass rush

to the sectional semifinals was in Central Jersey Group III in 2014, when the Green Wave fell to Carteret. The Green Wave have since moved up to Group IV and took down traditional Shore powers Middletown South and Jackson Memorial in its first two playoff games, outscoring the two by a combined margin of 48-3.

"That's the beauty when you do end up in this playoff bracket," George said. "When you get wins like this against a team like that, it's just so gratifying. These kids did everything we asked them to do and now they're in the finals."

The Central Jersey Group IV championship will present a different challenge for Long Branch, which will have to contend with Freehold Boro and record-setting dual-threat quarterback Ashante Worthy. The two teams met in the final regular-season game of the season and Worthy led the Colonials to a 27-20 win over the Green Wave by rushing for 253 yards and throwing for another 353, including the game-winning 20-yard touchdown pass in the final two minutes.

"He's going to touch it 73 times like he did the last time," George said of Worthy. "We know who's getting the ball, we just have to try to stop him this time."

sr. LB Kyle Smith

"I wanted that rematch from the night that we lost, so I can't wait," Mimes said. "It's going to be a great game."

in his third year as head coach of the Green Wave, but the second championship has eluded him and his program over the subsequent years. Long Branch lost to Moorestown in the Central Jersey Group III final in 2007 and has since reached the sectional semifinals three times.

"It's a long time coming, honestly," Mimes said. "We all grinded together and it's just a long time coming. I'm grateful we made it."

Long Branch's most recent trip

by:

Matt Manly www.shoresportsnetwork.com

T i m o t h y “ T . J .� F o s q u e

Photos by :

Paula Lopez www.palimages.com

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VOLUME-IX

/ I S S U E - 21 / 1 1 / 2 3 / 1 7

#

I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 I0 II I2 I3 I5 I6 I7 I8 I9 20 2I 22 24 25 26 27 28 29 3I 32 33 36 40

Name

Ja’Que Coleman Luke Arnold Jermaine Corbett Devyn Blount Kevin Porch Pasa Fields Matt Clark Nicholas Reilly Luis Rodriguez Marc Dennis Timothy “T.J.” Fosque Latrell Bennett Juwan Wilkins Niles Montgomery Darien Cleveland Kheperra Reynosso Beyon Jennings Jarell Sherin Dupree Robinson Alex Aviles Elijah Sherin Zahdierr Blueford Jah’kwan Gordon Quron Wakefield Zahfir Anderson William Levy Kyle Smith Lucus Telles La’Qym Morris Herbie Rivera Malachi Irizarry Daniel Tracy

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt

#

11 11 10 11 12 12 11 10 10 11 12 11 12 11 12 10 10 10 11 10 12 11 10 10 11 11 12 10 11 11 11 11

RB/LB QB/LB RB/DB RB/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB QB/DB RB/LB QB/DB WR/DB RB /LB QB/DB RB/DB RB/LB WR/DB TE/TE WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB RB/LB RB/LB OL/LB RB/LB RB/LB WR/LB FB/LB WR/DB FB/LB FB/LB

5’10 5’11 5’9 5’7 6’2 6’0 6’3 5’8 5’8 6’0 6’4 5’11 5’9 5’10 6’1 5’9 6’2 5’10 5’8 5’6 5’10 5’10 6’ 5’9 6’2 5’11 6’1 6’3 5’10 5’10 5’9 5’10

175 172 170 145 177 180 190 145 162 167 185 168 166 157 192 153 175 140 125 123 175 160 170 167 195 178 205 173 186 162 184 173

42 44 45 49 50 52 53 55 56 57 58 60 6I 64 66 68 7I 72 75 76 77 78 80 8I 82 85 88 89 90 99

Name

Javier Norwood Geno Pothier Paul Montague Robert Chacon Imir Durant William Norman Kevin Cerruti Tracey Taylor Jahaire Smith-Moore Miguel Figuroa Hunter Metzler Lydell Craig Matthew Guidetti Jonathan Friel Malachi Irizarry Vincent Mandica Jacob Kimble Brian Santiago Emanuel Ventura Gabe Carrasquillo Jamir Thomas Victor Torres Sean Starkes Andreas Giron Marvin Hall Marcus Strong Traevon Bundy Kaymar Mimes Nasar Dixon Joey Mazza

Head Coach: Dan George

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt

#

Name

11 11 12 10 11 11 11 10 11 10 11 11 10 10 11 10 11 12 10 12 10 11 10 10 10 11 10 11 11 10

FB/LB RB/DB PK/P WR/DB OL/DL LB/FB OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL FB/DL WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB TE/DE OL/DL OL/DL

5’9 5’10 5’9 5’10 6’2 5’10 6’5 5’11 6’3 6’2 6’1 5’11 5’9 5’10 5’9 6’ 5’11 6’1 6’1 6’2 5’9 6’0 6’0 5’8 6’0 5’9 6’ 6’4 6’1 6’

210 169 160 170 211 170 285 225 243 260 218 208 233 183 183 247 218 254 200 250 255 255 149 129 145 137 165 230 215 235

I

Ma k ai Mic k en s

2

Do no v an T ur n e r

3

No a h Mic k en s

4

Nig el Mi tc hel l

5

Ste phe n N av it sky

6

Ma son G ra y

7

K a ’ Sha u n Tu r ne r

8

Tyq u an C r a wf o rd

Grd

Pos

10

rb /db

Ht

Wt

Name

Grd

Pos

5' 9" 175

4I Be n Sme la s

10

o l/l b

11

qb /db 5 '11" 17 0

42 P et e r Po we r

12

w r/d b 5' 10" 17 5

12

w r /db 6' 0" 175

43 K yl e We isma n

10

te /lb

5' 9 " 16 5

11

rb /db 5 '11" 175

50 V in ce n t D iLo r en zi

10

o l /dl

5' 10 195

12

qb /db 5' 8" 17 0

52 Anth ony B uona ntu ono 12

rb /lb 5' 9" 195

12

rb /db 5' 8 " 160

54 C o lin C ha tt o

11

o l/l b

11

r b/d t 5 '11" 275

55 E vin L a wl oR

11

o l/l b 5' 11" 195

10

r b/l b

57 K e vin Sc r ee n

10

o l /dl

6'3 " 18 0

5' 9" 180

#

Ht

Wt

5' 9 " 16 5

5' 9 " 17 5

I0 Qu r a n Ma ll oy

12

te /de 6' 3" 220

58 N ic k A r no ne

12

te /lb

6' 2" 195

II

10

w r /db 5' 8" 14 5

62 Sa m Wa sse rf a ll

10

o l /dl

5' 9 " 185

Co l e L a k a to s

I2 Da v id Hic k s

10

rb /db

65 J ust in Go od in g

11

o l /dl

6' 2" 24 0

I3 Ja c k N iez s

11

w r /db 5' 8" 160

5' 9" 165

66 Se th Co u sins

10

o l /dl

6 '0

I4 Ja c k C ham ber l a in

10

qb /db 5 '11" 165

74 A r tu r o Fl o re s

11

o l /dl

6'3 " 23 5

I6 Lu k e Ju r ek

11

w r /db 5' 10 " 17 0

75 Mi cha e l E u ln e r

12

o l /dl 5' 10 " 190

I7 Co l e M c M aho n

12

r b/l b 5' 10 " 160

76 Mi cha e l L a hey

12

o l /dl

6 '1" 255

2I Me siah Wo od S

12

t e/l b 5' 10 " 175

78 Z ac ha r y P et e rse n

10

o l /dl

6' 4" 2 65

22 K ev in We isma n

12

t e/l b 5 ' 10" 20 0

79 D a mia n Sco tt

10

o l /dl

6 '1" 2 70

23 Sea mu s C o chr a n e

12

w r /db 5' 9" 175

80 C hr is Ma id a

10

w r/d b 5' 9 " 150

24 Tu c ke r C o chr a ne

10

w r /db 5' 8" 13 5

8I R a y F o rb es

11

f b/de 5' 10" 185

25 Wil lia m Wa t soN

11

r b/l b

5' 8" 150

82 A .J . A ba r n 0

10

w r/d b 5' 8 " 145

26 A ide n Bu tl er

11

w r /db

5' 7 " 15 5

88 K ha bir Mu ha mma d

11

w r/d b 5' 10" 155

5' 8" 175

89 J a ck D e e

11

t e /de

27 R obb ie D e Ma rc o

11

rb /db

3 2 Sa lv at o re G igl io

12

w r /db 5 ' 10" 17 0

3 3 Ga vi n M a ho n ey

11

te /de 5' 10 " 180

3 4 Wil l Da l Pr a

10

t e/l b

2 25

6'3 " 190

Head Coach: Nick Giglio

5' 9" 17 0

17

18

VOLUME-IX

#

Name

Grd

Pos

2

Gil Goldsmith

Jr

3

Terry Carlstrom

7

Wt

#

Nam e

Grd

Pos

CB,RB,WR

5'9" 165

5I

Tom Moloney

Jr

DE,G

6'0� 165

Jr

RB,FS

5'9" 160

54 Jake Foggia

Jr

C,DT

5'9" 180

Brett Young

Jr

WR,CB

6'0" 150

56 Matt Altomare

Sr

G,MLB

5'7" 170

8

Cody Joyce

Jr

58 Gunnar Schuelzky

Jr

MLB,G

5'9" 170

I0

Tom Bocco

Jr

QB,CB

5'8" 145

59 Noah Carroll

Jr

C,DE

6'2" 200

I2

Ryan Morris

Sr

QB,FS

5'10" 165

60 Jason VanBrunt

Sr

DE,G

6'2" 220

I4

Justin Murphy

Jr

WR

5'7" 135

70 Frank Illiano

Jr

DT,T

5'10" 290

I5

Richie Pekmezian

Jr

K

5'9" 145

67 Jake Altomare

Sr

G,OLB

5'8" 145

I8 Ty Peterson

Jr

WR,DE

6'1" 165

7I

Joe Graci

Fr

T,DT

6'0" 200

22 Jack McCrae

Jr

RB,OLB

5'9" 150

72 Sam Aromando

Jr

DT,T,DE

6'0" 230

23 Danny Kelly

Jr

RB,MLB,FB 5'7" 142

74 Matt VanBrunt

Jr

T

6'2" 200

24 Marc Meloni

Jr

75 Vinny D i Maio

Jr

DT,T

6'5" 290

28 Kevin Pennell

Jr

76 Sam Weber

Fr

T,DT

6'2" 225

29 Al DeSantis Jr.

Jr

QB,OLB

5'6" 130

77 Mike Rosati

Sr

DE,G

6'2" 200

30 John Salerno

Sr

FB,MLB

5'10" 182

78 Joe Aria

Jr

T,DT

6'0" 230

3I

Jr

DE,TE

6'1"

80 Michael Deusch

Jr

TE,MLB

6'0" 185

32 AJ Shirley

Sr

RB,OLB

6'0" 175

8I Oscar Scott

Jr

WR,CB

6'2" 175

33 Alex Palmberg

Jr

RB,CB

5'10" 165

99 Liam Rempel

Jr

DE,TE

6'3" 185

34 Matt O'Donnell

Sr

TE,DE

5'11 180

35 Bailey Crochet

Sr

RB,FS,CB 5'10" 170

49 Jake Shirley

Jr

RB,MLB

Nick Crochet

Ht

WR,CB,RB 5'10" 155

MLB,FB

5'9" 165

OLB,RB,FB 6'2" 190

/ I S S U E - 21 / 1 1 / 2 3 / 1 7

175

5'10" 135

Head Coach: Mark Costantino

Ht

Wt

#

Name

Grd

Pos

I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 I0 II I2 I3 I4 I5 I6 I7 I8 I9 20 2I 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 3I 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 4I 42 43

Elijah McAllister Dan Harby Wyatt Feinberg Ian O'Connor Mike Martino Alex Maldjian Liam Donohue Kevin Ninger Christian Lanzalotto Thomas Forlenza Alex Sloan Jack Shebell Brendan McLaughlin John McHeffey Bryan Thompson Mike Lizotte Jack Hennen Curtis Factor P.J. Velcamp Brooks Brennan Drew Frankel Peter Lucas Matt Caldwell Stephen Edler Gavin Pomphrey Donovan Brennan Peter Crowley Collin Coles Tommy Solano Tristen Holter Thomas Lizotte Christian Bruno Doug Duprey Andrew Lawless Dennis Palmeri Dan Afflitto Hunter Reid Gordon Forsyth JP Davis Grady Shanley Ryan Dupree

12 12 12 11 12 11 12 12 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 12 11 10 12 11 12 12 12 10 10 11 10 11 12 10 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 11

WR/TE/DL QB DB TE/WR WR RB DB DB LB/QB RB DB DB TE WR DB DB QB QB WR DB DB RB WR WR RB WR WR/DB QB RB QB DB DB DB WR/RB DB RB WR LB DB DE DB

#

Name

44 Keegan Woods 45 Quinn Doherty 46 Liam Horan 47 Christian Joyce 48 Matt Drastal 49 Kenny Swain 50 Jacob Waters 5I Joe Afflitto 52 Henry Sullivan 53 Sam Lyle 54 Chase Pfrang 55 Isaac Vernon 56 PJ Block 57 Dominic Gasperini 58 Billy Garavante 59 Kenny Rainey 60 Evan Davis 62 James Greeley 64 Jack Susser 66 Cameron Cardinale 67 Ethan Ardolino 68 Spencer Short 69 Aidan M c Gurl 70 Justin Johnson 7I Lucas Borneo 72 Peter McGovern 73 Ryan McCann 74 Tim Kelly 75 Jack Kelleher 77 Dylan Avino 8I Owen McLaughlin 83 Will Sullivan 84 Riley West 86 Skyler Smith 87 Rocco Graziano 92 Scott Beattie 93 Sean Bunnell 97 Thomas Kilbourne 99 James Hempstead HEAD COACH: Jerry Schulte

Grd

Pos

11 11 10 10 12 10 12 11 11 11 12 11 10 11

LB K LB WR DL LB OL DL DL LB DL/LB DL OL OL

11 11 10 10 10 11 11 12 12 10 10 11 11 12 12 10 10 11 11 10 10 12 11 11

OL OL OL OL OL OL DL DL OL OL DL OL/TE OL OL OL TE WR DB WR DL DL DL K/P

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By Bob Badders – Senior Managing Edit

fter bringing home five sectional titles as a conference last season, the Shore Conference is in position to surpass that total and tie its previous high of six when the NJSIAA sectional championship games are contested the weekend of Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 at neutral sites around New Jersey.

As usual the Shore will be well-represented in the finals with seven teams in six different brackets. All five Central Jersey sections have Shore Conference teams in the final, including an all-Shore matchups in Central Jersey Group IV between Freehold and Long Branch.

Manalapan aims for the program’s first 12-0 season in the Central Jersey Group V final, Rumson looks to complete its journey to win five straight titles in Central Jersey Group III and neighboring schools Point Boro in Group II and Point Beach in Group I look to bring home championships. Mater Dei Prep will try to win its second straight title in Non-Public Group II.

Here we’ll give an overview of each of the six sectional championship games involving seven Shore Conference teams. Remember to check ShoreSportsNetwork.com in the days leading up to the state title games for a complete breakdown of each game.

and 46 total touchdowns are Shore Conference and state records, as his five touchdowns against Freehold Township set New Jersey’s all-time singleseason scoring record with 276 points and counting. He is 44 yards away from breaking the Shore Conference single-season rushing record of 2,589 set by Long Branch’s Dahmiere Willis in 2014. Nobody has been able to stop Mayfield this season, and the Braves are counting on another big game in their finale.

Paving the way for Mayfield is an outstanding offensive line led by senior Trevor Radosevich at right tackle and also featuring senior Jack McLaughlin at right guard, senior Joe Ciraola at left guard, senior Matt Mazza at left tackle and sophomore Nick Cavallaro at center. Senior fullback Chris Maksimik, a devastating blocker as well as a short-yardage specialist and a pass-catching threat, clears many a path for Mayfield.

With Mayfield running wild every week Manalapan hasn’t needed to throw the ball much. The Braves do, however, have one of the Shore Conference’s top quarterbacks in senior Luke Corcione, who has thrown for 1,317 yards and nine touchdowns.

Senior wideouts Symir Blacknall and Scott Scherzer each have a team-high 22 receptions with Blacknall amassing 489 yards and two touchdowns and Scherzer totaling 342 yards and three scores. Blacknall also has four rushing touchdowns and a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Central Jersey Group V 1-Manalapan (11-0) vs. 2-South Brunswick (9-1) Saturday, Dec. 2, 1 p.m. at Rutgers University

Manalapan’s defense has yielded just 10.9 points per game this season and recorded four shutouts. The Braves have playmakers at all three levels of their defense and are lead by Pearce and senior Sal Tardogno at linebacker.

Pearce leads the Shore Conference with 129 tackles (eight for a loss) and also has three sacks and a team-high four interceptions. Tardogno has 101 tackles and two sacks. Senior defensive lineman Antonio Deieso has made 93 stops and recorded a team-leading 14 hits for a loss and eight sacks. Junior defensive lineman Da-shon Taylor has 69 tackles with nine hits for a loss and four sacks.

Manalapan is one win away from a wire-towire run as the No. 1 team in the Shore and, more importantly, from immortality as the program’s first 12-0 team and second sectional champion. Standing in the Braves’ way is a South Brunswick program they’ve had plenty of postseason battles with over the years.

This will be the fifth meeting in the last six postseasons between Manalapan and South Brunswick. The teams have split the first four meetings, including both gaining victories over each other to win state championships.

The Braves have been absolutely dominant this season with the No. 1 offense and the No. 1 defense in the Shore, headlined by record-setting senior running back Naim Mayfield and Defensive Player of the Year candidate, junior linebacker Tommy Pearce.

Manalapan reached the final via a 63-22 wipeout of Freehold Township and will be playing in their sixth sectional final in the last seven seasons. The Braves are averaging 45 points per game through 11 games, and while they are talented and productive at multiple positions, the player who has led the way has been Mayfield.

David Gelb hasn’t attempted a field goal this season because Manalapan’s offense has been so efficient, but the junior has a big leg that can be a weapon. He’s converted 65 of 67 extra points and boomed 33 touchbacks this season.

Coming into the season Manalapan head coach Ed Gurrieri said Mayfield could already be the greatest running back in Braves history.

There’s no question about it now after an unreal season that still has one more chapter to be written. Mayfield has rushed for 2,546 yards and 45 touchdowns this season on a mindManalapan’s boggling 14.2 yards per carry. His 45 rushing touchdowns

20

South Brunswick will be seeking its third state title and first since 2015 and enters on a seven-game winning streak. The Vikings top player is 6-foot-4, 200pound senior wide receiver Justin Shorter, a Penn State recruit. South Brunswick’s offense is geared around running the ball with multiple backs and airing it out to Shorter, who has 500 of the team’s 661 receiving yards and Naim Mayfield

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seven of its 11 receiving touchdowns through 10 games. He is also the team’s second-leading rusher with 313 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior quarterback Felix Quinones is a shifty playmaker who leads the team in rushing with 749 yards and 13 touchdowns while throwing for 542 yards and nine touchdowns with only one interception. Seniors Jaylan Lawson, Jayvon Palmer, Dylan Kirz and junior Thomas Joe-Kamara are each regulars in the running game, but Quinones has been the one to run a third of the time the Vikings keep it on the ground.

The Vikings don’t have one particular dominant player on defense but get it done with a cohesive unit that has allowed 14 points or fewer in nine of 10 games this season. Joe-Kamara has a teamhigh 66 tackles while Kirz has 62 stops and a team-leading seven hits for a loss. Junior Jalen John and senior Xavier Cargile each have three sacks. Lawson has three interceptions while Joe-Kamara, Quinones and Shorter each have two picks.

Kicker Evan Sooby has converted 23 of 27 extra points but has not attempted a field goal this season.

The teams have two common opponents this season in Piscataway and Old Bridge.

Piscataway handed South Brunswick its only loss of the season, 28-14, while Manalapan shut out Piscataway, 28-0. South Brunswick beat Old Bridge 35-6 in Week 1 and 21-10 in the semifinals last week.

Manalapan defeated Old Bridge, 34-13, in Week 3.

Manalapan has two weeks to prepare while South Brunswick will host North Brunswick on Thanksgiving Eve. The Vikings may be without Quinones on Turkey day as he injured his throwing elbow against Old Bridge. The Home News Tribune’s Greg Tufaro reported x-rays were negative and it appears to be a hyperextension and not a dislocation as was initially feared.

Both teams have a dynamic player at their disposal, but Manalapan is the favorite to win the title. The elephant in the room is that the Braves are just 1-5 all-time in sectional finals. They have been nearly untouchable in the regular season over the last seven years, but have closed it out with a state championship only once. This is a special senior class with a running back having one of the greatest seasons in state history. They’re solid everywhere, and if they play their game they’ll be hosting the hardware to end a perfect season. .

Fr

tor one of the more reliable kickers in the Shore Conference with junior Jake Hurler. He has connected on 58 of 62 extra points and kicked three field goals with a long of 34 yards.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP IV 3-Long Branch (8-2) vs. 8-Freehold (8-3) Saturday, Dec. 2, 4 p.m. at Rutgers University

The one area of concern for Freehold could be a defense that has allowed 25.2 points per game. Brick ran for 346 yards in the semifinals and did a fairly good of keeping Freehold’s offense off the field, especially in the first half.

Freehold’s win over Long Branch in Week 9 was among the defense’s best performances of the season, however, as they limited the Green Wave to 23 yards rushing.

The Central Jersey Group IV playoffs began with six of the eight teams hailing from the Shore Conference so the odds were great, to begin with, that there would be two area teams facing off in the title game.

This will be the second meeting of the season between Freehold and Long Branch. The Colonials defeated the Green Wave, 27-20, in Week 9.

Freehold is trying to become the first No. 8 seed to win an NJSIAA title since Long Branch won the Central Jersey Group III title as the No. 8 seed in 1999. The was the year Long Branch won its last title, while Freehold is going for its first sectional championship since 2010.

Long

Branch’s

When talking about Freehold this season you obviously have to start with senior quarterback Ashante Worthy, who has changed our idea of what a big individual game looks like with his unbelievable statistics. Worthy is currently tied with 2014 Long Branch grad Dahmiere Willis for the Shore Conference-single season rushing record with 2,589 yards. He’s going to break the record, the question is what number will he end up with. He’s also thrown for 1,965, leaving him 35 yards shy of becoming the first player in state history to run and throw for 2,000 yards each in the same season. He has 35 rushing touchdowns and 20 passing touchdowns for a state single-season record 55 combined touchdowns. The state single-season record for rushing yards is 2,815 set last season by Salem’s Jonathan Taylor, who is currently having a huge season as the starting running back for the University of Wisconsin. Worthy can break that record with 227 yards rushing in the state final, and given that he had 252 yards on the ground in the first meeting against Long Branch it could certainly happen.

Worthy had a whopping 72 touches in the first game against Long Branch, so the Green Wave will obviously be geared up to slow him down first and foremost. Surrounding Worthy is a cast that gets overshadowed by their quarterback’s otherworldly numbers, but has been crucial to Freehold’s success this season. Junior wideout Matt Krauss is near the top of the Shore in receptions (50) and receiving yards (688) to go along with six touchdowns. Junior Quincy Davis is a 6-foot-5 target who has hauled in 23 catches for 465 yards and seven touchdowns. Matt DaSilva adds 20 catches for 247 yards and a pair of scores.

reehold’s Ashante Worthy

Freehold also has

Junior linebacker Knox Stokes leads the team with 94 tackles plus 2.5 sacks and senior Qua’jon Everett has a team-high 6.5 sacks. Krauss 81 tackles and two interceptions from his safety position. Linebacker Yahson Calhoun has five sacks and DaSilva and Worthy each have a team-high three interceptions.

Kevin Porch Freehold has kept Worthy off the field on defense most of the season, but he was inserted in the semifinal game against Brick and came away with two interceptions. With one game left and a championship up for grabs, it’s likely he’ll play defense in key situations as well.

Long Branch will counter with a balanced offense and a defense that has allowed 15.3 points per game this season and just three points in the playoffs. The Green Wave are coming off a 28-3 victory over Jackson Memorial. They also play Red Bank on Thanksgiving Eve before turning their attention to Freehold and the state championship game.

Long Branch’s passing game features senior quarterback Juwan Wilkins, senior wideouts T.J. Fosque and Pasa Fields, junior wide receiver Matt Clark and senior tight end Kaymar Mimes. Fosque is among the top passers in the Shore with 1,525 yards and 18 touchdowns with a 6 percent completion rate. Fosque, who recently committed to Monmouth University, is the teams leading receiver with 27 catches for 558 yards and seven touchdowns. Fields has 31 grabs for 411 yards and five touchdowns, Clark has 21 catches for 247 yards and a score and Mimes adds 12 catches for 118 yards and three touchdowns.

What has helped take Long Branch’s offense to the next level has been the emergence of sophomore running back Jermaine Corbett. He has 1,142 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns behind a solid offensive line.

On defense, linebacker Luke Arnold leads the team with 84 tackles and is tied with Fields and Kevin Porch with a team-high two interceptions.

Mimes has 6.5 sacks and Jah’Kwan Gordon, who has been strong in the playoffs, adds 5.5 sacks.

Kicker Paul Montague has been solid in connecting on 27 of 31 extra points and kicking two field goals with a long of 30 yards.

The keys to the game for both teams are fairly simple on paper. Long Branch will try to control the clock and keep Worthy off the field, and of course, try to force some turnovers. Freehold wants the ball in Worthy’s hands as much as possible because eventually, he is going to make a play and find the end zone. This one could go either way and should be among the best of the four finals at Rutgers.

Central Jersey Group III 1-Rumon-Fair Haven (9-1) vs. 2-Somerville (10-1) Saturday, Dec. 2, 7 p.m. at Rutgers University History will be on the line in the Central Jersey Group III final as Rumson tries to become just the second Shore Conference program to win five consecutive NJSIAA sectional championships.

Rumson is the two-time defending champion in the bracket after winning consecutive titles in Central Jersey Group II in 2013 and 2014. A win over Somerville at Rutgers will match the five straight state titles won by Manasquan from 1998-2002. The Bulldogs enter their fifth straight state final after a 28-13 win over Wall in the semifinals.

Defense has been the calling card for Rumson throughout its incredible playoff run and this season has been no different as the Bulldogs have a top10 defense in the Shore. Rumson’s offense, however, is No. 3 in the Shore at 38.9 points per game with one of the state’s best running backs leading the way.

Senior Peter Lucas has been incredible in his first and only year as the Bulldogs’ starting running back with a schoolrecord 2,110 yards rushing and 30 touchdowns on an average of 10.8 yards per carry. He is New Jersey’s t h i r d leading rusher behind two other Shore Conference standouts, Manalapan’s Naim Mayfield and Freehold’s Ashante Worthy.

Lucas and junior fullback Alex Maldjian (555 yards and nine touchdowns) have paced the offense behind an offensive line that has been among the Shore’s best this season.

The ground games is Rumson’s bread and butter, but senior quarterback Dan Harby has proven he can make plays when needed. He’s thrown for 930 yards and seven touchdowns with just two interceptions and a 62 percent completion rate. Junior tight end Ian O’Connor is far and away Rumson’s No. 1 receiver with 27 catches for 394 yards and four touchdowns.

Getting back to Rumson’s defense, the Bulldogs have b e e n

Rumson’s Peter Lucas See

Championship

page 22

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Championship from page 21 phenomenal in the playoffs with defensive coordinator turned head coach Jerry Schulte. In 21 playoff games since 2010, Rumson has allowed a paltry 8.1 points per game. Teams don’t have that kind of success without it being a group effort and that is once again the case this season. Junior linebacker Keegan Woods leads the team with 117 tackles plus four sacks while fellow junior linebacker Christian Lanzalotto has 90 tackles and a team-leading two interceptions.

Defensive lineman Henry Sullivan has 77 tackles and five sacks and senior defensive end Elijah McAllister has been a difference-maker in returning from an injury with 52 tackles and a team-leading seven sacks.

In the kicking game, Jimmy Hempstead has converted 27 of 28 extra points.

Rumson’s opponent, Somerville, has been hoping for a rematch since the Bulldogs shut down their high-powered offense and handed the Pioneers their only loss of the season in last year’s semifinals. Somerville punched its ticket to the championship game by scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to rally past Monmouth Regional for a 33-24 win.

Somerville enters averaging 45.1 points per game with an offense that spreads it around effectively. Jalahn Dabney has 895 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns along with 547 yards passing and 10 touchdowns.

Quarterback Ryan Kovacs has thrown for 1,164 yards and 12 touchdowns with just two interceptions and Robbie Fiorentino is the leading rusher with 970 yards and eight touchdowns. Duke McDuffie adds 351 yards and eight touchdowns rushing.

Joe Ciempola is the Pioneers’ leading receiver by yards with 335 to go along with five touchdowns, while Fiorentino has a team-leading 28 catches. McDuffie has 26 catches for 318 yards and three cores and Da’Shaun Smith has four touchdown catches.

Conference led by a tremendous senior class that mostly plays on both sides of the ball. Point Boro’s flexbone triple-option offense averages 34.3 points per game and is led by senior quarterback James Fara along with senior slotback Brandon Cipriano and senior fullback Tanner Gordon.

Point Boro would like to control the clock with its option offense and limit the possessions for the Comets and their game-breaking players.

If Point Boro is playing well that will be a byproduct of finding the end zone, but the Panthers can also break big plays of their own as Fara and Cipriano have multiple 50-plus yard scores this season.

Fara has been outstanding this season with 1,546 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns on an average of 8.5 yards per carry while also throwing for 550 yards and five touchdowns with zero interceptions and a 66 percent complete rate. Cipriano has been great in both the running game and the passing game with 729 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns on an average of 12.6 yards per carry to go along with 24 receptions for 436 yards and five touchdowns. Despite missing two games with an injury, Gordon has 663 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. Senior Nate Chiarello has five rushing touchdowns

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP I

The Panthers’ defense allows an average of 12.3 points per game and is coming off a semifinal game against Manasquan where it forced five turnovers. The Panthers have forced 18 turnovers this season.

Linebacker Garrett Romer has a team-leading 97 tackles with five tackles for a loss while defensive lineman Trent LiVolsi has 61 stops and eight tackles for a loss and safety Trevor McNamara has 57 tackles.

Gordon has a team-best four sacks and John Callander leads the team with three interceptions. If the ball is on the ground it seems to find a way into the grasp of linebacker Tyler Sanchez, who has four fumble recoveries.

In the random stat department, Point Boro’s opponents have missed their last eight extra points against the Panthers either by a miss or it being blocked.

Chiarello is Point Boro’s kicker and has made 47 of 55 extra points but does not have a field goal.

Point Boro’s defense will face its greatest challenge of the season against a Hillside team that has an 1,800-yard passer and two 1,000yard rushers and averages 29.2 points per game. Quarterback Tajae Irby has thrown for 1,796 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 67 percent of his throws. His top wideout is Nahree Biggins with 26 catches for 702 yards and nine touchdowns while Shadon Willis has 26 receptions for 508 yards and six touchdowns. Boris Nicolas-Paul has 19 catches for 436 yards and two touchdowns.

Somerville also has a very capable field goal kicker with Bobby Wortman hitting seven of 11 field goals.

Somerville’s defense has allowed 20.6 points per game but has been bailed out by its offense five of the six times it has allowed over 20 points. What the Pioneers do well is get to the quarterback and turn the ball over. Ryan Hrabinski has 10 sacks and also leads the team with 58 tackles. Quron Smith has seven sacks and Hamza Akel adds five sacks. Marcus Burnside has a team-high five interceptions, McDuffie has four picks and Ciempola and Tyjir Williams have three interceptions each.

Somerville’s offense is more dynamic than Rumson’s but both have units that average over five touchdowns per game. Rumson’s defense is the difference, and if the Bulldogs play like they have over the past 21 postseason games they will be in a great position to bring home a fifth straight state title. Also, no team has slowed down Lucas this season and Somerville’s defense is not a feared unit. The best defense Rumson played all season was St. John Vianney’s and Lucas ran for over 200 yards against the Lancers in a 31-28 overtime loss, the only defeat of the season for the Bulldogs.

The Comets have two breakaway backs in their running game with Brian Ugwu rushing for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns on an eye-opening average of 15.4 yards per carry. James Louis adds 1,016 yards and seven touchdowns on a ridiculous 18.8 yards per rush. Biggins also has 347 yards and three touchdowns on the ground to give him over 1,000 all-purpose yards.

Rumson does have a Thanksgiving Day game against Shore Regional before it can devote its full attention to Somerville.

Central Jersey Group II 1-Point Boro (11-0) vs. 7-Hillside (8-3) Saturday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m. at Rutgers University Point Boro is undefeated and set to play in its first state title game since 2007. The Panthers are hoping to duplicate the results of the 2005 season when they went 12-0 and last won a state championship. They arrived in the title game via an impressive 27-6 win over defending champion Manasquan in the semifinals.

The Panthers have a top-5 offense and a top-10 defense in the Shore

22

The Comets are reliable in the kicking game with Hugo Carrico being successful on 37 of 38 extra points.

Hillside’s defense has been stout this season, as well, in allowing 14.9 points per game. Christian Young is the Comets’ leading tackler with 110 while Christian Branch has 98 tackles, Najee Peele has 87 tackles and five sacks and Ugwu has 85 tackles and a team-high eight sacks. Nicolas-Paul adds 78 tackles, six sacks three forced fumbles and two interceptions and Kwabena Ennin-Frimpong sports 84 tackles with seven sacks.

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7-Point Beach (7-4) vs. 4-Middlesex (9-1) Saturday, Dec. 2, 4 p.m. at Kean University After an up-and-down regular season, Point Beach has made a run to the program’s third sectional championship game as the No. 7 seed.

The Garnet Gulls staged a pair of second-half rallies in the first two rounds to defeat second-seeded Manville, 22-14, and third-seeded Bound Brook, 22-19.

The Garnet Gulls started the season 3-0 before losing three straight and losing standout senior running back/defensive back/kicker Sean Gould to a season-ending knee injury. A critical 11-0 win over Shore in Week 7 followed by a 41-6 win over Highland Park clinched a playoff spot. Now they're one win away from securing the program’s secondever state championship. To do so they’ll have to defeat a Middlesex team they lost to in the regular season, 28-12.

Point Beach’s multiple Wing-T offense averages 22.7 points per game and has been much more balanced than seasons past. Senior quarterback Luke Frauenheim has thrown for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns while also rushing for a team-high 760 yards and three touchdowns. Senior running back Chris Webber has 595 yards and seven touchdowns and senior John Nista has 456 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior wideout Josh Yates is among the Shore Conference’s top receivers with 45 receptions for 872 yards and 10 touchdowns. Senior Jean Verrier has just three catches on the season, but all have gone for touchdowns, including a 79-yarder that was the go-ahead score in the semifinal win over Bound Brook.

Defensively, the Garnet Gulls allow an average of 19.8 points per game and have recorded two shutouts. Nista leads the Shore Conference with 16 sacks and has a team-high 61 tackles. Frauenheim has 59 tackles and two interceptions and Webber has 39 tackles and six sacks despite missing a few games.

Brad Parry has been a dangerous special teams player with two kick return touchdowns. After Gould’s injury, freshman Jeff Wall stepped in and has converted 11 of 14 extra points and kicked a 20-yard field goal.

Middlesex has an eight-game winning streak which will likely increase to nine after its Thanksgiving Eve game against Dunellen (3-6).

The Blue Jays’ only loss of the season was a 26-20 overtime defeat to South River in Week 2.

The Blue Jays run the triple-option offense and average 29.1 points per game. Quarterback John Kressbach leads the way with 826 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns and 247 yards passing and three touchdowns. Slotback Devin Lanza has a team-high 853 yards rushing and five touchdowns on an average of 10.4 yards per carry. Fullback Tom Rau has 673 yards and six touchdowns. Anthony Mason (212 yards and 3 TDs) and Josh Ramirez (280 yards and 2 TDs) are also regular contributors.

Middlesex has attempted just 30 passes all season, an average of three per game, and completed 10 of them. Zach Godfrey and Brad Kaplan each have two touchdown receptions.

Jose Andujar is the Blue Jays’ top defender with 77 tackles, four sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. J.T. Roberto and Jordan Campbell each have three sacks. Lanza has made 70 tackles and Ahmaad Rawlins has 51 tackles, two interceptions including a pick6 and a fumble return for a touchdown.

Matt Semon is 33 of 37 on extra points and 1-for-5 on field goals, connecting on a 25-yard field goal.

It will be interesting to see what adjustments Point Beach makes against Middlesex the second time around. Rau gutted Point Beach’s defense for 216 yards and three touchdowns in the first meeting while the Garnet Gulls were never able to get their running game going.

Frauenheim did throw for 219 yards in that game with Yates catching 10 passes.

NON-PUBLIC GROUP II

Allentown and a 22-10 win over St. Augustine.

They blasted Immaculata, 64-26, in the NonPublic Group II semifinals.

3-Mater Dei Prep (8-1) vs.

St. Joe’s offense is averaging 46.8 points per game this year and scored a total of 515 points in 11 games. The Wildcats have been running the Delaware Wing-T offense for 36 seasons under legendary head coach Paul Sacco, so Mater Dei will know what’s coming. Stopping it is the hard part.

1-St. Joseph (Hammonton) (11-0) Sunday, Dec. 3, 2:30 p.m. at Rowan University Defending champion Mater Dei is back in the state final after a thrilling 35-34 comeback victory over Holy Spirit in the semifinals. Senior quarterback George Pearson ran for three touchdowns and threw the go-ahead 11-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Clarence Lewis with 56 seconds left in regulation.

Pearson, a four-year starter who is committed to Central Michigan and has won two NJSIAA titles in his career (the first came as a freshman with Matawan) leads a Seraphs offense that enters averages 32.1 points per game. Sophomore Malik Ingram is the featured running back along with junior Sincere Saunders and senior Kyle Devaney leads the receiving corps.

Mater Dei’s defense is among the best in the Shore at 14.3 points per game allowed and is led by junior defensive lineman Izaiah Henderson and junior linebackers Russell Ferrisi and Shittah Sillah.

The Seraphs’ only loss this season came to Delbarton, 2826, in a game that came down to the Green Wave stopping Mater Dei’s 2-point conversion attempt on the final play.

One season after going 7-4 in an rare down year for the South Jersey juggernaut, St. Joseph is back as a dominating force. The Wildcats have one of New Jersey’s most illustrious postseason resumes with a whopping 25 sectional titles, 33 finals appearances and a 47-13 playoff record. They have bludgeoned pretty much everyone in their path this season, including a 42-26 win over Holy Spirit, a 58-26 win over

Senior Qwahsin Townsel and sophomore Jada Byers are the vaunted 1-2 punch in the backfield with over 2,700 yards rushing between them. Townsel has rushed for 1,374 yards and 28 touchdowns on an average of 6.8 yards per carry while Byers has 1,373 yards and 19 touchdowns on 11.9 yards per carry. Junior Nick Johnson has chipped in with 534 yards and six touchdowns on 9.4 yards per carry.

The Wildcats rarely throw it, but junior quarterback Mitchell Donovan has completed 64 percent of his passes for 418 yards and five touchdowns.

On defense, the Wildcats are allowing just 9.5 points per game with four shutouts.

Senior Sencere Tapp has a team-high 61 tackles with 22 hits for a loss and freshman linebacker Angelo Vokolos has 57 tackles with 21 tackles for a loss. Half of Brad Lomax’s 50 tackles have been behind the line of scrimmage and junior Sean Morris

Mater dei Prep’s George Pearson

has 21 tackles for a loss and a team-high 6.5 sacks. Vokolos has five sacks and Tapp has four sacks on the season.

Johnson leads the Wildcats with four interceptions while Byers and Cejai Parrish have three interceptions apiece.

Byers is also an elite kick and punt returner with four punt return touchdowns and a kickoff return for a touchdown. He also has an interception return for a touchdown. Freshman Ahmad Ross also has a punt return for a touchdown.

When Mater Dei and St. Joseph meet at Rowan University more than a state championship will be on the line. The Seraphs beat the Wildcats, 26-0, in last season’s Non-Public Group II semifinals to end their sevenyear reign as state champs, and if they can do it again this season in the final it will signal a changing of the guard among small-school parochial programs in New Jersey. Last year’s St. Joe’s team wasn’t a vintage group but this year’s squad certainly appears to be. This looks to be Mater Dei’s biggest challenge of the past two seasons, and if they can pass the test it will go down as its biggest win in history.

Special Thanks to the photographers who supplied the photos seen throughout this issue

Paula Lopez

www.palimages.com

Ray Rich Photography

www.rayrichphotography.smugmug.com

Robert Samuels

www.boofacephotography.com

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# 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 32 33 34 37 39 43 45 46 47 50

Name Ryan Dones D.J. Hill Daylon Wilkerson Nicholas Morton Nicko Cofone Sean Butler Paul Dunleavy Allajah Morin Sean Glenn Austin Dewise Nicholas Ferreira Aidan Campbell Nick Dewise Eamonn Flynn Austin Redner-Hlavacek Shane Rubin Anthony Soto Edward Farrell Andrew Boyce Connor Welsh Alec Zenker Wayne Kugelman Matt Chan Billy Barillari Matt Spencer Miccah Taylor Luke Zitzner Hartson Boyce Stephen Barry Connor Robbins Travis Thompson Edward Fay Ryan Fisher David Pagano Jefferson Wolfrum Joey Cavanagh Alex Pilkington

Grd

Pos

12 TE/LB 12 RB/CB 12 WR/LB 12 WR/CB 12 OL/DL 12 WR/CB 12 WR/S 12 TE/LB 11 QB/S 12 OL/DL 10 QB/DL 11 WR/S 11 WR/CB 12 WR/LB 12 WR/S 10 QB/S 10 WR/CB 10 RB/LB 11 WR/LB 12 RB/S 11 WR/CB 10 WR/S 11 WR/CB 12 WR/CB 10 WR/CB 10 WR/S 10 WR/CB 11 RB/LB 11 TE/LB 11 RB/LB 10 TE/LB 10 WR/CB 10 OL/DL 10 RB/LB 10 OL/DL 11 RB/K/CB 12 OL/DL

Ht

Wt

#

5'11 198 5'7 138 5'11 158 5'9 150 5'8 190 6 156 6'3 183 5'11 185 5'11 150 5'11 243 5'9 160 5'10 150 5'8 150 5'11 177 6 163 6 124 5'10 172 5'8 144 5'10 165 5'8 178 5'9 150 6'2 164 5'6 151 5'8 161 5'11 134 5'9 160 5'8 122 5'10 164 5'11 187 5'10 192 5'9 174 5'8 142 5'7 167 5'6 151 5'8 256 5'7 156 6'2 191

51 52 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 83 87 88 92 96 99

Name Patrick Connelly Brandon Wallrabe Christian Bracken Steven Holler Jacob Wang Kaden LeTual Andrew Kanski Anthony Canova Aidan McGivney Aidan McManus Declan MacKay Dominick Pianoforte Tyler Scaggs Justin Saginor Liam O'Connell Austin Alberto Shane Doyle Robert Kelly Matthew Donlon David Rodriguez Tom O'Friel Donny Antenucci Jake Marazzo Ryan Daunoras Tim McCann Aaron Vanderhoof Michael Marion Cheyenne Williams Mike Ancona Anthony Gerardi Hunter Weiman Robert Inzina Leo Van Sant Dylan Roettinger Kyle Spangler

Head Coach: Steve Bush

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt

11 12 11 11 10 10 10 12 10 10 10 11 12 10 12 10 10 10 12 11 10 11 11 11 12 11 10 10 11 10 10 10 10 10 10

OL/LB WR/LB OL/DL C/DL OL/DL OL/DL C/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL C/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL C/DL OL/DL C/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/CB WR/S WR/CB OL/DL WR/S OL/DL RB/DL TE/LB

5'10 5'11 6'1 5'7 6 6 5'7 6'2 6 5'8 6 5'10 6 6 6 6'0 5'11 6 5'11 5'9 5'9 5'5 5'9 6'2 6'2 6'1 6 5'8 6' 5'5 5'6 5'10 5'9 5'7 5'6

191 154 196 170 218 177 207 217 207 194 198 206 185 221 204 236 235 297 259 213 214 205 206 291 255 207 278 136 163 123 199 151 271 163 166

#

Name

Grd

I

Rossi Jackson

11

2

Robert Zega

11

Pos

Ht

#

Name

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt

155

175

32 Riley Dowd

10

RB/DB

5'9

6'0

185

33 Dylan Walling

11

LB/RB

5'11 185

DB/REC/TE 6'2 REC/DB

Wt

3

Aidan M c Cann

12

DB/REC

6'0

180

34 Matthew Krellin

10

DB/REC

5'11

4

Matthew Ferrigno

12

DB/REC

6'0

165

35 Troy Burbank

11

RB/LB

5'10 165

175

5

Jamie Petrillo

11

RB/DB

5'7

155

36 Tyler Cuccia

10

REC/DB

6'1

155

6

Trevor Brey

11

QB

5'8

155

38 Vincent Condito

10

DL/TE

5'9

225

8

Jake Krellin

12

LB/TE/FB

6'1

215

40 Matthew Tardy

11

TE/LB/FB

6'2 205

9

Ben Kinsella

5'11 190

12

QB

5'11 160

4I Chris Patterson

12

LB/TE/FB

I0 Christopher Kaldrovics

11

K

5'6

140

42 Shane Murphy

10

DB/RB

5'8

155

I2 Vincent Bonavita

10

QB

5'8

140

50 Tyler Kline

10

OL/DL

5'6

190 190

I3 Christopher Fleming

11

DB/REC

5'10 165

5I Michael Dunn

10

OL/DL

6'0

I4 Patrick D'Emilia

11

QB

5'6

130

53 Matthew Fusella

10

OL/DL

5'6

176

I5 John Flynn

12

DL/TE

6'1

185

54 Adam Markmann

12

OL/DL

6'1

250

I6 Michael O'Grady

11

LB/REC

6'2

175

55 Thomas Mielnikiewicz

10

OL/DL

5'10 200

I7 Matthew Cruz

11

DB/REC

6'0

175

58 Nick Bonfiglio

10

OL/DL

5'10 210

I8 Jonathan Pierro

11

REC/DB

5'11 145

59 TJ Latore

10

OL/DL

5'10 180

I9 Chris O'Connor

10

REC/DB

5'11 170

60 Nick Ballone

10

OL/DL

5'11 190

20 Chaz Alessi

12

RB/DE

5'10 190

6I Jack Prancl

10

OL/DL

5'8

2I Daniel Ward

12

DB/REC

5'9

150

64 Brady Smith

11

OL/DL

6'0 230

22 Gavin Goldbaum

11

DL/FB

5'9

185

65 Frank Settembrino

12

OL/DL

6'0

23 Jake Bancala

12

DL

5'9

225

66 Doug Miranda

11

OL/DL

5'9 230

25 Ken M c Carthy

11

RB/LB

5'9

180

68 Daniel Buchsbaum

11

OL/DL

5'10 240 5'8 250

26 Chris Lotito

10

REC/DB

5'10 155

7I Joseph DellaValle

11

OL/DL

27 Dennis Brown

11

DB/REC

5'9

155

77 Chris Aveta

10

OL/DL

28 Elijah Godette

10

REC/DB

5'11

175

8I Jack Hardzewicz

12

DL

6'3

175 245

270

5'11 195

29 Zach Waldman

10

REC/DB

5'10 175

82 Connor Ard

10

REC/DB

6'2

165

30 Brett Petruzelli

12

LB/RB

5'8

190

88 Carter Lenhard

10

REC/DB

6'1

160

3I Justin Habashzada

10

RB/LB

5'7

150

Head Coach: Steve Antonucci

25

#

Name

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt

#

Name

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt

#

5'4

Name

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt

#

Name

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt

I

Nahzere Bullock

SR

SB,CB

27 Emanuel Rushing

JR

RB, LB

155

I

JA’KING AGOSTINI

SR

QB/LB

5’11” 170

25 BASEAN FRASER

FR

RB/DB

5’7” 145

2

Jayden Mckinnon

JR

WR

5'8

165

28 Hector Molina

SO

MLB,RB

5'8" 158

2

CHECZAR LOVETT

JR

RB/DB

5’7” 150

28 HALEEM STEVENS

FR

RB/LB

5’9” 160

3

Kobe Blake

SR

TE,DE

6'2

235

29 Da'Jere Brown-Farris

SR

SB,CB

5'9" 170

4

Damir Williams

SO

WR,CB

6'1"

176

30 Jago Charles

JR

DE,FB

5'4" 180

3

DEVIN NASH-MCGHEE

SR

WR/DB

5’8” 160

30 CEQUAN JOHNSON

FR

WR/DB

5’6” 120

5

Elijah Owens

SR

RB,OLB

5'8"

170

3I Colton Kimmy

SO

OLB,WR

175

4

DONTE ABRAMS

SR

RB/DB

5’9” 170

32 TYRESE COKE

FR

RB/LB

5’6” 130

6

Thomas Best

SR

RB,FS

5'8"

160

35 Jahsun Wilson

JR

OLB

6'0

195

5

ALEXANDER PEAVY

JR

RB/LB

5’10” 185

40 TAHJ HOWARD

JR

WR/LB

5’8” 145

7

Xavier Harbison

SR

WR,SS

6'3"

200

38 Nas'cir Green

JR

G, DE

5'11

220

8

Lence Correthers

JR

FS,RB

5'6"

160

44 Elijah Barnes

JR

DT,TE

5'10" 190

6

KHAROD YOUNG

SO

WR/LB

5’9” 170

42 JADON CARTER

SO

WR/DB

5’8” 125

9

Kevin Mabry

JR

WR,CB

5'10" 167

45 Henry Watkins

SO

TE,DT

5'7" 183

7

QUADIR LAWSON

JR

RB/LB

5’9” 185

50 NAHEEM CROOMS

FR

OL/DL

5’8” 230

I0 Chase Fairbanks

SR

QB

6'0"

50 Jekhi Jordan

SR

DE

6'0" 216

8

JAVON HIGGS

SR

WR/DB

6’1” 165

5I

TYKIM HARRIS

SR

OL/DL

5’8” 265

9

DEVAN MARTIN

JR

RB/DB

5’6” 135

52 JARRED CHATHUANT

FR

OL/DL

5’9” 235

I0

ANTHONY FRASER

SR

QB/DB

5’7” 140

53 XAVIER BANKS

SR

OL/DL

5’11” 280

54 JEAN MICHEL

SO

OL/DL

5’10” 285

II

Tymir Owens

5'11" 160

190

JR

WR,FS

5I Javon Rowe

JR

DE,DT

5'9

I2 Nino Bua

FR

QB

5'8

165

52 Braeden Bradforth

SR

DT,G

6'3" 305

I3 Hassan Worthy

JR

SB,CB

6'0

160

53 Uriel Lazo-Paz

JR

G,DT

5'10" 305

I4 Tyron Puryear

SO

OLB,SB

5'9"

150

54 Christopher Parland

SR

DT,G

5'8" 245

II

ALEX HARBOR

JR

WR/DB

I5 John Gannon

SO

MLB

5'8"

168

55 Sajadd Stathum

JR

NG,DT

5'11" 250

I2

RAJYR STEPHENS

FR

WR/DB

6’1” 155

55 ANTHONY SWEARINE

FR

OL/DL

6’1” 225

I6 Hymeen Jones

SR

WR

6'2

180

56 Justin Bennett

SO

DE,C

6'2

I3

MIKAI JONES

FR

WR/DB

6’1” 160

56 JAYLEN PAIGE

SR

OL/DL

6’3” 265

I7

JR

TE, LB

5'10

170

57 Zion Bolden

SR

DT,FB

6'0" 239

I8 Khalee Riley

JR

QB

5'10

165

58 Billy Flood

Sr

OLB,DE

6'0" 213

I4

NAJIER MASSIE

FR

QB/DB

5’8” 160

57 DERRICK CORTEZ

FR

OL/DL

5’10” 205

I9 John Burns

SR

FS,WR

5'8"

142

59 Jeremy VanMeter

SO

G,DT

6'0" 300

I5

KALIQ WALKER

FR

RB/DB

5’7” 145

64 DONTE MOORE

FR

OL/DL

6’2” 215

5'4

Dizieer LeDet

5'11" 168

6'1

240

250

6’

165

20 Isaiah Leeks

FR

RB,MLB

5'4

160

64 Kyle Montgomery

JR

C

170

I6

ZACH SIMMONS

FR

WR/LB

5’10” 135

66 GABE BRAITHWAITE

FR

OL/DL

6’3” 230

2I Zah'Qiir Davis

JR

RB,OLB

5'8

165

66 Daniel Mathurin

SR

NG,G

6'2" 405

I8

COREY THERMITUS

FR

RB/DB

5’5” 110

72 KYMAR PONDS

SR

OL/DL

6’2” 245

22 Tyler West

JR

SB,CB

5'6

150

70 Nyron Mitchell

SO

T,DE

6'2" 215

23 Khalil Garrett-Dogan

SO

WR,CB

5'10

160

72 Neville Ralph

JR

T,DT

6'3" 279

I9

NYJAHA MCDOWELL

SO

WR/DB

4’8” 105

75 KYRIE MOORE

SR

OL/DL

6’0” 235

24 Mikhai Ellington

SO

DB,WR

5'6

150

87 Emmanuel Leveille

SR

WR,CB

5'8

160

20 KNAJEE AUSTIN

SO

RB/DB

5’8” 130

25 Kevin Clohosey

SR

K

5'11"

170

99 Kyle Spangler

10

TE/LB

5'6

166

2I

FR

RB/LB

5’8” 170

26 Justyce Graham

SO

WR, CB

5'5

150

Head Coach: TARIG HOLMAN

JR

WR/LB

26

VOLUME-IX

JUNIOR HAUGHTON

24 GOD ALLAH

/ I S S U E - 21 / 1 1 / 2 3 / 1 7

6’

170

Head Coach: TIM FOSQUE

Pt Boro Ousts Manasquan to Reach Central Jersey Group II Championship Game By

Bob Badders

W

- Managing Editor Fara ripped off a 68-yard run on the first play of the second half, and three plays later faked a handoff to Gordon before hitting a wide-open Cipriano for a 10-yard touchdown. The score gave Point Boro a 27-0 lead 1:57 into the second half.

he couldn’t believe his eyes.

ith the program playing in its biggest gam e in a decade against a school with the most state championships in Shore Conference history, Point Boro answered any remaining que stions with a statement win at Al Saner Field.

Senior running back Brandon Cipriano scored four touchdowns and Point Boro’s defense forced five turnovers to oust defending-champion Manasquan, 27-6, on Friday night in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II semifinals in front of a capacity crowd.

Cipriano had touchdown receptions of 66 and 10 yards and ran for touchdowns of 10 and nine yards to help send the undefeated Panthers (11-0) to their first sectional title game since 2007. Senior quarterback James Fara had 232 combined yards and two touchdown passes and senior fullback Tanner Gordon ran for 70 yards.

Point Boro will face the winner of Saturday’s game between A.L. Johnson and Hillside for the Central Jersey Group II championship.

“It feels amazing, taking down the defending champs and proving a lot of people wrong,” Fara said. “It means a lot.”

“We knew we were the better team,” Cipriano said. “Everyone was talking about Manasquan and we kept our mouths shut and showed what we can do on the field. The score says it for itself.”

Despite top-seeded Point Boro entering the game undefeated, fifth-seeded Manasquan remained the favorite in the bracket in many people’s eyes. Those thoughts centered around the schedules the two teams played with Manasquan playing in Class B North and Point Boro in Class B South. The Panthers proved none of that mattered this time around.

“Everyone doubted our schedule, saying we don’t play real teams, but we were 10-0 coming in,” Cipriano said. “We wanted to show everyone that we can really play with the best of the best, and I think we showed that tonight.”

“The kids have a little chip on their shoulder and wanted to prove we’re a good program and that this is a very good team,” said Point Boro head coach Matt Cilento.

Connor Morgan ran for 145 yards and Canyon Birch added 70 yards and a touchdown to lead Manasquan, but five turnovers, including four in the first half, doomed the Warriors (6-4). Manasquan drove to the Point Boro 39 on the game’s opening possession but a fumble was recovered by Gordon to end the drive. After a three-and-out by Point Boro, Manasquan was on the verge of completing an 87yard touchdown drive when the Panthers’ defense made the play of the game.

With the ball at the 1-yard line on third-and-goal, it seemed academic Manasquan would plow its way into the end zone for the game’s first touchdown.

Instead, senior linebacker Jarrett Howey laid a hit on Morgan that jarred the ball loose. When senior linebacker Tyler Sanchez saw the ball rolling in the end zone,

“I saw the ball pop out and I didn’t know if it was (live) so I just picked it up and the (refs) were like, ‘yes it’s a fumble’,” Sanchez said.

“You saw them put their heads down and start walking around, and we saw the momentum change right then and there.”

“That was the biggest play of the game,” Cipriano said. “All the momentum changed and it took the air right out of them.”

Point Boro capitalized on the turnover four plays later when Cipriano got behind Manasquan’s defense for a 66-yard touchdown catch on third-and-9, giving Point Boro a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter and igniting the Panthers’ offense.

“Coach Staub called a seam pass and it got me in the open field,” Cipriano said. “It was just the right play call at the right time.”

After forcing Manasquan to go three-and-out, Point Boro put together a 7play, 63-yard scoring drive to take a 14-0 lead.

Gordon had a 21-yard run to move the ball into Manasquan territory and Fara had a 15-yard run to put the ball at the 27yard line.

Gordon converted a fourth-and-2 with a nine-yard run before Cipriano took a pitch and scored from 10 yards out with 4:36 left in the first half.

sr. RB Brandon Cipriano

The third turnover forced by Point Boro’s defense set up the Panthers’ third score as John Callander intercepted Manasquan quarterback Tommy Antonucci at the Point sr. QB James Fara Boro 38-yard line. Cipriano finished off the 62-yard drive with a 9-yard touchdown run to give Point Boro a 21-0 lead with 55 seconds left in the first half.

Manasquan tried to mount a late drive to get on the board, but Kyle Komanitsky intercepted a Hail Mary pass at the goal line on the final play of the half.

Even with a 21-0 halftime lead Point Boro knew the importance of not taking its foot off the gas pedal. Starting the third quarter with the ball, the Panthers needed just four plays to effectively put the game away.

“The mindset at halftime was to stay aggressive,” Cilento said. “We needed to put it in because you know Manasquan is the type of team that can hang around and is not going to quit. We knew that was something we had to come out and do.”

Manasquan put together a 71yard drive to get on the board with Birch’s 1-yard touchdown run, but with the drive taking nearly eight minutes off the clock it didn’t leave the Warriors much time to rally. Point Boro then ran 15 plays to take almost 10 minutes off the clock and put the game away. The Panthers’ lead almost grew to 356, but a pair of false-start penalties pushed them back from the Manasquan 1yard line and Nate Chiarello’s 23-yard field goal attempt was blocked by James Pendergist.

Manasquan moved the ball on a pride drive in the closing minutes, but the end came in fitting fashion for Point Boro’s defense when Callander recovered a fumble with 18 seconds left. All that was left to do was for Fara to take a knee and send Point Boro to the sectional final.

Now the Panthers have one more mountain to climb to bring home the program’s first state title since 2005 when they went 12-0 and won the South Jersey Group II title.

“We just have to get that ring two weeks from now,” Fara said. “It feels amazing getting there but we have to finish. You don’t pay to get to a state championship, you play to win it.”

by:

Bob Badders

www.shoresportsnetwork.com

Photos by :

Paula Lopez www.palimages.com

FOR SSN ADVERTISING INFORMATION Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460

steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com

27

#

Name

Pos

Grd

Ht

Wt

#

Name

Pos

I

Kevin Haug

MLB, RB

So.

35 Gerard Callahan

3

Patrick Cooney

OLB, DE

Sr. 6-2 200

41 Matt Godkin

5

Collin Powers

OLB

Sr. 5-9 180

51 Joe Szutyanyi

5

Jarrett Valdez

RB

Sr. 5-5 138

6

Brian Pasquin

7

Dan Vanmeerbeke

8

Victor Nieves

9

Tyler Bruno

OLB, MLB Sr. 6-0 200

Ht

Wt

#

Name

Grd

Pos

#

Name

Grd

Pos

So. 6-8 220

I

Cameron LaMountain

10

RB/LB

44

Joe D’Acunto

10

TE/LB

TE, WR

Sr. 6-0 190

2

Mac Byrne

11

WR/S

50

Alex Starr

11

G/DE

TE

So. 5-7 180

3

John Eknoian

11

WR/S

5I

Brandon Saghafi

11

G/LB

51 Matthew Spirko

T, DE

Jr. 5-11 220

5

Alex Galarza

12

WR/S

52

Christopher Muldoon

11

C/LB

54 Ryan Greaves

T, DT

Sr. 6-2 220

7

Johnny Christian

12

WR/DB

53

Dan Kipnis

11

T/DE

8

Alex Unanski

11

K/DB

54

Nick Spinelli

11

G/DE

I0

Scott DuPont

1

WR/S

56

John Mackey

12

C/DT

II

Mitch Rubinstein

11

WR/DB

58

Ryan Mackey

12

G/DT

QB, SB

Sr. 5-7 165

57 Ryan Valente

SB

So. 5-7 135

58 George Mazur

RB, SS

Grd

So. DL, OG

Jr. 6-0 200

65 Dave Paulan

DT

Sr. 6-1 210

I0 Nicholas Kenneally WR, FS

Jr. 5-9 170

66 Anthony Casiano

T

So. 5-11 240

II

So. 5-11 155

67 Dean Faro

T

So. 6-3 225

I3

Johnny O’Beirne

12

RB/LB

60

Michael Iulo

11

T/DT

I2 DJ Dekis

So.

68 Josh Kudrick

DE, G

Sr. 5-8 175

I5

Jeff DeCicco

11

QB/LB

6I

Chris Pizzuto

10

G/DT

I2 Ryan Koempel

So. 5-10 270

69 Alex Pniewski

DE, DT

Sr. 5-8 190

I8

Dan Tempone

11

TE/DE

66

Jack Kapcsos

12

T/DE

I6

Doug Chudzik

WR

So.

7I

DT, DE

Sr. 5-10 230

2I

Anthony Rillo

10

RB/LB

70

Marvin Ling

11

G/DT

2I Mike Fiore

RB

So. 5-8 167

73 Justin Trotta

G, T

Jr. 6-2 289

22

Jahn Drozd

10

WR/LB

72

Jack Tedeschi

11

G/DE

26 Danny Fiore

SB, OLB

So. 5-9 150

77 Sean Greaves

T, DT

Sr. 6-4 270

23

Ryan Jennings

10

RB/DB

75

Austin Fischer

11

T/DT

26 David Santiago

CB, OLB

Sr. 5-6 150

80 Joseph Callahan

TE, DE

Jr. 6-2 200

24

Nick Bauman

10

WR/S

76

Matt Reddington

10

T/DE

28 Dan Lugli

WR, CB

Jr. 5-7 145

82 Vinnie Dicarlo

WR, FS

Sr. 6-1 175

25

Evan Jennings

10

RB/DB

77

Sean McCann

11

T/DE

28 Christian Joe

CB, WR

Jr. 6-1 170

88 Justin Goggins

TE, LS

Sr. 6-2 225

29 Josh Nichols

DE, OLB

So. 5-5 126

89 Kevin Lind

C, FB

So. 5-9 220

27

Nick Fanzini

11

WR/DB

80

Ryan Day

11

WR/DB

3I

SS, WR

Jr. 5-11 160

99 Scott Springstead

K

Sr. 5-11 250

30

Thomas Ammirati

10

RB/DB

85

John Tomasulo

10

QB/S

33 Nicholas Denegri

CB

So. 5-7 140

32

Dean Gallo

11

RB/DB

87

Bobby Eknoian

10

TE/DE

34 Pj Buccine

RB

Jr. 5-9 190

4I

Victor Wladika

10

TE/DE

Head Coach: JEFF RAINESS

28

Connor Van Orden

WR, SS

Jon Carton

Mike Sidisin

Head Coach: Anthony Petruzzi

VOLUME-IX

/ I S S U E - 21 / 1 1 / 2 3 / 1 7

29

30

VOLUME-IX

/ I S S U E - 21 / 1 1 / 2 3 / 1 7

# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 17 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 35 36 39 40 43

Name

Grd

JORIEN HARRIS ANTHONY WESTON TJ SCUDERI ARMANI VASQUEZ NICO GONNELLA JALEN HIBBERT SAM AKINLOLU ANTHONY MEROLA GERRY FERIGNO DAMERE RANDOLPH JACK HUBER VINNY ALBANESE DAMOLA FASAKIM MATT CARLSON SAM CONOVER HUNTER ROBERTS ANALYSE MARCHETTI SYLAS YOUNG ABDALLAH ABDELALIM ANGELO LOUIS NICKERSON JEAN-LOUIS EVAN RAICHLE TRAVIS SQUIRE ALAN BREHME NYSHAWN SMALL CONNER DEAN KENNEY JOHNSON DOMINIC SAMONES JOSH ODEBODE MATT SALMONS TYRELLE CRUTCHER TEDDY SUAREZ JEREMY ROSE

11 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 9 12 9 10 11 11 11 12 12 10 12 12 10 12 9 10 11 10 11 11 10 10 10 12 10

Pos WR,DB RB,DB QB,DB WR,DB WR,DB RB,DB RB,DB WR,LB QB RB,DB QB QB,LB WR,DB RB,DB QB,DB WR,DB WR,DB RB,DB RB.LB WR,DB RB,DB RB,LB RB,LB WR,DB WR,DB RB,LB RB,LB WR,LB RB,DB RB,LB RB,LB RB,DL RB,LB

Ht 6'1 5'7 6 6'1 6 5'9 5'11 5'10 5'10 5'9 6'2 6 6 5'9 5'11 6'2 5'5 5'11 5'11 6'1 5'10 6'1 5'9 5'10 6'2 6 6 6 5'10 5'10 5'11 5'11 5'8

Wt 175 160 185 175 175 165 180 160 160 160 160 180 155 160 170 175 150 170 185 175 155 225 170 150 175 175 195 185 160 160 170 215 165

#

Name

45 48 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 61 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 88

JOE MEZERA ERIC LU JUSTIN MINNITI ANDRE KNOWLES ANTHONY HOLICHORK KEITH CALLOWAY ERIC APPIGNANI TAVIS SMITH SHANE COFFEE IASIAH GUTHRIDGE MARK MONOCHIO EVAN RAICHLE DOMINIC SPEDALIERE AUSTIN BOOTE MICHAEL LANG GAVIN HAWXHURST BRANDON MARKLE JOEY CAPRIGLIONE JOHN VERDAROSA MATT RICE CHRISTIAN GILLICH NICK FLORIO JORDAN McCORMACK ANTHONY TOWNSEND JACOB DECKER COREY CONNER VICTOR BUTLER JUSTIN BONILLA DAMIEN SILVA STEVEN DALOUISE NAJIR MOORE

Grd

Pos

Ht

10 10 12 12 10 11 12 12 11 12 10 12 11 12 10 11 10 10 10 11 10 12 10 11 10 12 12 11 11 10 12

WR,DB RB,LB OL,LB OL,DL OL,DL OL,LB OL,DL OL,DL OL,DL OL,DL OL,DL OL,LB OL,LB OL,DL OL,DL OL,DL OL,DL OL,DL OL,LB OL,DL OL,DL OL,DL OL,DL OL,DL OL,DL DL OL,DL DL,LB OL,DL WR,DB DL

5'11 5'9 6'2 6'3 5'9 6'4 6'4 6'2 6'2 6'4 6'2 6'2 5'11 5'11 5'11 5'11 6'2 6'2 6'2 5'11 6'2 6'2 6'3 6'1 5'9 6 6'3 6 6'3 5'8 6

Wt 160 165 235 240 235 220 225 265 240 265 260 225 190 250 200 235 240 240 210 240 220 270 275 240 250 240 275 195 250 145 235

#

Name

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt

#

Name

Grd

Pos

Ht

Wt

1

Zyheir Jones

12

QB/DB

6'2

190

40 Dashawn Conover

12

Fb/Lb

5'8

175

2

Haaziq Barksdale

9

SB/DB

5'8

155

44 Dante Morris

11

FB/DL

6'2

200

3

Rizjoun Smullen

12

WR/LB

6'2

185

45 Josh Lezin

12

FB/DL

6'2

265

4

Khari Jenkins

12

RB/LB

5'9

195

51 Sebastian Salazar

11

OL/DL

5'8

280

5

Jyheir Jones

12

WR/S

6'2

190

52 Tye Pierce

11

OL/DL

5'9

255

7

Rodney Wall

10

WR/DB

6'2

175

56 Jaylin Overton

10

OL/DL

5'10

290

8

Sincere Moore

11

Wr/DB

6'2

170

55 Eric Rice

11

OL/DL

6'0

300

10 Rashaun Reeves

12

SB/DB

5'9

165

70 Franscio Santillan

10

OL/DL

6'2

225

16 Miguel Mendoza

9

K

5'8

145

74 Kevin Rybakowski

10

OL/DL

6'2

275

19 Dalyn Butler

12

SB/LB

5'9

165

77 Camilo Renteria

10

OL/DL

6'2

260

20 Maurice Romero

12

WR/DB

5'8

150

75 John Paul Rodriguez 12

OL/DL

6'5

285

21 Erik Torres

10

SB/DB

5'7

160

76 Keivn Rodriguez

OL/DL

6'0

255

22 Myles Jackson

12

SB/DB

5'7

165

23 Elijah Miller

12

Wr/Db

6'2

170

27 Ja'mier McLecod

10

FB/LB

6'0

210

33 Reynaldo Perez

12

FB/LB

5'9

175

11

Head Coach: L.J Clark

Head Coach: RON SIGNORINO

FOR SSN ADVERTISING INFORMATION Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460

steve.meyer@townsquaremedia.com

31

Holmdel Finishes Historic Season With Group 2 Title By

Matt Manley

J

ustin McStay, Mikey Neff and Joe Arena all felt a familiar rush getting off the bus on the campus of Kean University Sunday for the NJSIAA Group II championship game against Dover.

The feeling after the game, however, was a much different, much better feeling.

Playing in the Group II final for the second time in three years, McStay, Neff and Arena each scored a goal and the Hornets capped their best season in school history by beating Dover, 4-1, to win the program's first NJSIAA Group championship since 2010 and second overall.

"Our motto all year was 'Bring it Back,'" Neff said. "We came into the season wanting to win everything and to get here and win this last game."

The Holmdel trio and junior teammate Torre Avitabile were starters on the 2015 team that reached the Group II final at Kean and took a 1-0 lead on Garfield into the final three minutes, only to see it disappear over the final 2:30 minutes in a crushing 2-1 loss. McStay opted not to play high school soccer last year, but he returned this season to reunite with Arena, Neff and Avitabile to finish the job this year.

"As soon as we got here, we parked the bus, we saw the field, and it all came rushing back," Arena said.

"Unfortunately, we remembered giving up the two goals in the last two minutes, but now it's going to be a totally different memory. I think the reason you saw me, Mikey and Justin show up was because we wanted to make up for that so much."

Sunday's performance fell in line with Holmdel's play throughout the season, during which the Hornets outscored opponents 122-14. What made Sunday unique is they racked up four goals without junior forward and leading scorer Anthony Arena scoring any of them. Arena entered the game with 35 goals and 24 assists and Dover committed to shadowing him early on.

- Senior Staff writer

preserving the 2-0 lead at halftime.

Dover made a push for a goal to open the half, but the Hornets quickly regained control of the game and added their third goal in the 56th. Justin McStay played a combination with Anthony Arena and after getting the ball back on the right side of the goal, he finished to the far left side netting.

The goal was just part of an all-around performance from McStay, who defended the air on corner kicks, checked into the midfield, set up chances for teammates and won 50-50 ball on top of 50-50 ball. Two years after sparking the Hornets to a surprise run to the Group II final, McStay returned and finished off this year's run with one of his best efforts.

Brian Canales after a takedown in the box. Outside of the penalty kick, Holmdel withstood the pressure and ran out the clock to begin the celebration.

With Sunday's win, Holmdel matches the 2010 team -

While it has been seven years and three championshipgame losses between group titles for Holmdel, the Hornets were also the last Shore Conference public school team to win an overall group title. Toms River South is the last public school team from the Shore outside of Holmdel to win a group championship, taking home the 2009 Group IV championship.

"I wasn't losing today," McStay said. "I wasn't having it, not in my last game. Whatever it took to get the win today, I was going to do."

"He has 26 goals now, which would be the school record if Anthony Arena didn't score 34 this year," Nacarlo said.

"But it's all the other stuff he does that gets overlooked because he scores a ton of goals. What he does defensively, on free kicks, winning balls - he does everything you need to win and he never complains."

Holmdel is gave the Shore Conference a one-loss, group champion for a second straight year. Last year's CBA team went 24-1 and won both the Shore Conference and NonPublic A Tournaments.

Joe Arena took control of the midfield during the first half and finished off his strong championship performance with a goal in the 72nd. He picked off a pass and pulled up for a 20-yard strike to make it 4-0.

After another dominant performance Sunday, Holmdel's 2017 team injected itself into the conversation with some of the best Shore teams of all time.

"I was so happy to see Joe Arena score that goal," Nacarlo said. "If anybody deserved that goal, it was him. He's been our heart and soul all year and he's had some trouble putting the ball in the net, so for him to finish off the season like that is fitting."

"It's the best feeling in the world playing on this team with these guys," Justin McStay said. "Even if we lost today, I still would have got something special out of this team. We became brothers this year and winning a state championship just makes it even better."

Arena's goal was only his fourth of the year, but he has been the heart of Holmdel's formation at the defensive center midfield spot. He has also been playing through a hamstring injury since the sectional final against Monmouth Regional.

"I took three Advil before the game," Arena said. "I've been able to manage it, for the most part. There was no way I wasn't going to play these games."

Dover got on the board in the 76th on a penalty kick by

which finished 22-1 - with a school-record 22 wins. This year's team was the first in program history to win the Shore Conference Tournament, which went along with an unbeaten season in Class A Central.

The only blemishes on Holmdel's resume this year were a 1-0 loss at Pingry during the regular season and a penaltykicks win over Matawan in the Central Jersey Group II semifinals that goes down as a draw in the standings.

"Anthony struggled a little bit today, but he contributed however he could and we have a lot of other weapons we can use," Holmdel coach John Nacarlo said. "If one guy is off, kids step up and that's what we did today."

That left space to operate for the rest of the team and Neff and McStay were the first to take advantage. Junior Mark McStay slid a corner kick over to Neff who touched it toward the goal and unleashed a 25-yard strike that knuckled just under the bar inside the far post in the 15th minute.

Neff's goal came seven minutes after Arena got his best chance of the game, a 10-yard rocket from directly in front off the goal that Dover goalkeeper David Hoyt saved.

Hoyt also saved a shot by Neff in the first two minutes that was nearly identical to the goal he scored.

"Anytime I get space from 25 yards out, I'm letting it pop," said Neff, who has nine goals from his left outside fullback spot. "My shot usually knuckles and when there is some wind, it can make it hard to read."

Once Neff established himself coming out of the back to go along with the threat of Arena, Justin McStay went to work. He ran onto a through-ball from Anthony Arena, cut it back and got it to senior Matt Leon, who took his time before ripping a shot past Hoyt from six yards out.

Holmdel got a big defensive play from junior Jack Russo in the final seconds of the half. Dover senior Sebastian Montoya knocked the ball past Holmdel keeper Matt Lionette and it trickled toward the goal as the final seconds ticked away. Russo bolted in from the left side of the field and cleared it away with one second left on the clock,

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by:

Matt Manley www.shoresportsnetwork.com

: Paula Lopez www.palimages.com

Photos by

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By

Matt Manley

- Senior Staff writer

F

or the second straight season, the No. 1 team in the Shore Sports Network Top 10 ran away with the honor and this time, it was not as much of a sure thing without the benefit of hindsight. While Holmdel entered the season as the No. 1 team, the Hornets finished 2016 unranked and needed three big additions to the team, plus a mentality makeover to make the jump from Shore also-ran to one of the dominant teams in the recent history of the conference.

While Holmdel was the team of the year in 2017, plenty of teams had memorable seasons – some of which did not even make the top 10. Three Shore teams won NJSIAA sectional titles this year and three more reached a sectional final. While academy soccer can always rain on some team’s parade, the future also appears to be bright for most of the teams in the top 10. There will be time to talk about 2018; for now, let’s put a bow on 2017.

I

.

2 Christian Brothers Academy (20-3-1, 12-1-0)

Holmdel (22-1-1, 12-0-0)

.

After dropping from No. 1 to No. 5, CBA is back in the No. 2 spot to finish off the year thanks to a third straight run to the NJSIAA Non-Public A final. The body of work makes this a rather easy call, as the Colts lost just once in Class A North and their two losses outside the division were to St. Benedict’s and Delbarton. CBA missed out on its chance to challenge Holmdel for No. 1 by failing to reach the SCT final and it took penalty kicks to knock the Colts out.

3 Jackson Memorial (17-4-1, 11-2-1) .

The Jaguars hold at No. 3 to end the year and while they have not been in action since Nov. 3, their season should not be forgotten. Jackson beat out Toms River South for the Class A South title by two full games in the standings and went 1-0-1 against the Indians, then reached the semifinals of the Shore Conference Tournament, where the Jaguars lost to No. 1 Holmdel. While Ocean advanced farther in the state tournament, Jackson had to deal with a deeper South Jersey Group IV bracket that bounced the Jaguars in the quarterfinals at the hands of a quality Atlantic City side.

4 Toms River South (17-5-3, 9-4-1) .

For the first time in program history, Holmdel is the No. 1 team at the Shore to finish the season and while it wasn’t quite wire-to-wire, it might as well have been. The Hornets lost just one time all season and then they had their chance to prove themselves in the postseason, they passed the test with flying colors. During the postseason, Holmdel went 9-0-1, scored 49 goals and gave up five without allowing more than one in a game. For the season, the Hornets posted a whopping 122 goals while conceding only 14. It’s hard to compare teams from different seasons and eras, but the sheer dominance with which Holmdel won division, conference and NJSIAA group championships puts this Hornets team in the conversation with the best teams in the history of the Shore Conference.

For the third straight year, Toms River South kicked its game into high gear during the state tournament and won a sectional championship. The Indians fought like crazy to get back to the Group III final for the third straight year, but fell to a determined Mainland squad on eight rounds of penalty kicks in the Group III semifinals. It’s tough to separate Toms River South and Ocean given that the two teams split their two tournament meetings, but Toms River South’s result at CBA and sectional final win gives the Indians the slight edge this year.

5 Ocean (18-4-2, 13-1-0) .

With a team stacked with junior talent, Ocean arrived this season with a dominant showing in Class B North and trips to both the Shore Conference and Central Group III Tournament finals. Ocean’s case for No. 4 is that the Spartans won a division title, while the case for Nos. 2 and three are that they had more postseason wins than either CBA or Jackson Memorial. Jackson, however, owns an edge in common opponents, also won a division and was eliminated from the state tournament by a very good Atlantic City team, while Toms River South won the second meeting between the two teams – which was a championship game. With that being said, few teams are as well-positioned for next year as Ocean, which will return seven starters and plenty of scoring and depth.

6 Pinelands (17-5-1, 12-1-1) .

The Wildcats enjoyed arguably their best season in program history, which included their first ever trip to the SCT quarterfinals and their first division title since 1989.

Although a 4-0 loss to Jackson Memorial in the SCT quarterfinals was the start of a 24 finish to the season, Pinelands heads into 2018 with a loaded roster of returnees after graduating just one starter from this year’s lineup.

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7

Long Branch (15-6, 10-4)

.

Long Branch was so close to getting over the hump in B North, the SCT and Central Jersey Group IV, but came up just short at each pass. The Green Wave finished second in the division, lost a hard-fought game at Pinelands in the SCT round of 16 and lost to Group IV runner-up Princeton in the CJ IV quarterfinals. Still, Long Branch finished second in the deepest division in the Shore Conference this season and was competitive against the best teams on its schedule. Next year will present some challenges for the team, which loses three of its top four scorers.

8

Monmouth (15-10, 7-7)

.

The Falcons finish the year as a top 10 team in the Shore Conference for the first time in 10 years on the heels of a trip to both the Shore Conference Tournament quarterfinals and the Central Jersey Group II championship game. Monmouth was eliminated from the SCT in a wild, 4-3 loss to Ocean, but not before the Falcons took down Toms River North and Freehold Township – the latter while playing without 30-goal scorer Joel Burgos. While losing Burgos to graduation will make next year challenging, the Falcons have enough coming back to go into 2018 with an optimistic outlook.

9

Freehold Township (15-7, 10-4)

.

Freehold Township’s 3-1 win over CBA is one of the best wins of any team outside the top two in the rankings, but the rest of the resume has enough blemishes that the Patriots got stuck at No. 9 after beginning the season No. 3.

They did manage to win the A North public championship by outlasting Howell and picked up a resounding 6-0 win over Sayreville in the first round of the NJSIAA Tournament, but an SCT loss to Monmouth and losses to Neptune and Manalapan counter those wins. Still, 15-7 and second place in A North is a top10 worthy showing, especially factoring in the CBA win.

I0

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Howell (11-7-2, 8-5-1)

For the first time since 2011, Howell made it back to the Shore Conference Tournament and did so with a team that picked up some big wins this year. The Rebels beat Freehold Township, reached the SCT quarterfinals before losing to No. 1 Holmdel and won a state tournament game at Eastern in the South Jersey Group IV bracket. Perhaps the most encouraging part of Howell’s season is that the Rebels will have most of their junior-heavy squad back next year.

HONORABLE MENTION Rumson-Fair Haven (13-7-2, 7-4-1) The Bulldogs finished tied for second in A Central, reached the Central II semifinals and won an SCT game with a roster that will return a fair amount of talent.

Middletown South (11-8-1, 8-5-1) The Eagles made it back to the SCT for the first time in five years and finished third in a very competitive Class B North division.

Southern (12-8-1, 8-5-1) Although the Rams had some top-notch senior talent, they also leaned on plenty of freshmen who should be able to build on a third-place finish in A South and a first-round road win in the South Jersey IV bracket.

Matawan (8-8-3, 5-5-2) Although the Huskies were just a .500 team, they took Holmdel to a shootout in the Central Jersey II semifinals and were competitive throughout the year despite a lack of experience coming in.

Point Pleasant Boro (11-5-5, 8-3-3 ) A second-place finish in B South and a 1-1 draw against Ocean in the SCT – which became a loss on penalty kicks – made Point Boro a team to be considered for a top-10 spot.

35

Eichenbaum’s Two Late Goals Give Shore Third Straight Group I Championship By

Matt Manley

L

ike a lot of players would after s coring the biggest goal of his or her life, Shore Regional sophomore Julia Eichenbaum found the nearest teammate and jumped into her arms For Eichenbaum, it might have been as much out of necessity as pure jubilation because after the way she worked to figuratively carry Shore to the finish line Saturday in the NJSIAA Group I championship game against Glen Ridge at Kean University, she needed somebody to literally carry her.

With her team trailing by a goal in the final minutes, Eichenbaum scored the equalizer in the 77th and the game-winner with nine seconds left to cap a wild, come-from-behind, 5-4 win over the Ridgers and deliver the Blue Devils their third consecutive Group I championship.

“After I scored the first goal, we had a good feeling that we were going to score again,” Eichenbaum said. “We didn’t want it to go to overtime so we just kept fighting. It’s the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me.”

After scoring the equalizer with 3:09 left on the clock to pull Shore even at 4-4, Eichenbaum started to look like a player who badly needed either the five minutes between regulation and overtime to catch her breath or for a teammate to score the winner. Instead, she found herself in a position to end the game in the final seconds and did not want to let it slip away.

“It was at a point when I just had to get my last touch on it,” Eichenbaum said of the winner. “I was at the (six-yard mark) and if I can touch the ball, it’s going to go in. I just tried to get my last foot on it. I was exhausted at that point, but I knew I had to at least try as hard as I could because that was the winning goal. That was the game.”

- Senior Staff writer

Eichenbaum’s equalizer eliminated Shore’s second two-goal deficit of the game. Senior Lindsey Jaiyesimi scored her third goal of the game in the 56th minute to extend the Ridgers lead to 4-2, giving her team some much-needed breathing room against a Blue Devils team that dominated position and outshot Glen Ridge, 24-9.

“We just had to keep working hard,” Eichenbaum said. “We had to try to give it our all. We were all tired by the last few minutes, but we didn’t want to leave anything on the field.”

Shore did not take long, however, to pull back with one goal. Junior Frankie McDonough lined up a direct kick on the left side of the field just outside the 18-yard box and bent a 23-yard shot into the far right upper corner of the frame to cut the deficit to 4-3 in the 60th minute.

With her goal on Saturday, McDonough has scored a goal in each of Shore’s last three Group I championship games.

Birdsall has also been in the middle of critical plays in each of Shore’s three championship wins, but Saturday was her best showing yet. Shore scored on own goals in each of the past two championship games that started with corner kicks that Birdsall placed at the mouth of the goal.

On Saturday, Birdsall officially got on the board with two goals of her own, plus the assist on Eichenbaum’s winner.

The junior forward hit a 30-yard shot to the upper 90 to tie the game at 1-1 just 1:18 after sophomore Tara Feenaghty gave the Ridgers their first lead on a penalty kick in the 17th minute, then later scored on a rebound in the 34th to cut Glen Ridge’s lead to 3-2. Eichenbaum took the initial shot on Birdsall’s second goal after McDonough

played her through the back line.

“It’s definitely unforgettable – three years now being state champs is something I would have never imagined me doing in a high school career,” Birdsall said. “Everyone from the defense, to the goalie, all the way up to the forwards gave it everything they had.”

With Saturday’s win, Shore also clinched its third straight 20-win season and evened the series vs.

Glen Ridge at 3-1-1 over the last six years. The Blue Devils have played in the last six Group I finals and Glen Ridge has played the Blue Devils in five of them. The Ridgers went 1-0-1 in the first three before Shore won each of the last three years, with the two Group I rivals sharing the title in 2013.

Eichenbaum, Birdsall and McDonough are all set to return next year to try to make it four in a row.

The Blue Devils started only three seniors on

Junior Hannah Birdsall carried the ball toward the left-side touch line and crossed it into the middle of the 18-yard box, where Eichenbaum positioned herself against a pair of Glen Ridge defenders. She battled to set up a shot and after gaining some separation, unleashed a left-footed shot to the upper part of the goal from eight yards out with the scoreboard clock showing nine seconds remaining.

The goal gave Shore the lead while leaving Glen Ridge time for little more than a desperation service toward the goal and the Blue Devils began their third straight championship celebration.

“Julia’s two goals were amazing,” Birdsall said.

“She definitely steps it up when it comes to the last minute.”

Before scoring the winner, Eichenbaum tied up the game in the 77th on a similar play, in which she fought off a pair of defenders for a ball played into the box by senior Kendall Rich and poked it past goalkeeper Victoria Wozniak.

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Saturday – Rich, center midfielder Sophie Hauritz and defender Maddie Agresti.

“It’s a great feeling to have the opportunity to play on this team and be one of those players that helps win games and championships,” said Eichenbaum, who is committed to play at the University of Illinois. “Not many people get a chance to play for a great team like Shore and I’m just very grateful for having this opportunity to be one of those great players and having the chance to play with other great players.”

& Photos by:

Matt Manley www.shoresportsnetwork.com

37

Golden Goal Gives Wall First Outright Group Championship By

Matt Manley

I

n a game that saw the b all b ounce against the Wall girls soccer team on a number of occasions, the Crimson Knights proved that talent a nd per sev era nc e befitting of the top team in the state can overcome a run of bad luck.

It also didn't hurt that the ball bounced in the Crimson Knights' favor on the game's final play.

Senior defender Hailee Reinhardt served a free kick from 40 yards out off a defender and into the goal for the golden goal with 20 seconds left in the first overtime to give the Wall a wild 4-3 win over Westwood for its second straight group championship and first ever outright title.

- Senior Staff writer

47th, giving the Cardinals a 3-2 lead after they fell into an early 2-0 hole.

"It was a bit frustrating because it was off our mistakes," said senior midfielder Sarah Gordon, who scored two of Wall's four goals. "We knew we still had to finish our chances, especially once we were down 3-2."

Wall jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Gordon and fellow senior Jenna Karabin in the first 16 minutes. Gordon tapped in a rebound off a save by senior goalkeeper Camryn Collova, who denied an initial shot by senior Lauren Karabin, in the fifth minute. Jenna Karabin then settled a corner kick from senior Jaime Iorio and slammed it into the upper right part of the net.

After reeling from three unanswered Westwood goals over a span on 24 minutes, Wall pulled even in the 60th on Gordon's second goal of the game, which she scored on a low right-footed shot from 12 yards out off a pass from Lauren Karabin.

"A lot things didn't go our way early," Wall coach Mike Juska said. "We gave up a (penalty kick) goal and a deflection goal and finally, one came our way.

Hailee played a great ball and that one came out in our favor.

"How we usually win games is by going out wide because we have Cara and Lauren outside, who can beat anyone one-v-one," Gordon said. "We kept telling them to take it; we just had to get girls in the box and that's how we were going to finish.

"They didn't want to be a co-champ again. No matter what has happened all year, someone always steps up. You're not going to see many teams with a senior class like we have and I'm really happy for them that they get to go out with a win like this."

"I thought the best thing to do in that situation was to just check back to (the ball). It's hard to win the ball when you are behind a defender, so I tried to win it and get a shot. It's weird, actually, because I'm naturally left-footed, but I scored both goals today with my right foot."

Coming off a win over Cinnaminson via a seven rounds of penalty kicks on Tuesday, Wall appeared poised to run away with the Group II crown with two goals in the first 16 minutes. The scoring well dried up over the next 44 minutes, during which Westwood scored three consecutive goals against a normallystout Wall defense.

The Crimson Knights, however, battled their way back to force overtime and a Westwood foul with 25 seconds left in the first overtime period set up Wall with one more chance to score before heading to a second 10-minute period. Reinhardt played the ball into the middle of the 18-yard box and it went off the head of a leaping Nicolette Lombardi and into her own net.

Callova prevented Wall from ending the game even earlier by coming up with 11 saves.

"We wanted to try to get the ball away from the goalie on corners because we knew she was good," Reinhardt said. "We wanted to keep it away from her to at least give us a chance to get a good shot at her and it worked the one time."

Wall's Group II championship is its first outright championship and it comes one year after the Crimson Knights won their first ever share of a state

championship by playing Northern Highlands to a scoreless draw in the Group III championship. In that game, Wall was taking on the No. 1 team in N.J., but on Saturday, the Crimson Knights found themselves playing the role of No. 1 team trying to fight off an upset-minded underdog.

Wall debuted at No. 1 in the latest NJ.com Top 20 on Thursday and had to scratch and claw to maintain its claim on the prize, just as Northern Highlands attempted to do last year when playing the Knights.

"When that came out on Thursday, our girls were pumped and I think it energized them even more knowing they had to win to keep that ranking," Juska said. "But for Westwood, I can't say enough about the way they came out today. They reminded me of our team last year - just fighting, fighting, fighting. It as a little bit more of a roller coaster at 4-3, but they never gave up."

Saturday's golden-goal win caps an alreadymemorable four years for Wall's group of 12 seniors on the roster. While they were in the program, Wall won three division championships, two Shore Conference Tournament titles and two overall group championships.

In their final year together, the Knights seniors went 24-1-2, with the only loss coming on the road against

"I was just thinking that out of all the free kicks I've taken in my life, can this be the one to go in," Reinhardt said. "It had to be the one. We didn't want to go to the second overtime, and we definitely didn't want to finish as co-champs. When it went in, it was just the best feeling."

The ending was ironic in that Wall found itself in overtime because of a pair of self-inflicted wounds, almost in a literal sense. Westwood's first goal came on a foul committed by senior Cara Capra at the edged of the 18-yard box with Cardinals junior Lucie Gehringer facing away from the goal, which led to a penalty kick that Gehringer converted.

The penalty kick was the Cardinals' first shot of the game and their second tied it up in the 33rd. Two Wall defenders collided while going for the ball which allowed Westwood senior Carlye Danzinger to track it down and slide an uncontested pass to junior Sarah Levy. Levy took a touch and when Reinhardt tried to clear the ball toward the sideline, Levy jumped in front of the clearance and deflected the ball inside the near post from close range before Wall sophomore goalkeeper Jordan Chece could react.

"We made a few mistakes and I think we were getting a little overconfident," Reinhardt said.

"Mistakes like that can't happen in a game like this, but we just had to re-focus and try to come back."

Westwood's third goal was more conventional, with freshman Meghan Reidel knocking in a cross from Gehringer into the upper part of the netting in the

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Group IV co-champion Freehold Township in midSeptember. Wall avenged that loss by beating Freehold Township in the SCT championship game.

All the more impressive, Wall made its run to both the SCT and state championships without standout scorer and Princeton-bound forward Amy Paternoster, who missed nearly the entire postseason with a foot injury and still finished her senior year with 29 goals and 20 assists in 18 games.

During Wall's 10 postseason games, both Karabin sisters emerged as scoring forces, while Gordon, Iorio, Capra and senior center midfielder Joan Scheidt also picked up the slack on offense.

"They just fought today like they did all year," Juska said. "It's been a great group of girls, especially leaders like Amy and Maggie (Wishart). I'm going to be very sad losing them but I'm thrilled they are leaving as champions."

& Photo by:

Matt Manly www.shoresportsnetwork.com

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