All Shore Media High School Sports 2-4-13 Issue - 3 - Volume V

February 4, 2013 Volume-V

Issue-3

Sports Performance 4 ELITE Ask the Experts

3

Lakewood is the New Number One

6

STILL The KINGS

it Time To 7 Is Retire The SCT? Shore Stars Make 9 College Commitments

11 Stumpy’s Corner

VOLUME-V

/

ISSUE-3

/

2/4/13

2

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

�Is this going to be on

�

All Shore Media 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.

All Shore Media 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.allshoremedia.com is the most visited sports site in the shore conference during the scholastic year

n Follow us on Twitter (over 4,100 followers) and Facebook, we keep fans posted on the latest scores and news n Established leading portal for local high school coverage.

SteveMeyer Director/CEO/Marketing s me ye r@ al l sh or em e di a .c o m 732-233-4460

ScottS t ump

Director/Managing Editor stump@allshoremedia.com

Senior Content Providers M at t M a n l e y / / M ma nl e y21 @ gm ai l .c o m

All Shore Media is published by: All Shore Media, LLC 26 Oxford Drive Wayside NJ, 07712 Copyright 2013 All Shore Media LLC All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part without the permission of All Shore Media is prohibited

Four Lakewood players scored in double figures and the defense quieted Point Beach's explosive scoring offense to spark the No. 2 Piners to a 55-47 win over a Garnet Gulls squad that had won its first 17 games to open the season.

Senior forward Jared Craddox scored a team-high 14 points, junior forward Mo Diawara added 12 points and senior Tyrice Beverette and junior center Ben Watson scored 10 points each to highlight the balanced effort.

"Like I've been saying, this is the best team we've had since I've been head coach," Holmes said. "We've had teams that might have had more individual talent, had more thousand-point scorers, but this team has a bunch of unselfish players who really want to work hard and win as a team. Against a team like (Point Beach) you have to stick together and play as a team and that's what our guys do night in and night out."

Lakewood flashed balance in its offense, but it was the Piners' defense that sparked a 19-4 run during the third quarter that turned a five-point deficit into a 43-33 lead late in the third. Craddox (10) and Diawara (nine) combined for all 19 points during the run and Lakewood forced four turnovers while scoring on 10 straight possessions. Even when Point Beach got a shot off against Lakewood's high-pressure, man-to-man defense, the Piners turned the misses into transition opportunities. In all, Beverette had three steals, while Craddox, Diawara and Mailik Mendez each had two.

The 19-4 run answered a 9-0 Point Beach run on three consecutive threes - two by senior P.J. Kineavy and junior Matt Farrell to end the first half and another by junior Noah Yates to open the third quarter that gave the Garnet Gulls a 29-24 lead.

"We did what we always try to do on defense," Craddox said. "We got right up in their jerseys, didn't give up anything, contested the shot, boxed out and got the rebound. We knew they had a lot of guys who can shoot the ball, so we wanted to get a hand up every time they shot the ball. A good shooting team, you gotta make them hurry their shots and then when they miss, make sure you get the rebound."

Defense has been the driving force behind Lakewood's 16-1 season to date, with the Piners limiting opponents to an average of 40.9 points per game. Entering Saturday, Point Beach was averaging 71.3 points per game.

"We went to watch (Lakewood) a bunch of times and I thought they picked it up another level today," Point Beach coach Nick Catania said. "They attacked on the defensive end from the opening tip, and they were obviously ready to play this game. We didn't have a great shooting game, but I thought on their end, they made us have a bad shooting game."

Farrell exceeded his season average with 18 points and Yates added 12 points off the bench, but the Piners held Kineavy, senior Riley Calzonetti and junior Dominique Uhl to just 17 combined points. Kineavy, who had consecutive 30-point games earlier this month, scored only nine points on 3-for-12 shooting while drawing the attention of Beverette for most of the game.

"The shots may look open, but by the time they are getting them off, there is a hand in their face," Diawara

Uhl, meanwhile, reaggravated right-ankle injury midway through the first quarter, limped off the floor and did not return to action.

The 6-foot-7 native of Germany originally injured the ankle in a Jan. 11 practice and missed Point Beach's 4842 win over Manasquan at the Hoop Group Boardwalk Showcase on Jan. 12.

"Tyrice is so important to our team and it has nothing to do with scoring," Holmes said.

"He's a true leader on this team and he's a coach on the floor.

When he's in the game, I know I don't have to worry about guys not knowing what they're supposed to do because he's always on the same page."

Beverette has been central to Lakewood's success this year on both ends of the floor and in the lone game he missed - due to an official football recruiting visit to the University of Delaware - Lakewood lost to a 5-11 Central Regional squad on the road, 62-56, on Jan. 4. In Lakewood's next game, Beverette scored two points and played his worst offensive game of the season, but helped ignite the defense in a 62-27 win over Monsignor Donovan.

"The Lakewood trainer looked at him and he had strength in the ankle, so that's a positive," Catania said.

"We'll have our trainer take a look at him this week and see how it is. Obviously, it's tough to lose Dom, but we've won games without him this year and it's not an excuse for what happened today. He's not that important to what we do to just blame the loss on not having him. He fits in with what we do and when he's been out, Noah Yates and Jeff Bryant have been able to step in and give us good minutes."

While Point Beach will likely drop below Lakewood in the Shore Conference Tournament seeding, the Garnet Gulls are still positioned to be the No. 2 seed based on their 17-1 record and wins over top-five caliber teams in Colts Neck and Manasquan. Catania did not speculate how long Uhl's setback would keep him out of the lineup, but he expected his team to respond to its first loss of the season.

"It's one thing to go back and watch film and try to correct your mistakes after you beat a team by double-digits," With Uhl out, the Garnet Lakewood senior Jared Craddox Catania said. "After you get it Gulls did not enjoy their handed to you, now you have usual advantage on the glass. the kids' attention because they Lakewood outscored Point Beach 8-5 on second-chance know those mistakes cost them. It's a learning experience, points and outrebounded Point Beach 19-17 after the first and I think it's going to open their eyes and we're going to quarter, during which Point Beach owned a 7-2 edge on end up learning from it." the boards.

If both Lakewood and Point Beach should win the rest "We're a good rebounding team because of hard work of their games prior to the Feb. 10 seeding meeting, the and heart," Craddox said. "It doesn't matter how big the two teams would likely be on opposite ends of the other team is, we know we're going to get the ball because bracket, meaning the SCT final could be a rematch of no team is going to outwork us."

Saturday's game. The last Ocean County team to win the SCT was the 1991 Lakewood team on which Holmes During Lakewood's third-quarter run, the Piners picked starred as a player, and with the Piners lined up to be the apart Point Beach's 2-3 zone, which the Garnet Gulls No. 1 seed for the first time in Holmes' coaching tenure, employed for the better part of the first three quarters this year's team could be the one to book-end 21 seasons before switching to their usual man-to-man look. of Monmouth County supremacy.

"Pretty much every team we play is in a 2-3 because "I've feel like I've got a good pulse of this team," they know if they go man-to-man, we'll just go by them," Holmes said. "This is a really tight group of guys and the Diawara said. "We have a lot of practice against the zone chemistry is exactly what you want to see. These guys are and coach (Holmes) does a good job drawing up plays to break it. Once a team goes to man, that's playing right into close on the court and they hang out away from the court as well, and it shows when they play." our hands."

"We're ready this year," Diawara said. "There are no "I called around to different coaches and I couldn't find distractions, no selfish players, no prima donnas. We're anyone that even tried to play them with a man-to-man just a hard-working team that's hungry to win a defense," Catania said. "We played some man-to-man championship." today and the thing you worry about is Beverette getting to the basket. He's just really tough when he gets one-onone, and I thought we could have done a better job in both our zone and our man of getting in front of some of their other guys. It was a tough call because we had a player out there in Noah Yates who is still dealing with a calf by: injury, and he still isn't a hundred percent with his mobility."

Matt Manley

Lakewood's offense looked much different Saturday than it did a week ago in a 59-55 win over Neptune. In the win over the Piners, Beverette scored 33 of his team's 59 points and carried the Piners back from a nine-point third-

Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460

www.allshoremedia.com File Photo by:

Cliff Lavelle

www.clearedge.zenfolio.com

smeyer@allshoremedia.com

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION

/

"We played them man-to-man and switched on everything," Holmes said. "They have a lot of good shooters and a lot of guys who can score so it's tough to avoid mismatches, but one thing about us is we have 10 guys who can all defend. That allows us to be aggressive and to get up on people knowing that the other guys are going to do their jobs."

2/4/13

Despite all of the accomplishments and all of the talent that has passed through the Piners program since Holmes took over in 2007-08, Holmes insists that this year's team is the best he's had during his time on the bench. Saturday against unbeaten Point Beach - the No. 1 team in the All Shore Media Top 10 - the Piners proved that their coach is on to something.

said. "When you're trying to shoot, and it's in the back of your mind that somebody's coming to try to block it, then you're going to rush it."

ISSUE-3

n his first five seasons as head coach of the Lakewood boys basketball team, Randy Holmes has led the Piners to two NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III championship games, including a sectional championship in 2010. His Piners were a No. 2 seed in the Shore Conference Tournament in each of the past two seasons and two years ago, the Piners featured four players Jarrod Davis, Anthony Walker, Jameer Jones and Tyrice Beverette - who would go on to score 1,000 points in their respective careers.

"A lot of people think that we're a one-man team, but that's just not the case," Holmes said. "We have a bunch of guys who can score and they do it in different ways, so if teams are going to key on Tyrice, the other guys are going to make them pay."

/

I

By Matt Manley - Staff Writer

3

VOLUME-V

New Number One

quarter deficit. Saturday, Beverette shot just 3-for-9, but thanks to strong scoring efforts from Craddox, Diawara and Watson, Lakewood had plenty of offense to complement the stifling defense.

VOLUME-V

/

ISSUE-3

/

2/4/13

4

E

lite Sports Performance Center in Tinton Falls introduces our new series, “Ask the Experts”.

New Jersey’s #1 facility for physical therapy, performance training, and college recruiting will answer your questions about injuries, rehabilitation, training, nutrition and recruiting.

Remember too, roster spots are limited in every recruiting class and vary among different sports. For example in football, the average freshman recruiting class is approximately 25 players whereas in basketball a coach will bring in 2-4 players in any given year. Oh, and you should also know that the average college coach’s recruiting budget is under $2K…at the NCAA Division 3 level it’s under $500. What does that tell you? {PSSST…Reach out!} Need help with the recruiting process? Attend ESPC’s Lecture Series Workshop: “College Recruiting 101” on March 17th and learn how to get recruited.

frame. Athletic based strength training incorporates moderate-heavy weights to develop the proper functional strength needed for sport. Priorities should be placed on training MOVEMENTS not MUSCLES!

Dr. Sharon Wentworth & Dr. Stephen Bade

QUESTION: What is the most common sports injury?

Patti Adorna, Recruiting Specialist with 30+ years’ college experience

QUESTION: My coach offered to

help me get recruited but I am a junior and nothing has happened yet…I am getting nervous. I’ve made All-Division & All-Conference Teams. What can I do?

Bobby Smith, Owner and Founder of Reach Your Potential Training

QUESTION: I know weight training

would probably help my sport, but I’m afraid of getting big and bulky.

How can I work out and make sure I don’t look like one of the football players I go to school with?

Great question! A solid sports performance program like we have here at Reach Your Potential Training focuses on the entire body, not just individual body parts. Programs are developed to maximize your athletic potential and engineered to make you a better ATHLETE, not lifter. We do not train like bodybuilders, power lifters or Olympic lifters.

Athletic based strength training focuses on what works best for our ATHLETES.

ANSWER:

ANSWER: Be proactive and take the

initiative...don't rely on others to help you with the recruiting process! Coaches have good intentions but fall short due to time constraints, lack of knowledge, and/or limited resources. Unless you are a “Blue-chip” athlete, chances are college coaches won’t find you. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how good you are – recruiting is about exposure. Know this….84% of college coaches’ start identifying prospects during the sophomore year. Wait too long and playing opportunities will pass you by. You really have 3 years to get on the radar screen – senior year is a nonfactor in most recruiting situations.

Traditional training that includes high repetitions and low weight, like a bodybuilder actually causes more size to accumulate on a

A sprained ankle is the most common sports injury. Since ankle sprains are so common, many people consider them to be “no big deal” and may not treat them with the respect they deserve. The too-common consequence of this neglect is a lasting weakness, an unstable joint, repeated sprains, and long term ankle joint pathology. Chronic ankle sprains can be prevented with proper treatment consisting of range of motion, strengthening, and proprioception / balance training. The athlete should perform this treatment under the supervision of a Certified Athletic Trainer or a Physical Therapist. Enough said!

ANSWER:

If you have a Question for our Experts please email us at info@elitespc.com

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Contact: Steven Meyer 732-233-4460

smeyer@allshoremedia.com

VOLUME-V

/

ISSUE-3

/

2/4/13

5

points as time expired for a four point-move and an 11-2 major decision.

6

VOLUME-V

/

ISSUE-3

/

2/4/13

Undefeated defending state champion B.J. Clagon earned a 22-7 technical fall at 145 pounds to cut the lead to 23-19. Cliff Ruggiero stopped the Indians' momentum with a pin at 152 pounds. The two Class A South foes continued to go back and forth in wins when Toms River South's Joe Salvato earned a major decision at 160 pounds.

By Josh Sternlieb - All Shore Media Contributor

rick Memorial won its second straight Shore Conference Tournament and record 14th overall on Feb 2 nd by avenging an earlier loss to Toms River South with a thrilling 32-29 victory at Pine Belt Arena.

The Mustangs, who lost to the Indians 36-24 on Jan. 12, reversed two losses from the first meeting for a 10-point swing thanks to heavyweight Tyler Poling and 126-pounder Jared Staub.

"That's what you have to do if you're going to win," Brick Memorial head coach Dan O'Cone said.

Owen McClave and a 14-4 major decision by senior Kevin Corrigan to cut the lead to 13-10.

With Brick Memorial leading 29-23 with two bouts left and an opportunity to clinch the match with one win, the Mustangs sent out senior Tyler Richardson, a Region VI third-place finisher, against Antres Clagon.

After a scoreless first period, Richardson used a spladle against Clagon to secure three near-fall points before being reversed.

After a Joe Ghione 4-1 decision at 120 pounds gave Brick Memorial a 16-10 lead, Staub won one of the most critical bouts of the match. Staub, a three-time state qualifier at Hamilton West, has lost a number of close matches, including a 2-1 loss to Toms River South's Zach Maikisch in their earlier matchup.

Staub rode out Maikisch in the first part of double overtime before escaping in the second part to avenge the loss to Maikisch with a 2-1 victory. The win shows that making the transition from Region VII to Region VI isn't easy, but Staub is up for the challenge.

"There is definitely a step up in competition," Staub said. "Kids are coming after me. It's not just a walk in the park, it's a drive every match."

"It's a tough match every time," O'Cone added.

"Where he came from, he had a tough match every two or three weeks. We've been telling him to have pride in yourself, stay the course, stay after the guy, and it's going to happen.''

With the match starting at 195 pounds, Brick Memorial, which defeated Jackson Memorial 37-23 in the semifinals, jumped out to a 9-0 lead with a Nick Costa decision and a Matt Moore forfeit at 220 pounds. Then Poling After the Staub match, overcame a 2-1 loss from B r i c k M e m o r i a l ’s Ty l e r P o l i n g the Mustangs did a good the January match to job of earning bonus points Marvin Hayden, earning a crucial 8-0 major decision. and also preventing them. Leading 19-10, Jose Tied 0-0 in the first period, Poling gained the Bocalman held Toms River South's Matt Theobold to momentum with a takedown at the buzzer. Then while a major decision. Theobold led 14-0 after two period leading 6-0, Poling took Hayden down late in the but wasn't able to secure a technical fall or pin before third period to earn the major decision. Poling's win going on to win 14-1. pushed the Mustangs' lead to 13-0.

Then the Mustangs' Alec Donovan took down Tyler The Indians, who defeated Howell 28-26 in the Zahradnik and earned two near fall semifinals, got on the board with a pin from freshman

TRS senior Kevin Corrigan vs.

B r i c k M e m o r i a l s e n i o r C o n n o r M a l i ff Trailing 3-2 in the third period, Clagon let Richardson go to push the lead to 4-2. Clagon remained on the attack in third period, looking for the tying takedown. Using an upper hook to throw-by, Clagon came close to a takedown numerous times along the edge of the mat. Richardson was called for stalling twice but without Clagon taking him down, Richardson won the match 4-3 and clinched the title for the Mustangs.

"I had to stay in the match, keep it close and win it for the guys," Richardson said of his 170-pound bout.

The choice to wrestle Richardson could have back fired against the Mustangs. With choosing to wrestle Costa up a weight at 195, the Brick Memorial coaching staff left a chance that the Indians could have came away with the win had Richardson been upset by Clagon.

"It was a gamble," O'Cone said. "But you're sending out your guy who's been to the state tournament.

We're

I

n the immediate moments after Brick Memorial captured its record 14th Shore Conference Tournament title emotions were high, yet not quite aligned.

The scoreboard and the team photo tell one story. Brick Memorial held off Toms River South, 32-29, for its second SCT title in a row that also avenged a loss to the Indians earlier in the season. The wrestlers high-fived and posed for pictures with family. Obviously, they were happy to get the win.

And then you saw the look on Dan O'Cone's face.

"I'm about ready to throw up," said the Brick Memorial head coach.

The stress of navigating the gauntlet of both Jackson Memorial and Toms River South, both of which were rematches, was one thing. The ultimate goal of every team in the state is to win a Group championship. It's a more reasonable goal for some teams, but for every team it's the standard to reach for. To compete in a tournament that could do more harm than good to the Mustangs' postseason chances was more frustrating that fulfilling.

Brick Memorial's most important match not the one which granted the program another plaque.

"We had to beat Jackson to keep the No. 1 seed in the section," O'Cone said. "For us, we had to hope Toms River South also got to the finals. If they don't (and lose to Howell) then we're wrestling the section (Central Jersey Group IV) all over again. That's why this tournament's not good."

So once again we ask the question: Do we still need to hold a Shore Conference Tournament?

The issue of teams having to face each other an extra time, which mostly is of concern to the Class A South powers - Jackson Memorial, Brick Memorial and Southern Regional - is the main problem. Southern chose not to participate for a second straight season. The Rams have won seven of the last eight South Jersey Group IV championships. Either Brick Memorial or Jackson Memorial has won the past eight Central Jersey Group IV titles. A combination of the three has met for the Group IV title four times since 2006. All three stand more to lose by wrestling in the Shore Conference Tournament. Is this a problem for the minority? Absolutely. But when the minority represents the conference's best and are what makes the tournament prestigious, what good is a tournament that mainly hinders their quest for a state championship?

"Once, it was a great thing," O'Cone, who was a Region VI champ for Point Beach in 1992 and is also the president of the New Jersey

"It's tough to be forced to wrestle in this

tournament and have to compete against teams you've already competed against and will most likely see in the section," O'Cone said. "Unless we beat Jackson Memorial by 10 or more points we don't score any power points, those were the things that were on our minds." avoided any problems in the semifinals with a 3723 victory over the Jaguars. They still had to wrestle Toms River South, but the win they needed the most was already attained.

The Mustangs

Wrestling Coaches Association, said of the tournament. "In the '70s and '80s it helped the Shore Conference establish some legitimacy, but now it hurts us because we're eating ourselves."

While this is a fairly recent issue, the lack of any semblance of competitive balance in the Shore Conference Tournament is nothing new. Saturday's final marked the 37th SCT. Only Manalapan and Long Branch have won from Monmouth County, three for each school. If you go by the current divisional

To m s R i v e r S o u t h ’s M i k e R u t t e r v s . B r i c k M e m o r i a l ’s N i c k C o s t a

/

Is It Time To Retire The SCT?

By Bob Badders - Senior Staff Writer

2/4/13

"Timber Creek has been a thorn in our side the last three years," Toms River South head coach Ron Laycock said. "We want them. We feel we have a good shot to get to the Group III finals."

/

"I'm happy with our performance tonight," O'Cone said. "I'm happy with the way we wrestled, but winning the Shore Conference doesn't satisfy me."

The Indians will put their focus into winning a sectional tournament. Standing in their way could be Timber Creek, a team that has defeated them in the sectional finals the last three years.

7

ISSUE-3

The Shore Conference title adds to the already storied Brick Memorial program, but with the NJSIAA team tournament ahead, the Mustangs view it as another step in the right direction.

"It's another stepping stone to a team state title," Richardson added.

alignment, an A South team has won every other title. It's a tournament dominated by the best teams, that now isn't a positive for those same teams.

The rest of the bracket rarely stands a chance. On rare occasion a five or a six seed will score an upset, but it's almost always the top four seeds advancing to the semifinals. The other teams get a competitive match before likely being blown out by a powerhouse in a match that doesn't benefit anybody. A smaller tournament field would at least fix that problem to a degree, but instead the field was expanded to 20 teams this year.

"Are there going to be changes in the future? I think so but I don't know what those changes will be," said SCT tournament director Dave Kirk, who is also the Point Boro athletic director and a former Panthers head coach. "In the '70s there was no state tournament and in the '80s it was Brick Memorial dominating, and everybody was chasing them and most teams didn't qualify for the state tournament. It's all really changed in the last 12 years, I would say."

Kirk also noted that teams do have the right not enter the tournament. Christian Brothers Academy also didn't enter this season, and Point Beach has done so in the past as well. Head coaches have their input, but ultimately it's the decision of the school's administration.

"I think when you're in the trenches and you're fighting the fight you have some knowledge of what's going on," O'Cone said "The people who can make a change, maybe they don't understand or realize that the tournament has now passed us by. It's hurting the Shore Conference, not helping."

"They say it every year, 'It may have passed us by,'" O'Cone said. "But nobody does anything about it."

The Shore Conference is unique with its conference tournament. Only Hudson County has a dual-meet tournament, but it also has just eight programs. It doesn't make sense to hold an individual tournament like the rest of the state because we already have one - the Region VI Tournament. Separate county tournaments with team scoring seem to make the most sense, but that idea doesn't seem to be gaining any ground, and could present much of the same problem except on an individual level.

At the end of the day, though, it's up to the Shore Conference Executive Committee. Kirk and the rest of the coaches on the committee are just middle men passing along recommendations. Doing away with the Shore Conference Tournament seems like an extreme step. No one disputes its history and contribution to the rise of programs that are now among New Jersey's elite. But those days are long gone.

The Shore Conference Tournament has had a great and memorable run, but it's time to move on.

by:

Bob Badders

www.allshoremedia.com Photo by:

Phil Stilton

Ocean Signal

VOLUME-V

conservative, but we take what we know what we can get without risking too much."

VOLUME-V

/

ISSUE-3

/

2/4/13

8

Henson initially was verbally committed to the Another ASM firstUniversity of teamer, Rumson-Fair Virginia before Haven linebacker Travis changing his mind Clark, signed with and deciding to sign Villanova, and Bulldogs with North quarterback Danny Carolina. He is Roberto is headed to the believed to be the Sickels, ranked No. 101 by University of New first FBS recruit Rivals.com in its list of the Hampshire. Middletown from Monsignor top 250 players in the nation, South defensive Donovan in the last is part of a heralded Red Bank's Garrett Sickels back/running back Eli 25 years and recruiting class at Penn State Smith signed with perhaps ever. that stayed committed to Wagner, and RBC lineman Kirkwood had several Division I head coach Bill O’Brien and his staff despite severe Richie Curran is headed to basketball offers but opted to sign penalties imposed by the NCAA in the wake of the St. Anselm. Lakewood with Hawaii after having only played Jerry Sandusky scandal. Joining him on his way to the quarterback/safety Tyrice football for one year in high school as Nittany Lions is Toms River North kicker Chris Gulla, Beverette also was down a senior. Klecko, the son of former who also was an ASM first-team All-Shore pick. to choosing between New York Jets All-Pro defensive Other local standouts who signed with FBS programs lineman Joe Klecko, is the latest in his Stony Brook and include St. John Vianney wide receiver Ishmael Delaware on signing day. successful family to play Division I-A Red Bank Catholic's Josh Klecko Hyman (Kansas); Monsignor Donovan offensive football, as his older brother Dan is a lineman Brad Henson (North Carolina); Red Bank former Big East Defensive Player of Catholic defensive tackle Josh Klecko (Rutgers); and the Year for Temple who won Super Bowl rings with Neptune wide receiver Keith Kirkwood (Hawaii). the Colts and Patriots.

Photos by Hyman also played in the International Bowl in B i l l N ormile Several other Shore Conference stars signed with Austin, Texas, a day earlier as the only player from www.billnormile.zenfolio.com

2/4/13

FCS (Division I-AA) programs or earned scholarships to Division II schools. Tim Vangelas, the best wide receiver in Colts Neck history, signed with Lafayette, while Manalapan two-sport star Anthony Firkser is headed to Harvard to play football and basketball.

Firkser’s Manalapan teammate, ASM first-team AllShore lineman John Appice, is going to East Stroudsburg. Freehold Township defensive end Manny Maragoto signed with Monmouth University.

/

New Jersey in a game featuring 45 high school players from the United States against a mix of competition from around the world. In January, Hyman was named the MVP of another all-star game, the Chesapeake Bowl, in Maryland.

ISSUE-3

ed Bank Regional senior defensive end Garrett Sickels headlined a group of Shore Conference football stars who made their college decisions official by signing a National Letter of Intent on Feb. 6 during National Signing Day.

/

R

By Scott Stump – Managing Editor

9

VOLUME-V

Shore Stars Make College Commitments Official on Signing Day

VOLUME-V

/

ISSUE-3

/

2/4/13

10

s th e s co r es came in du r in g th e S h or e Con f er en ce G ir ls S wimmin g Ch ampio n s h ips on Feb. 2, th er e was little s u s pen s e as to wh ich team wou ld be th e team ch ampion .

At a school where the juggernaut wrestling program and a resurgent boys basketball program dominate most of the headlines in the winter, the girls swim team operates in relative obscurity. The girls usually wake up at 5 a.m. to practice before school like many swim teams across the Shore Conference even though they know the headlines and the press coverage almost certainly isn’t sure to follow. They do it because they love the

n Sehmonyeh Allen—Neptune n Sean Armand—Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis HS (NY) n Delvon Arrington—St. Anthony’s n Brian Baker—Colts Neck n Mustafa Barksdale—RBR n Robert Barksdale—Asbury Park n Billy Beggans—Ocean Township n Kate Beriont—St. John Vianne n Steve Bridgemohan—E Brunswick n Josh Brody—RBR n Brandon Brown—Freehold Boro n Yesenia Burgos—St. John Vianney n Rashon Bruno—St. Anthony’s n Courtney Calderon—St. John Vianney n Isaias Calderon—Neptune n Richard Calia—Holmdel n Shilique Calhoun – Middletown North n Quarran Calhoun—Raritan n Cooper Calzonetti—Neptune n Chase Campbell—Oak Hill Academy (NC) n Cleveland Cannon—Long Branch n Raheem Carter—Long Branch n Corey Chandler—East Side n Robert Cheeks—St. Anthony’s

“You look at a lot of the other top public school teams in the Shore and they’re all beach towns – Rumson, Manasquan, teams like that,’’ Julio said. “People look at that and say, ‘Why isn’t Long Branch a good team?’

Hopefully we’ll change that.’’

It’s not just the stars of the team who have helped the Green Wave come a long way, either.

Red Bank Catholic rolled to its eighth straight title, another impressive feat for a program that has had plenty of them.

However, a small group of girls eagerly awaiting their team score showed that it’s not always about finishing first when it comes to defining success. Long Branch, a team that has never had a winning dual meet season and has struggled for much of its history, finished in fourth place, one spot ahead of perennially strong Rumson-Fair Haven. There would be no oversized trophy or plaque to celebrate the achievement, but it was a significant one at a school where girls sports have often struggled in recent years.

“We didn’t think that we’d come even remotely close to being top five with only four swimmers,’’ junior Hannah Elliott said. "We thought we would get seventh or eighth (at the Shore Conference meet), so when they announced we were fourth, we all screamed and jumped up real high,'' junior Hayley Masi said. "It's nice to finally have that shining moment that gets you recognized throughout the whole school."

“I hope other people when they hear how well the team did this year, they’ll be encouraged to come out for swimming next year,’’ Elliott said.

“For all of our other girls, their first experience in a pool was the first day of practice,’’ Julio said. “They have all improved tremendously.’’

(from left): Emily Balina, Hannah Elliott, Brenna Strollo, Hayley Masi mid-1990s in individual and relay events.

“It’s just nice to be recognized,’’ said Strollo, who is in her first and only season swimming for Long Branch after transferring from Neptune. “Everyone has been so supportive.’’

“It’s cool to see the whole record board covered with the

While the championship teams and the standout individuals in all sports deserve their praise, I have a great respect for athletes like the girls on the Long Branch swim team. They dedicate themselves when no one is watching, simply for the sheer love of being out there and having fun with their friends. Making Long Branch into a competitive team is something that mattered enough to them to put in the hard work while knowing that it would probably not result in a championship or a banner headline.

When the leaders of this year’s team leave high school, they can look back with pride on the fact that they helped create an expectation of success at a program often left in the shadows. They may not have a plaque or a trophy to symbolize that, but what they do have is the type of perseverance and determination that will serve them well long after their athletic careers come to an end. That sounds like winning to me.

A S A M P L I N G O F C U R R E N T A N D F O R M E R M A C A L L - S TA R S n Rahmir Cottman—RBR n Vincent Council—Lincoln (NY) n Don Coven—Long Branch n Jared Craddox—Lakewood n Paul De Salvo—CBA n Syessence Davis—Neptune n Allen Dean—Neptune n Taquan Dean—Neptune n Dana Jean DeGennaro—RBC n Chris Delaney—CBA n Pat Delaney—CBA n Jose Diaz—Pt. Pleasant Beach n Mark Donnelly—RBR n Sean Dunne—CBA n Kristian Duravcevic—Fordham Preparatory School (NY) n Mike Faherty—Brooklyn Polytech n Matt Farrell—Pt. Pleasant Beach n Crissie Fisher—Rumson-Fair Haven n Sarah Fisher—RBR n Adam Fleischner—Holmdel n Colin Ford—Manasquan n Glen Ford—RBC n Greg Ford—Trenton Central n Avery Gardner—Long Branch

n Billy Gilligan—RBR n Tyler Glass—Mater Dei Prep n Erica Gomez—St. John Vianney n Dana Graziano—Holmdel n Kevin Grier—CBA n Paul Halas—St. Rose n Felicia Harris—RBR n Michael Harris—Randolph n Mykel Harris—Great Mills (MD) n Ashley Hart—The Peddie School n Eugene “Nu Nu” Harvey—St. Benedict’s Prep n Corey Haskins—RBR n Kasey Hobbie—RBC n Norman Hobbie—Manasquan n Darien Hutton—Ewing n Nolan Ivers—Holmdel n Jasmine Jackson—Old Bridge n Rosie Jackson—St. John Vianney n Tyson Johnson—St. Mary’s HS (NY) n Billy Kiss—Long Branch n Michael Kelly—St. Anthony’s (NY) n Nick La Morte—Mater Dei n Herve Lamizana—St. Patrick’s n Erin Leahy—Rumson-Fair Haven

n Carl Little—Asbury Park n Maggie Loundy—Pt. Pleasant Beach n Charles Markens—St. Patrick n Mike Mavrinac—Middletown South n Jasmine McCall—Manalapan n Billy McCue—CBA n Christian Morris—S. Kent School (CT) n Darius Morris—Long Branch n Valerie Morris—Freehold Boro n Michael Murphy—Howell n Sachin Nagpal—Ranney School n Brian O’Reilly—Middletown South n Karen Otrupchak—RBR n Kevin Owens—Neptune n Toni Panza—St. John Vianney n Anthony Perry—St. Anthony’s n Shinece Perry—RBR n Earl Pettis—Saints John Neumann & Maria Goretti Catholic (PA) n Simon Press—Asbury Park n Joey Raines—Asbury Park n David Reeves—RBC n Anne Richards—The Lawrenceville Sch. n Charlie Rogers—Matawan n Amanda Rosato—St. John Vianney

V i s i t o u r w e b s i t e , w w w. m a c t e s t i n g . c o m

n Alifiya Rangwala—The Ranney School n Will Sanborn—RBR n Keyron Sheard—RBR n Brian Snodgrass—Holmdel n Lauren Sokol—The Peddie School n Stephen Spinella—Colts Neck n Matt Stahl—Middletown South n Missy Stavola—Rumson-Fair Haven n Jenna Strich—RBC n Scott Stump—RBC n Kim Talbot—RBC n Aaron Tarver—RBR n Terrance Todd—Neptune HS n Maurice Turpin—Long Branch n John Weldon—Freehold Boro n Dawn Werner—St. John Vianney n John Werner—St John Vianney n Kade Weston—RBR n Kayshanna Wesley— Asbury Park n Eric Yarborough— Asbury Park n Tomora Young—RBR n Terry Zinn—RBC n Lynne Zoltowski—RBC

2/4/13 /

A

Powering the success has been the core group of Elliott, Masi, senior Brenna Strollo and freshman Emily Balina. All four of them are club swimmers who compete year round, which is rare for the Long Branch team because usually talent like that migrates to places like RBC and elsewhere. They have qualified for the state meet in a relay for the first time in program history in addition to having multiple qualifiers in individual events, and they also have obliterated numerous school records from the

While Red Bank Catholic’s girls have done their school proud by carrying on an impressive legacy, Long Branch can also claim the victory of putting their program on the map. The hope is that this group can inspire more girls to come out for the team and build something lasting.

11

ISSUE-3

“It’s like a rags-to-riches-type story,’’ said first-year head coach Jeremy Julio, a 2000 graduate who swam on the boys team at Long Branch. “The kids are really enthusiastic about the whole thing,’’. “I think there’s some people who don’t even recognize that we have a team at Long Branch, so we hope this success will get our name out there.’’

The notion that it could be a memorable season started at the Monmouth County meet, where the Green Wave took fifth for the highest finish in school history. That was followed by a sparkling performance at the Shore Conference championships, where they edged Rumson by seven points for fourth and finished ahead of several Group IV schools. They didn’t have anyone win an individual event, but they had enough top-four finishes to put themselves among the elite in the Shore Conference as a team for the first time. Strollo also took second place in the 100 backstroke for the highest individual finish.

/

“At Long Branch with our wrestling, football and track teams, you never hear much about any girls teams,’’ Elliott said. “It’s nice to know you’re part of a team where your sport is doing well in the school and everyone in the student body notices.’’

names of me and my friends,’’ Elliott said.

VOLUME-V

sport, and for moments like the Shore Conference meet, when what seemed impossible only a few years ago became reality.

VOLUME-V

/

ISSUE-3

/

2/4/13

12