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he Jersey Mike’s Game of the Week returns to the Shore Sports Network this fall with the regular season broadcast schedule to begin on Friday, September 8 when defending state sectional champion Wall faces Ocean in a Class B North matchup.
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The game will mark the head coaching debut of Wall’s Tony Grandinetti, who was an assistant on the team when they captured the South Jersey Group III title last December. Jersey Mike’s Subs is the title sponsor of the game broadcasts and will also sponsor the popular Team of the Week program throughout the season.
The schedule includes a weekly Friday night broadcast, a special Saturday night edition in week 3 when Central hosts Jackson Memorial and the annual Thanksgiving Day meeting between rivals Manasquan and Wall. As in the past, coverage will include NJSIAA Playoff games right through to championship weekend in early December. All games can be heard on Beach Radio 1160 & 1310 and will be streamed live on shoresportsnetwork.com and through the new Shore Sports Network app. Matt Harmon is back as the play-by-play voice of the game broadcasts and will be joined by longtime partners Kevin Williams and Ed Sarluca. The trio have been together for nearly 20 years calling Shore Conference football games in Ocean and Monmouth County.
Fri Fri Fri Sat Thr Fri
Sept 8 Sept 15 Sept 22 Sept 23 Sept 28 Oct 6
Fri Fri Fri
Oct 13 Oct 20 Oct 27
Fri Thr
Nov 3 Nov 23
Ocean TR East Donovan Catholic Jackson Memorial TR North Central OR Mater Dei Prep Howell Middletown South Central OR Point Boro TBD Manasquan NJSIAA Playoffs
at at at at at at at at at at at
Wall TR South Point Boro Central Howell Brick Memorial Shore Manalapan TR North Brick Ocean
(7pm) (7pm) (7pm) (7pm) (7pm) (7pm) (7pm) (7pm) (7pm) (7pm) (7pm)
at
Wall TBD
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Schedule is subject to change Engineer/Producer: Brad Burascano All games broadcast on 1160/1310AM and streamed live at shoresportsnetwork.com and on the FREE Shore Sports Network App
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Burning Questions for the 20I7 Soccer Season
By Matt Manley - Senior Staff Writer
igh School soccer practice officially began this week and the first question in t o d a y ’s h i g h s c h o o l s o c c e r scene is always: “Who is playing?” The academies often grab a few players a way from the high school s c e n e e a c h y e a r, w h i l e t h e r e a r e a l s o players who return to their high school teams after academy stints. For many coaches, the answer to that question is still up in the air because players making that decision don’t necessarily need to have an answer yet. Given that the academy question is still up in the air for a number of players and teams, let’s focus on some of the other burning questions from around the Shore Conference as teams start to build toward opening day.
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place at Red Bank. Pinelands also stayed in-house, hiring former assistant Nino Scotto di Carlo after Jason Asch stepped down at the end of the 2016 season. Middletown South will try to continue its progression under firstyear coach Rob Grella, who takes over for Pat Petretta and will coach a team that returns most of its production from 2016. Under Petretta, Middletown South had one standout season when the Eagles reached the semifinals of the SCT and Central Jersey Group III playoffs in 2012. Mater Dei has struggled in recent years and new head coach Anthony Sherlock will look to guide the Seraphs back into the thick of the B Central race. Sherlock coached the middle school boys team at Ranney and comes with experience as semi-pro player in Ireland.
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Is CBA’s reload enough to hang another banner this year?
The last time CBA had to follow up a state championship season, the Colts suffered the program’s first and only losing season in 2012. That is a highly unlikely outcome in 2017, but it’s a reminder that the Shore’s most decorated soccer program is not guaranteed anything by right.
Will all of the coaching turnover of the last two years dramatically impact the results on the field?
In addition to Marlboro, Red Bank Regional, Rumson-Fair Haven, Ocean, Middletown South, Mater Dei Prep and Pinelands have new coaches. Ocean’s opening was the most high-profile of the offseason given that 400-game winner Tom Reilly stepped away to take the head women’s job at Washington College in Md. Former Ocean player and current varsity boys basketball coach John Terlecsky took the head job after serving as the freshman coach under Reilly and will lead a team built around a talented junior class. Rumson and Pinelands are also coming off successful runs of sorts, with Rumson reaching the Central Group II final as a No. 13 seed and Pinelands putting together its best season in more than a quarter century. Veteran Shore Conference coach Sean Reid takes over at Rumson after spending seven seasons at rival Red Bank. Reid’s former Bucs assistant Vinny Gruosso, meanwhile, took Reid’s
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Does Asbury Park have more magic left?
For the first time in more than three decades, Asbury Park won a division title and an NJSIAA sectional title and did so on the heels of a five-win season in 2015. An 18-win season that culminated in a Central Jersey Group I title marked a remarkable one-year turnaround for a group of players that was essentially the same as the one that won just five games a year earlier.
While the Blue Bishops do lose a fair amount of scoring as well as starting Asbury Park Sr. Davensky JoinVilmar goalkeeper Joey Johnson from last year, they bring back enough talent to chase the same goals this season. Davensky JoinVilmar was the player of the year in B Central and will be one of the Shore’s top returning players. He is also one of seven returning starters for Asbury Park, which also has improved its turnout over the last two years and should have enough depth to find suitable replacements.
The Class A North division has been the most successful in the Shore Conference over the last decade, which means there have been some beefy coaching resumes born of all of that success. In the last two years, though, four of those coaches have left their posts, giving way to four new ones. It didn’t seem to affect three of A North’s teams last year, as both Christian Brothers Academy and Freehold Township reached the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals under first-year head coaches and Manalapan reached the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV semifinals as a No. 15 seed. Will Gould joins Tom Mulligan (CBA), Josh Mehl (Freehold Township) and Kerry Eismann (Manalapan) this year as new head coaches in the division after he was hired to replace longtime head coach Dave Santos at Marlboro. The difference between Gould the other three is Gould has been a high school head coach after spending four seasons leading Rumson-Fair Haven. In those four years, the Bulldogs reached two Central Jersey Group II championship games as well as a Shore Conference Tournament final. Gould is a Marlboro alumnus and will take over a program that graduated the vast majority of a varsity squad that won a school record 20 games in 2016.
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Given the loss of talent for the other top teams in the division, CBA should at least stay in within striking distance of a division title and any A North team that is competing for a division title is a potential contender in the SCT.
The x-factor for Asbury Park will be how it handles a full season of being a marked team in B Central. The Blue Bishops were an unquestionable underdog last year, but that won’t be the case now that the entire conference knows they are a legitimately capable team. In many ways, they have a chance to be better, but getting back to 18 wins, an unbeaten divisional record and another sectional title will be even more challenging this year
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CBA Jr’s Joe Lozowski (left) and Jack Gill (right)
CBA returns just one starter from 2016, but that is one more than it did in 2012. John Askin was an underrated member of the CBA back line because of all the Division I senior talent around him and will be a senior leader on this year’s team. The Colts also brought two sophomores off the bench in Jack Gill and Joe Lozowski who combined for 15 goals. That’s more experience and production that the 2012 had going in, plus they still have a reserve of talent at the lower levels that should allow them to quickly and effectively fill open lineup spots, much like Freehold Township did last season. Speaking of Freehold Township, the Patriots represent one of the primary threats to CBA’s reign atop A North and they also lost some key players – most notably All-Shore midfielder Adrian Barajas.
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Is this Holmdel’s best chance to win the SCT?
Holmdel is unquestionably one of the most successful Shore Conference programs of the last 10 years, but the Shore Conference Tournament championship has eluded the Hornets during that period. The Hornets have won a Group III championship and reached three other overall Group II finals in that time, but have stumbled at different points in the SCT along the way. They reached the championship game in 2011 and 2012 only to lose to the undefeated CBA team in 2011 and to Ocean in 2012. Since 2010, Holmdel has either reached the SCT semifinals or lost to a team from Toms River prior to that round – three times to Toms River North and once to Toms River East. The Hornets lost to See
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from page 4 Toms River North each of the past two seasons by a combined score of 11-0, so there are some serious SCT demons to exorcise for the returning players.
That being said, it’s hard to see any roster better than the one Holmdel will boast this year, much less one that could beat the Hornets by five goals. In addition to bringing back nearly all of its 2016 team, Holmdel welcomes three senior academy players into mix, including Justin McStay. In 2015, McStay led the Hornets in goals as a sophomore and was a catalyst Holmdel Jr. Joe Arena in the team’s run to the Group II championship game. Cyrus Darvish and Matt Leon will also play high school soccer this year, giving the Hornets talent and depth that few teams in the conference will be able to match.
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Is Ocean ready to thrive in the Post-Reilly Era?
Few coaches in any sport garnered the respect of his peers that Tom Reilly did, which will be as much a part of his legacy as his 400 wins and numerous championships. Under Reilly’s watch, Ocean played in eight Shore Conference Tournament finals, won four of them and also won an overall Group III championship in 1996. Ocean last won the SCT in 2012, reached the final in 2015 and also won the Central Jersey Group III championship in 2015.
Former Ocean Coach Tom Reilly
Terlecsky – who was an All-Shore player for Reilly on Ocean’s first SCT championship team in 1994 – is tasked with taking over for his former coach, Reilly, who took the head women’s coaching position at Washington College. Reilly didn’t exactly leave the cupboard bare at Ocean, either. Although light on seniors, the Spartans have a wealth of junior talent that will make them contenders for conference and state championships in each of the next two Ocean Jr. James Schutz seasons. While Terlecsky has big shoes to fill, he’ll have a great chance to hit the ground running thanks to this group of juniors.
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Can the bottom half of the conference’ s two large-school divisions rise up in 2017?
The standings in Class A North and A South can often be misleading because while the teams at the bottom of the standings might have ugly records attached to them, they are often decent overall teams. The top teams in those divisions over the years have been so successful that even capable teams find it hard to keep up with the field.
It also means that if one of those teams can return enough talent from one year to the next, it can make a move to the top half of the standings in one of the Shore’s top divisions. Last year, Manalapan, Freehold Boro, Howell and Neptune were the bottom four teams in Class A North and all four return a noteworthy amount of talent. Neptune, for instance, finished last in A North and returns nearly all of its scoring – led by juniors Wilby Alfred and McKenna Church. Manalapan, meanwhile, brings back a deep junior class that contributed to a Braves team that got hot during the NJSIAA Tournament. In A South, Jackson Memorial, Brick, Brick Memorial and Toms River East were the bottom four in 2016 and all four have reason for optimism a year later. Jackson Memorial returns a roster heavy on juniors and sophomores who have already produced, while Brick, Brick Memorial and Toms River East all return most of their scoring. Toms River East also brings in senior goalkeeper Trevor Zabilowicz after Zabilowicz opted to play academy soccer last year. Toms River South, Toms River North and Central all graduated their top scorer, so the door is open for at least one of the bottom-half teams from 2016 to make a move.
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After facing program extinction, will Lakewood respond with a special season?
The Lakewood School District’s budgetary issues nearly led to the elimination of the athletic department, which would have meant the Lakewood High School boys soccer team would not have had a chance to follow up on a promising finish to the 2016 season. Lakewood rallied to make the Shore Conference Tournament by winning eight of 10 games before the cutoff and took Central Regional to penalty kicks in its only SCT game. The finish to the season will have the Piners hungry for more in 2017 considering just about the whole team is set to return. Anthony Calixto was an All-Division player as a junior thanks to a 15goal season, while Junior Bravo emerged as a versatile defender. Point Boro and Pinelands lost a significant amount of scoring, so Lakewood has a real chance to close the gap this year. That would be a pretty gripping story considering there was a time when Lakewood Sr. Anthony Calixto people in the school wondered if there would be a season at all.
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Are the pieces finally in place at Long Branch?
Since reaching the Central Jersey Group II final with a seniorladen team in 2012, Long Branch has hosted only one NJSIAA Tournament game and is 2-4 in the state playoffs overall. The Green Wave has proven to be a tough out in the tournament, knocking off No. 5 Wall as a No. 12 seed in CJ III in 2014 and taking top-seeded Toms River South to a shootout as a No. 16 seed last year. One of the reasons Long Branch has had to play the role of underdog is because of some struggles during the regular season, which is something the Green Wave are intent on changing this year. With two top scorers returning in Venancio Fernandes and Renan Acevedo plus Juan Carlos Merino back after missing last year while playing in the New York Red Bull Developmental Academy, the Green Wave are set up to be dangerous from Day 1. Health has also been a variable for Long Branch over the last four years and the trio will have to stay on the field, but as long as the Green Wave have a full roster heading into late October, they will be a factor in every tournament.
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Can Toms River South keep its run going?
Toms River South is in the midst of the best three-year run in the history of its boys soccer program. The Indians have won three consecutive Class A South titles, reached an NJSIAA sectional final each of the last three seasons and have been to each of the last two Group III championship games. They were in a similar situation in 2011 after winning the Group IV title in 2009 and reaching the SCT semifinals in 2010, but could not recreate the same level of success until winning A South again in 2014. Both the 2011 team and 2017 teams return some quality players from the previous year, but replacing a strong senior class will be paramount. Junior Clem Slavik TR South Sr. Matt Babcock and seniors Matt Babcock and Dustin Urbaczek will look to do the heavy lifting after starting and producing last year.
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Who is/are the sleeper team(s) in the Shore Conference?
It’s not often a team from outside the preseason top 10 is left standing late in the Shore Conference Tournament, but it has happened before. On top of that, the NJSIAA Tournament always produces a few surprise runs, much like Rumson-Fair Haven and Manalapan authored last year as double-digit seeds. Even Asbury Park – a No. 1 seed in Central Jersey Group I – could be described as such after winning only five games in 2015 and going 30-plus years without a state or division title. The top 10 is still under construction but here are a list of teams that have at least some of the ingredients for a surprise run at some point this season.
Southern – The Rams made significant strides last season and return their top two scorers, Ethan Leming and Joe Kiernan. For Southern, a Class A South title is a real possibility, which would constitute a pretty sizable two-year turnaround under second-year coach Guy Lockwood.
Middletown South – Middletown South could end up having a year similar to Southern’s 2016 campaign. The Eagles have most of their 2016 contributors back, a new head coach, and some momentum after improving from 2015 to 2016. With Ocean and Long Branch looking particularly formidable, a division title is a long shot, but Middletown South has a chance to break into the top four of B North and hit their stride going into the postseason.
Pinelands – The Wildcats were a game away from winning B South last year, so their profile is different from that of Southern and Middletown South. A B South title and postseason success, however, would be noteworthy considering Pinelands rode B South player of the year Matt O’Connell and his 32 goals last year and O’Connell graduated in the spring. With a skilled group of returnees – most of which are juniors – Pinelands figures to be in the mix for the B South title again and already proved it could compete in the postseason without O’Connell after the star forward’s season ended prematurely due to a back injury. Lakewood – Not only would a division title be Lakewood’s first in 11 years, but it would also come after a summer of uncertainty for the entire athletic program. Nobody in B South will be caught off guard by the Piners this year after they stormed into the SCT last year, but a division title and/or a strong postseason showing would still make for quite the story.
Neptune – The Scarlet Fliers could not measure up to the A North schedule last year, but the experience will no doubt pay dividends at some point for what was a very young team. Even this coming year, Neptune will rely on a talented junior duo of Wilby Alfred and McKenna Church, so if the supporting cast can improve along with the two juniors, Neptune will have a chance to climb up the standings in what is traditionally the Shore’s toughest division. Finishing in the top four in A North this year is probably a reach for 2017, but a state tournament run could be a real possibility if the Scarlet Fliers can survive the A North grind.
The Bricks – Brick Memorial got off to a nightmare start and things never turned around for the Mustangs, which Brick took a step in the right direction after some years in the A South wilderness. Brick Memorial returns a solid core of seniors led by talented scorer Erik Fatovic, while Brick brings back 15-goal scorer Frank Firrito. A South looks like it will be pretty balanced from top-to-bottom, so any team with a scorer like Fatovic or Firrito that can keep the game close could do some damage.
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By Bob Badders - Managing Editor
fter months of offseason preparation, mini camps and 7-on-7 tournaments the countdown to the Shore Conference football season is on with less than three weeks left until opening day.
The scrimmage portion of the preseason is about to get going and action officially begins with a pair of Week 0 games on Sept. 1 before a full slate of games on September 8 and 9. The means the answers to a plethora of preseason questions begin to be provided as each team gears up for what they hope will be a run to a championship.
This will be my 14th year covering Shore Conference football and one of the main things I’ve learned over the years has been to expect the unexpected. Sometimes predictions go as planned, but more than not the game of football always has plenty of tricks up its sleeve. Here are some of the top potential storylines and burning questions for the 2017 season
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Who is the preseason No. 1 team in the Shore?
Last year it was a no-brainer with Middletown South returning a talented group after finishing No. 1 in the state, and for many years it was the juggernaut squads at Red Bank Catholic who dominated Shore Conference competition. While I have a good idea who it will be this year, the choice isn’t so clear.
talented offense that includes quarterback Luke Corcione, wideout Scott Scherzer and fullback Chris Maksimik. The Braves also have one of the Shore’s top lineman in Trevor Radosevich and a defense that features standout linebackers Sal Tardogno and Tommy Pearce and safety Eli Avivi. Manalapan is probably the favorite to start the season ranked No. 1.
St. John Vianney has a 29-game winning streak against Shore Conference teams, so the Lancers have to be in the mix for the top spot to start the year. Their offense and defense were both ranked No. 4 in the Shore last season, so they have been getting it done on both sides of the ball. SJV lost some heft up front with star recruit Micah Clark as well as Jamaal Beaty both at Rutgers now, and also graduated their tailback with 1,200-yard rusher Chris Chukwuneke matriculating on. Quarterback Matt DeGennaro also graduated, but Haaziq Daniels, who started seven games as a junior, is back to lead the offense. A pair of first-team All-Shore players on defense return with star linebacker Johnny Buchanan and sack master Nick Densieski at defensive end. A.J. Calabro is another impact player in the secondary. Wide receivers Sam East and Zyaire Sterling give the Lancers two big playmakers on the perimeter.
After arriving in historic fashion with a 12-0 run to the program’s first NJSIAA state title last season, Mater Dei is now on the radar of every team in the Shore Conference. Last year one of the questions of the preseason centered around how good Mater Dei was going to be. Well, that was answered in emphatic fashion. Senior quarterback George Pearson, who is verbally committed to Central Michigan, leads the offense as a two-time state championship quarterback (he led Matawan to a state title as a freshman). The Seraphs also have wide receiver Kyle Devaney, defensive lineman Isaiah Henderson and linebacker Russell Ferrisi leading the crop of returners. Mater Dei will certainly have some transfers and impact newcomers this year, and despite the graduation of first-team All-Shore players Eddie Lewis and Marvin Pierre, plus
Manalapan is a team that immediately jumps out because the Braves are coming off an 111 year where they reached the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group V final and return nearly their entire team. First-team SSN All-Shore running back Naim Mayfield leads a
Manalapan RB Naim Mayfield
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Mater Dei QB George
other key starters, this figures to be a team to be reckoned with.
A team that finished outside the top 10 last season but could very well end up being the best team in the Shore by season’s end is Red Bank Catholic. The Caseys went 5-5 last season in head coach Frank Edgerly’s return to the RBC sidelines, but had a roster that was light on seniors, loaded with talented juniors and sophomores and dealt with numerous injuries at the quarterback position. With almost all of its key players back and healthy, this could be the season the Caseys regain their status as an elite team in the Shore. Quarterback Steve Lubischer could be a breakout star while Zack Bair ran for 1,000 yards as a junior. Matt Ansell excelled as a defensive back and was also a solid wide receiver. Then there’s defensive end Emmett McNamara, who is committed to Virginia, FBS recruit Kevin Bauman at tight end, who is just a sophomore, Harvard recruit Conor Smith on the offensive line and highly-regarded sophomore tight end/linebacker Charlie Gordinier. This team is going to be very good, the question is how fast.
SJV LB Johnny Buchanan
Pearson
Freehold QB Ashante Worthy
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What can Ashante Worthy do in a full season at quarterback?
One of the best decisions Freehold head coach Dave Ellis has ever made was to move Ashante Worthy from running back to quarterback. He did it three games into the season last year to try and keep a sinking ship afloat as the Colonials were 0-3 and set to face off against second-ranked Manalapan in Week 4. He put Worthy in at quarterback with the idea of making sure his best player had the ball in his hands on every play, and it worked better than maybe even Ellis could have expected.
The Colonials lost that game, but the next week they hung 52 on Monroe with Worthy going bonkers. It ignited a six-game winning streak that got Freehold to the playoffs and into the semifinals. Worthy rewrote the record book in a first-round playoff game against Pennsauken, rushing for a Shore Conference-record 465 yards and eight touchdowns, while also throwing for 71 yards and two touchdowns. He finished the season with 2,904 yards of offense and 41 touchdowns, rushing for 2,066 yards and 30 touchdowns on an average of 8.3 yards per carry while also throwing for 833 yards and nine touchdowns. Despite teams knowing what was coming, he was pretty much impossible to stop. With an entire offseason and preseason to work at the position and with Freehold now being able to build the offense around Worthy, he could actually outdo himself in 2017. It’s going to fun to watch him try, that’s for sure.
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Is Red Bank Catholic back?
As I wrote in question No. 1, RBC is loaded with talent all over the field and has one of the best coaches around in Frank Edgerly. After a couple of down years by their standards, this could be the season the Caseys get back to their usual winning ways. A Week 1 game against Middletown South should answer plenty of questions, and they’ll get plenty of opportunities the rest of the way with a rugged Class B North schedule plus a highlyanticipated nondivisional game against St. John Vianney.
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Can Rumson join the pantheon with a fifth straight state title?
In winning the Central Jersey Group III title last season Rumson has put itself in position to join rarified air in 2017. If the Bulldogs can win it all again this season they will join Manasquan (1998-2002) as the only Shore Conference programs to win five consecutive NJSIAA sectional titles.
Rumson’s ascension has been pretty incredible to watch as its five sectional titles have all come in the last seven years. The Bulldogs were banging on the door for years under Shane Fallon and finally broke through in 2010 with a memorable upset of Matawan. That opened the floodgates for Rumson to win three straight state titles under Bryan Batchler before winning again last year with Jerry
Schulte as head coach. Rumson’s last losing season came in 1999 in Fallon’s second year.
Rumson does return seven starters on offense and six on defense, but will have to replace several key players such as Shore Sports Network Defensive Player of the Year, linebacker Mike Ruane, along with quarterback Mike O’Connor and standout defensive back Mike Murdock. A huge boost, literally, comes in the form of 6-foot-7, 230pound tight end/defensive end Elijah McAllister. The FBS prospect missed all of last season with a knee injury but is ready to go this year and should be a big-time player on defense as well as a matchup nightmare in the passing game. Running back Peter Lucas and fullback Alex Maldjian also return along with linemen Justin Johnson, Ryan McCann and Jack Kelleher, plus tight end Ian O’Connor. The Bulldogs entire defensive line returns, led by senior Chase Pfrang, while junior linebackers Christian Lanzalotto and Keegan Woods are back after flanking Ruane as sophomores.
Getting to No. 5 won’t be easy, but Rumson has proven that no matter who graduates the program will put itself in position to contend year after year.
Rumson, Manasquan, Asbury Park, Wall and Mater Dei Prep are each coming off NJSIAA sectional championships in 2016.
Right now, I’d say Mater Dei is the top favorite because of its talent and state bracket. Teams can change rapidly year to year at non-public schools, but the Non-Public Group II bracket is basically Mater Dei Prep, Holy Spirit and St. Joseph (Hammonton) with Immaculata also likely to be in the mix. Given the fact Mater Dei went 12-0 last year and could be arguably better this year, I think the Seraphs go into the season as the favorite.
The Central Jersey Group I playoffs were basically the Shore Conference Tournament last season with every Class B Central team qualifying and the final four teams being Point Beach, Shore, Keyport and Asbury Park with Asbury defeating Keyport in the championship game. There’s a good chance the S h o r e dominates the bracket again, and with none of our teams being head and shoulders above the rest Asbury Park certainly has a good chance to repeat.
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Is a resurgent Manasquan here to stay?
After back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since the 1960s, many wondered what had happened to Manasquan. The Warriors responded last season by returning to glory with a 102 record and the program’s record 12th NJSIAA sectional title, its first since 2008.
With the talent Manasquan has returning it certainly looks like those two seasons were a mere blip on the radar for one of the Shore Conference’s most storied programs. The Warriors bring back 1,400-yard rusher Connor Morgan and defensive back Tommy Antonucci, both seniors, plus standout juniors Canyon Birch, James Pendergist, Jack Fabean and Mike LaPoint. The offensive line also looks solid with Art Foreman, Evan Hilla and Alec Wells.
The division schedule in Class B North is going to be tough, but Manasquan was able to navigate it en route to a state crown last season. The Warriors open up with a Long Branch team that is expected to be vastly improved, especially on offense, so they’ll be tested right out of the gate.
Manasquan could also be considered the favorite, or at least one of them, in a Central Jersey Group II bracket that includes A.L. Johnson, Lincoln, Roselle, Point Boro and Raritan.
Rumson definitely looks to be the preseason favorite in Central Jersey Group III in a bracket that doesn’t have any consistent championship contenders other than Carteret.
Manasquan RB Connor Morgan See
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Which of the five defending state champions have the best chance to repeat?
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Wall, which is also in Central Jersey Group III, would have to be considered the longshot of the group because it graduated a large senior class and will have a very tough schedule in Class B North.
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Who is the best team in Ocean County?
This is something I’ve been asking myself throughout the offseason and I am no closer to an answer.
ranked (and haven’t been written about already here) that could make some noise are Howell and Long Branch.
Howell is a team that is clearly on the rise after reaching the NJSIAA South Jersey Group V semifinals last season. The Rebels opened eyes when they took down Vineland on the road in the state playoffs last season, winning on a last second field goal in comeback fashion. They showed a lot of heart that day after what had to be the longest bus ride they’ve ever taken (I covered the game and it’s faaaaaar away). Everyone’s quarterback stats were overshadowed the ungodly numbers put up by Toms River North’s Mike Husni, but Howell’s Eddie Morales had a monster year with 2,259 yards passing and 26 touchdowns. He and standout senior wide receiver Naz Brantley (46 rec., 773 yards, 11 TDs) look like the top quarterback-wide receiver duo in the Shore and will lead an offense that figures to put up a lot of points. Long Branch went 2-8 last season but looks to be in a position to turn it around in a big way thanks to an impressive group of skill players. They put their highoctane offense on display in winning the Shore Conference 7-on-7 tournament as quarterback Juwan Wilkins and receivers T.J. Fosque, Matt Clark, Kaymar Mimes and company could not be stopped. The Green Wave play in Class B North and should again have a tough schedule, but they could be in for a return to the playoffs and maybe more in 2017.
As far as the 17 Ocean County schools go you’re talking about all of Class A South, all of Class B South and Point Beach in Class B Central. The best team almost always resides in A South except for some Lacey juggernaut teams, and that will likely be the case again this season. Point Boro looks to the most well-rounded team in Class B South right now, but Lakewood has some uber-talented players and Lacey could be a factor as well.
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As for A South, it should be as competitive as ever even if the top end isn’t at the level it’s been the last several seasons. Toms River North graduated a phenomenal class, but still has plenty of talent in the program and won’t fall very far from its perch. Brick is young but has a classic Brick feel to it, while Brick Memorial and Southern return key pieces in their respective running games.
Who will be the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year?
This is just an educated guess because there are so many peaks and valleys during the season and players can really come from nowhere to have monster seasons. It happened with Long Branch’s Dahmiere Willis two years ago and, although he didn’t win the award, Freehold’s Ashante Worthy last season.
Central is an intriguing team to me. They lost an all-time program great in running back Mike Bickford as well as other key seniors, but players like senior linemen Brandon Voss, senior linebacker Blake Horgan and junior quarterback Joe Fowler should have the Golden Eagles right in the mix. Sophomore running back Kavon Chambers could be a breakout star this season.
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Offensively the three names that jump out are Mater Dei Prep quarterback George Pearson, Manalapan running back Naim Mayfield and Worthy. Pearson led Mater Dei to a 12-0 record and a state title last season, but didn’t have huge numbers because he played only the first half in most of the Seraphs games since they were up by multiple touchdowns at halftime. Even without monster numbers, if he can lead Mater Dei to another state title he would certainly be in the conversation.
Who is this year’s sleeper team?
Mayfield ran for 1,785 yards and 23 touchdowns on an average of 9.0 yards per carry last year. He is the focal point of Manalapan’s offense and will likely have some pretty big numbers. If the Braves can get back to a sectional final and finish off a state title that makes a pretty good case for Mayfield.
There is always that team that comes from out of the top 10 to start the season to finish as a top-five or so team while either reaching or winning a state championship. Three years ago, is was Jackson Memorial, going from unranked to the No. 1 team in the Shore and No. 1 public school in the state. Two years ago, it was Red Bank turning in an 11-1 season for the ages, and last season it was both Mater Dei and Wall going from unranked to state champions.
Worthy carried Freehold to the playoffs after an 0-4 start last year and was breathtaking in doing so. His record-setting effort in the playoffs against Pennsauken is already legendary. Given he finished the season with 41 total touchdowns and the Shore Conference record is 44, he has the chance to put up numbers so insane you couldn’t deny him the award.
Given the Shore Sports Network Preseason Top 10 isn’t out yet we can’t yet base it off who isn’t ranked, but two teams that did Howell not finish last season
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QB Eddie Morales III
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Other players I could see turning in big seasons are Howell quarterback Eddie Morales, Manasquan running back Connor Morgan and Lakewood quarterback Zyheir Jones. Howell wideout Naz Brantley, Marlboro receiver Justin Marcus and Manalapan receiver Scott Scherzer should all be among the best at their position but I
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don’t think there’s ever been a wide receiver win Shore Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
There are a lot of good defensive players in the Shore, but the three that stand out from the pack are Middletown South defensive lineman Jake Krellin, Lakewood defensive lineman Josh Lezin and St. John Vianney linebacker Johnny Buchanan. Krellin and Lezin were basically impossible to block last season and put up monster numbers. Krellin led the Shore with 15 sacks and had an insane 45 tackles for a loss while Lezin had 13 sacks and 31 hits for a loss. Buchanan was second in the Shore with 139 tackles and will lead the Lancers defense this season.
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Will Donovan Catholic become a contender?
This year, probably not, but I don’t think it’s going to take that long for the Griffins to challenge for the B South division title. With Dan Curcione in as head coach and Chip LaBarca Jr. running the offense, Donovan has a staff with championship pedigree that didn’t come to Toms River to go 5-5. This year’s version is very young, but also very talented. Sophomore quarterback Ryan Clark looks like he’s going to very good, and their skill players will surprise teams. If the Griffins can go from 0-10 to challenging for the division title in one year that would be an incredible coaching feat. I don’t see that happening, but I don’t think this program is that far off from turning the corner.
Manalapan also has two outstanding linebackers in Sal Tardogno and Tommy Pearce that could thrust their names into the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year.
Middletown South DL Jake Krellin
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Determining What Makes a Good Coach By Dr. Benjamin A. Leibowitz
I
t’s a question that is asked at levels from Pop Warner to the NFL, from high school to college, and finding the answer to it is something that can be the difference between hoisting a championship trophy and being labeled as underachievers. What makes a good coach? For Dr. Benjamin A. Leibowitz, who has worked with the New York Giants, New York Rangers, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs during his distinguished career, it comes down to a coach knowing his coaching style and using that knowledge to improve team performance. That’s why Dr. Leibowitz, who is based in Oakhurst and is the president of Sports Psychology and Counseling LLC., created the S.T.A.R. Coaching Style Inventory test. The S.T.A.R. Inventory is a 60 item written test that will help a coach determine what type of coaching style he has and how it can be used to create a successful team.
S.T.A.R. stands for “Searcher, Technician, Analyzer and Relator,’’ which are the four distinct coaching styles that Dr. Leibowitz has identified. The “Searcher’’ style means a coach’s strengths are innovation and imagination, and he identifies this style with former San Francisco 49ers great Bill Walsh, an offensive innovator who created the well-known West Coast offense. The “Technician’’ style means a coach is more pragmatic and results-oriented, more about technique and execution, and Vince Lombardi represents this style. The “Analyzer’’ style involves someone who is about goals and standards, who is objective and works with complex systems and technology, and this type is represented by former Cowboys coach Tom Landry. Finally, the “Relator’’ style is represented by former Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips, the father of current Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips. Coaches with that style are about personal motivation, loyalty and teamwork. Coaching styles can also change over time, so a coach taking the test early in his career might produce a different profile than if he took it 30 years into his career.
“A coach can change or grow over time,’’ said Dr. Leibowitz, who was working with professional teams as far back as the early 1980s. “A coach may worry more about being liked early in his career and be more of the Relator style, and then become more of an Analyzer later on.’’ The test helps coaches figure out how their style can boost the performance of different types of athletes, from a quiet hard-worker like a Marvin Harrison to an attention-craving Terrell Owens. “There is a difference in athletes, but if you know your style and flex it, you can deal with the learning style of any athlete,’’ Dr. Leibowitz said. Dr. Leibowitz is hoping to run some local clinics for Shore Conference head coaches and coaches of all levels. Now that he has helped the pros, he would like to help the coaches of the Shore and beyond realize what style best describes them and how to apply that to their respective teams to create success. For more information on Dr. Leibowitz and the S.T.A.R. Coaching Style Inventory, you can go to coachpsych.net.
S.T.A.R. Coaching Style Profiles Searcher
Technician
Analyzer
Relator
“The critical variable is knowledge of self, understanding strengths and weaknesses, and then flexing your style to understand the learning styles of athletes,’’ Dr. Leibowitz said. Famous current and former head coaches like North Carolina State’s Kay Yow, Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw, University of Tennessee’s Pat Summitt and University of Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma have all taken the S.T.A.R. Coaching Style Inventory test to determine their style. The test, which Dr. Leibowitz offers for a cost of $25 that includes a booklet and an interpretation of the results, is broken into 15 parts. Preferences in areas like problem solving, attitude toward change and coaching behavior are ranked to help determine where a coach’s strengths lie.
Name: KAY YOW
Name: MUFFET McGRAW
Name: PAT SUMMITT
Name: GENO AURIEMMA
Team: North Carolinna State Univ.
Team: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
Team: University of Tennessee
Team: University of Connecticut
Score: S=69 T=55 A=49 R=67
Score: S=48 T=78 A=60 R=40
Score: S=27 T=79 A=81 R=53
Score: S=61 T=53 A=41 R=85
Self-Ratings: S= 2 T= 3 A= 4 R= 1
Self-Ratings: S= 1 T= 2 A= 4 R= 3
Self-Ratings: S= 4 T= 1 A= 3 R= 2
Self-Ratings: S= 2 T= 3 A= 4 R= 1
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