Scanning the High School Football scene with Ed Sarluca:
With just 2 weeks left before the playoff cut-off date(Nov 7th), it’s time to look at who is in, and who must win, in the next 2 weeks, to have that chance to put a state championship trophy in the showcase. If I had to put a number out there this week, it would be 18 schools in and 5 more with a chance to make it. Let’s look closely at the groups.
South Jersey Group 4:
TR East(7-0) is in and looks like a 1,2 or 3 seed. The picture will clear after next week, but with a 1 or 2 seed for the Raiders, that would mean home games, and that’s important in this group, with the likes of Cherokee, Egg Harbor, Washington Twp., Williamstown all having great years. TR North(5-1) will make it and have to fight on the road this year. They have a big one with Piscataway(4-3) this week and that will determine their seed. Southern, who made their great run last year, only to lose in the finals, doesn’t look like they will get another chance this year, and they will be on the outside looking in.
South Jersey Group 3:
Lacey will make it, and could get a home game, if they care of business against Middletown North and Freehold Boro in the next 2 weeks. Those are both tough games, so if they are to get a top 4 seed, they would have earned it. Believe it or not, Manchester(3-3) with their upset over RBC, have given themselves a chance at the playoffs. With Monmouth Reg. and Jax Liberty left, they must win 1 of them and qualify at 4-4, and then see where they fall. You must first qualify and then see what happens.
South Jersey Group 2:
Barnegat(2-4) is still is alive, but barely. Obviously, they must win their last 2 against Point Boro and Lakewood(both winnable games) to qualify, and then see if they can get into the top 8. A shot for the better than 2-4 Bengals.
Central Jersey Group 4:
Howell(7-0), will be a 1,2 or 3 seed with Hunterton Central and Sayreville being the challengers. Howell will travel to Sayreville this week in a key cross-over game to help determine top seed. Brick Memorial(3-4) is not out of it yet. They must beat East Brunswick(5-2) on November 6th to qualify and then get some help to try and defend their championship, which they won last year. Middletown North(4-2) will make it, if they win 1 of their 2 remaining games vs. Lacey(4-2) and South Brunswick(2-4).
Central Jersey Group 3:
No less than 4 schools can qualify here. Mid South, Ocean, Freehold Boro, and Neptune look good, with Wall, Brick and Jax Liberty still with a fighting chance. Too many good games left, to make a call here.
Central Jersey Group 2:
This will be Shore Wars revisited as Rumson, Raritan, Keyport, Long Branch, Manasquan and Matawan all look like they should get in. Seeds will be a key factor here, with match-ups going a long way in determining a winner.
Central Jersey Group 1:
Asbury Park(5-1) will have a chance at making it 3 in a row. Shore(3-4), which has been up and down this year, can still make it, but must beat Point Beach to get to 4-4. Keansburg(3-3) must win 1 of 2(Keyport and Dunellen) to qualify and then get help. Dunellen, looks like the best shot for them.
Non-Pub. Group 4:
RBC(4-3) will make it despite the upset loss to Manchester last week. Tough group, as always, with the likes of Don Bosco, Bergen Catholic, St. Peter’s, Camden Catholic, Seton Hall and Paul VI.
That’s a quick look at what the playoff picture looks like, at this point, with 2 weeks to go. After next week’s games we may get a better look at who’s in and who’s out. Now let’s look at last week’s key games.
In one of 3 Sunday games, the Huskies of Matawan(5-1) upset previously unbeaten Ocean(5-1), 24-7. Early in the 1st quarter, Matawan used a flea-flicker, which led to a 47 yard TD, and never looked back as they moved to 5-1 on the year. Playmaker MacArthur Underwood, scored twice, on runs of 65, 2 yards and added a 26 yard interception return for a TD to lead Matawan. No time to relax, as Matawan travels to Long Branch on Sat. for an important Liberty match-up.
In another Sunday contest, Middletown South’s(7-0) outstanding defense held Neptune(4-2) to 66 total yards as they shutout the Fliers 16-0. This suffocating defense is the best in the shore and the Eagles, led by Sean Campbell, showed everyone that they are the favorite in CJ Group 3. Sunday they clinched at least a tie in the Federal Division and may very well see Neptune again in the States.
Wall(4-2)10-7 over Jax Liberty(3-3). Tim Mullooly’s 18 yard field goal with 9 min. left, gave the Crimson Knights the “W”. Maurice Washington ran for 194 yards and Fred Sprengel caught his 4th TD pass of the year, as the Knight’s kept their playoff hopes alive. Not only did Mullooly and Washington have great games, but they were crowned co-homecoming kings at half-time ceremonies. A pretty good night for these two players.
TR East(7-0) 24-6 over Mid North(4-2). How much more does Nico Steriti have to do to solidify his “player of the year” award? All the senior did Friday night was run for 176 yards and 2 TDs, catch 4 passes for 74 yards and a TD and play an outstanding game on defense. The pass came at the 7 second mark of the 1st half on a double reverse pass thrown by Joey Clarizio. Steriti leads the shore in rushing(1039 yards) and has scored 20 TDs in his 7 games so far in 2009. I have said it all season long; this club is on a mission to win a State Championship, and nothing has changed my mind!
Howell(6-0) 37-27 over Brick Memorial(3-4). The Rebels “ran” over the Stangs in a game in which they only threw for 204 yards. I say that because they average close to 300 yards in the air. With this added run game success, they will be tough to beat in the playoffs. Up next is a trip to CJ 4 power, Sayreville.
Top Ten:
1-Middletown South(7-0) Did nothing to hurt their #1 ranking with 16-0 victory over Neptune. Great defense and defense wins championships!
2-Howell(6-0) Beat Brick Mem. 37-27 and proved they are best team in American Division. Great offense and offense excites fans.
3-TR East(7-0) On a mission to win a State Championship. Clinched outright title in Constitution Division.
4-Manasquan(6-0) Took care of SJ V on Sunday. Steady, goes about its business each week. Solid “O” and solid “D”.
5-TR North(5-1) Only loss was #2 Howell. Lives on its great defense.
6-Rumson(7-0) Another week another win for “Dawgs”. Have answered all comers. Solid team.
7-Matawan(5-1) Big win over previously unbeaten Ocean. Great athletes.
8-Ocean(5-1) First loss of season for “Big Red” on Sunday against Matawan. Big playmakers held in check by Huskie defense.
9-Raritan(5-1) Another 5-1 team that the “General” has back on track after tough Matawan loss earlier in season.
10-Long Branch(5-1) Chance to make a move up rankings with Matawan and Manasquan coming up.
Beat of rest:
Lacey(4-2) Watch out for the Lions. 4 in a row for them.
Asbury Park(5-1) Lone loss to undefeated Rumson.
Keyport(5-1) Also lost to Rumson.
Neptune(4-2) Hanging by a thread.
Join us Thursday night at Boston’s in Toms River for the High School football show. 6-8 PM every Thursday. Coaches, players and much more. Game of week is RBC at Ocean on Friday night 7PM.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Weekend of 10/16 + 10/17
Scanning the High School football scene with Ed Sarluca:
While week 6 certainly wasn’t a good all-around football weekend for “our” local teams; Giants get embarrassed 48-27, Jets lose 16-13 as Mark Sanchez throws 5 picks, Eagles lose a yawner 13-9 to lowly Oakland, and Rutgers loses on ESPN to Pitt 24-17, it wasn’t a total loss. I hope you had a chance to listen to Monmouth University’s impressive 42-20 victory over Sacred Heart Univ. on the shore sports network, as freshmen QB Kyle Frazier threw for 4 TDs and Dave Sinisi ran for 135 yards as Monmouth evened their record at 3-3. While the big boys might not have had their best weekend, numerous local high school teams are gearing up for what may be a big run at State Championships. Let’s look at some of the big games of week 6.
Let’s start with Oceans(5-0) big win over Long Branch(5-1). The “Big Red” ran for 319 yards, and survived a late Long Branch comeback, to win it 24-21. Little used junior RB Kevin Rodgers(158 yds. and 2 TDs) made an impressive impact as the “Spartans”, led by Sr. George Sofield, dominated the line of scrimmage and have set themselves up for what looks like a huge game this week vs. Matawan. Long Branch was led by QB Miles Schuler, who accounted for 251 of his teams 273 yards.
Rumson(6-0) and Keyport(4-1) played their hearts out, with Rumson winning in 2 overtime periods, 24-21. Kicker Tucker Smith’s 17 yard field goal won it for the “Bulldogs”, as his first attempt in the first OT was blocked. Fighting a slight groin injury, Smith kicked very little during the week leading up to Saturday’s effort, but the leading kicker in the shore was true, from a severe angle, and allowed the “Dawgs” to continue their dream season. Rumson has come out clean after games vs. Asbury Park, Shore, and Keyport. That’s not an easy stretch to get through. Now they must just beat winless Mater Dei and 1 win Point Beach, to enter the CJ Group 2 playoffs undefeated.
Manasquan(5-0), TR East(6-0), Middletown South(6-0) and Howell(5-0), all remained undefeated, along with Ocean and Rumson and look like sure fire playoff contenders.
Some notable performances in week 6 which deserves mention.
First and foremost was Junior QB Nick SanGiacomo of Barnegat(2-3). Nick, the strong arm QB, threw for 315 yards and 3 TDs in Barnegat’s come from behind 28-23 victory over S J Vianney(2-3). SanGiacomo threw for 225 of those yards in the second half when Barnegat completed their comeback win. Nick is going to be a highly recruited Div. 1 athlete next year, and the offers have begun already, as Tulane University has committed to him. The Bengals already have Senior TE Jarrett Darmstatter, who has been hurt, but is expected to return soon, being recruited by numerous Div 1 schools.
Mon Don’s(2-3) upset of Shore Reg.(2-4) could define the Griffin season. Their high powered offense has not been stopped all year; let’s see if they can move it against the rugged defense of Keyport, at home Friday night.
Manalapan(1-4) picked up their first win of season with an upset of Brick Memorial(3-3). This loss all but knocked the “Stangs” out of any American Division chances and severely hurt their chances of defending their CJ Group 4 championship, which they won last year. The “Mustangs” get Howell(5-0) this week in their homecoming game. We will broadcast this game this week from Brick Memorial.
RBC(4-2) won their 4th in a row. Watch out for the “Casey’s”.
Red Bank(2-4), under new Head Coach Nick Giglio, won for the second time and posted a shutout, 34-0 over JFK Iselin.
Lacey(3-2) has won 3 in a row and are rolling into the playoff picture in SJ Group 3.
Point Boro(1-5) won their first of the year with a 34-14 win over Holmdel(2-4)
TR North(4-1) had a tough time, but prevailed over Southern,14-0. North’s Drew Kollman threw his first TD pass of his career, off of a flanker option pass. Nice call by Mariner coaching staff, at a time in which they were struggling to score.
Jax Liberty(3-2) made school history with their 3rd win. This young 3rd year program, under Tim Osborn, has made huge strides this year and are looking for a winning season. It won’t be easy, but it is within their grasp.
Matawan(4-1), Raritan(4-1), Asbury Park(4-1) and Neptune(4-1) all won and have set up big games in the next few weeks.
Quotable Quotes:
“You have got to be successful by stopping Keyport on first down and putting them in second and long and third and long situations.”(Shane Fallon, Rumson Head Coach and Rumson QB in 1989, the last time Rumson started 6-0.)
“People look at us and saw what our record was. You can’t hide it. We actually had a good preseason and had high hopes. We thought we would have won some games by now.”(Kevin Cruz, Manalapan wide receiver, who caught 8 balls and 2 TD passes in their 33-22 win over Brick Mem.)
“We celebrated pretty good on the field when their kick missed, it was a pretty good win for us.”( Matt Filosa-Jackson Liberty RB who ran for 151 yards and 3 TDs in Liberty’s 36-35 OT win over Central)
“Neal is a force, an impact player on both sides of the ball. Neal is a weapon. Our makeup is usually to run the football, but we are going to try to get Neal the ball a few times every game.”(Head Coach Pete Cahill on his WR/DB Neal Sterling.)
“Craig is much more mature. He is always confident. His physicality has helped him become one heck of a runner. Craig becoming a runner was part of our plan. He’s starting to be a rusher, but he’s still a capable passer. (Head Coach Lou Vircillo on Junior QB Craig Cicardo.)
Top Ten-Week of Oct 19th:
1-Middletown South(6-0) Took care of Wall 26-9. Upcoming big one at Neptune on Saturday afternoon.
2-Howell(5-0) Coming off bye week, can go a long way to division title with a “W” this week at Brick Memorial.
3-TR East(6-0) Friday for all the mables in Constitution Division at home vs. Middletown North.
4-Ocean(5-0) Impressive in its 24-21 win over Long Branch. Doesn’t get any easier with trip to Matawan on Sat. night.
5-Manasquan(5-0) All they do is win. Raritan and Long Branch are waiting for “Big Blue” in 2 weeks.
6-TR North(4-1) Sloppy, but effiencent win vs. Southern Reg-14-0. Defense is one of best in shore.
7- Rumson(6-0) Great win vs. Keyport. They completed a 3 game stretch vs. Asbury Park, Shore and Keyport. That’s impressive.
8-Neptune(4-1) Put up 47 points this week. Points will be a lot tougher to come by this week when they entertain Mid South on Sat. afternoon.
9-Long Branch(5-1) Great effort in losing against Ocean. Must recover with bye week and then Matawan and Manasquan in last 2 weeks before playoffs.
10-Matawan(4-1) This sets up a top ten game with Ocean this week. Which Matawan team shows up?
Just missed:
Keyport(4-1) Tough loss to Rumson, proved they can play with top teams.
Raritan(4-1) Jessie Raymond and Bennett Jackson have had great seasons.
RBC(4-2) 4 straight for them
Asbury Park(4-1) they have recovered from loss to Rumson.
Middletown North(4-1) Surprise team will get to prove they belong in elite 10 as they play TR East on Friday night.
Join us Thursday night at Boston’s in TR for Thursday night football show. Joining us will be Nick SanGiacomo, Barnegat’s outstanding QB, among other guests. 6-8 Thursday on 1160am,1310am or shoresportsnetwork.com on the net.
While week 6 certainly wasn’t a good all-around football weekend for “our” local teams; Giants get embarrassed 48-27, Jets lose 16-13 as Mark Sanchez throws 5 picks, Eagles lose a yawner 13-9 to lowly Oakland, and Rutgers loses on ESPN to Pitt 24-17, it wasn’t a total loss. I hope you had a chance to listen to Monmouth University’s impressive 42-20 victory over Sacred Heart Univ. on the shore sports network, as freshmen QB Kyle Frazier threw for 4 TDs and Dave Sinisi ran for 135 yards as Monmouth evened their record at 3-3. While the big boys might not have had their best weekend, numerous local high school teams are gearing up for what may be a big run at State Championships. Let’s look at some of the big games of week 6.
Let’s start with Oceans(5-0) big win over Long Branch(5-1). The “Big Red” ran for 319 yards, and survived a late Long Branch comeback, to win it 24-21. Little used junior RB Kevin Rodgers(158 yds. and 2 TDs) made an impressive impact as the “Spartans”, led by Sr. George Sofield, dominated the line of scrimmage and have set themselves up for what looks like a huge game this week vs. Matawan. Long Branch was led by QB Miles Schuler, who accounted for 251 of his teams 273 yards.
Rumson(6-0) and Keyport(4-1) played their hearts out, with Rumson winning in 2 overtime periods, 24-21. Kicker Tucker Smith’s 17 yard field goal won it for the “Bulldogs”, as his first attempt in the first OT was blocked. Fighting a slight groin injury, Smith kicked very little during the week leading up to Saturday’s effort, but the leading kicker in the shore was true, from a severe angle, and allowed the “Dawgs” to continue their dream season. Rumson has come out clean after games vs. Asbury Park, Shore, and Keyport. That’s not an easy stretch to get through. Now they must just beat winless Mater Dei and 1 win Point Beach, to enter the CJ Group 2 playoffs undefeated.
Manasquan(5-0), TR East(6-0), Middletown South(6-0) and Howell(5-0), all remained undefeated, along with Ocean and Rumson and look like sure fire playoff contenders.
Some notable performances in week 6 which deserves mention.
First and foremost was Junior QB Nick SanGiacomo of Barnegat(2-3). Nick, the strong arm QB, threw for 315 yards and 3 TDs in Barnegat’s come from behind 28-23 victory over S J Vianney(2-3). SanGiacomo threw for 225 of those yards in the second half when Barnegat completed their comeback win. Nick is going to be a highly recruited Div. 1 athlete next year, and the offers have begun already, as Tulane University has committed to him. The Bengals already have Senior TE Jarrett Darmstatter, who has been hurt, but is expected to return soon, being recruited by numerous Div 1 schools.
Mon Don’s(2-3) upset of Shore Reg.(2-4) could define the Griffin season. Their high powered offense has not been stopped all year; let’s see if they can move it against the rugged defense of Keyport, at home Friday night.
Manalapan(1-4) picked up their first win of season with an upset of Brick Memorial(3-3). This loss all but knocked the “Stangs” out of any American Division chances and severely hurt their chances of defending their CJ Group 4 championship, which they won last year. The “Mustangs” get Howell(5-0) this week in their homecoming game. We will broadcast this game this week from Brick Memorial.
RBC(4-2) won their 4th in a row. Watch out for the “Casey’s”.
Red Bank(2-4), under new Head Coach Nick Giglio, won for the second time and posted a shutout, 34-0 over JFK Iselin.
Lacey(3-2) has won 3 in a row and are rolling into the playoff picture in SJ Group 3.
Point Boro(1-5) won their first of the year with a 34-14 win over Holmdel(2-4)
TR North(4-1) had a tough time, but prevailed over Southern,14-0. North’s Drew Kollman threw his first TD pass of his career, off of a flanker option pass. Nice call by Mariner coaching staff, at a time in which they were struggling to score.
Jax Liberty(3-2) made school history with their 3rd win. This young 3rd year program, under Tim Osborn, has made huge strides this year and are looking for a winning season. It won’t be easy, but it is within their grasp.
Matawan(4-1), Raritan(4-1), Asbury Park(4-1) and Neptune(4-1) all won and have set up big games in the next few weeks.
Quotable Quotes:
“You have got to be successful by stopping Keyport on first down and putting them in second and long and third and long situations.”(Shane Fallon, Rumson Head Coach and Rumson QB in 1989, the last time Rumson started 6-0.)
“People look at us and saw what our record was. You can’t hide it. We actually had a good preseason and had high hopes. We thought we would have won some games by now.”(Kevin Cruz, Manalapan wide receiver, who caught 8 balls and 2 TD passes in their 33-22 win over Brick Mem.)
“We celebrated pretty good on the field when their kick missed, it was a pretty good win for us.”( Matt Filosa-Jackson Liberty RB who ran for 151 yards and 3 TDs in Liberty’s 36-35 OT win over Central)
“Neal is a force, an impact player on both sides of the ball. Neal is a weapon. Our makeup is usually to run the football, but we are going to try to get Neal the ball a few times every game.”(Head Coach Pete Cahill on his WR/DB Neal Sterling.)
“Craig is much more mature. He is always confident. His physicality has helped him become one heck of a runner. Craig becoming a runner was part of our plan. He’s starting to be a rusher, but he’s still a capable passer. (Head Coach Lou Vircillo on Junior QB Craig Cicardo.)
Top Ten-Week of Oct 19th:
1-Middletown South(6-0) Took care of Wall 26-9. Upcoming big one at Neptune on Saturday afternoon.
2-Howell(5-0) Coming off bye week, can go a long way to division title with a “W” this week at Brick Memorial.
3-TR East(6-0) Friday for all the mables in Constitution Division at home vs. Middletown North.
4-Ocean(5-0) Impressive in its 24-21 win over Long Branch. Doesn’t get any easier with trip to Matawan on Sat. night.
5-Manasquan(5-0) All they do is win. Raritan and Long Branch are waiting for “Big Blue” in 2 weeks.
6-TR North(4-1) Sloppy, but effiencent win vs. Southern Reg-14-0. Defense is one of best in shore.
7- Rumson(6-0) Great win vs. Keyport. They completed a 3 game stretch vs. Asbury Park, Shore and Keyport. That’s impressive.
8-Neptune(4-1) Put up 47 points this week. Points will be a lot tougher to come by this week when they entertain Mid South on Sat. afternoon.
9-Long Branch(5-1) Great effort in losing against Ocean. Must recover with bye week and then Matawan and Manasquan in last 2 weeks before playoffs.
10-Matawan(4-1) This sets up a top ten game with Ocean this week. Which Matawan team shows up?
Just missed:
Keyport(4-1) Tough loss to Rumson, proved they can play with top teams.
Raritan(4-1) Jessie Raymond and Bennett Jackson have had great seasons.
RBC(4-2) 4 straight for them
Asbury Park(4-1) they have recovered from loss to Rumson.
Middletown North(4-1) Surprise team will get to prove they belong in elite 10 as they play TR East on Friday night.
Join us Thursday night at Boston’s in TR for Thursday night football show. Joining us will be Nick SanGiacomo, Barnegat’s outstanding QB, among other guests. 6-8 Thursday on 1160am,1310am or shoresportsnetwork.com on the net.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Weekend Of 10/9 + 10/10
Week 5 has come and gone, and several teams have set themselves up for key contests in the coming weeks. Let’s break it down by divisions:
American-The winner looks like it will come from the camp of either Howell or TR North. North took care of Brick Memorial rather easily(34-7) and Howell put up 48 points in a game in which they threw for 437 yards, against Manalapan. If Howell beats Brick Mem., 2 weeks from now, they will win that division. If Memorial can pull off the upset it might create a 3 way tie among the 3 schools.
Constitution- TR East has a strangle hold on the title, as they demolished Marlboro 54-0. Nico and Mario Steriti continue to wreck havoc on the rest of the shore. If Mom continues to feed this team, there’s no telling how far they can go.
Federal- Looks like this one will come down to Oct. 24th when Mid South travels to Neptune with the trophy on line. Both must be careful not to get tripped up next week. Mid South has the toughest of games as they get Wall while Neptune gets winless Lakewood.
Liberty-Although Ocean is 4-0, they have played only 1 conf. game, a win against Manchester. They enter the meat-grinder for their next 3, as they travel to Long Branch and Matawan and then get RBC at home. That’s not an easy road to a championship, and if they win it they will have earned it. Of course those 3 other teams all have their eyes on the prize also. It’s too early to predict this one. Some great weeks are ahead in the Liberty Division.
National-This one will come down to a Halloween afternoon(Oct 31st) at Manasquan, when Raritan comes calling. Manasquan is still un-defeated(4-0), while Raritan’s only blemish is a non-con. loss to Matawan.
Patriot-This week-Rumson(5-0) and Keyport(4-0), for the championship, at the home of the Red Raiders. There is nothing like an afternoon game at Keyport with everything on the line. As the band and fans travel down Jackson St. to the field, the tension begins to build. Mike Ciccotelli, has made many trips down that road in his 32 years as the head man of the Raiders. Will this one be a championship walk? We shall see.
That summarizes the divisions as we head to week 6. While many schools are fighting for championships, there is also one eye on the State Playoffs. We are quickly approaching the cut-off date of November 7th(8 games). More to come, on that subject, next week. Let’s look at some of last week’s key games.
As mentioned earlier, TR North took care of Brick Memorial rather handily, 34-7. The story of this game was North QB Demetri Davis. While everyone in the shore was wondering if he could throw the football, he answered that question in a major way. Davis threw for 131 yards on a 9-10, 2 TD, performance. He also ran for 2 TDs and 89 yards. Not a bad night for our “player of the game”. Memorial put up a fight in the 1st half, but the Mariners turned up the heat in half number 2 and won easily. North now become BM fans in 2 weeks, when the Stangs face Howell. A win vs. the Rebels will probably create a 3 way tie, a loss gives the title to Howell.
In a big one in Monmouth County, the Rumson Bulldogs beat Shore Reg. 20-12. Coming off of their big Asbury Park win last week, the “Dawgs”, were primed for an upset. RB John Riley(90 yds.) and QB Sean Burke( 2 TD passes), led them this week. Coming off a game in which he was replaced by Junior QB Mike Villapiano, Burke was 11-15 for 130 yards to go with his 2 TD passes. Rumson travels to Keyport this Sat. afternoon which may decide the Patriot division.
Manasquan(4-0) got a solid performance from QB CJ Davis as he threw for 2 and ran for 1 in a 21-14 win over Barnegat. With a nice big target in Neal Sterling(6’4” 220 lbs.), Davis has enjoyed a great start throwing the football. How about 33 for 54(61%) for 490 yds. and 6 TDs, not a bad start for the 1st year QB. Squan have their eye on the prize, with big games vs. Raritan(division game) and Long Branch(non-con) coming up latter in year.
Teams to keep an eye on: Lacey(2-2) 2 straight and schedule is in their favor. RBC(3-2) 3 straight and playing well. Keyport(4-0) flying under radar all year. Middletown North(4-1) who would have thought they would have 4 wins at this point of season?
Quotable Quotes:
“They beat us bad last year, and Applegate had a great game. We know Brick is a hardcore football program, and they always give us a good fight. We just wanted to contain Applegate, get after him on every play and frustrate him a bit. If we did that, and ran the ball well, we knew we could win today.” (Mike Suppiello-defensive standout for Lacey on the game plan for beating Brick)
“I thought I did all right. I threw 4 picks, that’s never good. We still won though.” (Sophomore QB Kevin Phillips after his first full game as Freehold QB, in which he threw 2 TD passes, leading the Colonials to a 28-14 win over Jackson Liberty)
“I had a lot of free time today and I was able to think about it. I thought about all the faces I’ve seen over the years. Some of them aren’t even alive today.” (Head Coach Chuck Donahue-Southern, on his 200th career victory- a 34-6 win over Jackson)
”I really did not know what we were getting when we got off the bus. During the week, we practiced well, but you never know until you take the field. But I’m happy with the performance they put in. It was a trap game and they did not fall for it.” (Head Coach Steve Antonucci- Middletown South on his team’s 49-0 victory over Central.)
As mentioned above, special congratulations from the shore sports network to one of the good guys around the shore in Chuck Donahue. The head man at Southern picked up his 200th career victory with a win over Jackson on Friday night. Chuck has been at it for 36 years.
Top Ten:
1-Middletown South-(5-0)- Solid 49-0 win over Central. Kyle Bunge had 3TDs and 136 yards rushing. Next up Wall.
2-Howell(5-0)- Ellie Blue(now that’s a football name) scored 3 TDs(the first of his career) as the Rebels won 48-21 over Manalapan. Bye week for Will Hayes to heel from his concussion. They will need him down the line.
3- TR East(5-0)- the Raiders are playing well and have set their goals high-a state championship. It would be the school’s first. Nico and Mario Steriti continue to excel and Charlie Diskin is improving each week in the air. Next up Colts Neck, who beat the Raiders last year. Not this year!
4- Ocean(4-0) Coming off a 49-7 win over Colonia, the “Big Red” travel to undefeated Long Branch in the marquee game of the week. Brandon Robinson is a stud, but the “Wave” defense is tough. Should be a great game.
5-Manasquan(4-0)- CJ Davis accounted for 3 TDs in Manasquan’s 21-14 win over Barnegat. Crossover contest vs. Middlesex this week, as they tune-up for big games coming up.
6- Long Branch(5-0)- Big match-up with cross town rival Ocean his Saturday. Miles Shuler threw for 2 and rushed for 1, as the “Wave” cruised 50-7 over South Plainfield.
7- TR North(3-1)- Demetri Davis had a big night as North defeated Brick Mem. 34-7. Next up is Southern Reg. coming off a huge win over Jackson Memorial.
8-Neptune(3-1)- Coming off a bye week, they face winless Lakewood. That one will be ugly and the Fliers just have to take care of business, get the “W” and get out of there injury free. Middletown South game is 2 weeks away.
9-Rumson(5-0)- Sean Burke, who was replaced last week, returned to throw 2 TD passes, to beat Shore 20-12. Keyport will be a hostile place to play this Saturday.
10-Keyport(4-0)- Why not put the “Red Raiders” in the top ten. No longer under the “Sarluca” radar screen. Hopefully, for them, it won’t be a 1 week placing.
Just missed:
Matawan(3-1) Will face Ocean and Long Branch after Manchester this week.
Raritan(3-1) Any team with Bennett Jackson and Jessie Raymond on it, deserves to be mentioned.
RBC(3-2) Watch out for the Casey’s.
Asbury Park(3-1) Beat Mon Don 48-21 last week. Still smarting from Rumson loss.
Middletown North(4-1) This has been one of the surprise teams of year so far. They will face TR East on Oct 23rd.
Join us Thursday night at Boston’s in Toms River for out 2 hour football show. Joining us this week will be Southern Reg head coach Chuck Donahue among other guests from around the shore. 1160am, 1310, or on line on the shoresportsnetwork.com. Game of the week is Southern at TR North Friday night at 7pm
American-The winner looks like it will come from the camp of either Howell or TR North. North took care of Brick Memorial rather easily(34-7) and Howell put up 48 points in a game in which they threw for 437 yards, against Manalapan. If Howell beats Brick Mem., 2 weeks from now, they will win that division. If Memorial can pull off the upset it might create a 3 way tie among the 3 schools.
Constitution- TR East has a strangle hold on the title, as they demolished Marlboro 54-0. Nico and Mario Steriti continue to wreck havoc on the rest of the shore. If Mom continues to feed this team, there’s no telling how far they can go.
Federal- Looks like this one will come down to Oct. 24th when Mid South travels to Neptune with the trophy on line. Both must be careful not to get tripped up next week. Mid South has the toughest of games as they get Wall while Neptune gets winless Lakewood.
Liberty-Although Ocean is 4-0, they have played only 1 conf. game, a win against Manchester. They enter the meat-grinder for their next 3, as they travel to Long Branch and Matawan and then get RBC at home. That’s not an easy road to a championship, and if they win it they will have earned it. Of course those 3 other teams all have their eyes on the prize also. It’s too early to predict this one. Some great weeks are ahead in the Liberty Division.
National-This one will come down to a Halloween afternoon(Oct 31st) at Manasquan, when Raritan comes calling. Manasquan is still un-defeated(4-0), while Raritan’s only blemish is a non-con. loss to Matawan.
Patriot-This week-Rumson(5-0) and Keyport(4-0), for the championship, at the home of the Red Raiders. There is nothing like an afternoon game at Keyport with everything on the line. As the band and fans travel down Jackson St. to the field, the tension begins to build. Mike Ciccotelli, has made many trips down that road in his 32 years as the head man of the Raiders. Will this one be a championship walk? We shall see.
That summarizes the divisions as we head to week 6. While many schools are fighting for championships, there is also one eye on the State Playoffs. We are quickly approaching the cut-off date of November 7th(8 games). More to come, on that subject, next week. Let’s look at some of last week’s key games.
As mentioned earlier, TR North took care of Brick Memorial rather handily, 34-7. The story of this game was North QB Demetri Davis. While everyone in the shore was wondering if he could throw the football, he answered that question in a major way. Davis threw for 131 yards on a 9-10, 2 TD, performance. He also ran for 2 TDs and 89 yards. Not a bad night for our “player of the game”. Memorial put up a fight in the 1st half, but the Mariners turned up the heat in half number 2 and won easily. North now become BM fans in 2 weeks, when the Stangs face Howell. A win vs. the Rebels will probably create a 3 way tie, a loss gives the title to Howell.
In a big one in Monmouth County, the Rumson Bulldogs beat Shore Reg. 20-12. Coming off of their big Asbury Park win last week, the “Dawgs”, were primed for an upset. RB John Riley(90 yds.) and QB Sean Burke( 2 TD passes), led them this week. Coming off a game in which he was replaced by Junior QB Mike Villapiano, Burke was 11-15 for 130 yards to go with his 2 TD passes. Rumson travels to Keyport this Sat. afternoon which may decide the Patriot division.
Manasquan(4-0) got a solid performance from QB CJ Davis as he threw for 2 and ran for 1 in a 21-14 win over Barnegat. With a nice big target in Neal Sterling(6’4” 220 lbs.), Davis has enjoyed a great start throwing the football. How about 33 for 54(61%) for 490 yds. and 6 TDs, not a bad start for the 1st year QB. Squan have their eye on the prize, with big games vs. Raritan(division game) and Long Branch(non-con) coming up latter in year.
Teams to keep an eye on: Lacey(2-2) 2 straight and schedule is in their favor. RBC(3-2) 3 straight and playing well. Keyport(4-0) flying under radar all year. Middletown North(4-1) who would have thought they would have 4 wins at this point of season?
Quotable Quotes:
“They beat us bad last year, and Applegate had a great game. We know Brick is a hardcore football program, and they always give us a good fight. We just wanted to contain Applegate, get after him on every play and frustrate him a bit. If we did that, and ran the ball well, we knew we could win today.” (Mike Suppiello-defensive standout for Lacey on the game plan for beating Brick)
“I thought I did all right. I threw 4 picks, that’s never good. We still won though.” (Sophomore QB Kevin Phillips after his first full game as Freehold QB, in which he threw 2 TD passes, leading the Colonials to a 28-14 win over Jackson Liberty)
“I had a lot of free time today and I was able to think about it. I thought about all the faces I’ve seen over the years. Some of them aren’t even alive today.” (Head Coach Chuck Donahue-Southern, on his 200th career victory- a 34-6 win over Jackson)
”I really did not know what we were getting when we got off the bus. During the week, we practiced well, but you never know until you take the field. But I’m happy with the performance they put in. It was a trap game and they did not fall for it.” (Head Coach Steve Antonucci- Middletown South on his team’s 49-0 victory over Central.)
As mentioned above, special congratulations from the shore sports network to one of the good guys around the shore in Chuck Donahue. The head man at Southern picked up his 200th career victory with a win over Jackson on Friday night. Chuck has been at it for 36 years.
Top Ten:
1-Middletown South-(5-0)- Solid 49-0 win over Central. Kyle Bunge had 3TDs and 136 yards rushing. Next up Wall.
2-Howell(5-0)- Ellie Blue(now that’s a football name) scored 3 TDs(the first of his career) as the Rebels won 48-21 over Manalapan. Bye week for Will Hayes to heel from his concussion. They will need him down the line.
3- TR East(5-0)- the Raiders are playing well and have set their goals high-a state championship. It would be the school’s first. Nico and Mario Steriti continue to excel and Charlie Diskin is improving each week in the air. Next up Colts Neck, who beat the Raiders last year. Not this year!
4- Ocean(4-0) Coming off a 49-7 win over Colonia, the “Big Red” travel to undefeated Long Branch in the marquee game of the week. Brandon Robinson is a stud, but the “Wave” defense is tough. Should be a great game.
5-Manasquan(4-0)- CJ Davis accounted for 3 TDs in Manasquan’s 21-14 win over Barnegat. Crossover contest vs. Middlesex this week, as they tune-up for big games coming up.
6- Long Branch(5-0)- Big match-up with cross town rival Ocean his Saturday. Miles Shuler threw for 2 and rushed for 1, as the “Wave” cruised 50-7 over South Plainfield.
7- TR North(3-1)- Demetri Davis had a big night as North defeated Brick Mem. 34-7. Next up is Southern Reg. coming off a huge win over Jackson Memorial.
8-Neptune(3-1)- Coming off a bye week, they face winless Lakewood. That one will be ugly and the Fliers just have to take care of business, get the “W” and get out of there injury free. Middletown South game is 2 weeks away.
9-Rumson(5-0)- Sean Burke, who was replaced last week, returned to throw 2 TD passes, to beat Shore 20-12. Keyport will be a hostile place to play this Saturday.
10-Keyport(4-0)- Why not put the “Red Raiders” in the top ten. No longer under the “Sarluca” radar screen. Hopefully, for them, it won’t be a 1 week placing.
Just missed:
Matawan(3-1) Will face Ocean and Long Branch after Manchester this week.
Raritan(3-1) Any team with Bennett Jackson and Jessie Raymond on it, deserves to be mentioned.
RBC(3-2) Watch out for the Casey’s.
Asbury Park(3-1) Beat Mon Don 48-21 last week. Still smarting from Rumson loss.
Middletown North(4-1) This has been one of the surprise teams of year so far. They will face TR East on Oct 23rd.
Join us Thursday night at Boston’s in Toms River for out 2 hour football show. Joining us this week will be Southern Reg head coach Chuck Donahue among other guests from around the shore. 1160am, 1310, or on line on the shoresportsnetwork.com. Game of the week is Southern at TR North Friday night at 7pm
Monday, October 5, 2009
Weekend of 10/2 + 10/3
Scanning the high school football scene with Ed Sarluca: Week 4
Top Ten:
1-Middletown South(4-0) A sloppy but quality “W”(21-10) against Freehold Boro at the swamp. Freehold turned it over 6 times to “give” Mid South the ball game. Despite 4 turnovers themselves, the Eagles continue their undefeated season. Next up is Central who rushed for over 500 yards vs. Lakewood on Sunday.
2-Howell(4-0) Huge 7-3 win over Toms River North gives the Rebels a leg up in American Division. They still have to face a tough Brick Memorial team in 3 weeks, but Jimmy Ryan and company look and play like champions.
3-Toms River East(4-0) The Raiders have just about clinched the Constitution Division with their easy 37-7 lopsided victory over Brick. 2 easy ones, with Marlboro and Colts Neck and then their last major challenge in division play when they face Mid North at home. This week, Dan Wasilick returned the opening KO 83 yards and they never looked back.
4-Ocean(3-0) A not real good Colonia team faces the “Big Red” this week, coming off their bye week and then we will see how good this team is, with games against Long Branch, Matawan and RBC. If they run that table, they will be the favorite in CJ Group 3.
5-Manasquan(3-0) The “Big Blue” continues to roll with a 28-6 win over previously undefeated Pinelands. They should continue to take care of business until they get Raritan and Long Branch in week 7&8.
6-Long Branch(4-0) The “Green Wave” just keeps rolling along with a stingy defense and enough offense to keep the wins coming. South Plainfield up next and the meat grinder starts with Ocean, Matawan and Manasquan on the schedule.
7-Neptune(3-1) A very impressive shutout(39-0) of previously un-scored upon Wall has made me a believer and they enter the top ten this week. Charlie Davis had a night to remember with 4 TDs and 227 total yards as the Fliers built a 39-0 lead at the half and then pulled the dogs. Neptune will rest this week on their bye , then face winless Lakewood and then the big one with Mid South on Oct 24.
8-Toms River North(2-1) This is a team which I can’t get a read on. A big powerful offensive line, skill at all the key positions and they can’t score! 2 games in a row without an offensive TD, that won’t get it done in the American Division. Now they must hope someone beats Howell or their championship dreams are over. Next up provides no rest for the Mariners as they travel to Brick Memorial on Friday night.
9-Brick Memorial(3-1) With only a loss to undefeated Sayreville, the Mustangs enter the meat of their schedule with TR North, Manalapan and Howell in the next 3 weeks. A come from behind overtime win(21-14) this week vs. Jackson sets them up for another run at the CJ Group 4 playoffs.
10-Rumson(4-0) What an impressive victory over Asbury Park this week. The 26-18 win gets them into the top ten. Using the double pass to score the go ahead TD in the 4th quarter, the Bulldogs made a statement on Saturday. John Riley(130 rushing yds.) was very good on the ground and super soph Mike Villapiano led the “Dawgs” from the QB position.
Best of the rest:
Keyport(3-0) The Red Raiders continue to fly low and continue to win. 42-7 over Point Beach on Friday night has set up a huge one on Oct 17th vs. Rumson.
Raritan(3-1) One loss will not define their season. Nice bounce back win over winless Point Boro by a 42-7 score.
Matawan(3-1) Well what can you say, after the big win against Raritan last week, they lay the egg this week vs. RBC and find themselves on the outside looking in.
RBC(2-2) Watch out for the Casey’s, they are getting better each week.
Asbury Park(2-1) Should get back on track in next few weeks, after the loss to Rumson.
A potentially bad weather weekend turned out to be another bad forecast by the experts, as the rains and winds stayed away and we saw some interesting results.
Toms River East made a bold statement to the rest of the Constitution Division as they rolled over Brick, 37-7. The Raiders, in my opinion, will be 8-0 going into the SJ Group 4 playoffs. That’s important, because that should get them 1 or 2 home playoff games. It’s never too early to start thinking about the playoffs.
Middletown South, turned 4 fumbles and 2 interceptions by Freehold Boro into a 21-10 victory at the “swamp”. That set the Eagles up for the Oct 24th matchup with Neptune, which will decide the Federal Division. QB Scott Meeker continues to impress as he threw 2 TD passes in the victory.
Neptune’s 39-0 demolition of Wall will be remembered as the night RB Charlie Davis came of age. Davis scored 2 on the ground, 1 in the air and 1 more via an interception return, as the Fliers rolled for 339 yards of total offense, most of which came in the 1st half!
I had the pleasure to take a ride to Asbury Park on Saturday afternoon, not to see the “Boss”, but to witness Rumson’s 26-18 win over the Bishops. Using the double pass, which began with a flare from Soph QB Mike Villapiano to Ian Moore, and then to Jack Wise, for the 30 yard TD score, the “Dawgs” made a statement in the Patriot Division. They now control their destiny, if they want that crown.
With my wife understanding that this is football season, I also took in the Howell’s 7-3 victory over Toms River North on Sat. night. With everyone raving about the Howell offense, it was defense that won this one for the Rebels. As head coach Cory Davies knows, this season will be defined by his defense, not his offense. They are an under-rated bunch, which bent, but did not break. TR North’s plight is simple; they must find a way to get into the end zone. They move the ball with ease, but 1 or 2 mistakes per drive, and they are forced to settle for 3 points or turn it over on downs. Their excellent defense has been carrying them so far.
Congratulations to Nick Giglio of Red Bank for picking up his first victory at his new school. Nick was a very successful head coach at Point Beach HS and I am rooting for him to turn the Red Bank program around. With his work ethic and personality, that will be a given.
Keansburg’s come from behind win over Mon. Don.(16-13) was extra special to head Coach Brian Kmak. Kmak spent most of Saturday afternoon’s game at the hospital with his daughter who was taken to the emergency room on Friday night. When his daughter was cleared to return home, Kmak, rushed to the game and saw the last few moments of the Titan win. In his absence, assistant coaches Tom O’Keefe and George Kostas ran the team. I love happy endings!
Congratulations to Allentown’s John Amabile who picked up his 2nd win of the year with a 42-0 rout of Marist. Allentown won all of 2 games in the last 3 years. Why did I know he would surpass that total in just 3 games of his first season?
A special sad mention to family and friends of SJ V player Dan Falco, who died this past week of a non-football related illness. Also, the ever successful shore head coaches Mike and Mark Ciccotelli, as well as another brother Steve, lost their father last week, at the age of 87. Sal Ciccotelli was so proud of his 3 sons, all of which have had successful coaching careers around the state. The prayers of all players and coaches around the shore go out to the families of Dan and the Ciccotelli’s.
Some notable quotes of week 4:
“I feel especially happy for the seniors. They went through some down years, but they stuck it out and deserve this.” (Head Coach Nick Giglio on his team’s 28-6 victory over Dunellen.)
“The start of the season was a true test of our character. It was refreshing to see all of the hard work pay off today. A.J. had a big game. The offensive line gave him time to throw, that was the key.”(Head Coach Sal Spampanato of Monmouth Reg. on his team’s 53-14 win over South Plainfield.)
“Turnovers are tempo-setters. That’s what we did, we set the tempo for the rest of the game.” (Jake Flaherty, DB at RBC on the 20-7 upset win over Matawan. Flaherty had a 26 yd. interception return for a TD.)
“We all call him the “Waterbug”, and the Waterbug busted one out there”. (Nico Steriti on team-mate Dan Wasilick’s 83 yard TD on the opening kickoff of TR East’s 37-7 in over Brick.)
“Every team practices a 2-minute offense, our backs were against the wall and we found a way to move the ball.” (Head Coach Walt Currie of Brick Mem. on his team’s game tying TD in the last 2 minutes of regulation time. The “Stangs” won it in overtime 21-14.)
A big one in the American Division as TR North visits Brick Mem. on Friday night. Join us at shoresportsnetwork.com, as we broadcast this important game. 1160am, 1310am and 105.7 The Hawk will have the game on. Also join us at Boston’s on Thursday night for our 2 hour talk show, featured this week will be coaches Walt Currie and Chip LaBarca Jr, along with key players from their teams. That’s 6-8 pm on Thursday also on shoresportsnetwork.com.
Top Ten:
1-Middletown South(4-0) A sloppy but quality “W”(21-10) against Freehold Boro at the swamp. Freehold turned it over 6 times to “give” Mid South the ball game. Despite 4 turnovers themselves, the Eagles continue their undefeated season. Next up is Central who rushed for over 500 yards vs. Lakewood on Sunday.
2-Howell(4-0) Huge 7-3 win over Toms River North gives the Rebels a leg up in American Division. They still have to face a tough Brick Memorial team in 3 weeks, but Jimmy Ryan and company look and play like champions.
3-Toms River East(4-0) The Raiders have just about clinched the Constitution Division with their easy 37-7 lopsided victory over Brick. 2 easy ones, with Marlboro and Colts Neck and then their last major challenge in division play when they face Mid North at home. This week, Dan Wasilick returned the opening KO 83 yards and they never looked back.
4-Ocean(3-0) A not real good Colonia team faces the “Big Red” this week, coming off their bye week and then we will see how good this team is, with games against Long Branch, Matawan and RBC. If they run that table, they will be the favorite in CJ Group 3.
5-Manasquan(3-0) The “Big Blue” continues to roll with a 28-6 win over previously undefeated Pinelands. They should continue to take care of business until they get Raritan and Long Branch in week 7&8.
6-Long Branch(4-0) The “Green Wave” just keeps rolling along with a stingy defense and enough offense to keep the wins coming. South Plainfield up next and the meat grinder starts with Ocean, Matawan and Manasquan on the schedule.
7-Neptune(3-1) A very impressive shutout(39-0) of previously un-scored upon Wall has made me a believer and they enter the top ten this week. Charlie Davis had a night to remember with 4 TDs and 227 total yards as the Fliers built a 39-0 lead at the half and then pulled the dogs. Neptune will rest this week on their bye , then face winless Lakewood and then the big one with Mid South on Oct 24.
8-Toms River North(2-1) This is a team which I can’t get a read on. A big powerful offensive line, skill at all the key positions and they can’t score! 2 games in a row without an offensive TD, that won’t get it done in the American Division. Now they must hope someone beats Howell or their championship dreams are over. Next up provides no rest for the Mariners as they travel to Brick Memorial on Friday night.
9-Brick Memorial(3-1) With only a loss to undefeated Sayreville, the Mustangs enter the meat of their schedule with TR North, Manalapan and Howell in the next 3 weeks. A come from behind overtime win(21-14) this week vs. Jackson sets them up for another run at the CJ Group 4 playoffs.
10-Rumson(4-0) What an impressive victory over Asbury Park this week. The 26-18 win gets them into the top ten. Using the double pass to score the go ahead TD in the 4th quarter, the Bulldogs made a statement on Saturday. John Riley(130 rushing yds.) was very good on the ground and super soph Mike Villapiano led the “Dawgs” from the QB position.
Best of the rest:
Keyport(3-0) The Red Raiders continue to fly low and continue to win. 42-7 over Point Beach on Friday night has set up a huge one on Oct 17th vs. Rumson.
Raritan(3-1) One loss will not define their season. Nice bounce back win over winless Point Boro by a 42-7 score.
Matawan(3-1) Well what can you say, after the big win against Raritan last week, they lay the egg this week vs. RBC and find themselves on the outside looking in.
RBC(2-2) Watch out for the Casey’s, they are getting better each week.
Asbury Park(2-1) Should get back on track in next few weeks, after the loss to Rumson.
A potentially bad weather weekend turned out to be another bad forecast by the experts, as the rains and winds stayed away and we saw some interesting results.
Toms River East made a bold statement to the rest of the Constitution Division as they rolled over Brick, 37-7. The Raiders, in my opinion, will be 8-0 going into the SJ Group 4 playoffs. That’s important, because that should get them 1 or 2 home playoff games. It’s never too early to start thinking about the playoffs.
Middletown South, turned 4 fumbles and 2 interceptions by Freehold Boro into a 21-10 victory at the “swamp”. That set the Eagles up for the Oct 24th matchup with Neptune, which will decide the Federal Division. QB Scott Meeker continues to impress as he threw 2 TD passes in the victory.
Neptune’s 39-0 demolition of Wall will be remembered as the night RB Charlie Davis came of age. Davis scored 2 on the ground, 1 in the air and 1 more via an interception return, as the Fliers rolled for 339 yards of total offense, most of which came in the 1st half!
I had the pleasure to take a ride to Asbury Park on Saturday afternoon, not to see the “Boss”, but to witness Rumson’s 26-18 win over the Bishops. Using the double pass, which began with a flare from Soph QB Mike Villapiano to Ian Moore, and then to Jack Wise, for the 30 yard TD score, the “Dawgs” made a statement in the Patriot Division. They now control their destiny, if they want that crown.
With my wife understanding that this is football season, I also took in the Howell’s 7-3 victory over Toms River North on Sat. night. With everyone raving about the Howell offense, it was defense that won this one for the Rebels. As head coach Cory Davies knows, this season will be defined by his defense, not his offense. They are an under-rated bunch, which bent, but did not break. TR North’s plight is simple; they must find a way to get into the end zone. They move the ball with ease, but 1 or 2 mistakes per drive, and they are forced to settle for 3 points or turn it over on downs. Their excellent defense has been carrying them so far.
Congratulations to Nick Giglio of Red Bank for picking up his first victory at his new school. Nick was a very successful head coach at Point Beach HS and I am rooting for him to turn the Red Bank program around. With his work ethic and personality, that will be a given.
Keansburg’s come from behind win over Mon. Don.(16-13) was extra special to head Coach Brian Kmak. Kmak spent most of Saturday afternoon’s game at the hospital with his daughter who was taken to the emergency room on Friday night. When his daughter was cleared to return home, Kmak, rushed to the game and saw the last few moments of the Titan win. In his absence, assistant coaches Tom O’Keefe and George Kostas ran the team. I love happy endings!
Congratulations to Allentown’s John Amabile who picked up his 2nd win of the year with a 42-0 rout of Marist. Allentown won all of 2 games in the last 3 years. Why did I know he would surpass that total in just 3 games of his first season?
A special sad mention to family and friends of SJ V player Dan Falco, who died this past week of a non-football related illness. Also, the ever successful shore head coaches Mike and Mark Ciccotelli, as well as another brother Steve, lost their father last week, at the age of 87. Sal Ciccotelli was so proud of his 3 sons, all of which have had successful coaching careers around the state. The prayers of all players and coaches around the shore go out to the families of Dan and the Ciccotelli’s.
Some notable quotes of week 4:
“I feel especially happy for the seniors. They went through some down years, but they stuck it out and deserve this.” (Head Coach Nick Giglio on his team’s 28-6 victory over Dunellen.)
“The start of the season was a true test of our character. It was refreshing to see all of the hard work pay off today. A.J. had a big game. The offensive line gave him time to throw, that was the key.”(Head Coach Sal Spampanato of Monmouth Reg. on his team’s 53-14 win over South Plainfield.)
“Turnovers are tempo-setters. That’s what we did, we set the tempo for the rest of the game.” (Jake Flaherty, DB at RBC on the 20-7 upset win over Matawan. Flaherty had a 26 yd. interception return for a TD.)
“We all call him the “Waterbug”, and the Waterbug busted one out there”. (Nico Steriti on team-mate Dan Wasilick’s 83 yard TD on the opening kickoff of TR East’s 37-7 in over Brick.)
“Every team practices a 2-minute offense, our backs were against the wall and we found a way to move the ball.” (Head Coach Walt Currie of Brick Mem. on his team’s game tying TD in the last 2 minutes of regulation time. The “Stangs” won it in overtime 21-14.)
A big one in the American Division as TR North visits Brick Mem. on Friday night. Join us at shoresportsnetwork.com, as we broadcast this important game. 1160am, 1310am and 105.7 The Hawk will have the game on. Also join us at Boston’s on Thursday night for our 2 hour talk show, featured this week will be coaches Walt Currie and Chip LaBarca Jr, along with key players from their teams. That’s 6-8 pm on Thursday also on shoresportsnetwork.com.
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