Weekend of 9/25 In Review

Scanning the High School football scene with Ed Sarluca:

It's hard to believe that we are already in week 4 of the High School football season. You prepare so long and hard during the summer and early fall and before you know it it's week 4. It goes by so quickly, and a good start is important to every team that has playoff aspirations. There are only 10 teams that are still undefeated, as we get into mid-season, when coaches start to look around at other teams in their State bracket. Yes, it's never too early to start thinking about making a run in the playoffs. Although most coaches will tell you, we can't worry about that now, I guarantee you, from past experience, one eye is on who is winning and losing, in your bracket. With that in mind, lets look at the major games of week 3:

Matawan(3-0) made a major statement, that we are still #1, and the team to beat again this year. They demolished a then undefeated Raritan team 45-6. Jared Allison, Cassius Williams McArthur Underwood and Keith Beaty are the big guns for the Huskies.

Lacey(3-0) is on a mission this year. They held Matt McClain(Pinelands RB) to 79 yds. rushing after he had over 300 in each of his first 2 games this year. There are no faults on this team! The offense, defense and kick game are all primed to take it all this year.

Neptune(2-1) proved to everyone that they are a different team under Don Sofilkanich, then they were in past years. They came back from a tough loss vs. RBC to defeat a very good Long Branch team 27-11. It's not easy to go to Ippolito Field and win there, and thats what the Fliers did. There are many weapons on this years team. RB Charles Davis, QB Jaheem Woods and LB Matt Gannon are just a few key bullets in the gun.

Brick Memorial(3-0), playing with some injured players and some sickness that went around camp this week, used a stingy defense and a Mike Diguili 4 yd. TD run in OT to beat TR East. The Raiders, who themselves, were playing without starting QB Joe Clarizio, and several other key starters, who were injured, got outstanding efforts from RB Mario Steriti and fill-in QB Joe Funicelli. to make it close , before the Stangs came back and won it in OT.

Manalapan(2-1) seems to have solved their coaching problems and cruised past Mid. North, 35-0.

Middletown South(2-1) lost their starting QB Scott Meeker to an injury in the 2nd quarter, but backup QB Howie Brey, came in and threw a 38 yd. TD pass to get by Freehold Twp. 17-0.

Freehold Boro(1-2) beat Ocean(0-3) in the battle of 0-2 teams. This has got to be a big disappointment for the "Big Red" to start 0-3. Freehold seem to have righted the ship and will be troublesome to B-North foes.

Congratulations to Red Bank's soph Cooper Gettis, who kicked a 49 yd. field goal in Red Bank's 9-3 loss to Rumson. Jarod Molzon(Lacey) had kicked a 49 yarder last week against Brick.

Point Boro(1-2) got it's first win of the year with a 21-8 victory over Jackson Liberty. Liberty(1-2) had upset Wall last week and everyone thought they were on their way to their first winning season ever, but this game sets them back to square one. C-Central rivals Manasquan and Mon Don will be challenges if Liberty wants to take that next step. Boro got 2 TD catches from Maryland bound Ryan Malleck from backup QB Chuckie Krohn to win it.

TR North(2-1) improves each week and continues to get solid play from QB Demitry Davis. They beat Jackson(1-2) 28-6 this past week, as Davis ran for 3 TDs and threw for another. We will see the Mariner's this week in our game of the week on Friday night as the annual "Civil War"(TR South) takes place. Throw the records out for this one, but North certainly has the edge.

Brick(0-3) did finally get a score, but lost again 33-14 to Manchester. Brick had been shut-out in their first 2 games. Two win less teams(Central 0-3)), face each other this week, so the loser of this one, may be looking at a dismal season.

Keyport(2-1) put up 61 pts. vs. next door neighbor Keansburg. The Burg had a bad day offensively, to say the least. The Red Raiders held them to (-4) total yds., while running for 386 yds themselves. Keansburg has given up 181 points in 3 games---that's 60.3/game---OUCH!

Howell(3-0) has put up 142 points in 3 games(47.3/game).



Lacey(3-0) has given up 7 total points in 3 games(2.3/game)



Freehold Twp.(0-3) has not scored in 2010.



Mater Dei(0-3) has only given up 61(20.3/game) points in their 3 loses, but have only scored 7 total pts.



Brick Memorial(3-0) has given up 13 points(1 TD by 1st unit) in their 3 wins. Last year they gave up 62 points in their first 3 games.


Top Ten: Week 4



1-Matawan(3-0)-Well I was waiting for the Huskies to have a statement game and it happened Friday night. A 45-6 pasting at the hands of previously undefeated Raritan proved to everyone that Matawan is still very deserving of the top spot in the poll. They had 4 TDs of 44 yards or more. Cassius Williams ran for 136 yds. and 2 TDs(one of which was a 95 yd. run), Keith Beaty added 73 yds. and a TD, QB Jared Allison threw a 44 yd. TD pass, and RB McArthur Underwood ran one in from 48 yds. Everybody involved and everyone contributing, thats the way head man Joe Martucci likes it. Matawan ran for 315 yds. on the night while holding Raritan to 100 yds. of total offense and only 4 first downs. Next up for the Huskies is a solid 2-1 Rumson team, next Sat. night at Matawan.



2-Lacey(3-0)- The Lions were tested this week by the shores leading rusher, Matt McClain, of Pinelands. McClain came into the game with 659 yards in his first 2 weeks of actions, however it was a Lion defense he was facing in week 3. Well, a 42-0 rout by Lacey, holding McClain to 79 yds. rushing, and the Lions had another dominating win. Lacey rushed for 256 yds. in the first half alone, before pulling the dogs, as they played the second half under the "mercy" rules. That occurs when you are up by 35 or more points in the second half and Lacey had that lead(35-0) at halftime. Jarrod Molzon led the way with 91 yds., Jake Dabal had 69 yds. and QB Craig Cicardo Jr. had 45 yds and 3 TDs to lead the Lions. Lacey gets another 2-1 team in Manchester this week, before their big one, on the road, vs the 3-0 Bengals of Barnegat(bye week) on Oct. 8th.



3-Brick Memorial(3-0)-The Mustangs played a thriller on the road at Toms River East. Coming from behind, after trailing at halftime by a 7-0 score, the Stangs used a 3rd quarter TD by Vincenzo Diodato from 4 yds. out to tie it at 7, and then in overtime, a Mike DiGuilmi 4 yd. QB sneak to win it for the Mustangs and go to 3-0 on the year. East, playing with backup QB Joe Funicelli(starter Joe Clarizio was out with a concussion), had taken a 7-0 lead into the locker room on a Mario Steriti 3 yd. TD run. The Raiders actually had a chance to win it in regulation, but they missed a 22 yd. field goal at the 2:58 mark of the 4th quarter. DiGuilmi, playing with an injured ankle himself, ran for 107 yds and threw for 47 more to lead the Stangs on offense, while NT Will Wowkanyn, continues to dominate on the defensive side. The Rams of Southern(2-1) visit the Mustangs on Friday night.



4-RBC(2-0)- The Caseys were able to scout Long Branch(RBC bye week), who they will entertain this Friday night. Long Branch lost that Sat. game to Neptune, who RBC had beaten in week 2, so they were able to see a Green Wave team that gave the Fliers all they could handle. This is a big one in the very tough B-North division.



5-Howell(3-0)- The Rebels and QB Ryan Davies continue to roll and fly through the airways with an easy 41-6 win over Marlboro. Davies threw 4 more TD passes(16 in 3 games), 2 of them going to the very dangerous Mike Clark. Clark, seems to be Davies favorite receiver, but with Ryan Handy, Eli Blue and Benton Burdin, you cannot just concentrate on him, and that's what makes the Rebels so tough. Interesting game this week vs. Middletown South(2-1). A great offense vs. an excellent defense, in what may go a long way in determining the A-North title.



6-Neptune(2-1)- The Fliers passed a big test on Sat. afternoon. Coming off a very tough last second loss to RBC in week 2, they had to face a 2-0 Long Branch team, who was looking to make a statement that they too are contenders in the B-North. The Fliers won it 27-11, as they ran for 224 total yards, with Charles Davis(76yds.) and Jaheem Woods(72yds.) leading the way. Long Branch could not run the ball on the Fliers and that made life tough for LB QB, Miles Shuler. Shuler did throw for 175 yds. Neptune gets Freehold Boro who shut out Ocean Twp. 38-0 on Sat.



7-Manalapan(2-1)- The Braves seem to have righted the ship and won easily over Mid North 35-0. It was the 2 big guns for the Braves, Mike Bimonte(131 yds. passing & 3 TD passes) and Josh Firkser(162 rushing yds. & 3 TDs), that led them to the big victory. Manalapan, with their coaching situation behind them, has an easy one this week in win less Freehold Twp., but has Howell, Brick Mem.,and TR North coming up in second half of their season.



8-Middletown South(2-1) The Eagles didn't exactly light up the scoreboard against win less Freehold Twp(0-3), but they did hold them defensively to 5 first downs and 60 total yds., in their 17-0 win. The important news here, is that starting QB Scott Meeker was injured in the 2nd quarter and did not return. This bares watching as you can not lose #1 and be a better football team. Howie Brey replaced Meeker and did throw a TD pass to all-shore receiver Taylor Rodgers for 38 yds. A huge one this week as the run and shoot Howell Rebels(3-0), entertain the Eagles.



9-Asbury Park(3-0) Whenever you win 3 championships in a row and continue to win this year, you will remain in my top ten. They wore down a good Point Beach team and won by a 21-7 score. The score would have been more if it wasn't for 5 consecutive fumbles in the 1st half. This has to be fixed, if the Bishops want to take a shot at 4 in a row. QB Jay'von Britt continues to lead the Bishops, but they must solve the turnover problems(7 fumbles-lost 4), if they are to beat Shore(2-0) this Sat. afternoon(12 noon) at Asbury Park.



10-Long Branch(2-1) The Green Wave put up a good fight vs. Neptune, but came away with a 27-11 loss. Miles Shuler did throw for 175 yds., but the in-ability to get the run game going, puts too much pressure on Shuler. Unfortunately it doesn't get any easier for the Wave as they face RBC(2-0) and Matawan(3-0) in the next 2 weeks. It's make or break time for the Green Wave.



Just outside looking in:



Monmouth(3-0) A tremendous start for the Falcons and head coach Sal Spampanato. The Falcons have some good players and give everyone else in the B-North fits.



Shore Reg.(2-0) The Blue Devils have a chance to crack the top ten with a win over Asbury Park this week.



Barnegat(3-0) QB Nick San Giacomo is the real deal and receiver Mike DeTroia is a big time pass catcher. On a bye this week, as they get ready for Lacey in 2 weeks.



Holmdel(3-0) Would anyone have predicted a 3-0 start for the Hornets? They only won 3 games in the last 2 seasons! Coach Frank Papalia has them playing well. QB Mike Cantelli is their leader.