Weekend of 10/8 + 10/9

Scanning the High School Football scene with Ed Sarluca:

Week 5 has come and gone and the top 3 remain the same. Lacey, Matawan and Brick Memorial all continue unbeaten in 2010. As a matter of fact, they are the only 3 teams without a loss, as we turn the corner of this season and head to the playoffs. Lacey, my #1 team, has clinched at least a tie in the B-South. They are only a win away from winning it outright, and that will be decided vs. Central Reg in a few weeks. Lacey beat a pretty good Barnegat team 28-7 on Friday night, in a game we did on the Shore Sports Network. Matawan,struggled again on defense against Long Branch, but hung on for a 34-31 win, while Brick Memorial had the easiest of times vs. TR South in a 35-0 blowout of the win less Indians. On the other side of the fence, there are still 7 teams that have yet to break into the win category. They are Freehold Twp., Lakewood, Mater Dei Prep, TR South, Keansburg, Central and Ocean. Only Ocean is a surprise here, as they were predicted to make a run in B-North. Keansburg plays Mater Dei, Lakewood plays TR South, so somebody gets a win there. Freehold Twp. plays Marlboro and Mid North; they are winable games. Central plays Lakewood, someone wins here. Ocean has a shot against Brick this week, but their last 3 are tough ones, in Neptune, RBC and Monmouth, so they better get that "W" this week. Of course, all these teams will play a 10th game, against a still undetermined team assigned by the State as we start the playoffs.



Let's look at the playoff possibilities as we get to week 6.



Last year the shore won 2 championships(Matawan and Asbury Park). I say we win at least that many again this year, with the possibility of 5. My prediction will probably change, but after 5 weeks, that what I see. Lets look down the road.



Central 4 has Brick Mem., Manalapan, and Howell who should make it.

Central 3 has Mid South, Neptune, Freehold Boro and Wall who have a shot.

Central 2 has Matawan, Monmouth, Manasquan, Rumson, Holmdel, Long Branch, Raritan and Red Bank who are all still alive. This section will become a littler clearer in the next 2 weeks.

Central 1 has Shore, Asbury Park and Keyport who should make it.

South 4 has has TR North, Southern and TR East who have a shot. The winner of this weeks Southern vs TR North game gets a foot in the playoff door.

South 3 has Lacey and Jax Liberty who are still alive.

South 2 has Barnegat and Manchester who will have a shot.

Non. Pub. 4 has RBC

Non. Pub. 3 has Mon Don if they can qualify with 4 wins(they have 2 now), Point Boro, Wall and Freehold await. They have to beat 2 of them.



More to follow in the next few weeks as the playoff picture becomes a little clearer.

Week 6 Top Ten:



1-Lacey(5-0)- It wasn't a very pretty win, but you know what they say; any win is a good win. Lacey's 28-7 win over previously unbeaten Barnegat(3-1) keeps them on top of the Shore Sports Network top ten. With the Bengals down 21-7 late in the 3rd quarter, Jarrod Molzon's picked off a Nick SanGiacomo pass and returned it 95 yards for a TD, which iced the victory, for the Lions. SanGiacomo left the game following that play, with a hip pointer injury, and the Bengals were done for the night. It was a good effort for the Bengals, however they just could not capitalize on 4 Lacey turnovers, as they suffered their first loss of the year. As a reward for the loss, they get to play the #2 team in my poll--Matawan(5-0) this coming week. Not an easy 2 weeks for the upstart Bengals, but after this week the schedule settles down, so I expect them to make a run at the South Jersey Group 2 State title. Lacey moves up in class and plays TR East(2-2), in a big quality point non-conference game for both teams.



2-Matawan(5-0)-The defense of both Long Branch and Matawan took the weekend off, as the Huskies won a close one,34-31. Playing without outstanding RB McArthur Underwood, who was out with a broken rib, Matawan built up a commanding lead, only to see the Green Wave come back to make it close. Miles Shuler, the outstanding QB from Long Branch ran for 129 yds. and threw for another 108, as he tried to lead the Wave back, with 3 fourth quarter TDs(2 in the air and one on the ground). It was too little, too late for Long Branch, as the Huskies continue undefeated. Up next is Barnegat in a non-conference tilt.



3-Brick Memorial(5-0)-The Mustangs put up 35 first half points and cruised to their 5th in a row against a Toms River South team that has been decimated with injuries and mistakes. Using 5 different players to score TDs, the Stangs churned out 282 yds. on offense(mostly in 1st half), and held South to just 134 total yds.(mostly in 2nd half). Pulling their starters in the second quarter and playing the entire second half with the "mercy" rule in effect, the Mustangs now set their sights on a visit to the "swamp" and Middletown South(4-1), this Friday night at 7PM. A big non-conference game, with many State power points on the line, the Stangs outstanding defense(1 TD given up in 5 games) will be tested by Andrew Suarez and the Eagle offense. This begins a stretch of difficult games for Brick Memorial, that includes Mid South, TR North, Manalapan and Howell, all top ten teams having outstanding seasons, as are Mustangs. A combined record of 15-4 for those teams will surely challenge the Stangs.



4-Manalapan(3-1)-The Braves(bye week) move to the 4th spot because RBC lost their first game of the year to Freehold Boro in OT, 26-25. Manalapan has been led by RB Josh Firkser and QB Mike Bimonte. Bimonte has verbally committed to Rutgers University and Firkser led the shore in rushing yds.(744) after 4 weeks. The Braves play a cross-over game vs. Old Bridge this week.



5-Middletown South(4-1)-The Eagles have put up back to back wins after losing to Mananapan 35-28 in week 2, for their only loss of the year. Andrew Suarez has become the primary RB and is beginning to ge comfortable in that roll. He ran for 103 yds. and scored 2 TDs as the Eagles cruised to a 42-19 win over Marlboro. Kyle Bunge and backup QB Howie Brey also played well for the Eagles as they led this one 35-14 at the half. This was one of those sandwich games for Mid South, as they had played Howell last week and play Brick Mem., this week. To look ahead would have been easy, but Head Coach Steve Antonucci has them playing as good as they have all year. It will be the battle of option football, this week, when the Mustangs invade the "swamp".



6-Howell(4-1)-Coming off a 38-14 loss to Mid South, last week, the Rebels came back with a vengeance and a 54-19 pasting of Middletown North(1-4). Ryan Davies threw for 8 TD passes, 5 of them to Mike Clark, as they scored early and often and took a 47-12 lead after 3 quarters. Clark, has become the primary target of Davies and the 2 have combined for 21 catches and 11 TDs in the first 5 games. Davies numbers are off the chart--94-127 for 1723 yds.(344/game), and 25 TD passes. Only Mid South has been able to somewhat slow him up, and he still threw for 349 yds. in that loss. The Rebels have a big cross-over game vs. East Brunswick(3-1), the defending Central Group 4 champions. This game is a possible preview for Howell, Manalapan and Brick Memorial, all of which should make the field in CJ 4 this year. Of course Howell will also play at Manalapan(week 7) and Brick Memorial(week 9), before the playoff cutoff date. Big games for sure.



7-Freehold Boro(3-2)-The Colonials make the biggest of jumps into the top ten, with their thrilling 26-25 OT win over previously unbeaten RBC(3-1). Mike Hembling went from goat to hero as he kicked the extra point in OT to win it for freehold. Hembling had missed an extra point after a last min. TD in the 4th quarter which would have given Freehold the win in regulation. That's 3 wins in a row for the Colonials, who blocked a Ryan Spahr extra point after RBC had scored first in OT, to set up Hembling's game winner. freehold Boro opened the season with back to back losses to Matawan and Monmouth, but they have recovered to win 3 straight and get themselves back into the B-North race. Another tough one for them this week, as they travel to Long Branch(2-3, but very dangerous), on Friday night at 6PM.


8-RBC(3-1)-Tough one for the Caseys, as they drop a 26-25 OT thriller to Freehold Boro. A missed extra point in OT did the Caseys in, as they outgained the Colonials(364 yds. to 245 yds.), but came out on the losing end. A costly running into the kicker penalty at the 3:06 mark of the 4th quarter, gave the ball back to the Colonials, and they scored, but missed the extra point, to send it into OT. In OT, RBC scored first, missed the point, only to see Derrick Bender score from 22yards out and Mike Hembling kick the extra point to win it. RBC travels to Colts Neck for a Sat. afternoon game this week.



9-TR North(4-1)- It wasn't easy for the Mariners, but they pulled out a hard fought 14-6 win over the 1-4 Cougers of Colts Neck. QB/CB Demitri Davis iced it with his second interception of the game, which came on a third down call, from the North 1 yard line, with little time left. Davis, who is getting better each week, also ran for 133 of his 159 rushing yards in the second half to lead the Mariners on offense. Davis scored both of the Mariner TDs in the 2nd half to win it and give the Mariners their 4th straight win. Up next for North is a trip to Southern Reg. next Friday night, which is our game of the week. 2 weeks ahead is a trip to Brick Mem, which very well may decide the A-South championship.



10-Manasquan(4-1)-A hard fough 7-6 win over previously unbeaten Shore Reg.(3-1), get the Warriors into the top ten for the first time this year. A blocked extra point in the first quarter and a missed field goal, from 32 yards in the 4th quarter, did the Blue Devils in, as they could not survive and they pick up their first loss of the year. Manasquan, playing without their leading rusher in Tariq Turner(injured in 1st quarter), for 3 quarters, just couldn't put together any offense, but came away with the win anyway. Turner ran for 300 yards last week vs. Metuchen, and was on his way to another big night, with 93 yards rushing in the 1st quarter, and then the injury(ankle), occurred. Manasquan controlled the ball for most of the 1st half, after Shore scored on their first possession. Shore ran the ball only 4 times in the last 16 minutes of the 1st half. Next up for Squan is a bye week, before Jackson Liberty comes calling on Oct 23rd.



Just outside looking in:



Shore(3-1) Good enough to be in top ten, but no room.



Keyport(4-1) They are rolling now.



Barnegat(3-1) After seeing them live, they are the real deal.



Asbury Park(4-1) Nice recovery after their first loss.



TR East(2-2) The Raiders will be heard from before this season ends.



Neptune(2-2) A dangerous 2-2 team.