Scanning the High School football scene with Ed Sarluca: Final edition.
The 2009 season concluded with 4 championship games, held at 2 sites over the weekend. The loudest roar heard around the shore came on Friday night, from Matawan, with their 28-12 pounding of Manasquan which resulted in a Central Jersey Group 2 championship. The Huskies, who had not won one since 1992, came up big on the biggest of stages. QB Jared Allison was at his best, as he led the Huskies on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. All Allison did was throw for 152 yards and 1 TD, run for 69 yards with a TD, and intercept 2 passes on “D”. Good enough to be voted our “player of the game” and take home the hardware that goes with it. Manasquan, looking for championship #12, never got into the flow of the game, despite 9 penalties by Matawan, which kept the “Warriors” in the game in the 1st half. They were devastated by injuries to key players which hurt their chance at any comeback in the 2nd half. QB C.J Davis went down with a hip pointer in the 1st half and never returned, 2 way demon, Dan Sullivan, went down with a concussion early in 2nd half and never returned and numerous other minor injuries hampered the “Big Blue” all night. With that said, take nothing away from Matawan, which by far, was the better team and deserved to win their championship. They had 350 yards of offense to control the game and win their 5th State title, and 4th under current head coach, Joe Martucci. With the seconds winding down at TCNJ, where the game was played, Matucci’s eyes began to tear, as one assistant coach after another hugged the head man to congratulate him on completion of a mission which began in early summer. Joe has been at it a long time and this victory comes after many years of frustration for him and his teams over the years and no one deserves this trophy more than him. Congratulations to the Huskie’s for getting the job done in 2009 and completing what was a dream season, and to all shore conference opponents; Juniors Jared Allison, RB MacArthur Underwood, RB Keith Beaty, DB Joe Urciuoli, OL John Faccas, among others, all return in 2010.
The biggest surprise of the weekend came on Saturday morning, also at TCNJ, when little known Monroe(11-1) won their first State Championship, as they pounded previously #1 Middletown South 30-10. Outstanding RB Blake Bascom ran for 201 yards and scored 3 times to lead the Falcons to the easy victory. Bascom, who surpassed 100 yards late in the 2nd quarter, ran at will against the best defense the shore had to offer. Remember this was a defense that had only given up 431 yards total on the ground and had yielded only 45 points all year. So dominate, on both sides of the ball, were the Falcons, that the Eagles(11-1) were held to -30 yards in the 2nd half and totaled only 110 yards on the day. 80 of those yards came on 1 drive on their second possession of the morning, but that was it, as QB Scott Meeker was consistently harassed. The Eagles fumbled 6 times losing 2 of them, including 1 on their own ½ yard line, creating a Falcon TD which ended the scoring and also snapped a ball over the punters head which caused a safety. All phases of their game came apart in the 2nd half and as Head Coach Steve Antonucci said following the game-“I think they played with a chip on their shoulder, to be honest with you. Everybody kept saying how good we were and forgot to mention how good they are. Any time you come in here playing defense like we did through-out the year, to give up 30 points in one game, it says a lot about (Monroe). It is unfortunate that it had to end this way”. This team had a great year and should not be judged by this one game. Year in and year out they are among the best in the state and 1 loss will not hurt a program of their stature.
If I said give me the teams in the shore, that have won 3 State Championships in a row—you would list Brick(1981-83), Manasquan(1998-2001) and Middletown South(2003-06). Well add another to that list! Asbury Park became the 4th team in shore conference history to 3-peat, as they won the CJ Group 1 title for the 3rd year in a row. They demolished Highland Park 44-6 at Kean University on Sat. Morning. QB Jamar Small had a career day on defense for the “Blue Bishops”, as he intercepted 3 passes, returning 1 for a 90 yard TD, to close out the rout. He also threw for a TD on offense. Despite a combined 19 penalties being called for 138 yards, it was Asbury’s day from the beginning. Playing against one of the top RBs in the state, Nate Smith, they used a suffocating defense which held him to 108 yards and forced the Owls to put Smith at QB to try and win the game. That move didn’t have the success they had hoped for, as Smith was intercepted 2 times and the chant of “dynasty” began in the Bishop stands. Outstanding RB George Stephens began the second half by returning the kick 98 yards and a TD and the rout was. Stephens has been the leader of the Bishops on the field during this recent run of championships, and he must receive a lot of credit for what they have done. The other main component has been head coach Don Sofilkanich, who came here in 2007 and put together three, 11-1 seasons. Not bad for a coach who commutes back and forth from his teaching job at New Brunswick High School. While the word dynasty should not be used to often, I think it’s justified here. With the Pop-Warner coaches in Asbury Park continuing to turn out championship teams, this is another program that is in good shape for the future. Congrats to Coach Sofilkanich and his accomplishments at Asbury Park.
In the final game of the 2009 season, the “Stangs” of Brick Memorial could not survive the driving snowstorm that hit TCNJ at 3PM and fell to the Bears of East Brunswick 9-0. The Memorial finesse flexbone offense could not get going and the weather only made it that much harder to move the ball. Take nothing away from East Brunswick, who won their second State Championship, as they controlled the Mustangs from the second quarter on. The Stangs had 3 chances inside the Red zone of EB, but came away empty on all 3 possessions, and then the snow, wind, and frozen field turf took over and limited both offenses for the remainder of the game. The second half became a matter of survival as the driving storm only got worse and an East Brunswick TD “iced” the game as they fought off Memorial’s threats to win it and send their fans home in a happy mood. Memorial finishes their season at 7-5 and with their QB, Mike DiGuilmi back for his senior year, the Stangs will be in capable hands next year. The Memorial program, under Fred Sprengel and now Walt Currie, has made it to 4 finals in the last 7 years and show no signs of letting up.
The final Shore Sports Network Top Ten:
1-Matawan(11-1) A dream season ends with a CJ 2 championship, as they handled Manasquan 28-12. With Jared Allison, MacArthur Underwood back for the Huskies, it should not be 17 years between championships again.
2-Toms River East(10-1) Why not the Raiders in this spot? Only loss was to SJ 4 finalist Egg Harbor, who lost to Cherokee 14-0 in finals. Still waiting for the “big” trophy, but a solid season was topped off with a victory over tough TR North.
3-Asbury Park(11-1) 3 consecutive CJ 1 championships and the word “dynasty” has surfaced for the Blue and Black Bishops. Demolished Highland Park 44-6 on Sat. at Kean Univ.
4-Middletown South(11-1) Couldn’t finish the job, as they were humbled by Monroe. The “D” had no answer for RB Blake Bascom as he rushed for 200 yards and 3 TDs.
5-Howell(9-2) Just think if Howell would have made the finals at TCNJ on Sat. and faced the snowstorm with their spread offense. That would have been interesting! Anyway, a great season for Jimmy Ryan and the guys, culminated with an American Division Championship.
6-Toms River North(7-3) Lost to Howell, TR East and Williamstown, that’s a 29-4 cumulative record. QB Demitry Davis is back to give A-South teams fits next year.
7-Brick Memorial(7-5) Not a good indication of what might have been in finals, but both teams were playing in same conditions. Mike DiGuili returns next year to lead flexbone attack.
8-Lacey(8-3) Began season 0-2, and then won 7 straight before losing to Timber Creek in semi-finals of SJ 3. Return all of their skill backs and will be a pre-season top 5 team.
9-Wall(8-2) Beat Manasquan on Turkey Day to finish one spot ahead of them in final poll. Many players back in 2010 and the Knights will be a major player.
10-Manasquan(9-3) Finished with 2 consecutive losses to Wall and Matawan. Injuries hit them hard in finals and they never recovered.
Just missed:
Raritan(8-3) Opponents will be happy to say good-bye to Bennett Jackson and Jessie Raymond!
Ocean(8-3) Losses to Matawan, Monroe and RBC. Solid season for “Big Red”
Rumson(9-2) Solid program, couldn’t finish Manasquan off when they had them beat.
RBC(6-4) Had some big wins(Matawan), but some bad losses(Manchester).
Well, I hope you enjoyed my comments through-out the year. As always, my comments are my opinions, and should be taken that way. As an ex-coach, I know how hard staffs and players work and I only hope the many fans who watch them play, realize the dedication they have. Happy holidays to all. See you next year.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Weekend Of 11/28 + 11/29
Scanning the High School football scene with Ed Sarluca:
Championship Week: With 5 teams still vying for State Championships, which will be held on Friday night and Saturday afternoon, 38 teams in the shore conference have put the equipment away for the year. I will sum up the 2009 season with a wrap of some of those teams and a look at the 4 games this week that will determine our possible champs.
First let’s look at the championship games:
Friday night will find Manasquan and Matawan hooking up in the CJ Group 2 championship. This has all the makings of a classic. Matawan(10-1) comes in as the #2 team in the shore looking for their 5th title, but first since 1992. Yes it has been a long time since the “Huskies” have been in this situation, but they certainly have the players to get the job done. QB Jarrod Allison, although only a junior, has shown he is the leader of this team. His athletic ability, his poise under fire, and his determination to lead the Huskies to the top has been evident all year. He is ably supported by RB McArthur Underwood, who is a threat to go the distance any time he touches the football. This is an offense that has averaged 33 ½ point a game, and the scary part is; both of the above are both juniors, and will be back next year. Although offense excites the fans, it’s the defense that has impressed me. It is led by defensive coord. and long time assistant coach, Sam Turner. They have playmakers on that side of the ball also. LB Dave Incle, DB Johnny Short, DL Malik Gumbs, and DL Tom Cleary have produced all year and lead a defense that has given up only 10 points a game. They will have to be at their best on Friday night as they face a team in Manasquan that will be looking for a 12th championship, which leads all shore conf. teams in trophies won. The “Big Blue Warriors”(9-2) were knocked off on Turkey Day by rival Wall Twp. by a 31-28 score, but one must look past this game, as it’s always tough to play a game before a championship game. That’s the way they do it in New Jersey, which has been discussed before. My disagreement with the playoff system will have little to do with the outcome of this game, as Squan will have no ill-effects of that loss, when they take the field on Friday at TCNJ at 7PM. Manasquan is led by QB C.J. Davis and the passing attack that they have developed over the course of 2009. He has 3 outstanding big-time receivers in 6’4” Neal Sterling, 6’3” Ryland McTighe, and 6’2” Ryan Casey. All 3 can go up and catch the ball and are dangerous from anywhere on the field. The ground game is led by Zack Ogden, James Stovall and lately, Dan Sullivan. Stovall has been nursing an injury and has not played the last 2 weeks and his return is key to the ground game. Remember, this is a group of runners, which wasn’t counted on at the beginning of the season. They had returning RB Lorenzo Venable (1500 yard and 17 TDs); set to lead the running attack, but Venable quit the team before game 1. When something like that occurs on a team, they can go one of two ways; pack in the season or move on. Well the answer was easy for the above group, as they have not skipped a beat on the ground, and have more than carried the load. Assit. Coach Rich Reed has coordinated the offense to the tune of 24 points per game, while the defense gives up 11pts./game. This is a game which is very close to call. This is the big stage and Manasquan has been here so many times, while Matawan makes infrequent trips to the finals. If Matawan, who at times makes mistakes, can limit those miscues, they will win it, because of their game breaking potential. Do not give Manasquan multiple chances to score, as they will take advantage and run from there. Who has the best defense? I think I’ll go with Matawan, in a very close ball game. We will broadcast this contest on Friday night at 7PM on the Shore Sports Network of 1160am or 1310am or ShoreSportsNetwork.com.
Saturday will have 3 games, all in Central Jersey:
CJ Group 4 has Brick Memorial(7-4) looking for back to back championships against a team in East Brunswick(7-4) that they have already beaten this year, back in week 8, by a 37-34 score. Throw that game out, because it doesn’t mean anything now. The “Mustangs” have found the magic to win in the playoffs this year, as they did last year. They have beaten an undefeated Hunterdon Central team in the first round(21-17), avenged an early season loss to Howell in the semi-finals(31-28) and are playing at a very high level at the right time of the year. Junior QB Mike DiGuilmi has replaced graduated Brian Staub, and has directed the flexbone attack without missing a beat. He is joined in the backfield by 1000yard RB Vinnie Sabba, and Glenn McGinnis. Offensive line coach Bob Merola must get some credit with the much improved line play which has opened the holes for this option attack. With a few underclassmen on that line, and DiGuilmi returning in 2010, it looks like the “Stangs” will continue to be a program that wins. The Mustangs will be looking for their 3rd championship in the last 7 years. The Bears from East Brunswick will provide a formable opponent, as the Marcus Borden led team will go to school after the week 8 loss. Look for a shootout here, with Brick Memorial winning and celebrating their 2nd consecutive championship. This game will also be broadcast from TCNJ on the shore sports network of stations,(1160am or 1310am) or ShoreSportsNetwork.com for fans outside listening area, at 3PM Saturday afternoon.
Middletown South(11-0) looks to win their 10th championship as the travel to TCNJ for an 11am game vs. a very good Monroe team. The story of this one is easy; the shore’s best defense against the offensive minded Monroe Falcons. The Falcons come in at 10-1, scoring 31 ½ points a game. Ironically, their only loss was in week 2 against the above East Brunswick team by a 23-21 score, so they are 2 points from being undefeated. This is a classic match-up of great defense vs. great offense, and you know what they say; offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships! That’s why the Eagles will win their 10th on the strength of a defense that has given up only 45 points on the year, that’s 4pts./game. LB Sean Campbell, DL Nick Bricker, and LB Matt Saulnier lead a suffocating “D” that does not allow you to breathe, let alone score. Although the defense gets the headlines, the offense has done enough to get the Eagles to the championship. Junior QB Scott Meeker has replaced graduated Ryan Mullan and led an offense that also has RB Kyle Bunge to hand the ball to. The loss of Junior playmaker Andrew Suarez to a knee injury early in the year, has allowed others to step up and carry the load. The Eagles score just under 30 pts/game, so they are capable on both sides of the ball. This is a 2 TD game and the Eagles will be celebrating as the Mustangs take the field for their game.
Asbury Park(10-1) looks to make it 3 in a row in CJ Group 1. Led by RB George Stephens, the Bishops will not have an easy time, as they play a pretty good Highland Park(8-3) team for the second time this year. This game will take place at Kean University at 11am on Saturday morning. The Bishops beat Highland Park 20-12, in week 8, as the Owls ran the ball for 274 yards, but game up short, and they must stop Division 1 RB, Nate Smith. This will not be an easy task for the Bishop defense as Smith is very dangerous anywhere on the field. One thing to look at in this contest is the 3 losses that the Owls have. One was to Asbury Park, one was to Keyport(7-3) and the 3rd was to Monmouth Reg.(4-6). All 3 losses have come against shore conf. teams. That doesn’t bode well for the Owls. Look for Asbury to turn up the “D” on Smith and although they may not contain him on every play, they will do enough to win their 3rd straight and we can start using the word ‘dynasty” when we talk about Asbury Park.
There you have a short capsule look at the 4 championship games. Good luck to all 5 teams as they carry the well wishes of all teams in the shore as they represent the best of 2009.
Odds and ends of Turkey Day weekend:
Wall, upsetting Manasquan, 31-28 before 6000 fans on a beautiful Thanksgiving morning. This is the best argument to continue Thanksgiving Day football. Wall finishes 8-2 and makes my top ten and is surely a team of the future.
Toms River East(10-1) beat Toms River North 14-7 on Friday night in front of a huge crowd at East. Nico Steriti finishes his career as the best player in the shore in 2009. A TD pass from Sr. Charlie Diskin to Junior Vinnie Arminio early in the 4th quarter, was the game winner. No State championship for East, but a great season, in which they tied a school record with 10 wins.
Lacey(8-3) playing Central for the last time on Turkey Day(29-13) completes a great year and returns Cicardo, Molzon and Dabel in 2010. Enough to make them a pre-season top ten team.
Howell(9-2) gets a sluggish 20-9 win over Free. Twp. and wins the American Division championship and completes the career of the shores best QB Jimmy Ryan and Rec. Nick Adamo. The championship was their 2nd in 3 years. This program is feared by all teams that have to play them with their wide open spread offense that averaged 28pts/game.
Point Pleasant Boro(5-5), as I predicted, recovered from a 0-4 start to finish .500 on the year. With many underclassmen back, look out for the Panthers in 2010.
Ocean(8-3) completed a very good season with a 34-14 win over Monmouth Reg. Coach Don Klein has a couple of fine RBs, one of which is Greg Moore to go into 2010 with.
Brick Memorial took care of cross-town rival Brick, 34-21 on Friday night as Vinnie Sabba ran for 205 yards and 3 TDs. This was memorable because it was the first Turkey Day when retired Warren Wolf was not on the sidelines.
Raritan(8-3) will graduate 2 of the best players in the shore in Rec./DB Bennett Jackson(Notre Dame) and RB Jessie Raymond(Monmouth University). They brought excitement to shore fans whenever they played.
Mon Don(6-4) completed their season with an unlikely 6-3 win over Manchester. Not unlikely because they won, but because there were only field goals in the game. This concludes the outstanding senior year of QB Kevin Carter who ran the Griffin flexbone offense to perfection.
Bottom line of 2009:
20 teams finished with winning records.
8 teams finished with .500 records.
15 teams under .500 for the year.
2 winless teams in 2009.
Here’s my Top Ten before the playoff finals:
1-Middletown South(11-0) Have answered all comers and look to complete undefeated season with 10th championship title.
2-Matawan(10-1) The year of the Huskie can be completed with a CJ Group 2 title if they defeat Manasquan on Friday night.
3-Toms River East(10-1) Accomplished all goals but the big one, but none the less, they had an incredible season.
4-Manasquan(9-2) Caught looking ahead on Turkey Day? Maybe so, but they lost to a good football team in Wall. Look to win trophy # 12 on Friday night vs. Matawan.
5-Howell(9-2) The Jimmy Ryan career is over and boy was it a good one! Lost to Sayreville and Brick Memorial.
6-Toms River North(8-2) 2 losses have been to 10-1 East and 10-1 Williamstown. Enough said, it was solid season, but disappointing for this perennial playoff contender.
7-Brick Memorial(7-4) Looking for back to back titles in CJ Group 4. The Mustangs seem to play well when it counts. They have won 4 in a row and averaged 31pts./game. The offense is rolling and the defense has played better of late. They will be a tough out in finals.
8-Asbury Park(10-1) Only loss was to Rumson by 26-18 score. Look for 3rd straight in CJ 1.
9-Lacey(8-3) Solid year and all the key players are back. Top Ten preseason team in 2010.
10-Wall(8-2) The best team in shore that did not make the playoffs. I promised Chris Barnes, in my post game interview, that they would find a spot in my top 10. Well here they are; with Soph. QB Steve Cluley calmly going 9-9 for 152 yards, they beat playoff finalist Manasquan 31-28 before 6000 fans on Thanksgiving morning. With many other underclassmen dotting the roster, watch out for the Knights in 2010.
Just outside looking in: Raritan(8-3) RBC(6-4) Ocean(8-3)Neptune(7-4) Long Branch(7-3) Rumson(9-2) Keyport(7-3)
Join us Thursday night at Boston’s in Toms River at 6pm as we will preview the 4 State games and talk high school football. For 2 hours. Also catch us on the radio or on line as we broadcast two championship games on Friday night(7pm) and Saturday afternoon(3pm). 1160am or 1310am on the radio or on line at shoresportsnetwork.com. will handle the games
Championship Week: With 5 teams still vying for State Championships, which will be held on Friday night and Saturday afternoon, 38 teams in the shore conference have put the equipment away for the year. I will sum up the 2009 season with a wrap of some of those teams and a look at the 4 games this week that will determine our possible champs.
First let’s look at the championship games:
Friday night will find Manasquan and Matawan hooking up in the CJ Group 2 championship. This has all the makings of a classic. Matawan(10-1) comes in as the #2 team in the shore looking for their 5th title, but first since 1992. Yes it has been a long time since the “Huskies” have been in this situation, but they certainly have the players to get the job done. QB Jarrod Allison, although only a junior, has shown he is the leader of this team. His athletic ability, his poise under fire, and his determination to lead the Huskies to the top has been evident all year. He is ably supported by RB McArthur Underwood, who is a threat to go the distance any time he touches the football. This is an offense that has averaged 33 ½ point a game, and the scary part is; both of the above are both juniors, and will be back next year. Although offense excites the fans, it’s the defense that has impressed me. It is led by defensive coord. and long time assistant coach, Sam Turner. They have playmakers on that side of the ball also. LB Dave Incle, DB Johnny Short, DL Malik Gumbs, and DL Tom Cleary have produced all year and lead a defense that has given up only 10 points a game. They will have to be at their best on Friday night as they face a team in Manasquan that will be looking for a 12th championship, which leads all shore conf. teams in trophies won. The “Big Blue Warriors”(9-2) were knocked off on Turkey Day by rival Wall Twp. by a 31-28 score, but one must look past this game, as it’s always tough to play a game before a championship game. That’s the way they do it in New Jersey, which has been discussed before. My disagreement with the playoff system will have little to do with the outcome of this game, as Squan will have no ill-effects of that loss, when they take the field on Friday at TCNJ at 7PM. Manasquan is led by QB C.J. Davis and the passing attack that they have developed over the course of 2009. He has 3 outstanding big-time receivers in 6’4” Neal Sterling, 6’3” Ryland McTighe, and 6’2” Ryan Casey. All 3 can go up and catch the ball and are dangerous from anywhere on the field. The ground game is led by Zack Ogden, James Stovall and lately, Dan Sullivan. Stovall has been nursing an injury and has not played the last 2 weeks and his return is key to the ground game. Remember, this is a group of runners, which wasn’t counted on at the beginning of the season. They had returning RB Lorenzo Venable (1500 yard and 17 TDs); set to lead the running attack, but Venable quit the team before game 1. When something like that occurs on a team, they can go one of two ways; pack in the season or move on. Well the answer was easy for the above group, as they have not skipped a beat on the ground, and have more than carried the load. Assit. Coach Rich Reed has coordinated the offense to the tune of 24 points per game, while the defense gives up 11pts./game. This is a game which is very close to call. This is the big stage and Manasquan has been here so many times, while Matawan makes infrequent trips to the finals. If Matawan, who at times makes mistakes, can limit those miscues, they will win it, because of their game breaking potential. Do not give Manasquan multiple chances to score, as they will take advantage and run from there. Who has the best defense? I think I’ll go with Matawan, in a very close ball game. We will broadcast this contest on Friday night at 7PM on the Shore Sports Network of 1160am or 1310am or ShoreSportsNetwork.com.
Saturday will have 3 games, all in Central Jersey:
CJ Group 4 has Brick Memorial(7-4) looking for back to back championships against a team in East Brunswick(7-4) that they have already beaten this year, back in week 8, by a 37-34 score. Throw that game out, because it doesn’t mean anything now. The “Mustangs” have found the magic to win in the playoffs this year, as they did last year. They have beaten an undefeated Hunterdon Central team in the first round(21-17), avenged an early season loss to Howell in the semi-finals(31-28) and are playing at a very high level at the right time of the year. Junior QB Mike DiGuilmi has replaced graduated Brian Staub, and has directed the flexbone attack without missing a beat. He is joined in the backfield by 1000yard RB Vinnie Sabba, and Glenn McGinnis. Offensive line coach Bob Merola must get some credit with the much improved line play which has opened the holes for this option attack. With a few underclassmen on that line, and DiGuilmi returning in 2010, it looks like the “Stangs” will continue to be a program that wins. The Mustangs will be looking for their 3rd championship in the last 7 years. The Bears from East Brunswick will provide a formable opponent, as the Marcus Borden led team will go to school after the week 8 loss. Look for a shootout here, with Brick Memorial winning and celebrating their 2nd consecutive championship. This game will also be broadcast from TCNJ on the shore sports network of stations,(1160am or 1310am) or ShoreSportsNetwork.com for fans outside listening area, at 3PM Saturday afternoon.
Middletown South(11-0) looks to win their 10th championship as the travel to TCNJ for an 11am game vs. a very good Monroe team. The story of this one is easy; the shore’s best defense against the offensive minded Monroe Falcons. The Falcons come in at 10-1, scoring 31 ½ points a game. Ironically, their only loss was in week 2 against the above East Brunswick team by a 23-21 score, so they are 2 points from being undefeated. This is a classic match-up of great defense vs. great offense, and you know what they say; offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships! That’s why the Eagles will win their 10th on the strength of a defense that has given up only 45 points on the year, that’s 4pts./game. LB Sean Campbell, DL Nick Bricker, and LB Matt Saulnier lead a suffocating “D” that does not allow you to breathe, let alone score. Although the defense gets the headlines, the offense has done enough to get the Eagles to the championship. Junior QB Scott Meeker has replaced graduated Ryan Mullan and led an offense that also has RB Kyle Bunge to hand the ball to. The loss of Junior playmaker Andrew Suarez to a knee injury early in the year, has allowed others to step up and carry the load. The Eagles score just under 30 pts/game, so they are capable on both sides of the ball. This is a 2 TD game and the Eagles will be celebrating as the Mustangs take the field for their game.
Asbury Park(10-1) looks to make it 3 in a row in CJ Group 1. Led by RB George Stephens, the Bishops will not have an easy time, as they play a pretty good Highland Park(8-3) team for the second time this year. This game will take place at Kean University at 11am on Saturday morning. The Bishops beat Highland Park 20-12, in week 8, as the Owls ran the ball for 274 yards, but game up short, and they must stop Division 1 RB, Nate Smith. This will not be an easy task for the Bishop defense as Smith is very dangerous anywhere on the field. One thing to look at in this contest is the 3 losses that the Owls have. One was to Asbury Park, one was to Keyport(7-3) and the 3rd was to Monmouth Reg.(4-6). All 3 losses have come against shore conf. teams. That doesn’t bode well for the Owls. Look for Asbury to turn up the “D” on Smith and although they may not contain him on every play, they will do enough to win their 3rd straight and we can start using the word ‘dynasty” when we talk about Asbury Park.
There you have a short capsule look at the 4 championship games. Good luck to all 5 teams as they carry the well wishes of all teams in the shore as they represent the best of 2009.
Odds and ends of Turkey Day weekend:
Wall, upsetting Manasquan, 31-28 before 6000 fans on a beautiful Thanksgiving morning. This is the best argument to continue Thanksgiving Day football. Wall finishes 8-2 and makes my top ten and is surely a team of the future.
Toms River East(10-1) beat Toms River North 14-7 on Friday night in front of a huge crowd at East. Nico Steriti finishes his career as the best player in the shore in 2009. A TD pass from Sr. Charlie Diskin to Junior Vinnie Arminio early in the 4th quarter, was the game winner. No State championship for East, but a great season, in which they tied a school record with 10 wins.
Lacey(8-3) playing Central for the last time on Turkey Day(29-13) completes a great year and returns Cicardo, Molzon and Dabel in 2010. Enough to make them a pre-season top ten team.
Howell(9-2) gets a sluggish 20-9 win over Free. Twp. and wins the American Division championship and completes the career of the shores best QB Jimmy Ryan and Rec. Nick Adamo. The championship was their 2nd in 3 years. This program is feared by all teams that have to play them with their wide open spread offense that averaged 28pts/game.
Point Pleasant Boro(5-5), as I predicted, recovered from a 0-4 start to finish .500 on the year. With many underclassmen back, look out for the Panthers in 2010.
Ocean(8-3) completed a very good season with a 34-14 win over Monmouth Reg. Coach Don Klein has a couple of fine RBs, one of which is Greg Moore to go into 2010 with.
Brick Memorial took care of cross-town rival Brick, 34-21 on Friday night as Vinnie Sabba ran for 205 yards and 3 TDs. This was memorable because it was the first Turkey Day when retired Warren Wolf was not on the sidelines.
Raritan(8-3) will graduate 2 of the best players in the shore in Rec./DB Bennett Jackson(Notre Dame) and RB Jessie Raymond(Monmouth University). They brought excitement to shore fans whenever they played.
Mon Don(6-4) completed their season with an unlikely 6-3 win over Manchester. Not unlikely because they won, but because there were only field goals in the game. This concludes the outstanding senior year of QB Kevin Carter who ran the Griffin flexbone offense to perfection.
Bottom line of 2009:
20 teams finished with winning records.
8 teams finished with .500 records.
15 teams under .500 for the year.
2 winless teams in 2009.
Here’s my Top Ten before the playoff finals:
1-Middletown South(11-0) Have answered all comers and look to complete undefeated season with 10th championship title.
2-Matawan(10-1) The year of the Huskie can be completed with a CJ Group 2 title if they defeat Manasquan on Friday night.
3-Toms River East(10-1) Accomplished all goals but the big one, but none the less, they had an incredible season.
4-Manasquan(9-2) Caught looking ahead on Turkey Day? Maybe so, but they lost to a good football team in Wall. Look to win trophy # 12 on Friday night vs. Matawan.
5-Howell(9-2) The Jimmy Ryan career is over and boy was it a good one! Lost to Sayreville and Brick Memorial.
6-Toms River North(8-2) 2 losses have been to 10-1 East and 10-1 Williamstown. Enough said, it was solid season, but disappointing for this perennial playoff contender.
7-Brick Memorial(7-4) Looking for back to back titles in CJ Group 4. The Mustangs seem to play well when it counts. They have won 4 in a row and averaged 31pts./game. The offense is rolling and the defense has played better of late. They will be a tough out in finals.
8-Asbury Park(10-1) Only loss was to Rumson by 26-18 score. Look for 3rd straight in CJ 1.
9-Lacey(8-3) Solid year and all the key players are back. Top Ten preseason team in 2010.
10-Wall(8-2) The best team in shore that did not make the playoffs. I promised Chris Barnes, in my post game interview, that they would find a spot in my top 10. Well here they are; with Soph. QB Steve Cluley calmly going 9-9 for 152 yards, they beat playoff finalist Manasquan 31-28 before 6000 fans on Thanksgiving morning. With many other underclassmen dotting the roster, watch out for the Knights in 2010.
Just outside looking in: Raritan(8-3) RBC(6-4) Ocean(8-3)Neptune(7-4) Long Branch(7-3) Rumson(9-2) Keyport(7-3)
Join us Thursday night at Boston’s in Toms River at 6pm as we will preview the 4 State games and talk high school football. For 2 hours. Also catch us on the radio or on line as we broadcast two championship games on Friday night(7pm) and Saturday afternoon(3pm). 1160am or 1310am on the radio or on line at shoresportsnetwork.com. will handle the games
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Weekend of 11/20 + 11/21
Scanning The Scene With Ed Sarluca
We are now in week 11 of Jersey Shore football and the semi-finals of the playoffs are in the books. While 5 teams are still alive to play for a State Championship, 7 teams took a major hit and now must look to Thanksgiving as their last game of the 2009 season. Here is what happened in a wild week of playoff football:
In 2 of the most exciting games you will ever see, Manasquan scores 2 TDs in the last 1:24, on the road, at Rumson to win and advance, 23-11. In the other unbelievable ending, Brick Memorial came back from 28-7, to score 24 unanswered points in the 4th quarter, to stun Howell, 31-28. Let’s break these 2 down.
Manasquan(9-1) had a lead of 9-2, until Rumson(9-1) took the lead with 1:30 left on the clock, 11-9. That’s when the fireworks began. First was a kickoff that Squan’s Zack Ogden fielded on his 5 and went down from a tremendous hit on the Squan 24 yard line. The hit was so dynamic, it knocked Ogden out of the game, as he was carried off the field. With the trainer working on Ogden on the sidelines, QB C.J. Davis hit Ryland McTighe for 28 yards and the “Big Blue” had the ball on the “Bulldog” 48 yard line. 2 plays later, Ogden trotted back onto the field and into the Squan huddle, Davis rolled right and hit a streaking Ogden on the left sideline for a 39 yard gain, and Manasquan had the ball on the 9 yard line. RB Dan Sullivan took care of the rest, with a 9 yard TD carry, and Squan re-took the lead, after just 35 ticks had come off the clock. Corner-back Neal Sterling sealed it with 38 yard pick six and Manasquan had themselves a 23-11 victory, and a chance to play for their 12th State Championship on Dec. 4th at 7PM, on the campus of TCNJ. If you don’t believe what I just told you, you can listen to the calls on the shoresportsnetwork.com, since it was our game of the week.
In the other stunner, Brick Memorial ran 80 plays from scrimmage to Howells 34, they amassed 342 yards on offense to Howell’s 253(including just 7 yards rushing), had 23 first downs to 11 for Howell and scored 24 points in the 4th quarter to stun the Rebels 31-28. This game came down to 1 key play which turned the whole game around. It occurred at the 10:52 mark of the 4th quarter, when a host of Memorial tacklers trapped QB Jimmy Ryan in his own end-zone, for a safety, to make the score 28-16. Howell was never the same after the safety, as Memorial’s Jihaad Howard, ran the ensuing kickoff back 51 yards and 2:26 ticks later, Glenn McGinnis scored to make it 28-23 and Howell was in trouble. Memorial got the ball back with 5:55 left and used all but 8.6 seconds, to score the game winner on a Mike DiGuilmi to Glenn McGinnis TD pass. With Howell trying numerous laterals and backward passes the game finally ended on their own 30yard line, which set off a raucous celebration in the center of the Rebel field. Brick Memorial will try to make it back to back championships in CJ Group 4, as they now play for their 3rd State Championship in the last 7 years.
While these 2 games certainly provided their fans enough excitement to last till, well, to at least Thanksgiving Day, Matawan took care of business early and often and demolished a pretty good Raritan team, 46-7. QB Jarrod Allison and McArthur Underwood proved why they are 2 of the most exciting players in the shore. Underwood ran for 3 TDs in the 1st half, on runs of 5, 15 and 80 and Allison ran for 2TDs and threw for 1 as the Huskies ran for 346 total yards, and held Raritan to only 57 on the ground. Matawan will now try to crack the team with the most championships in the trophy case, Manasquan. This has all the makings of a classic. The methodical, disciplined, controlled offense of Manasquan, vs. the game breaking capabilities of Matawan. Who possesses the best defense, just might decide this one. The Huskies have given up 117 points to Manasquan’s 93. Pretty even there, while Matawan has scored 95 more points on offense, edge to Matawan. Too bad numbers don’t win football games. My pick, you’ll have wait till next week, after Turkey Day games. Manasquan will visit 7-2 Wall, while Matawan will visit S J Vianney. These are obviously trap games for both schools, as their opponents may catch the state final participants looking down the road. Coaches beware; it could be your toughest job of the year.
Asbury Park(9-1) will play for their 3rd CJ Group 1 championship in a row. Quite impressive for a school that wasn’t even on the map, 4 years ago. Asbury Park’s head coach Don Sofilkanich, has done a tremendous job since he has been at Asbury. They have bought into his guidance and leadership and they have moved to the highest level of respect in the shore. RB/S George Stephens continues to impress, and will try to end his career with those 3 championships. He is the leader of the Bishops on the field, and makes them go. Discipline, desire and dedication are 3 words that can best describe Mr. Stephens. I’ll make this call right now. Make some room in the trophy case!
Middletown South(10-0) remains as the only unbeaten team in the shore. They beat Neptune for the 2nd time this year and look to claim their 10th championship in their storied history. With a dominating defense led by LB Sean Campbell, the Eagles have not allowed more than 1 TD in any game this year. They scored all 17 points in the first half and held off Neptune(7-3), 17-6. RB Kyle Bunge and QB Scott Meeker lead an offense that has scored 292 points on the year, that’s almost 30/game. So when people say they are all about defense, look at the offense and you’ll see why they are undefeated. They draw a different opponent this year, in the finals, with Monroe’s win over Ocean by a 31-20 score. Monroe is 9-1 so far this season, and is very capable on offense. Guess what? The Falcons better live in the film room and break down the Eagle defense, or it will be a long afternoon on Dec. 5th.
Those are the 4 teams left from the shore. They carry the best wishes from the other 39 teams who will put the equipment away after this week’s Thanksgiving Day games. Let’s look at some of the tough luck losers this week.
Of all the disappointments over the weekend, none were bigger than the 41-30 loss by Toms River East against Egg Harbor Twp. This was to be the year the Raiders(9-1) got the monkey off their back and win that elusive first championship in school history. They have the best player in the shore(in my opinion), in Nico Steriti, they had a senior led team that came in 9-0 and was playing at a very high level, they had a Constitution Division title already in the bag, Mario Steriti ran the opening kick-off back 76 yards for a TD and they were off and running, they had a lead in the 4th quarter after brother Nico led the Raiders from the “wildcat” formation, to a TD with 9:35 left in the contest, but it just wasn’t meant to be, as the next 13 seconds will be forever on the minds of T R East. Egg Harbor(10-0) returned the kickoff 80 yards for a TD and the Eagles regained the lead 34-30, a lead they would never lose. East would have 1 more chance as they held and forced a punt in the middle of the 4th quarter, but Egg Harbor used a fake punt to pick up a first down and a few minutes later scored from 1yard out for the clinching TD and the 41-30 win. A win that advances them to the SJ Group 4 championship against top seeded Cherokee(10-0). The Raiders must regroup quickly as a good football team and cross-town rival T R North(8-2) awaits on Friday night. Will this loss in the semi’s define T R East’s season? I don’t think so; this is an outstanding program, run very well by Charlie Diskin and his staff. There will be other chances down the road to win that title, but the sting of this loss will hurt for a while. It just wasn’t meant to be in 2009, but you have nothing to be ashamed of. It has been a great season and another lesson has been learned, which will help future Raider players, as this program is on solid ground.
Lacey(7-3) came up on the short end of a 13-2 score against Timber Creek from Gloucester Township. The story here, was turnovers, as Lacey just never recovered from a fumble at the 1 yard line which cost them 6 points and a possible tie at 7-7. After the fumble, Lacey did record a safety to make it 7-2, but a 23 yard run for a score by Timber Creek iced it for the “Chargers”, and they will advance to the finals against a good Hammonton team. Lacey concludes their season against Central on Saturday afternoon, the last time these 2 rivals will play on Thanksgiving weekend.
In non-playoff action, Mon Don used 2 field goals by Anthony Huth to edge Manchester 6-3. This concludes the outstanding season QB Kevin Cater had this year, and also capped a 6-4 season for the Dan Duddy led team. Manchester finished at 5-5.
Pinelands also finished on a winning note, with their 36-32 win over a John Amabile led Allentown team that finished 4-6 in his first season at Allentown. Pinelands 5-5 record was the first time they have finished at .500 in 5 years.
Now the senseless Thanksgiving weekend football games are upon us. Not senseless in the fact that these games are played, but it’s when they are played that bothers me. The archaic system of New Jersey High School football playoffs and the way they are played must be changed. To have to wait 2 weeks to play the finals, just doesn’t make sense! Then you ask a team to play a game in between, makes no sense at all. Believe me, this is not the first time you are hearing this from someone who would like to play 3 weeks in a row, and to further expand the playoffs to get an over-all group champion, but maybe one of these years, the people who make these decisions will figure it out. Enough from my point of view, enjoy your holiday, enjoy your game on Thursday morning or Friday night, whenever your favorite team plays and save some antipasto and stuffed mushrooms for me when I come visit.
Here is this week’s new Top Ten:
1-Middletown South(10-0) The best defense in the shore, makes them the best team in the shore. I’ve had them there all here and see no reason why they don’t end up as #1.
2-Matawan(9-1) Can we now stop the talk about whether this team is for real? They are the real deal, as they pummeled Raritan for the 2nd time this year and cruised into CJ 2 finals. Now they must deal with the shore’s best playoff team in recent history, 11 time champion, Manasquan.
3-Manasquan(9-1) The miracle on “Ridge Road” is what they are calling last Friday night’s victory over a solid Rumson team. When you think you have them down, they rise to the occasion every time. A tough Wall(7-2) team will not be an easy one on Thanksgiving morning.
4-Howell(8-2) Devastating loss to Brick Memorial knocked them from playoffs, but not from being a top five team.
5-T R East(9-1) Another great year ends in disappointment in semi-finals as frustrated Raiders must regroup quickly and face TR North on Friday night.
6-TR North(7-2)What could have been, as they sat and watched last weekend. Can salvage an 8-2 season with a “W” against cross-town rival TR East.
7-Rumson(9-1) Tough team, tough loss to Manasquan which knocked them from playoffs and from unbeaten ranks. Tough closing game against RBC.
8-Brick Memorial(6-4) In last 3 weeks the Mustangs have beaten 3 teams with a combined 25-5 record. They will defend their CJ 4 crown against East Brunswick, a team they have beaten already, but before that face a Brick team looking to finish .500 on year.
9-Asbury Park(9-1) The little giant that gets no respect! They look to win their 3rd straight CJ Group 1 championship.
10-Lacey(7-3) Tough loss at the hands of Timber Creek knocked them out of playoffs, in a game which they just could not get into end-zone. Solid season ends with Central on Sat afternoon.
Just outside looking in: Raritan(7-3) Long Branch(6-3) Neptune(7-3) Ocean(7-3) Wall(7-2)
No Thursday night football show this week because of Turkey Day, but 2 games will be broadcast on shore sports network. Wed night the Jackson Liberty vs. Jackson Memorial game at 6pm and Thursday morning, Wall vs. Manasquan at 11am. Join us on the radio or on line for these 2 games.
We are now in week 11 of Jersey Shore football and the semi-finals of the playoffs are in the books. While 5 teams are still alive to play for a State Championship, 7 teams took a major hit and now must look to Thanksgiving as their last game of the 2009 season. Here is what happened in a wild week of playoff football:
In 2 of the most exciting games you will ever see, Manasquan scores 2 TDs in the last 1:24, on the road, at Rumson to win and advance, 23-11. In the other unbelievable ending, Brick Memorial came back from 28-7, to score 24 unanswered points in the 4th quarter, to stun Howell, 31-28. Let’s break these 2 down.
Manasquan(9-1) had a lead of 9-2, until Rumson(9-1) took the lead with 1:30 left on the clock, 11-9. That’s when the fireworks began. First was a kickoff that Squan’s Zack Ogden fielded on his 5 and went down from a tremendous hit on the Squan 24 yard line. The hit was so dynamic, it knocked Ogden out of the game, as he was carried off the field. With the trainer working on Ogden on the sidelines, QB C.J. Davis hit Ryland McTighe for 28 yards and the “Big Blue” had the ball on the “Bulldog” 48 yard line. 2 plays later, Ogden trotted back onto the field and into the Squan huddle, Davis rolled right and hit a streaking Ogden on the left sideline for a 39 yard gain, and Manasquan had the ball on the 9 yard line. RB Dan Sullivan took care of the rest, with a 9 yard TD carry, and Squan re-took the lead, after just 35 ticks had come off the clock. Corner-back Neal Sterling sealed it with 38 yard pick six and Manasquan had themselves a 23-11 victory, and a chance to play for their 12th State Championship on Dec. 4th at 7PM, on the campus of TCNJ. If you don’t believe what I just told you, you can listen to the calls on the shoresportsnetwork.com, since it was our game of the week.
In the other stunner, Brick Memorial ran 80 plays from scrimmage to Howells 34, they amassed 342 yards on offense to Howell’s 253(including just 7 yards rushing), had 23 first downs to 11 for Howell and scored 24 points in the 4th quarter to stun the Rebels 31-28. This game came down to 1 key play which turned the whole game around. It occurred at the 10:52 mark of the 4th quarter, when a host of Memorial tacklers trapped QB Jimmy Ryan in his own end-zone, for a safety, to make the score 28-16. Howell was never the same after the safety, as Memorial’s Jihaad Howard, ran the ensuing kickoff back 51 yards and 2:26 ticks later, Glenn McGinnis scored to make it 28-23 and Howell was in trouble. Memorial got the ball back with 5:55 left and used all but 8.6 seconds, to score the game winner on a Mike DiGuilmi to Glenn McGinnis TD pass. With Howell trying numerous laterals and backward passes the game finally ended on their own 30yard line, which set off a raucous celebration in the center of the Rebel field. Brick Memorial will try to make it back to back championships in CJ Group 4, as they now play for their 3rd State Championship in the last 7 years.
While these 2 games certainly provided their fans enough excitement to last till, well, to at least Thanksgiving Day, Matawan took care of business early and often and demolished a pretty good Raritan team, 46-7. QB Jarrod Allison and McArthur Underwood proved why they are 2 of the most exciting players in the shore. Underwood ran for 3 TDs in the 1st half, on runs of 5, 15 and 80 and Allison ran for 2TDs and threw for 1 as the Huskies ran for 346 total yards, and held Raritan to only 57 on the ground. Matawan will now try to crack the team with the most championships in the trophy case, Manasquan. This has all the makings of a classic. The methodical, disciplined, controlled offense of Manasquan, vs. the game breaking capabilities of Matawan. Who possesses the best defense, just might decide this one. The Huskies have given up 117 points to Manasquan’s 93. Pretty even there, while Matawan has scored 95 more points on offense, edge to Matawan. Too bad numbers don’t win football games. My pick, you’ll have wait till next week, after Turkey Day games. Manasquan will visit 7-2 Wall, while Matawan will visit S J Vianney. These are obviously trap games for both schools, as their opponents may catch the state final participants looking down the road. Coaches beware; it could be your toughest job of the year.
Asbury Park(9-1) will play for their 3rd CJ Group 1 championship in a row. Quite impressive for a school that wasn’t even on the map, 4 years ago. Asbury Park’s head coach Don Sofilkanich, has done a tremendous job since he has been at Asbury. They have bought into his guidance and leadership and they have moved to the highest level of respect in the shore. RB/S George Stephens continues to impress, and will try to end his career with those 3 championships. He is the leader of the Bishops on the field, and makes them go. Discipline, desire and dedication are 3 words that can best describe Mr. Stephens. I’ll make this call right now. Make some room in the trophy case!
Middletown South(10-0) remains as the only unbeaten team in the shore. They beat Neptune for the 2nd time this year and look to claim their 10th championship in their storied history. With a dominating defense led by LB Sean Campbell, the Eagles have not allowed more than 1 TD in any game this year. They scored all 17 points in the first half and held off Neptune(7-3), 17-6. RB Kyle Bunge and QB Scott Meeker lead an offense that has scored 292 points on the year, that’s almost 30/game. So when people say they are all about defense, look at the offense and you’ll see why they are undefeated. They draw a different opponent this year, in the finals, with Monroe’s win over Ocean by a 31-20 score. Monroe is 9-1 so far this season, and is very capable on offense. Guess what? The Falcons better live in the film room and break down the Eagle defense, or it will be a long afternoon on Dec. 5th.
Those are the 4 teams left from the shore. They carry the best wishes from the other 39 teams who will put the equipment away after this week’s Thanksgiving Day games. Let’s look at some of the tough luck losers this week.
Of all the disappointments over the weekend, none were bigger than the 41-30 loss by Toms River East against Egg Harbor Twp. This was to be the year the Raiders(9-1) got the monkey off their back and win that elusive first championship in school history. They have the best player in the shore(in my opinion), in Nico Steriti, they had a senior led team that came in 9-0 and was playing at a very high level, they had a Constitution Division title already in the bag, Mario Steriti ran the opening kick-off back 76 yards for a TD and they were off and running, they had a lead in the 4th quarter after brother Nico led the Raiders from the “wildcat” formation, to a TD with 9:35 left in the contest, but it just wasn’t meant to be, as the next 13 seconds will be forever on the minds of T R East. Egg Harbor(10-0) returned the kickoff 80 yards for a TD and the Eagles regained the lead 34-30, a lead they would never lose. East would have 1 more chance as they held and forced a punt in the middle of the 4th quarter, but Egg Harbor used a fake punt to pick up a first down and a few minutes later scored from 1yard out for the clinching TD and the 41-30 win. A win that advances them to the SJ Group 4 championship against top seeded Cherokee(10-0). The Raiders must regroup quickly as a good football team and cross-town rival T R North(8-2) awaits on Friday night. Will this loss in the semi’s define T R East’s season? I don’t think so; this is an outstanding program, run very well by Charlie Diskin and his staff. There will be other chances down the road to win that title, but the sting of this loss will hurt for a while. It just wasn’t meant to be in 2009, but you have nothing to be ashamed of. It has been a great season and another lesson has been learned, which will help future Raider players, as this program is on solid ground.
Lacey(7-3) came up on the short end of a 13-2 score against Timber Creek from Gloucester Township. The story here, was turnovers, as Lacey just never recovered from a fumble at the 1 yard line which cost them 6 points and a possible tie at 7-7. After the fumble, Lacey did record a safety to make it 7-2, but a 23 yard run for a score by Timber Creek iced it for the “Chargers”, and they will advance to the finals against a good Hammonton team. Lacey concludes their season against Central on Saturday afternoon, the last time these 2 rivals will play on Thanksgiving weekend.
In non-playoff action, Mon Don used 2 field goals by Anthony Huth to edge Manchester 6-3. This concludes the outstanding season QB Kevin Cater had this year, and also capped a 6-4 season for the Dan Duddy led team. Manchester finished at 5-5.
Pinelands also finished on a winning note, with their 36-32 win over a John Amabile led Allentown team that finished 4-6 in his first season at Allentown. Pinelands 5-5 record was the first time they have finished at .500 in 5 years.
Now the senseless Thanksgiving weekend football games are upon us. Not senseless in the fact that these games are played, but it’s when they are played that bothers me. The archaic system of New Jersey High School football playoffs and the way they are played must be changed. To have to wait 2 weeks to play the finals, just doesn’t make sense! Then you ask a team to play a game in between, makes no sense at all. Believe me, this is not the first time you are hearing this from someone who would like to play 3 weeks in a row, and to further expand the playoffs to get an over-all group champion, but maybe one of these years, the people who make these decisions will figure it out. Enough from my point of view, enjoy your holiday, enjoy your game on Thursday morning or Friday night, whenever your favorite team plays and save some antipasto and stuffed mushrooms for me when I come visit.
Here is this week’s new Top Ten:
1-Middletown South(10-0) The best defense in the shore, makes them the best team in the shore. I’ve had them there all here and see no reason why they don’t end up as #1.
2-Matawan(9-1) Can we now stop the talk about whether this team is for real? They are the real deal, as they pummeled Raritan for the 2nd time this year and cruised into CJ 2 finals. Now they must deal with the shore’s best playoff team in recent history, 11 time champion, Manasquan.
3-Manasquan(9-1) The miracle on “Ridge Road” is what they are calling last Friday night’s victory over a solid Rumson team. When you think you have them down, they rise to the occasion every time. A tough Wall(7-2) team will not be an easy one on Thanksgiving morning.
4-Howell(8-2) Devastating loss to Brick Memorial knocked them from playoffs, but not from being a top five team.
5-T R East(9-1) Another great year ends in disappointment in semi-finals as frustrated Raiders must regroup quickly and face TR North on Friday night.
6-TR North(7-2)What could have been, as they sat and watched last weekend. Can salvage an 8-2 season with a “W” against cross-town rival TR East.
7-Rumson(9-1) Tough team, tough loss to Manasquan which knocked them from playoffs and from unbeaten ranks. Tough closing game against RBC.
8-Brick Memorial(6-4) In last 3 weeks the Mustangs have beaten 3 teams with a combined 25-5 record. They will defend their CJ 4 crown against East Brunswick, a team they have beaten already, but before that face a Brick team looking to finish .500 on year.
9-Asbury Park(9-1) The little giant that gets no respect! They look to win their 3rd straight CJ Group 1 championship.
10-Lacey(7-3) Tough loss at the hands of Timber Creek knocked them out of playoffs, in a game which they just could not get into end-zone. Solid season ends with Central on Sat afternoon.
Just outside looking in: Raritan(7-3) Long Branch(6-3) Neptune(7-3) Ocean(7-3) Wall(7-2)
No Thursday night football show this week because of Turkey Day, but 2 games will be broadcast on shore sports network. Wed night the Jackson Liberty vs. Jackson Memorial game at 6pm and Thursday morning, Wall vs. Manasquan at 11am. Join us on the radio or on line for these 2 games.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Weekend Of 11/13 - 11/15
Scanning the High School Football Scene with Ed Sarluca:
We started with 18 and we are down to 12, as the first week of the State H.S. playoffs are off and running. With 12 getting by, I would consider it a very successful opening weekend to the 2009 playoffs. There are 3 #1 seeds still alive (Middletown South(9-0), Asbury Park(8-1) and Matawan(8-1)). We are guaranteed at least 1 State winner(CJ 2), where the 4 teams who remain are all from the shore. There will be 3 rematches in the semi-finals. CJ 4 will have an all-shore matchup in the bottom bracket, as Howell(8-1) and Brick Memorial(5-4) will play again this year. Howell won a 37-27 game in Oct. Middletown South and Neptune(7-2) will have a second game in CJ 3, with Mid South having beaten Neptune 16-0 earlier this year. As a matter of fact, Neptune has not beaten Mid South since 1998. Matawan and Raritan(7-2) will go at it again in CJ 2. Matawan won by 30-7 the first time they played. These games show the excellence in shore football, as all except Raritan, beat out of area teams on their way to the semi’s. Rumson(9-0) will put its undefeated record up against a very good Manasquan(8-1) team. This very well may be the best matchup of the weekend, as they are 2 evenly matched teams. Lacey(7-2), had its un-scored upon streak broken on Sat., but prevailed 33-14 over Pemberton. Toms River East(9-0), try’s to win its first championship ever, and they will have to do it on the road, as they travel to #2 seed Egg Harbor(9-0). Ocean(7-2) will travel to Monroe in another CJ 3 game, and Asbury Park(8-1) looks for their 3rd championship in a row in CJ 1 and gets Brearley in the semi’s. We know now, all of these teams are well coached, and are playing their best football of the year, at the right time. The high level of shore football excellence is clearly evident with the quality of the remaining teams. Let’s look how they got there:
Perhaps the biggest upset of the week occurred in Hunterdon Central as the 5-4 Mustangs of Brick Memorial, seeded #6, shocked the #3 seed by a 21-17 score. With time running out, a Mike DiGuilmi to Cody Cutter 40 yard TD pass with 19 seconds remaining was the game winner for the “Stangs”. The Mustangs ran for 410 yards on the night and dominated the Red Devils, but needed the TD pass to win it. The Mustangs seem to rise to the occasion in the playoffs and are the defending CJ 4 champs. It won’t be easy for them to get to the finish line, as they must get by 2 opponent that have beaten them already; Howell and probably #1 seed Sayreville. None the less, Brick Memorial will not be an easy out for either team.
Raritan used 2 picks by Kevin Furlong, both of which, were returned for TDs to upset the #4 seed Green Wave of Long Branch 28-7. Jessie Raymond(174 yards) proved why he is one of the top backs in the shore, as he tore through the Wave repeatedly. Notre Dame bound Bennett Jackson hit a “rocket” screen for 67 yards and a touch, after he had a 91 screen pass called back. Jackson also kicked field goals of 35 and 37 yards. Next up, Raritan gets a rematch with Matawan, who defeated them 30-7 on Sept 25th. Raritan has 1 title in the trophy case, 2004 when they won CJ 2.
In a driving rain storm on Friday night, the Raiders of TR East used Nico Steriti not once, nor twice, but 45 times for 206 yards and 3 TDs. Nico was my pre-season player of the year, and he certainly has made me look good, as he scored his 26th, 27th and 28th TD of the year. Sr. QB Charlie Diskin threw a 23 yard TD to Anthony Chiacchio, to put the game away in the 4th quarter. With winds howling at 40-50 miles per hour and the rain driving sideways into the faces of the Raiders, Diskin hit for 3 of 4 passes in key situations of the game to aid the running of Steriti. #2 seed, Egg Harbor(9-0), is next for the #3 seed Raiders, as they try to win their first championship in the 30 year history of East. If Nico has anything to say about that, the trophy may very well be sitting in the East showcase come December.
The Bishops of Asbury Park may have found a new way to get the ball to power runner George Stephens. As Stephens is closing in on 1000 rushing yards, it was his pass catching ability( 120 yards) on Sat afternoon that led them to a 22-6 win over Shore Reg. Stephens accounted for all 3 TDs vs. Shore, 2 on the ground and 1 in the air. The win was the second time Asbury has beaten Shore(13-10 on opening day) and put them one step closer to their 3rd consecutive CJ 1 championship. Quite a feat for a program that struggled to a 1-9 record 4 years ago. Next up is David Brearley, at home, on Sat. afternoon.
Matawan, the top seed in CJ 2, easily beat New Brunswick on Sat. night 37-13. The Zebra’s had come into this one a hot team and Matawan jumped all over them and never let up. QB Jared Allison ran for 2 TDs and threw 2 TDs to lead the Huskies to the easy victory. Matawan is peaking at the right time, but will have to continue to play well, as Raritan will test them this week. The Huskies took no prisoners(30-7) the first time around, and revenge is on the minds of the Rockets. Matawan is looking for their first title since 1992.
Rumson remains unbeaten with a shutout win over A.L. Johnson 23-0. Always reliable John Riley, ran for 117 yards and a TD and the Bulldog defense held A.L. Johnson to 3 first downs and 50 total yards. The Rumson “D” was so dominate, that Johnson did not have a first down in the 2nd half. They recorded 4 sacks, had 2 turnovers and blocked a punt. Now you see why this team is undefeated! It doesn’t get any easier for them, as 11 time State Champions, Manasquan comes to town on Friday night. Rumson has never won a State title. The Shore Sports Network will broadcast that one on 1160 WOBM AM and Fox Sports 1310 am as well as 105.7 The Hawk.
Lacey, although scored upon, got it going big in the 2nd half, and cruised to a 33-14 win over Pemberton. Jarrod Molzon(213 yards) filling in for Jake Dabal(167 yards) had himself a huge 2nd half, after Dabal left with a pulled muscle in his side. These 2 RBs are only juniors as is QB Craig Cicardo, so the Lions are set for next year, but they aren’t thinking about next year just yet. They have their eyes on the prize this year and are playing very well at the right time. The Lions travel to Timber Creek this week for the semi-finals.
Neptune put 51 on the board vs. Lawrence, as RBs Ike Calderone(118 yards) and Charlie Davis(111 yards) led the Flier attack. Neptune led 37-7 at the half and cruised in the 2nd half and gets a rematch with a team they haven’t beaten since 1998, Middletown South. That streak includes a 16-0 win this year. Neptune last won the state title in 1986.
Playing without their starting QB C.J. Davis, due to disciplinary reasons, Manasquan defense came up big in a 14-7 victory over Keyport on Sunday. Soph QB Tyler Saito filled in admirably for Davis as he threw for 126 yards and had a rushing TD for the Blue Warriors. Manasquan will look for their shore leading 12th championship as they continue the run in CJ 2, when they travel to Rumson on Friday night.
Middletown South, the #1 seed in CJ 3, demolished West Windsor North by a 43-6 score. Kyle Bunge ran for 141 yards and 3 TDs to lead the Eagles to the easy victory. The Eagles have not won the whole thing since 2006, losing to Freehold Boro in last year’s final.
Howell Twp. the #2 seed in CJ 4 playing on Monday night due to field conditions, which didn’t look too bad to me, beat an undermanned Montgomery team 41-18. Jimmy Ryan, the shore’s best QB, threw for 5 TD passes in only 3 quarters of action, as the Rebels parlayed turnovers and field position, into points and more points. Howell continues next Sat. night, at 6pm, against Brick Memorial, a team it beat 37-27 earlier in the year.
Ocean, last won a State title in 2005 under Sal Spampanato, looks to win one with Coach Don Klein, in CJ 3. The shutout victory over Steinert(35-0) gets them to the semi’s against a good Monroe team on the road. Brandon Robinson, Greg Moore and Christian Bailoni, R.J. D’Apolito and Kevin Rodgers lead the “Big Red” in their quest.
Losing last weekend were Toms River North, who put up a game effort vs. Williamstown, who won their first ever state tournament game, 21-13, and Middletown North, who lost to #1 seed Sayreville in CJ 4 by a 21-0 score.
Top Ten-Week 10(Nov. 17th)
1-Middletown South(9-0) Impressive as ever in 1st round. Get a rematch with Neptune(16-0-first time around) who have not beaten them since 1998, enough said!
2-Toms River East(9-0) Got the job done vs. Wash Twp. in horrendous weather on Friday night. Nico Steriti(45 carries for 206 yds. and 3 TDs) proved to everyone he is a candidate for “Player of the Year”.
3-Howell(8-1) finally played their 1st round game after 2 postponements(why the second one on Sunday is a mystery??). Their reward, a rematch with Playoff savvy defending CJ Group 4 champions, Brick Memorial, a 21-17 winner over previously unbeaten, 9-0, Hun. Cen.
4-Matawan(9-1) The Huskies have made a statement that this could be their year back to the championship, which has eluded them, since 1992. They get Raritan, who they have defeated already 30-7, earlier this year.
5-Rumson(9-0) Anyone unbeaten at this point deserves a top 5 spot. The “Dawgs” have answered every caller and now host Manasquan who have won 11 championships in their storied history. This is the game of the week!
6-Toms River North(7-2) The Mariners suffered their 2nd loss of the year vs. Williamstown on Sat. night(21-13). I witnessed the problem that has plagued North throughout the year; a failure to get the ball into the end zone. Drew Kollman was the best player on the field, but he was not enough as the Mariners now set their sights on cross-town rival TR East on Friday Nov. 27 at 7pm at East.
7-Manasquan(-8-1) In a game played on Sunday, the Warriors playing with a back-up at QB, beat Keyport 14-7. This 1st round win gets them a trip to unbeaten Rumson, on Friday night, in the game of the week in the shore.
8-Raritan(7-2) Because of the rain this weekend, I was also able to see this postponed game vs. Long Branch. They were the better team on the field Sat afternoon, as they won 28-7. A rematch with Matawan awaits the Rockets, which will be played Sat. night at 6PM.
9-Lacey(7-2) The Lions scoreless string was snapped, but they took care of Pemberton 33-14 on Sat. afternoon. They now travel to Timber Creek for a semi-final contest.
10-Asbury Park(8-1) The Bishops are more than capable of getting their 3rd straight CJ Group 1 championship this year. Up next is Brearley at home Sat. afternoon at noon.
Just outside looking in:
Ocean(7-2)- Still alive in tough CJ 3. Must visit tough, Monroe HS, this Friday night at 7PM.
Neptune(7-2) they better be ready, as Middletown South awaits a visit on Friday night.
Brick Memorial(5-4) The Mustangs know how to win in the playoffs. Their tough Group 4 schedule has helped them out.
Long Branch(6-3)- I’ll keep them in the almost top ten. One game remains, and that should be a “W” on Turkey day vs. Red Bank.
We received many complimentary comments on our Thursday night interview with Ron Signorino Sr. In case you would like to hear it again, or may have missed it the first time, check it out on line on the audio page at shoresportsnetwork.com, where every Thursday football shows can be heard.
This week at Boston’s we will have on site, none other than the legendary Warren Wolf. Also on the phone line will be former RBC player and now Temple University Head Coach, Al Golden. This is sure to be a great 2 hours of football talk. We will breakdown the 1st round of the State games and look to the semi’s this weekend. That’s Thursday night at 6-8PM at Boston’s Sports bar and Restaurant on the corner of Fischer and Hooper Ave in Toms River.
We started with 18 and we are down to 12, as the first week of the State H.S. playoffs are off and running. With 12 getting by, I would consider it a very successful opening weekend to the 2009 playoffs. There are 3 #1 seeds still alive (Middletown South(9-0), Asbury Park(8-1) and Matawan(8-1)). We are guaranteed at least 1 State winner(CJ 2), where the 4 teams who remain are all from the shore. There will be 3 rematches in the semi-finals. CJ 4 will have an all-shore matchup in the bottom bracket, as Howell(8-1) and Brick Memorial(5-4) will play again this year. Howell won a 37-27 game in Oct. Middletown South and Neptune(7-2) will have a second game in CJ 3, with Mid South having beaten Neptune 16-0 earlier this year. As a matter of fact, Neptune has not beaten Mid South since 1998. Matawan and Raritan(7-2) will go at it again in CJ 2. Matawan won by 30-7 the first time they played. These games show the excellence in shore football, as all except Raritan, beat out of area teams on their way to the semi’s. Rumson(9-0) will put its undefeated record up against a very good Manasquan(8-1) team. This very well may be the best matchup of the weekend, as they are 2 evenly matched teams. Lacey(7-2), had its un-scored upon streak broken on Sat., but prevailed 33-14 over Pemberton. Toms River East(9-0), try’s to win its first championship ever, and they will have to do it on the road, as they travel to #2 seed Egg Harbor(9-0). Ocean(7-2) will travel to Monroe in another CJ 3 game, and Asbury Park(8-1) looks for their 3rd championship in a row in CJ 1 and gets Brearley in the semi’s. We know now, all of these teams are well coached, and are playing their best football of the year, at the right time. The high level of shore football excellence is clearly evident with the quality of the remaining teams. Let’s look how they got there:
Perhaps the biggest upset of the week occurred in Hunterdon Central as the 5-4 Mustangs of Brick Memorial, seeded #6, shocked the #3 seed by a 21-17 score. With time running out, a Mike DiGuilmi to Cody Cutter 40 yard TD pass with 19 seconds remaining was the game winner for the “Stangs”. The Mustangs ran for 410 yards on the night and dominated the Red Devils, but needed the TD pass to win it. The Mustangs seem to rise to the occasion in the playoffs and are the defending CJ 4 champs. It won’t be easy for them to get to the finish line, as they must get by 2 opponent that have beaten them already; Howell and probably #1 seed Sayreville. None the less, Brick Memorial will not be an easy out for either team.
Raritan used 2 picks by Kevin Furlong, both of which, were returned for TDs to upset the #4 seed Green Wave of Long Branch 28-7. Jessie Raymond(174 yards) proved why he is one of the top backs in the shore, as he tore through the Wave repeatedly. Notre Dame bound Bennett Jackson hit a “rocket” screen for 67 yards and a touch, after he had a 91 screen pass called back. Jackson also kicked field goals of 35 and 37 yards. Next up, Raritan gets a rematch with Matawan, who defeated them 30-7 on Sept 25th. Raritan has 1 title in the trophy case, 2004 when they won CJ 2.
In a driving rain storm on Friday night, the Raiders of TR East used Nico Steriti not once, nor twice, but 45 times for 206 yards and 3 TDs. Nico was my pre-season player of the year, and he certainly has made me look good, as he scored his 26th, 27th and 28th TD of the year. Sr. QB Charlie Diskin threw a 23 yard TD to Anthony Chiacchio, to put the game away in the 4th quarter. With winds howling at 40-50 miles per hour and the rain driving sideways into the faces of the Raiders, Diskin hit for 3 of 4 passes in key situations of the game to aid the running of Steriti. #2 seed, Egg Harbor(9-0), is next for the #3 seed Raiders, as they try to win their first championship in the 30 year history of East. If Nico has anything to say about that, the trophy may very well be sitting in the East showcase come December.
The Bishops of Asbury Park may have found a new way to get the ball to power runner George Stephens. As Stephens is closing in on 1000 rushing yards, it was his pass catching ability( 120 yards) on Sat afternoon that led them to a 22-6 win over Shore Reg. Stephens accounted for all 3 TDs vs. Shore, 2 on the ground and 1 in the air. The win was the second time Asbury has beaten Shore(13-10 on opening day) and put them one step closer to their 3rd consecutive CJ 1 championship. Quite a feat for a program that struggled to a 1-9 record 4 years ago. Next up is David Brearley, at home, on Sat. afternoon.
Matawan, the top seed in CJ 2, easily beat New Brunswick on Sat. night 37-13. The Zebra’s had come into this one a hot team and Matawan jumped all over them and never let up. QB Jared Allison ran for 2 TDs and threw 2 TDs to lead the Huskies to the easy victory. Matawan is peaking at the right time, but will have to continue to play well, as Raritan will test them this week. The Huskies took no prisoners(30-7) the first time around, and revenge is on the minds of the Rockets. Matawan is looking for their first title since 1992.
Rumson remains unbeaten with a shutout win over A.L. Johnson 23-0. Always reliable John Riley, ran for 117 yards and a TD and the Bulldog defense held A.L. Johnson to 3 first downs and 50 total yards. The Rumson “D” was so dominate, that Johnson did not have a first down in the 2nd half. They recorded 4 sacks, had 2 turnovers and blocked a punt. Now you see why this team is undefeated! It doesn’t get any easier for them, as 11 time State Champions, Manasquan comes to town on Friday night. Rumson has never won a State title. The Shore Sports Network will broadcast that one on 1160 WOBM AM and Fox Sports 1310 am as well as 105.7 The Hawk.
Lacey, although scored upon, got it going big in the 2nd half, and cruised to a 33-14 win over Pemberton. Jarrod Molzon(213 yards) filling in for Jake Dabal(167 yards) had himself a huge 2nd half, after Dabal left with a pulled muscle in his side. These 2 RBs are only juniors as is QB Craig Cicardo, so the Lions are set for next year, but they aren’t thinking about next year just yet. They have their eyes on the prize this year and are playing very well at the right time. The Lions travel to Timber Creek this week for the semi-finals.
Neptune put 51 on the board vs. Lawrence, as RBs Ike Calderone(118 yards) and Charlie Davis(111 yards) led the Flier attack. Neptune led 37-7 at the half and cruised in the 2nd half and gets a rematch with a team they haven’t beaten since 1998, Middletown South. That streak includes a 16-0 win this year. Neptune last won the state title in 1986.
Playing without their starting QB C.J. Davis, due to disciplinary reasons, Manasquan defense came up big in a 14-7 victory over Keyport on Sunday. Soph QB Tyler Saito filled in admirably for Davis as he threw for 126 yards and had a rushing TD for the Blue Warriors. Manasquan will look for their shore leading 12th championship as they continue the run in CJ 2, when they travel to Rumson on Friday night.
Middletown South, the #1 seed in CJ 3, demolished West Windsor North by a 43-6 score. Kyle Bunge ran for 141 yards and 3 TDs to lead the Eagles to the easy victory. The Eagles have not won the whole thing since 2006, losing to Freehold Boro in last year’s final.
Howell Twp. the #2 seed in CJ 4 playing on Monday night due to field conditions, which didn’t look too bad to me, beat an undermanned Montgomery team 41-18. Jimmy Ryan, the shore’s best QB, threw for 5 TD passes in only 3 quarters of action, as the Rebels parlayed turnovers and field position, into points and more points. Howell continues next Sat. night, at 6pm, against Brick Memorial, a team it beat 37-27 earlier in the year.
Ocean, last won a State title in 2005 under Sal Spampanato, looks to win one with Coach Don Klein, in CJ 3. The shutout victory over Steinert(35-0) gets them to the semi’s against a good Monroe team on the road. Brandon Robinson, Greg Moore and Christian Bailoni, R.J. D’Apolito and Kevin Rodgers lead the “Big Red” in their quest.
Losing last weekend were Toms River North, who put up a game effort vs. Williamstown, who won their first ever state tournament game, 21-13, and Middletown North, who lost to #1 seed Sayreville in CJ 4 by a 21-0 score.
Top Ten-Week 10(Nov. 17th)
1-Middletown South(9-0) Impressive as ever in 1st round. Get a rematch with Neptune(16-0-first time around) who have not beaten them since 1998, enough said!
2-Toms River East(9-0) Got the job done vs. Wash Twp. in horrendous weather on Friday night. Nico Steriti(45 carries for 206 yds. and 3 TDs) proved to everyone he is a candidate for “Player of the Year”.
3-Howell(8-1) finally played their 1st round game after 2 postponements(why the second one on Sunday is a mystery??). Their reward, a rematch with Playoff savvy defending CJ Group 4 champions, Brick Memorial, a 21-17 winner over previously unbeaten, 9-0, Hun. Cen.
4-Matawan(9-1) The Huskies have made a statement that this could be their year back to the championship, which has eluded them, since 1992. They get Raritan, who they have defeated already 30-7, earlier this year.
5-Rumson(9-0) Anyone unbeaten at this point deserves a top 5 spot. The “Dawgs” have answered every caller and now host Manasquan who have won 11 championships in their storied history. This is the game of the week!
6-Toms River North(7-2) The Mariners suffered their 2nd loss of the year vs. Williamstown on Sat. night(21-13). I witnessed the problem that has plagued North throughout the year; a failure to get the ball into the end zone. Drew Kollman was the best player on the field, but he was not enough as the Mariners now set their sights on cross-town rival TR East on Friday Nov. 27 at 7pm at East.
7-Manasquan(-8-1) In a game played on Sunday, the Warriors playing with a back-up at QB, beat Keyport 14-7. This 1st round win gets them a trip to unbeaten Rumson, on Friday night, in the game of the week in the shore.
8-Raritan(7-2) Because of the rain this weekend, I was also able to see this postponed game vs. Long Branch. They were the better team on the field Sat afternoon, as they won 28-7. A rematch with Matawan awaits the Rockets, which will be played Sat. night at 6PM.
9-Lacey(7-2) The Lions scoreless string was snapped, but they took care of Pemberton 33-14 on Sat. afternoon. They now travel to Timber Creek for a semi-final contest.
10-Asbury Park(8-1) The Bishops are more than capable of getting their 3rd straight CJ Group 1 championship this year. Up next is Brearley at home Sat. afternoon at noon.
Just outside looking in:
Ocean(7-2)- Still alive in tough CJ 3. Must visit tough, Monroe HS, this Friday night at 7PM.
Neptune(7-2) they better be ready, as Middletown South awaits a visit on Friday night.
Brick Memorial(5-4) The Mustangs know how to win in the playoffs. Their tough Group 4 schedule has helped them out.
Long Branch(6-3)- I’ll keep them in the almost top ten. One game remains, and that should be a “W” on Turkey day vs. Red Bank.
We received many complimentary comments on our Thursday night interview with Ron Signorino Sr. In case you would like to hear it again, or may have missed it the first time, check it out on line on the audio page at shoresportsnetwork.com, where every Thursday football shows can be heard.
This week at Boston’s we will have on site, none other than the legendary Warren Wolf. Also on the phone line will be former RBC player and now Temple University Head Coach, Al Golden. This is sure to be a great 2 hours of football talk. We will breakdown the 1st round of the State games and look to the semi’s this weekend. That’s Thursday night at 6-8PM at Boston’s Sports bar and Restaurant on the corner of Fischer and Hooper Ave in Toms River.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Weekend of 11/5 + 11/6, 2009
Scanning the High School Football Scene with Ed Sarluca:
Let the playoffs begin.
No fewer than 18 schools will begin their quest to become state champions. The shore is well represented with 3 programs earning top seeds; Middletown South(CJ3), Asbury Park(CJ1) and Matawan(CJ2). Mid. South’s road to the finals may include #4 seed, Neptune, in round 2. Ocean(#3) is in the bottom bracket in this group, and has lost 2 of their last 3 going in. Asbury draws Shore Reg. in a rematch of a week 1 game won by AP, 13-10. The very tough South Jersey Group 4 will have 2 shore powers in TR East(#3) and TR North(#5). The good thing about their seeds is that, if they win, East and North will not meet until the finals.
The rampaging Lacey Lions, winners of 6 in a row, with 5 shutouts, received a #3 seed and have an excellent chance of getting to the finals. Hammonton is the #1 seed here. Brick Memorial, the defending CJ4 champ, won a big game on Friday night(37-34 vs. East Brunswick), to qualify as a #6 seed, and will have to win on the road, if they are to get their 3rd championship. To me, Howell(#2) is the team to beat in that section and with wins by them and BM, they would meet in the semi’s. Middletown North(#8) will also compete in this Group. Manasquan(#3), draws a shore opponent in Keyport. This will not be easy for the defending CJ2 champs, as they would probably get Rumson in round 2 if they escape Keyport.
This Group also has Matawan(#1), Raritan(#5), Long Branch(#4) and Rumson(#2) in it. Bet the house, that a shore school will win this section. RBC(#8) will get the #1 team in the state(Don Bosco), in the 1st round of Non-Public 4.
If I had to make some picks here in the 1st round, I would say there are 6 possible winners out there to take home the trophy on the weekend of Dec.4,5,6. More than likely, 3 or 4 will be celebrating. Let’s see how week 1 plays out, and next week I’ll tell you who will survive the 3 rounds.
A quick review of week 9:
The undefeated! Middletown South(8-0) and Rumson(8-0) had byes and were able to rest up for the States. TR East(8-0) easily defeated Old Bridge by a 41-21 score, as Nico Steriti continues to have a huge year, with 4 more TDs. By the way, the Raiders lead the shore in points scored with 283, that’s 35 points per game. Enough said!
Manasquan was knocked from the unbeaten ranks by Long Branch by a 21-14 score. Unfortunately, the story of this game was not who played well, but who did not play for the Blue Warriors. Manasquan sat 8 key players, due to breaking of team rules. Some of those who did not play were; C.J. Davis(starting QB), Neal Sterling(Receiver and DB), Dan Sullivan(DE), Ryan Dullea(Center), Kevin Callahan(Receiver/DB).
I am not taking anything away from Long Branch’s victory, but obviously these players could have made a difference. I credit head coach Pete Cahill for the fortitude to make this tough decision. All are expected to play this week. Long Branch also had to deal with problems of their own. QB Miles Schuler missed most of the week of practice, as he attended the funeral of his grandmom in California. Also Billy George, did not practice all week with a badly bruised bone in his knee. Both players played Friday night and Schuler was the difference, as he ran for 195 yards, including a 84 yard TD run, and passed for 116 yards including a TD of 55 yards to Ezra Kelly.
Head Coach Pete Cahill, said it best; “Miles is a legitimate Division 1 kid. He’s the second fastest kid in New Jersey”.
1 loss teams!
TR North had to sweat a little vs. Jackson, but a 4th quarter rally earned them a 17-7 victory. North’s defense, co-ordinater by Dave Oizerowitz, continues to play lights out. They have given up only 21 points all year, and as the old saying goes, DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. It won’t be easy for the Mariners in SJ4, with the likes of Cherokee(possible 2nd round opponent) and cross town rival TR East, but the Mariners have been there before and know what it takes to win the whole thing.
By the way, don’t forget, the Raiders and Mariners have a date on Thanksgiving. Could they play 2 weeks in a row? Howell had an easy tune-up with Southern(37-19), as Jimmy Ryan threw for 387 yards and 4TDs. With the summer weather we are experiencing, the Rebels just may go a long way in CJ 4. Matawan ran for 399 yards as they rolled over Bishop Ahr 52-29. They got them the #1 seed in CJ 2. The Huskies are hot at the right time of the year. Manasquan and Asbury Park are the other 1 loss teams and they were mentioned up top.
How about Mon Don’s game! They put 73 points on the board against Metuchen, who by the way scored 45 on their own. QB Kevin Carter had himself a career day running for 210 yards and passing for 141 more yards. Carter ran for 5 TDs and threw for another. All in all the 2 squads combined for 1,101 yards of offense with 713 in the first half and 31 first downs. Yes, the defensive co-ordinators, missed the bus for this one! The scoreboard ground crew was last seen putting new lights in the board, as some blew out after this one.
Let’s give Calvin Thompson and his Point Pleasant Boro Panthers some credit. They opened the season with 4 straight losses, included in that streak was a 7 point loss, a 3 point loss and another 7 point loss. Very easily they could have packed it in at that point. Now they stand at 3-5, with 2 winnable games left, they could finish at 5-5. That would be quite an accomplishment for the Panthers. Nice job keeping them together.
Top Ten-week of Nov. 9th.
1-Middletown South(8-0) #1 seed in CJ3. Looking for another championship to put in their trophy case.
2-TR East(8-0) #3 seed in SJ 4. The Raiders are looking for their 1st State championship in school history. This is a tough group, but I believe the Raiders are ready to take the next step.
3-Howell(7-1) #2 seed in CJ 4. Open against Montgomery who is 5-4 on the season.
4-TR North(7-1) Great defense, must be tough on the road in playoffs. #5 seed in SJ 4.
5-Matawan(7-1) Only loss to RBC. The Huskies are for real. #1 seed in CJ 1.
6-Rumson(8-0) They have answered all comers. Now they begin their second season. #2 seed in CJ 2.
7-Lacey(6-2) Hottest team in shore right now. 6 straight wins and 5 shutouts in a row. #3 seed in SJ 3.
8-Manasquan(7-1) Perfect season over with loss to Long Branch last week. Sometimes losses are good, we shall see.
9-Long Branch(6-2) I know they just beat the team up above, but they have 2 losses to Ocean and Matawan. They are battle tested, with most of their games close and that will aid them down the line.
10-Asbury Park(7-1) Looking for 3 in a row in CJ 1. They are top seed and that will get them 2 home games and maybe 3 depending on where they play for the championship.
Just missed: RBC(5-3), Ocean(6-2), Raritan(6-2), Keyport(6-2), Wall(6-2)and Neptune(6-2)
The Shore Sports Network will broadcast the Washington Twp. at TR East 1st round game Friday night at 7pm at the home of the Raiders. Also join us on Thursday night for 2 hours of high school football talk at Boston’s in Toms River. We are on from 6-8pm every Thursday, except Thanksgiving week. Coaches, players, reporters and MU Head Coach Kevin Callahan join us every week. If you can’t come down, tune us in on 1160am or 1310am or on line at shoresportsnetwork.com.
Let the playoffs begin.
No fewer than 18 schools will begin their quest to become state champions. The shore is well represented with 3 programs earning top seeds; Middletown South(CJ3), Asbury Park(CJ1) and Matawan(CJ2). Mid. South’s road to the finals may include #4 seed, Neptune, in round 2. Ocean(#3) is in the bottom bracket in this group, and has lost 2 of their last 3 going in. Asbury draws Shore Reg. in a rematch of a week 1 game won by AP, 13-10. The very tough South Jersey Group 4 will have 2 shore powers in TR East(#3) and TR North(#5). The good thing about their seeds is that, if they win, East and North will not meet until the finals.
The rampaging Lacey Lions, winners of 6 in a row, with 5 shutouts, received a #3 seed and have an excellent chance of getting to the finals. Hammonton is the #1 seed here. Brick Memorial, the defending CJ4 champ, won a big game on Friday night(37-34 vs. East Brunswick), to qualify as a #6 seed, and will have to win on the road, if they are to get their 3rd championship. To me, Howell(#2) is the team to beat in that section and with wins by them and BM, they would meet in the semi’s. Middletown North(#8) will also compete in this Group. Manasquan(#3), draws a shore opponent in Keyport. This will not be easy for the defending CJ2 champs, as they would probably get Rumson in round 2 if they escape Keyport.
This Group also has Matawan(#1), Raritan(#5), Long Branch(#4) and Rumson(#2) in it. Bet the house, that a shore school will win this section. RBC(#8) will get the #1 team in the state(Don Bosco), in the 1st round of Non-Public 4.
If I had to make some picks here in the 1st round, I would say there are 6 possible winners out there to take home the trophy on the weekend of Dec.4,5,6. More than likely, 3 or 4 will be celebrating. Let’s see how week 1 plays out, and next week I’ll tell you who will survive the 3 rounds.
A quick review of week 9:
The undefeated! Middletown South(8-0) and Rumson(8-0) had byes and were able to rest up for the States. TR East(8-0) easily defeated Old Bridge by a 41-21 score, as Nico Steriti continues to have a huge year, with 4 more TDs. By the way, the Raiders lead the shore in points scored with 283, that’s 35 points per game. Enough said!
Manasquan was knocked from the unbeaten ranks by Long Branch by a 21-14 score. Unfortunately, the story of this game was not who played well, but who did not play for the Blue Warriors. Manasquan sat 8 key players, due to breaking of team rules. Some of those who did not play were; C.J. Davis(starting QB), Neal Sterling(Receiver and DB), Dan Sullivan(DE), Ryan Dullea(Center), Kevin Callahan(Receiver/DB).
I am not taking anything away from Long Branch’s victory, but obviously these players could have made a difference. I credit head coach Pete Cahill for the fortitude to make this tough decision. All are expected to play this week. Long Branch also had to deal with problems of their own. QB Miles Schuler missed most of the week of practice, as he attended the funeral of his grandmom in California. Also Billy George, did not practice all week with a badly bruised bone in his knee. Both players played Friday night and Schuler was the difference, as he ran for 195 yards, including a 84 yard TD run, and passed for 116 yards including a TD of 55 yards to Ezra Kelly.
Head Coach Pete Cahill, said it best; “Miles is a legitimate Division 1 kid. He’s the second fastest kid in New Jersey”.
1 loss teams!
TR North had to sweat a little vs. Jackson, but a 4th quarter rally earned them a 17-7 victory. North’s defense, co-ordinater by Dave Oizerowitz, continues to play lights out. They have given up only 21 points all year, and as the old saying goes, DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. It won’t be easy for the Mariners in SJ4, with the likes of Cherokee(possible 2nd round opponent) and cross town rival TR East, but the Mariners have been there before and know what it takes to win the whole thing.
By the way, don’t forget, the Raiders and Mariners have a date on Thanksgiving. Could they play 2 weeks in a row? Howell had an easy tune-up with Southern(37-19), as Jimmy Ryan threw for 387 yards and 4TDs. With the summer weather we are experiencing, the Rebels just may go a long way in CJ 4. Matawan ran for 399 yards as they rolled over Bishop Ahr 52-29. They got them the #1 seed in CJ 2. The Huskies are hot at the right time of the year. Manasquan and Asbury Park are the other 1 loss teams and they were mentioned up top.
How about Mon Don’s game! They put 73 points on the board against Metuchen, who by the way scored 45 on their own. QB Kevin Carter had himself a career day running for 210 yards and passing for 141 more yards. Carter ran for 5 TDs and threw for another. All in all the 2 squads combined for 1,101 yards of offense with 713 in the first half and 31 first downs. Yes, the defensive co-ordinators, missed the bus for this one! The scoreboard ground crew was last seen putting new lights in the board, as some blew out after this one.
Let’s give Calvin Thompson and his Point Pleasant Boro Panthers some credit. They opened the season with 4 straight losses, included in that streak was a 7 point loss, a 3 point loss and another 7 point loss. Very easily they could have packed it in at that point. Now they stand at 3-5, with 2 winnable games left, they could finish at 5-5. That would be quite an accomplishment for the Panthers. Nice job keeping them together.
Top Ten-week of Nov. 9th.
1-Middletown South(8-0) #1 seed in CJ3. Looking for another championship to put in their trophy case.
2-TR East(8-0) #3 seed in SJ 4. The Raiders are looking for their 1st State championship in school history. This is a tough group, but I believe the Raiders are ready to take the next step.
3-Howell(7-1) #2 seed in CJ 4. Open against Montgomery who is 5-4 on the season.
4-TR North(7-1) Great defense, must be tough on the road in playoffs. #5 seed in SJ 4.
5-Matawan(7-1) Only loss to RBC. The Huskies are for real. #1 seed in CJ 1.
6-Rumson(8-0) They have answered all comers. Now they begin their second season. #2 seed in CJ 2.
7-Lacey(6-2) Hottest team in shore right now. 6 straight wins and 5 shutouts in a row. #3 seed in SJ 3.
8-Manasquan(7-1) Perfect season over with loss to Long Branch last week. Sometimes losses are good, we shall see.
9-Long Branch(6-2) I know they just beat the team up above, but they have 2 losses to Ocean and Matawan. They are battle tested, with most of their games close and that will aid them down the line.
10-Asbury Park(7-1) Looking for 3 in a row in CJ 1. They are top seed and that will get them 2 home games and maybe 3 depending on where they play for the championship.
Just missed: RBC(5-3), Ocean(6-2), Raritan(6-2), Keyport(6-2), Wall(6-2)and Neptune(6-2)
The Shore Sports Network will broadcast the Washington Twp. at TR East 1st round game Friday night at 7pm at the home of the Raiders. Also join us on Thursday night for 2 hours of high school football talk at Boston’s in Toms River. We are on from 6-8pm every Thursday, except Thanksgiving week. Coaches, players, reporters and MU Head Coach Kevin Callahan join us every week. If you can’t come down, tune us in on 1160am or 1310am or on line at shoresportsnetwork.com.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Weekend of 10/23 + 10/24
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.
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.
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.
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