NJSIAA Football Group 5 State Championship Preview: Toms River North vs. Union City
NJSIAA FOOTBALL GROUP 5 CHAMPIONSHIP
WHO: Toms River North (13-0) vs. Union City (11-1)
WHEN: Friday, Nov. 29 at 2 p.m.
WHERE: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
TOMS RIVER NORTH’S ROAD TO THE STATE FINAL: Defeated Bridgeton 55-6 in the sectional quarterfinals; defeated Kingsway 21-14 in the sectional semifinals; defeated Rancocas Valley 42-27 in the sectional final; defeated Washington Township 27-10 in the Group 5 semifinals.
UNION CITY’S ROAD TO THE STATE FINAL: Defeated Newark East Side 49-0 in the sectional quarterfinals; defeated Bridgewater-Raritan 61-10 in the sectional semifinals; defeated Passaic Tech 34-29 in the North 2, Group 5 sectional final; defeated East Orange 42-0 in the Group 5 semifinals.
TOMS RIVER NORTH’S BEST WINS: 35-6 over Central Jersey Group 4 finalist Brick Memorial; 24-21 over South Jersey Group 2 champion Point Boro; 42-27 over Rancocas Valley (9-3) in the South Jersey Group 5 final; 27-10 over Washington Township (10-3) in the Group 5 semifinals.
UNION CITY’S BEST WINS: 20-6 over North 2, Group 4 finalist Northern Highlands; 34-29 over Passaic Tech (9-3) in the North 2, Group 5 final; 42-0 over East Orange (10-3) in the Group 5 semifinals.
PLAYOFF HISTORY: Toms River North is the two-time defending Group 5 champion and won its third straight sectional title two weeks ago. The Mariners have won nine NJSIAA sectional titles in 11 finals appearances and have a 35-14 all-time postseason record. They have won 18 straight games, the longest current winning streak in the state, and 38 in a row against public schools. They also have a 14-game playoff winning streak…Union City’s sectional title it won in dramatic fashion over Passaic Tech two weeks ago was the Soaring Eagles’ second in program history. They won their first title last season before falling to Passaic Tech in the state semifinals. Prior to the season, Union City was 15-13 all-time in the playoffs with four sectional finals appearances and one title.
TOMS RIVER NORTH’S STAT LEADERS
ANALYSIS
Toms River North will try to enter the pantheon of the Shore Conference’s greatest teams while Union City will look to cement the greatest year in program history when the Mariners and Soaring Eagles clash in the NJSIAA Group 5 state championship game on Friday afternoon at MetLife Stadium.
It all comes down to this for Toms River North. After graduating a legendary senior class led by two-time New Jersey Player of the Year Micah Ford that guided the Mariners to the first two Group 5 titles, Toms River North is on the cusp of a second 14-0 season in the past three years and a third consecutive state championship. They are 39-2 over the past three seasons and enter the championship game as the favorite.
We have broken down the strengths of Toms River North’s offense repeatedly throughout the season, and those points remain true heading into Friday afternoon. The Mariners have a balanced offense led by senior quarterback T.J. Valerio, who has thrown for 2,253 yards and 26 touchdowns and rushed for a team-high 761 yards and eight touchdowns. There are a bevy of playmakers surrounding him with senior running back Mordecai Ford, senior wide receivers Nasir Jackson and Cam Thomas, and sophomore Swiss Army Knife Cole Garrison leading the way. Senior left tackle Jaelyne Matthews, a Rutgers commit, spearheads a big and physical offensive line.
Union City’s defense has been lights-out all season allowing just 8.9 points per game with six shutouts, including five in a row from Week 5 through the first round of the playoffs. While they faced two strong offenses in Passaic Tech and East Orange the last two weeks – and shut out East Orange – the Soaring Eagles will face their stiffest test against a dynamic Toms River North offense. The Mariners have multiple offensive threats that opponents have to account for, and that number has grown with the emergence of Garrison during the playoffs.
When the roles are reversed, Toms River North’s outstanding defense will also face arguably its toughest assignment of the year. The Mariners have the Shore Conference’s No. 1 defense allowing 7.4 points per game with five shutouts. They will be tasked with slowing down Union City’s powerful Delaware Wing-T rushing attack that has rushed for a whopping 3,641 yards and 61 touchdowns on an average of 9.8 yards per carry. The Soaring Eagles have two 1,000-yard rushers who both average over 10 yards per attempt. Senior Mark Boyd is the leading rusher with 1,455 yards and 24 touchdowns and senior Ja’Zaire Aurelus has 1,049 yards and 18 touchdowns. Seniors Jahsiah Espinal and Kingston Evans are the third and fourth options, respectively, while junior quarterback Xavien Rodriguez has thrown for 388 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.
The formula for Toms River North comes down to execution on defense. If the Mariners can slow down Aurelus and Boyd, they’ll be great position to win their third straight state title. Union City rushing the ball on 88 percent of its plays effectively neutralizes one of Toms River North’s greatest strengths: its pass rush. It will be incumbent upon senior edge rushers Blaise Boland and Eddie Slosky to remain disciplined and set the edge in the run game, and for inside linebackers Brady Cicala and Jack Baker to make the initial tackle and stop Union City for short gains. This will also be a key game for Toms River North’s secondary in the running game. The Mariners’ defensive backfield has 15 interceptions this season, six of which have been returned for touchdowns, but they’ll be asked to come down into the box and make tackles on the edge versus the Soaring Eagles. The offenses are not exactly the same, but Toms River North having already faced Point Boro’s high-powered triple-option attack earlier in the season should help the Mariners prepare.
Union City is ranked No. 7 in the state by NJ Advance Media while Toms River North is No. 5, so the Soaring Eagles are a legitimate threat to halt Toms River North’s march toward history. The Mariners are a very talented team that has the edge in experience. Most of the starters were key contributors on last season’s Group 5 championship team and some played or even started two years ago when North went 14-0 and won the first Group 5 title. They are a battle-tested group that has played in every big game imaginable.
When it comes down to it, we believe that Toms River North at its best is better than Union City at its best. If the Mariners can execute at the level they have all season, they will be hoisting yet another Group 5 trophy on Friday afternoon.
