Week Three Shore Conference Football Preview: Separating From the Pack

Heading into Week Three of Shore Conference football, the one thing we know is that we don’t know anything about which teams will have staying power deep into November.

Every week produces a surprising result, including Holmdel stunning Rumson-Fair Haven to end the Bulldogs’ 15-game winning streak last week. 

Class A North has emerged as the gauntlet of the Shore, with four of the division’s six teams ranked in the top five of the latest Shore Sports Insider Top 12. A massive No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup is looming in Week Four between Red Bank Catholic and Holmdel, but Middletown North and Middletown South are out to wreck that scenario this week. 

The division races heat up this week with some separation games where championship contenders will declare themselves.

Also, Toms River East (2-1) and Matawan (2-1) can surpass their win totals from all of last season with victories against Lakewood (2-1) and Red Bank (1-1), respectively. 

Here’s what to watch for in Week Three. 

No. 5 Middletown North (2-0) at No. 1 Red Bank Catholic (3-0), Friday at 7 p.m.

This is a crucial Class A North game for both teams. Can Middletown North do what Holmdel did last week and topple a perennial Shore power on the road? The Lions are averaging 33.5 points per game, while the Caseys are giving up five points per game, so something has to give. 

Middletown North has a balanced offense between senior quarterback Owen Robson, senior wide receiver Jack Viola and junior tailback Matt Belenko, who has 406 yards rushing and five touchdowns in two games. They will look to control the clock with Belenko, move the chains with Robson and try to put the Caseys in an early hole. A Caseys’ defense led by defensive end Lorenzo Tartamella and linebacker Luke Scaturro will look to stifle Belenko so that they can get Robson in obvious passing downs. 

RBC freshman quarterback Rahmir Rivera is coming off a career-high 252 yards passing in a win over Middletown South, so he’s gaining confidence by the week. Middletown North will look to keep the game close into the fourth quarter and see if it can rattle him. Freshman running back Gabe Kemp has also been explosive, so there’s two home run threats Middletown North has to worry about on every play. 

Junior linebacker Kade Little (15 tackles), Viola and defensive back Jovanni Fernandez lead a Middletown North defense that will try to frustrate Rivera and Co. and put them in spots they haven’t experienced in a high school game yet. 

The Caseys have also had players coming and going this week. Junior quarterback Jake Garrett, who saw snaps rotating in for Rivera, transferred to Ocean on Tuesday, according to head coach Mike Lange. 

On the flip side, RBC gets two impact transfers eligible this week after they had to sit via the NJSIAA rule. Senior two-way lineman Caden Sternlieb (St. Thomas Aquinas), a 300-pound force in the middle on the defensive line, and linebacker Javier Guzman, who had 100 tackles for Long Branch last season, will make their RBC debut on Friday night. Senior Johnny Williams, one of their top returners at receiver, also is back from a hamstring injury. 

No. 4 Brick Memorial (2-1) at No. 9 Toms River North (1-2), Friday at 6 p.m.

The Mariners are trying to stay in the Class A South race after suffering their second shutout loss of the season last week, while the Mustangs are now at full power with the return of senior quarterback Jason Lajara. 

The graduation losses on offense for Toms River North have caused some growing pains for a unit that lost 14-0 to Donovan Catholic last week and 21-0 to RBC in the season opener. Meanwhile, Brick Memorial has one of the Shore’s most prolific offenses led by Lajara and senior wideout Nyzier Matthews. They posted 41 points in a win over Point Boro last week. 

This game hinges on whether Toms River North’s offense can keep up if Brick Memorial jumps out to a lead, or if the Mariners’ defense is good enough to hold the Mustangs down to win a low-scoring slugfest. Brick Memorial’s defense also showed some cracks last week in allowing four straight scoring drives to Point Boro, so Toms River North is hoping to continue that trend. 

This is a crossroads game in Class A South. A win by Brick Memorial sets the Mustangs up as a co-favorite to take the title with Donovan Catholic, provided the Griffins beat Jackson this week, and a win by Toms River North injects the Mariners right back into the race. 

Brick (3-0) at No. 8 Southern (3-0), Friday at 7 p.m.

This classic Ocean County matchup will be for first place in Class B South and possibly could be the de facto division championship game when we look back in a few weeks. 

Brick is out to prove it’s for real after its unbeaten start came against teams that are a combined 0-9. Southern is coming off an impressive 37-0 win over division contender Central and has not allowed a team to crack double digits yet this season. 

The Green Dragons are averaging 32.3 points per game, while Southern is allowing five points per game. Can dual threat quarterback James Hirtes, wideout Germaine Rice and Brick keep the points coming against the best defense they have seen this season by far? Southern senior Lucas Favorito (4 sacks), junior Luke Iorio (3 sacks) and sophomore Lukas Iliescu (1.5 sacks) will look to get after Hirtes. 

Southern’s offense has been methodical, based around the running of senior Aidan Covell and the threat of play action from junior quarterback Carson Abbato, who is averaging 16 yards per completion. Brick junior twins Cian and Rowan Foy, who have combined for 40 tackles, 7 for a loss, will look to jam up the Southern run game. 

No. 7 St. John Vianney (2-1) at Point Boro (0-3), Friday at 6:30 p.m.

This is the last stand for Point Boro, which has to have this game before its playoff hopes really start to look bleak. Meanwhile, the Lancers look to keep their explosive offense humming after putting 49 points on Freehold Township last week behind the senior trio of quarterback Zach LaBarca, running back Danny Breen and wide receiver Adam Urs. 

Point Boro’s offense showed life in a 41-27 loss to No. 4 Brick Memorial last week and will need to continue that success to stick with St. John Vianney’s prolific attack. This is Point Boro’s chance to show that its record is more indicative of a tough schedule than its talent level, while St. John Vianney is out to show that it will only be going upward in the SSI Top 12 rankings. 

Freehold Township (2-1) at Wall (1-2), Friday at 7 p.m.

Not only is this an important Class B North game, it features an intriguing matchup of the Wall pass rush against Freehold Township’s aerial attack. 

Each team will be trying to make its case to return to the Top 12 rankings, with the Patriots trying to bounce back from a loss to St. John Vianney and the Crimson Knights looking to build off a shutout win over Howell. 

Defensive end Justin Davis (22 tackles, 5 TFL), linebacker Dylan Cohen (18 tackles, 2 TFL) and the Crimson Knights will try to get after Freehold Township junior quarterback Dakota Lasater, who threw four touchdown passes last week and has been lighting it up this season with a Shore Conference-best 797 yards and 10 touchdowns passing. 

The Patriots’ defense has been susceptible to the run game, so look for Wall to pound it with Cohen and sophomore Mike Boulard to control the clock and keep Freehold Township’s offense off the field. 

Shore (2-0) at No. 12 Manasquan (2-1), Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Group 1 Blue Devils are out to show they have what it takes to make a run at a division title against bigger schools after being realigned into Class C North this year. 

Junior Cole Torres headlines a strong rushing attack for a Shore team averaging 34.5 points per game. 

Manasquan features one of the Shore’s top running backs in senior Ace Etienne (401 yards, 4 TDs), but he was banged up in a loss to Matawan last week and may not be at 100% if he plays. The Warriors are ravaged with injuries right now, so this is a gut check game in which they will have to find a way without a lineup at full strength. A silver lining is that senior Brick transfer Justice Morgan, a weapon as a receiver and runner, is eligible to play after sitting out due to the NJSIAA transfer rule. 

A win here by Shore stamps the Blue Devils as a prime contender for the division crown along with Matawan. A win by Manasquan keeps the Warriors in the mix, while a loss probably means the end of their division title hopes. 

Point Beach (2-1) at Monmouth (2-1), Friday at 6 p.m.

The winner of this game will either be in sole possession of first place in Class D South or tied with Keansburg if the Titans beat rival Keyport. 

Monmouth sophomore Ryan Corwin and Point Beach senior Matthew Rossi have been among the Shore leaders in passing and are both coming off big games. Corwin threw for 282 yards and three scores in a win over Keyport, while Rossi had 271 yards passing, 69 yards rushing and a pair of touchdown passes in a win over New Egypt. Rossi is right behind Freehold Township’s Dakota Lasater with 784 yards passing in three games. 

This game also features two standout receivers in Monmouth senior Jaylin Reeves, who had 282 yards receiving and three scores last week, and Point Beach junior Danny Cavanaugh, who has 14 catches for 261 yards and two touchdowns this season. 

This would represent an ongoing turnaround for Monmouth coming off a one-win season, while the Garnet Gulls are in search of their first division title since 2019. 

Other games to watch: 

Middletown South (0-3) at No. 2 Holmdel (2-0), Friday at 7 p.m.

This is the definition of a trap game. Holmdel is coming off the high of stunning Rumson and has a huge showdown with Red Bank Catholic looming next week. The Hornets and quarterback Jack Cannon will try not to get caught looking ahead, while the Eagles will look to shock the Shore. 

No. 3 Rumson-Fair Haven (2-1) at Marlboro (2-1), Friday at 7 p.m.

The Bulldogs are licking their wounds after their 15-game winning streak ended against Holmdel. This game is really about getting the offense on track after throwing four interceptions last week. They still will be without star running back Kellen Murray due to an ankle injury, so it’s crucial that the passing game gets going. Marlboro is coming off a lop-sided loss to Middletown North and will try to keep this one low-scoring and see if it can put Rumson into a two-game tailspin. 

No. 6 Donovan Catholic (1-2) at Jackson (1-2), Friday at 6:30 p.m.

The Griffins can’t get caught patting themselves on the back for last week’s 14-0 win over Toms River North as they face another Class A South foe. The defense will look to continue to be the backbone as the offense adjusts in its second game under freshman quarterback Chris McClaren in place of injured starter Kahden Davis. The Jaguars are trying to avoid a three-game skid and may be doing it without senior tailback Jonah Glenn at full power after he dealt with hamstring issues in a loss to Manalapan last week. 

No. 11 Matawan (2-1) at Red Bank (1-1), Friday at 6:30 p.m. 

How will Matawan handle prosperity after bursting into the rankings this week following a win over Manasquan? Sophomore wide receiver Cayson Williams continues to emerge as one of the Shore’s best as part of a talented young Huskies’ offense run by fellow sophomore BlairCarter Gagneron. Red Bank is coming off its first win and looking to make a name for itself by pulling the upset.

Keyport (0-3) at Keansburg (1-1), Saturday at noon 

Two small neighboring towns and longtime rivals square off with the Bayshore Bell trophy at stake. It’s also a Class D South game. 

Keansburg is coming off a 40-0 loss to Asbury Park, while Keyport fell 41-14 to Monmouth. Keyport’s only win in its last 14 games is against Keansburg in last season’s rivalry game, so throw the records out the window in this one. 

This features two solid running backs in Keansburg’s Milan Mraz and Keyport’s Mekai Henderson and should be the usual dogfight. A win by Keansburg ties the Titans for first place with the winner of Monmouth-Point Beach. 

Scott Stump is the football editor and a reporter for Shore Sports Insider. He first started covering Shore Conference football in 1999 and has covered basketball, baseball and seemingly every other Shore Conference sport at some point. 

Email: scottstump25@gmail.com