Zabora’s Career Night Helps No. 1 RBC Roll Past No. 5 Middletown North
RED BANK – Another dominant defensive effort and a career night from senior wide receiver Daniel Zabora kept the machine rolling for top-ranked Red Bank Catholic in a 36-0 win over Middletown North on Friday in a matchup of unbeatens at Count Basie Field.
Zabora recorded a career-high three touchdown catches, finishing with six catches for 122 yards as well as an interception on defense, as the No. 1 team in the Shore Sports Insider Top 12 handed the No. 5 Lions (2-1, 1-1) their first loss.
The defense registered its second shutout of the season by holding the Lions to 181 total yards, including only 49 yards rushing on 31 carries. Middletown North entered the night averaging 34 points per game in its first two games before running into a green-and-gold wall.
“We definitely knew we were going to dominate,” junior defensive end Lorenzo Tartamella said. “They have a great offensive coordinator (head coach Steve Bush), and we always have a good matchup with them, but our D-line dominated today and did what we had to do.”
The win sets up a monster showdown between No. 1 RBC (4-0, 2-0) and No. 2 Holmdel (3-0, 2-0) next week at Count Basie Field in a game that will go a long way toward deciding the Class A North title.
Tartamella had a sack for a 12-yard loss as part of a night when the Caseys finished with four sacks, six hits for a loss and two interceptions.
“This is probably the best D-line we’ve had in decades,” said Tartamella, an FBS prospect who has added offers from Kent State, Southern Mississippi, San Diego State and Texas A&M since the season began.
“We’ve had like 13 sacks in four games,” he continued. “We’re working this year.”
Freshman quarterback Rahmir Rivera continues to look more comfortable with each game as he went 15-for-19 for 232 yards and four touchdowns, leading a second-half surge that put the game out of reach. The Caseys finished with 341 yards of offense.
Zabora Sets the Tone
After the two teams stalled on their first drives of the game, senior safety Gavin Richter put it on a platter for the RBC offense with an interception at Middletown North’s 11-yard line. On the next play, Rivera found Zabora for an 11-yard score and a 6-0 lead with 3:42 left in the first quarter after the extra point was no good.
An INT by Gavin Richter at Midd North’s 11-yd line sets up an 11-yd TD pass from Rahmir Rivera to Daniel Zabora, PAT no good and RBC leads 6-0 with 3:42 in the 1st Q pic.twitter.com/J6EpccCnwK
— Scott Stump (@Scott_Stump) September 19, 2025
A 35-yard strike on a fade down the sideline from Rivera to Zabora on RBC’s next possession set up a 29-yard field goal by freshman kicker Simon Picinich for a 9-0 advantage with 9:35 left in the half.
That’s the way it would stay at the break after Zabora short-circuited Middletown North’s best drive of the game with an interception at the Caseys’ 15-yard line with 46 seconds left in the second quarter. Zabora now has three picks in four games.
“The corner Kieran (McGonnell), they kept throwing the screen pass, and he came up to fight the screen pass, and I told him I got his back, and whoever comes out I’ll pick him up. I just jumped it,” Zabora said about the interception.
RBC Takes Control
The Caseys opened the third quarter with a nine-play, 80-yard drive that culminated with a 27-yard touchdown pass on a jumpball that Zabora hauled in over a defender. His second touchdown of the game extended the lead to 16-0 with 8:33 left in the third quarter.
Rahmir Rivera throws it up for Daniel Zabora and he wins the jump ball for a 27-yd TD and a 16-0 lead for RBC with 8:33 in the 3rd Q pic.twitter.com/fvcePvunnA
— Scott Stump (@Scott_Stump) September 20, 2025
“We have a connection that’s really working,” Rivera said. “Every time I see him one-on-one, I have my money on him every time. That definitely was a trust situation on that throw.”
Zabora, who has offers from Air Force, Youngstown State and Army, now has 15 catches for 308 yards and four touchdowns in four games.
“I feel like we both know before the play if the corner comes down and presses me, we both kind of look at each other and make eye contact and both know where the ball’s going,” Zabora said. “It is for sure trust. Those one-on-ones are my favorites.”
The touchdown throws also illustrated how Rivera’s command of the Caseys’ offense is growing by the week.
“Those are just option reads off the RPO,” head coach Mike Lange said. “That’s a run tag that honestly we could’ve given it once or twice, but those were the right reads on it. And obviously you saw Danny’s ability to go get the ball. It’s just growing week by week.”
McGonnell broke up a pass on fourth down to thwart Middletown North’s next drive, and RBC pounced. On the next play, freshman running back Gabe Kemp took off on a trap play for a 56-yard touchdown and a 23-0 lead with 3:01 left in the third quarter.
Red Bank Catholic freshman running back Gabe Kemp broke off a 56-yard touchdown in the third quarter. (Photo by Athletically Challenged)
A 30-yard punt return by junior Mikey O’Neal put RBC in business at Middletown North’s 22-yard line on RBC’s next possession. Two plays later, Rivera threw a perfect ball to the back corner of the end zone, and Zabora dotted one foot in bounds for his third touchdown catch and a 30-0 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Junior tight end T.J. Walsh scored on a 25-yard catch-and-run to make it four touchdown passes for Rivera for the final score.
“The game has definitely slowed down for me,” Rivera said. “The first couple games I was a little nervous, but I’ve been watching film and getting more comfortable.”
On the other side of the ball, Middletown North junior running back Matt Belenko entered averaging more than 200 yards rushing per game. RBC held him to 35 yards on 15 carries.
“We locked him down,” Tartamella said. “All practice we did the read option where we go straight down the line, and the linebackers came up and did their job.”
RBC’s ability to generate pressure with only three or four rushers has made its defense impenetrable so far this season. No team has scored more than eight points in a game against the Caseys.
“We’re keeping it that way,” Tartamella said.
The Caseys also didn’t allow themselves to get caught looking ahead to the matchup with Holmdel (3-0), which beat Middletown South 45-21 on Friday night. The Hornets’ offense has been unstoppable behind senior quarterback Jack Cannon.
“It’ll be a good game, but we’ll take it like any other week and prepare,” Zabora said.
“It’s going to be a tough game,” Rivera said. “I think we’re going to win. I trust in my guys.”
Box Score
Red Bank Catholic 36, Middletown North 0
| RBC | MN | |
| First downs | 15 | 14 |
| Rushes-yards | 16-108 | 31-49 |
| Passing | 15-19-0 | 16-24-2 |
| Passing yards | 232 | 132 |
| Fumbles-lost | 1-0 | 2-1 |
| Penalties-yards | 3-25 | 1-10 |
Midd. North (2-1, 1-1) 0 0 0 0 – 0
RB Catholic (4-0, 2-0) 6 3 14 13 – 36
Scoring Summary
Zabora 11-yard pass from Rivera (kick failed).
Picinich 29-yard field goal.
Zabora 27-yard pass from Rivera (Picinich kick).
Kemp 56-yard run (Picinich kick).
Zabora 15-yard pass from Rivera (Picinich kick).
Walsh 25-yard pass from Rivera (pass failed).
Individual Statistics
RUSHING — R: Rivera 5-5, Kemp 10-92, Allard 1-11. M: Belenko 15-35, Cross 1-3, Robson 9-3, Viola 1-11, Jacques 4-1, Grasso 1(-4).
PASSING — R: Rivera 15-19-0 239. M: Robson 16-24-2 132.
RECEIVING — R: Zabora 6-122, Walsh 3-33, Bereczky 4-51, O’Neal 1-26, Kemp 1-7. M: Viola 7-61, Cross 1-17, Sigler 4-22, Little 2-22, Belenko 1-(-1), Clark 1-11.
INTERCEPTIONS — R: Richter 1-0, Zabora 1-20.
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
