Group 3 Semifinal Preview: Holmdel vs. Cedar Creek

WHO: Cedar Creek (10-2) at Holmdel (9-2). 

WHEN: Friday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. 

WHERE:  Bob Roggy Memorial Field at Holmdel High School, 36 Crawfords Corner Rd, Holmdel 

HOLMDEL’S ROAD TO THE GROUP SEMIFINALS:  Defeated Cinnaminson 43-10; defeated Neptune 65-42; defeated Seneca 41-20. 

CEDAR CREEK’S ROAD TO THE GROUP SEMIFINALS: Defeated Triton 35-6; defeated Pleasantville 15-12; defeated Mainland 34-28. 

ANALYSIS

This game features some big-name offensive stars, including a pair of explosive dual threat quarterbacks, so there could be plenty of fireworks at Bob Roggy Memorial Field on Friday night. Make sure the scoreboard is stocked with fresh bulbs. 

This is uncharted territory for both teams. Holmdel is coming off its first state sectional title in school history, and Cedar Creek’s last state sectional title came in 2021, before the playoffs were expanded to the Group finals in 2022, so this is the first Group semifinal for each program. Holmdel can also tie the single-season school record for wins (10) with a victory in this game. 

Holmdel is coming off the euphoria of making school history, while Cedar Creek had one of the most dramatic championship wins of any team in the state. The Pirates were tied at 28 with Mainland after a 41-yard field goal, but pulled it out on a 65-yard touchdown pass with only 21 seconds left in the game. 

The Pirates enter averaging 33.8 points per game, while the Hornets are the Shore Conference’s No. 1 offensive team at 43.5 points per game. Cedar Creek was held to seven and 17 points in its two losses, whereas no team this season has held Holmdel under 28 points. 

At this point, you know the deal with Holmdel’s spread offense under senior quarterback Jack Cannon, who is in the mix for Offensive Player of the Year for all of New Jersey. He’s thrown for 2,549 yards and 28 touchdowns and run for 1,521 yards and 30 touchdowns. The Dartmouth recruit averages 370 yards of total offense a game. 

His top receiver, senior James Murphy, is coming off a four-catch, 129-yard effort in the sectional final against Seneca and is pushing 900 yards receiving for the season. Sophomore Anthony Serini, junior Michael Todisco, senior tight end Carmine Aliperti and running back Matt Scheinman give Cannon a deep group of targets, and Scheinman also spells Cannon in the running game. 

Cedar Creek’s defense allows 15.1 points per game but is susceptible to the run in its 3-4 base alignment. The Pirates gave up 178 yards on the ground in the win over Mainland in the South Jersey Group 3 final, and Old Bridge quarterback Brody Nugent rolled up 168 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in a 21-7 win over Cedar Creek in the season opener. That bodes well for Cannon considering he is one of the most explosive runners in the Shore. 

It could be a fun matchup between Cannon and Cedar Creek senior linebacker Justus Peyton, who has 116 tackles, 20 for a loss, and should be keyed in on Holmdel’s senior quarterback. Senior linebacker Jajuan Macintosh also has over 100 tackles to go with 12 tackles for a loss. Senior defensive lineman Mason Beck leads the team with 4.5 sacks, while senior Frenchmon Bethea, who is also the team’s quarterback, has three interceptions in the secondary. 

Cedar Creek counters with a spread offense that has plenty of big-play capability of its own. University of Maine recruit Aamir Dunbar has 1,734 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns, and the Pirates have shown they can win even when he gets bottled up. Mainland held him to 17 yards rushing, but Bethea stepped up and threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 109 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries. Bethea, who is verbally committed to Stony Brook, has 2,216 yards and 24 touchdowns between rushing and passing. 

The Pirates’ two main receivers are seniors Gyan King (25-607-7) and Jahmir Campfield (38-720-9), the latter of whom is verbally committed to Bryant. King is the receiver who won the one-on-one matchup with a Mainland defensive back and scored the game-winning, 65-yard touchdown last week. 

Holmdel’s defense is allowing 26.5 points per game but enters with confidence after shutting down the Seneca run game last week and coming up with four turnovers. Linebacker Peter Berardi has over 100 tackles and had a fumble recovery last week, and his brother, Joey Berardi, also had a standout game at linebacker. Scheinman is also a playmaker at linebacker. 

Todisco could be a crucial player in this one in the secondary, where he has five interceptions. He will need to help the Hornets keep the ball in front of them when Cedar Creek takes some deep shots, which the Pirates inevitably will. Freshman defensive back Tyler Carri will also most likely have to cover King or Campfield, but he has seen some top wideouts this season in Holmdel’s tough schedule. Junior Ryan Pescatore also had an interception last week and should be a factor. 

Almost all of Cedar Creek’s stars start on both sides of the ball, so we’ll see if fatigue becomes a factor at all. 

This is already a dream season for Holmdel, and the Hornets have what it takes to get to MetLife Stadium or Rutgers for the Group 3 final. Until someone shows they can shut down Holmdel’s offense, you have to like the Hornets’ chances against anybody in Group 3. 

The pick: Holmdel, 42-28. 

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