Atlantic Physical Therapy Shore Conference Football Top 12, 10/14/25
With only two weeks remaining, teams are coming down to their last opportunities to make a regular-season statement before the state playoffs kick off.
Red Bank Catholic went a long way toward cementing the final No. 1 ranking in the Shore Conference by beating last week’s No. 5 team, Rumson-Fair Haven, to remain unbeaten, but it’s not completely in stone yet.
No. 2 Southern, the Shore’s only other undefeated team, will try to present its case this week when it welcomes No. 4 Brick Memorial and the Mustangs’ high-octane offense to Stafford Township for a huge nondivisional game.
This week is another full nondivisional and nonconference slate, so it’s about securing playoff berths, high playoff seeds and moving up in the rankings for a host of Shore Conference teams.
As far as the divisions go, the big result last week was Wall making a move by taking down last week’s No. 3 team, Manalapan, to clinch no worse than a tie for the Class B North title.
There is the possibility of multiple shared division titles this season, which can be tricky when ranking teams that end up tied for a championship. Class C North could potentially be a tri-championship between Manasquan, Matawan and Red Bank, although their opponents in Week Eight will have something to say about that.
Brick Memorial will have a shot to tie Donovan Catholic for the Class A South title after the Griffins grabbed their share with a last-second win over Point Boro last week. The Mustangs have to beat Jackson on Oct. 24 to claim their share of the title.
Also, St. John Vianney has a chance to make it a tri-championship in Class B North with Wall and Manalapan if it can upset Wall in the final week of the regular season.
As far as the state playoffs go, check out our latest state tournament watch to see where all the Shore Conference teams stand as we head down the home stretch to the postseason.
Here’s the latest rankings.
1 Red Bank Catholic (7-0). Last week: No. 1.
Jason Berecsky (#6) and Kieran McGonnell (#20) combined for three interceptions in RBC’s win over Rumson-Fair Haven. (Photo by Patrick Olivero)
The Caseys went a long way toward locking down the final No. 1 ranking in the Shore for 2025 when they topped rival Rumson-Fair Haven 34-10 at Borden Stadium. Freshman running back Gabe Kemp went over 1,100 yards for the season with 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and sophomore Jason Berecsky had a pair of interceptions as the RBC defense came up with three turnovers. The main question now is if RBC will see Donovan Catholic in Non-Public B for one more Shore Conference hurdle. They also have a tough nonconference test this week. Next game: Friday vs. Paramus Catholic (2-5).
2 Southern (7-0). Last week: No. 2.
The Rams are 7-0 for the first time in program history after they cruised past Manchester 42-0 as six different players found the end zone. The win clinched no worse than a tie for their second straight Class B South title. Sophomore linebacker Niko Iliescu had 7 tackles and a pair of sacks and his twin brother Lukas had a sack and three tackles for a loss to lead the shutout on defense. Now comes Southern’s chance to show that it’s for real. The Rams’ best win is over No. 12 Central, but they can change that in a major way when they welcome Brick Memorial this week. A win could also potentially catapult Southern into the No. 1 seed in South Jersey Group 5 in the Rams’ quest for their first state sectional title in school history. Next game: Friday vs. No. 4 Brick Memorial (5-2).
3 Holmdel (4-2). Last week: No. 4.
The Hornets move up a spot thanks to Manalapan’s loss and their 47-21 win over Marlboro that snapped a two-game losing streak. Jack Cannon’s monster season continued with 169 yards rushing and four touchdowns on only eight carries, plus 342 yards on 16-for-18 passing and three touchdowns, including two to senior wideout James Murphy. He had a huge game himself with six catches for a career-high 201 yards. They face an old rival in the Battle of the Border this week. Holmdel has beaten Raritan in seven of their last eight meetings. Next game: Friday at Raritan (3-3).
4 Brick Memorial (5-2). Last week: No. 6.
The Mustangs move into the four spot as their offense continued to hum in a 49-7 win over rival Brick. Senior quarterback Jason Lajara threw four touchdown passes and ran for a score, all in the first half. The Mustangs’ four-touchdown win over Wall without even having Lajara in the lineup is also looking even better after the Crimson Knights went on to knock off Manalapan. They have a loss to Rumson-Fair Haven without Lajara, but look like a different team at this point. They have a shot this week to argue to move higher and add another line on the resume when it comes to ranking them against Donovan Catholic. Their victory over Holmdel also looks like the best win on the board among any team below the No. 3 spot. Next game: Friday at No. 2 Southern (7-0).
5 Donovan Catholic (4-3). Last week: No. 7.
Junior quarterback Kahden Davis returned from injury to help Donovan Catholic win a 10-7 game over Point Boro. (Photo by Tom Smith/tspimages.com)
The Griffins pulled out a 10-7 thriller over Point Boro on a last-second field goal by senior kicker Blake Caruso, who transferred shortly before the season from RBC. Junior quarterback Kahden Davis made his return from injury and threw for 201 yards and a touchdown while also running for 43 yards. Junior wideout Aidan Kelly had six catches for 96 yards and a score, and juniors Jael Hester and Sean Byrnes each had 11 tackles to lead the defense. Caruso also had seven tackles at safety, including two for a loss. The victory clinched at least a tie for the Class A South title, giving the Griffins their first division title since 2019. They can win it outright if Brick Memorial loses to Jackson in the last week of the regular season. Now they can add another win over a ranked opponent to their resume. Next game: Friday at No. 9 Manalapan (5-2).
6 Rumson-Fair Haven (4-2). Last week: No. 5.
The Bulldogs fell 34-10 to No. 1 Red Bank Catholic in their annual rivalry game as the Caseys controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides. Sophomore quarterback Brady Williams ran for a touchdown and junior Ryder Izzo had 125 yards rushing in the loss. Rumson will have its final say in the state playoffs, where it could potentially face Wall and Manasquan in Central Jersey Group 2, which it has ruled with an iron fist. The Bulldogs are still a formidable threat to get back to their fourth straight Group 2 final, especially when they get senior running back Kellen Murray back from injury before the playoffs. Their next opponent is the game Shore Conference fans wanted to see last season when both of them went undefeated. It’s a matchup of the reigning Group 2 and Group 5 champions. Next game: Friday at Toms River North (3-4).
7 Wall (4-2). Last week: No. 10.
The Crimson Knights move up after clinching no worse than a tie for the Class B North title with a hard-fought, 25-22 win over last week’s No. 3 team, Manalapan. Senior quarterback Brian McKenna accounted for four touchdowns in the victory, including a pair of TD passes to senior tight end Justin Davis. Wall can clinch the division outright with a win over St. John Vianney on Oct. 24. The Crimson Knights will now try to win their fifth straight game as they build steam for the postseason. Next game: Friday at Marlboro (2-5).
8 Manasquan (5-1). Last week: No. 8.
Manasquan and Justice Morgan (#33) pulled out a key 7-6 win over Red Bank in the rain in Class C North. (Photo by Sean Dettlinger)
The Warriors put themselves in position to clinch a share of the Class C North title by beating last week’s No. 11 team, Red Bank, in a 7-6 slugfest at Vic Kubu Warrior Field. Senior running back Ace Etienne had the game’s lone touchdown, and senior Justice Morgan broke up a two-point conversion pass when the Bucs tried to take the lead. Morgan, a Brick transfer, will face his old team this week in a nondivisional matchup between two of the Shore’s most storied programs. Next game: Friday at Brick (3-4).
9 Manalapan (5-2). Last week: No. 3.
The Braves take a tumble after falling 25-22 to last week’s No. 10 team, Wall, in a crucial Class B North game. Junior quarterback Cameron Desfosse threw for 101 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a touchdown in the loss. Manalapan’s best win is over St. John Vianney (3-4), and it has zero victories over teams with a winning record, so this week is a major opportunity to show what the Braves can do before the resume starts to look thin. Next game: Friday vs. No. 5 Donovan Catholic (4-3).
10 Matawan (5-2). Last week: No. 12.
The Huskies have won three straight after taking care of Long Branch 42-0 thanks to three touchdown passes and a TD run by sophomore quarterback BlairCarter Gagneron and a pair of touchdown catches by Cayson Williams. They can clinch at least a tie for the Class C North title with a win over Shore Regional on Oct. 24. First they have to get by a Middletown North team trying to secure a home state playoff game and end a three-game losing streak. Next game: Friday at Middletown North (2-3).
11 Red Bank (4-2). Last week: No. 11.
The Bucs were right there with No. 8 Manasquan and essentially went for two and the win and came up just short in a 7-6 loss. Red Bank can still grab a share of the Class C North title with a victory over winless Long Branch on Oct. 24 in their annual rivalry game. They will have a tough one this week against a team eager to break into the rankings itself. Next game: Friday vs. Middletown South (2-4).
12 Central (6-1). Last week: Unranked.
C.J. Yates and Central make their debut in the Top 12 rankings. (Photo by Patrick Olivero)
Let’s give the Golden Eagles a shot for their first appearance in the rankings this season. Their only loss is to No. 2 Southern, and they are coming off a 27-7 win over Toms River South for their fourth straight victory. They also have a 20-17 road win over Middletown North. Junior C.J. Yates continued his big season with a 60-yard pick six and a 90-yard touchdown catch in the win over Toms River South. Right now, they are slated to have a home playoff game in South Jersey Group 4. Next game: Friday vs. Long Branch (0-7).
Dropped out: Point Boro (2-4)
This team is still dangerous but has been ravaged by injuries. They are hoping to return junior quarterback Jake Clayton this week after he wasn’t able to play in their 10-7 loss to Donovan Catholic last week. They have had four cracks at beating a ranked team and have come up short, but they do boast a win over St. John Vianney that could help them if the Lancers beat Wall in two weeks.
Knocking on the door: St. John Vianney, Middletown South, Neptune.
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
