Atlantic Physical Therapy Week 11 Shore Conference Football Previews and Picks

Sectional championships are on the line this week as the 2026 NJSIAA public school football playoffs reach a pivotal stage, with teams looking to bring home sectional titles and keep their state championship dreams alive. Meanwhile, the non-public school playoffs move into the quarterfinals, where teams will battle for a spot in the semifinals and take another step toward competing for a state championship.

This year’s picks and previews are sponsored by Dave Manzo and Atlantic Physical Therapy.

With more than 30 convenient locations throughout New Jersey, Atlantic Physical Therapy Center provides personalized, patient-focused care to help people of all ages recover from injuries, manage pain, and get back to doing what they love. Their licensed physical therapists offer individualized treatment, along with services such as sports rehabilitation, dry needling, cupping, kinesiology taping, concussion management, and a variety of wellness and performance programs designed to help athletes recover, perform, and stay healthy.

Whether you’re working your way back from an injury or looking to perform at your best, Atlantic Physical Therapy Center is committed to helping you come back stronger and more confident than before.

We thank Atlantic Physical Therapy Center for its support of Shore Conference football and Shore Sports Insider.

Now, onto our Week 11 picks and previews.

	Stump	Smith	Crouthamel	Yeserski	Manzo
FRIDAY
TR North at Wash. Twp.	Wash. Twp.	Wash. Twp.	Wash. Twp.	Wash. Twp.	Wash. Twp.
Midd South at No. Highlands	Midd South	No. Highlands	No. Highlands	Midd South	No. Highlands
Chatham at Midd North	Midd North	Midd North	Midd North	Midd North	Chatham
Pinelands at Seneca	Pinelands	Seneca	Seneca	Pinelands	Seneca
Point Boro at Glassboro	Glassboro	Glassboro	Glassboro	Glassboro	Glassboro
Immaculata at Donovan	Donovan	Donovan	Donovan	Donovan	Donovan
Pope John at RBC	RBC	RBC	RBC	RBC	RBC
SJV at Paramus Catholic	Paramus Catholic	Paramus Catholic	Paramus Catholic	Paramus Catholic	Paramus Catholic
Last week	7-5	7-5	8-4	7-5	9-3
Season record	179-62	192-49	172-69	171-70	175-66

Previews

 

South Jersey Group 5 Final

(3) Toms River North at (1) Washington Township, Friday at 6 p.m.

Click here for the full sectional final preview.

 

North Jersey 1 Group 4 Final

(4) Middletown South at (1) Northern Highlands, Friday at 6:15 p.m.

Click here for the full sectional final preview.

 

North Jersey 2 Group 4 Final

(3) Chatham at (1) Middletown North, Friday at 7 p.m.

Click here for the full sectional final preview.

 

South Jersey Group 3 Final

(3) Pinelands at (1) Seneca, Friday at 7 p.m.

Click here for the full sectional final preview.

 

Central Jersey Group 2 Final

(3) Point Boro at (1) Glassboro, Friday at 6 p.m.

Click here for the full sectional final preview.

 

Non-Public B Quarterfinals

(9) St. John Vianney at (1) Paramus Catholic, Friday at 7 p.m.

St. John Vianney faces a monumental challenge in the Non-Public B quarterfinals when the ninth-seeded Lancers travel to take on top-seeded Paramus Catholic, one of the most talented teams in New Jersey. The Lancers enter as massive underdogs against a Paladins squad that has played one of the toughest schedules in the state and owns victories over Bergen Catholic, DePaul, and Pope John. For head coach Greg Penta’s team, pulling off the upset would require its best performance of the season on both sides of the football.

St. John Vianney (4-7) enters the matchup with some momentum after defeating Paul VI, 29-21, in the opening round. Junior quarterback Anthony Petracca delivered a flawless performance, completing all 18 of his passes for 300 yards and three touchdowns. Senior tight end Isaiah Shade was his primary target, hauling in seven receptions for 224 yards and two touchdowns. Petracca has thrown for 1,575 yards and 13 touchdowns this season while adding 420 yards and five scores on the ground. Shade leads the receiving corps with 532 yards and six touchdowns, while sophomore Jaheim Worthy has contributed 488 yards and four scores.

The Lancers will need another outstanding performance from their passing attack to keep pace with Paramus Catholic’s explosive offense. Senior running back Lucas Farah leads SJV with 508 rushing yards, while Petracca’s mobility gives the Lancers another dimension. Defensively, junior linebacker Zach Silverman leads the team with 85 total tackles, while Shade has recorded 56 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. SJV will need to generate pressure, limit explosive plays, and create turnovers to put themselves in position to win.

Paramus Catholic (5-5) is far more dangerous than its .500 record suggests. The Paladins have faced national and state powers throughout the season, including St. James, Iona Prep, Don Bosco Prep, St. Peter’s Prep, and St. Joseph (Montvale). Their victories include a 31-17 win over Bergen Catholic and a 21-7 triumph over DePaul. The Paladins have accumulated 2,115 rushing yards and 1,394 passing yards, presenting a difficult matchup for an SJV defense that will be challenged by their combination of size, speed, and athleticism.

Paramus Catholic’s offense has suffered a significant setback with sophomore quarterback Walker Snee out for the remainder of the season due to injury. Snee had thrown for 1,019 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for another 784 yards and six scores. Junior Rowan Martin, who has thrown for 364 yards and three touchdowns, provides another option under center. Senior running back Chukwuma Odoh leads the ground attack with 875 yards and eight touchdowns, while junior Feury Diaz-Rinaldi has 396 receiving yards. Defensively, sophomore James Brown has recorded 83 tackles and 15 tackles for loss, while senior Austin Barrett has added 72 tackles.

Despite the loss of Snee, Paramus Catholic remains the overwhelming favorite, with the talent and depth to make a deep run in the Non-Public B playoffs. St. John Vianney has already shown it can produce explosive offensive performances, but defeating the Paladins on the road would represent an enormous upset.

 

(6) Pope John at (3) Red Bank Catholic, Friday at 7 p.m.

Red Bank Catholic enters the Non-Public B quarterfinals as a sizable favorite when the Caseys host Pope John with a trip to the semifinals on the line. Head coach Mike Lange’s team has put together another strong season, compiling a 7-3 record against a challenging schedule that includes victories over Donovan Catholic, Rumson-Fair Haven, and St. John Vianney. The Caseys have also proven they can compete with some of the state’s best programs, suffering narrow losses to DePaul, Winslow, and St. Peter’s Prep.

RBC’s offense is built around sophomore running back Gabe Kemp, who is one of the Shore Conference’s most productive players. Kemp has rushed for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns on 249 carries, leading a ground attack that has accumulated 2,496 yards and 29 touchdowns. Senior Jake Bickerton has added 405 yards and five scores, while sophomore quarterback Rahmir Rivera has rushed for 427 yards and three touchdowns. The Caseys’ ability to control the line of scrimmage and establish their running game will be a major advantage against Pope John.

Rivera has also provided balance through the air, completing 113 of 177 passes for 1,483 yards and 17 touchdowns against five interceptions. Junior Jason Berecsky has been his top target with 43 receptions for 602 yards and nine touchdowns, while senior Ethan Kennedy has contributed 25 catches for 485 yards and four scores. Defensively, RBC features senior linebacker Luke Scaturro, who leads the team with 132 tackles and 16 tackles for loss. Junior Brock Goodman has added 81 tackles, while Berecsky has intercepted four passes.

Pope John (4-6) advanced to the quarterfinals with a 21-3 victory over Notre Dame in the opening round, its second consecutive win after defeating St. John Vianney, 23-6, to close the regular season. The Lions have faced a demanding schedule that includes Don Bosco Prep, Paramus Catholic, DePaul, and Delbarton, but have struggled offensively, averaging fewer than 19 points per game. Junior quarterback Vic Fiore has thrown for 583 yards and three touchdowns, while senior running back Luke Gialanella leads the rushing attack with 598 yards and six scores. Senior receiver Christian Brevig has contributed 245 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

The Lions’ best opportunity to challenge RBC will come from their defense, which features several productive playmakers. Senior linebacker Kal Marone leads the team with 117 tackles and 15 tackles for loss, while junior defensive lineman Carter Johnston has recorded 80 tackles and 30.5 tackles for loss. Junior linebacker Andrew Gesumaria has added 85 tackles and 14 tackles for loss. Pope John will need that defensive front to disrupt RBC’s running game and prevent Kemp from taking over the contest.

Red Bank Catholic has the more explosive offense and enters with a significant advantage in overall production, making the Caseys the clear favorite to advance. Pope John has shown improvement late in the season, but slowing down Kemp while containing Rivera and RBC’s passing attack presents a difficult challenge. If the Caseys establish their physical running game early and avoid costly turnovers, they will be in excellent position to move one step closer to a Non-Public B championship.

 

(5) Immaculata at (4) Donovan Catholic, Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Donovan Catholic enters the Non-Public B quarterfinals as a slight favorite when the fourth-seeded Griffins host fifth-seeded Immaculata, but the biggest storyline surrounding the matchup is the status of senior quarterback Kahden Davis. The Griffins (9-1) have put together an outstanding season under head coach Dan Curcione, with their only loss coming against Red Bank Catholic, 24-10. However, Davis has missed the last two games with an injury, leaving his availability for the postseason uncertain. Donovan Catholic has continued winning without him, defeating Toms River North and St. Joseph (Metuchen), but getting its starting quarterback back would provide a significant boost.

When healthy, Davis gives Donovan Catholic a dangerous dual-threat weapon. The senior has completed 93 of 143 passes for 1,191 yards and 12 touchdowns while rushing for another 252 yards and five scores. Sophomore Chris McClaren has stepped in at quarterback, throwing for 142 yards and a touchdown. Regardless of who starts under center, the Griffins will lean heavily on senior running back Alex Staten, who has rushed for 1,485 yards and 18 touchdowns. Senior receiver Aidan Kelly has added 36 receptions for 518 yards and three touchdowns, providing Donovan Catholic with another explosive offensive threat.

The Griffins have been equally impressive defensively, allowing just 14.8 points per game while recording nine interceptions. Senior linebacker D’iondre Foendoe leads the team with 117 tackles and 10 tackles for loss, while senior Sean Byrnes has contributed 103 tackles and nine tackles for loss. Senior Jason Madden has added 80 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and two interceptions. Donovan Catholic’s physical defense has been a major reason for its success, holding Brick Memorial, Southern, Point Boro, and Toms River North to 10 points or fewer.

Immaculata (7-4) enters the quarterfinals following a dominant 38-0 victory over Hudson Catholic in the opening round. The Spartans have an explosive offense that has accumulated more than 3,500 yards, led by junior quarterback Jaime Marin and junior running back Kenneth Sharperson. Marin has thrown for 1,677 yards and 16 touchdowns while adding 220 rushing yards and six scores. Sharperson has rushed for 1,090 yards and 12 touchdowns, giving Immaculata a productive ground attack. Senior receiver Quinn Hayden has been Marin’s favorite target, hauling in 34 passes for 650 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Defensively, Immaculata will try to find a way to contain Staten and prevent Donovan Catholic from controlling the game on the ground. Senior linebacker Jaiden Drake-Murray leads the Spartans with 76 tackles, while senior Micah Smith has recorded 59 tackles and two interceptions. Junior Matthew Thomas has added 53 tackles, and senior Christopher Montgomery has contributed 52. Immaculata has shown the ability to score points in bunches, but its defense has struggled against stronger opponents, surrendering 40 points to Glassboro, 57 to Morris Knolls, and 35 to Seton Hall Prep.

Donovan Catholic has a slight edge entering the quarterfinals, but Immaculata possesses the offensive firepower to make this a competitive matchup. The availability of Davis could have a significant impact on the outcome, particularly against a Spartans offense capable of putting points on the board. Staten and the Griffins’ defense have demonstrated they can carry the team without their starting quarterback, but Donovan Catholic will need another strong performance to advance to the Non-Public B semifinals.