Atlantic Physical Therapy Week 3 Shore Conference Football Previews and Picks

Divisional races continue this week. Like the previous week, Week 3 features a full slate of divisional games across the Shore Conference as teams continue their pursuit of division championships.

We are thrilled to have Dave Manzo of Atlantic Physical Therapy as the fifth member of our picks squad.

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 2 picks and previews.

	Stump	Smith	Crouthamel	Yeserski	Manzo
THURSDAY
RFH at Wall	RFH	RFH	RFH	RFH	Wall
Lacey at Pinelands	Pinelands	Pinelands	Pinelands	Pinelands	Pinelands
FRIDAY
SJV at Holmdel	Holmdel	Holmdel	Holmdel	Holmdel	Holmdel
RBC at Manalapan	RBC	RBC	RBC	RBC	RBC
TR North at Brick Mem.	Brick Memorial	Brick Memorial	TR North	TR North	TR North
Donovan at Jackson	Donovan	Donovan	Donovan	Donovan	Donovan
Point Boro at Southern	Southern	Southern	Southern	Southern	Point Boro
Matawan at Free. Twp.	Freehold Township	Freehold Township	Freehold Township	Matawan	Freehold Township
Manasquan at Midd North	Midd North	Midd North	Midd North	Midd North	Midd North
Shore at Midd South	Midd South	Midd South	Midd South	Midd South	Midd South
TR East at TR South	TR South	TR South	TR South	TR East	TR East
Brick at Central	Central	Central	Central	Central	Central
Red Bank at Raritan	Raritan	Raritan	Raritan	Raritan	Raritan
Neptune at Howell	Neptune	Howell	Howell	Howell	Howell
Marlboro at Ocean	Ocean	Marlboro	Marlboro	Marlboro	Ocean
Colts Neck at Asbury Park	Colts Neck	Colts Neck	Colts Neck	Colts Neck	Colts Neck
Manchester at Barnegat	Barnegat	Barnegat	Barnegat	Barnegat	Barnegat
Monmouth at Long Branch	Monmouth	Monmouth	Monmouth	Monmouth	Monmouth
SATURDAY
New Egypt at Free. Boro	New Egypt	New Egypt	New Egypt	New Egypt	New Egypt
Keansburg at Lakewood	Keansburg	Keansburg	Lakewood	Keansburg	Keansburg
Point Beach at Keyport	Point Beach	Point Beach	Point Beach	Point Beach	Point Beach
Last week	13-8	13-8	10-11	15-6	14-7
Season record	55-19	55-19	46-28	53-21	53-21

Previews

No. 4 Rumson-Fair Haven at No. 9 Wall, Thursday at 7 p.m.

The Bulldogs will be looking to avenge last season’s 17-13 loss to the Crimson Knights in the Central Jersey Group 2 semifinals, a defeat that snapped Rumson-Fair Haven’s streak of 11 consecutive sectional final appearances. Despite that result, Rumson-Fair Haven enters this matchup as the favorite following an impressive 3-0 start. The Bulldogs have shown tremendous balance offensively, with junior quarterback Brady Williams throwing for 643 yards and seven touchdowns while the rushing attack has piled up 589 yards, led primarily by senior running back Ryder Izzo and Williams.

Wall has leaned heavily on its running game behind a veteran offensive line anchored by seniors Gus Stedronsky and Nick Rogers. Junior running back Michael Boulard has rushed for more than 400 yards and five touchdowns, giving the Crimson Knights a physical ground attack. With both teams capable of controlling the game up front, the battle in the trenches will be one to watch.

The winner of this game will emerge as one of potentially two unbeaten teams in Class A North play, with Red Bank Catholic being the other if the Caseys defeat Manalapan.

Lacey at Pinelands, Thursday at 7 p.m.

The Wildcats are off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2023 and have dominated their opponents, outscoring them 116-6 through three games. Junior linebacker Montrell Carter has emerged as one of the state’s most productive defensive players, totaling 30 tackles, four sacks, an interception returned for a touchdown and a blocked kick.

The Lions bounced back from a lopsided loss to Middletown North by shutting out Toms River East, 10-0, to improve to 2-1. Defense has been the calling card in both of Lacey’s wins.

The winner will gain an early edge in the Class B South race, with Toms River South the only other team that can emerge from the weekend unbeaten in divisional play.

St. John Vianney at No. 6 Holmdel, Friday at 7 p.m.

These crosstown rivals did not meet last season, with their most recent matchup coming in 2024, when St. John Vianney went to Bob Roggy Field and came away with a 33-19 victory. Holmdel enters this year’s meeting as the favorite after coming off the greatest season in program history. The Hornets’ offense has remained explosive, producing just under 1,000 total yards through three games.

The matchup features several of the Shore Conference’s top playmakers. Holmdel boasts junior wide receiver Anthony Serini and senior Swiss Army knife Michael Todisco, while St. John Vianney counters with junior wide receiver Noah Fitzpatrick.

With the pace both teams like to play at and the amount of playmaking talent on each side, it could be a busy night for the scoreboard operator.

No. 1 Red Bank Catholic at Manalapan, Friday at 7 p.m.

Manalapan is coming off a heartbreaking loss to Wall in which the Braves surrendered the lead with under 30 seconds remaining. Close losses have been a recurring theme for Manalapan dating back to last season, when the Braves lost four games by one score. If Manalapan can keep this one within a score down the stretch, it would be a great place to be against the top-ranked team in the Shore Conference.

The Caseys have not lost to a Shore Conference opponent since 2024, but Holmdel gave them a scare last season, showing that one of the better teams in Class A North can push them. For Manalapan to do the same, the Braves will need to bring their best, control the ball offensively and create opportunities on defense to stay within striking distance.

No. 3 Toms River North at No. 5 Brick Memorial, Friday at 6 p.m.

Last year’s matchup came down to a Hail Mary on the final play, with wide receiver Nyzier Matthews making one of the plays of the season to deliver a dramatic victory for Brick Memorial.

Both teams are in the conversation for the title of top public-school team in the Shore Conference. Toms River North has leaned on a punishing rushing attack led by senior quarterback Cole Garrison and senior running back Lucas Elias, who have each rushed for more than 300 yards. Brick Memorial has featured a more balanced attack, with senior quarterback Tyler Pierce throwing for 442 yards while the Mustangs have rushed for 504, led primarily by senior running back Colin Schoellkopf and Pierce.

There is plenty of talent on both defenses as well. Brick Memorial features one of the Shore’s top defensive lines, led by seniors Joe Livio, Jaxon Pacheco and Jaxon Ellis, while Toms River North counters with a loaded linebacking corps featuring senior Jack Baker, junior Kam’ron Morse and sophomore Finn Boland. With two of the Shore’s top public-school teams going head-to-head, this should be another physical matchup with plenty at stake.

No. 2 Donovan Catholic at Jackson, Friday at 6:30 p.m.

After looking nearly unbeatable through the first two weeks, Donovan Catholic came back down to earth in a 14-7 win over Brick Memorial. The Griffins were sloppy offensively, as senior quarterback Kahden Davis threw three interceptions and the rushing attack managed just 84 yards. Despite those struggles, a strong defensive effort carried Donovan Catholic to the win, showing the Griffins do not necessarily have to be at their best to beat one of the Shore Conference’s top public-school teams.

Jackson will be a heavy underdog despite defeating Donovan Catholic, 28-0, last season. The Jaguars struggled mightily against the pass in a 42-14 loss to Southern and will need much better communication in coverage against Davis and one of the Shore’s most talented receiving corps.

No. 10 Point Boro at No. 7 Southern, Friday at 7 p.m.

The most intriguing aspect of this matchup will be Point Boro’s physical Flexbone rushing attack going up against Southern’s nasty front seven. The bulk of the Panthers’ offense has come from senior quarterback Jake Clayton, who has rushed for 283 yards and five touchdowns. Southern counters with a hard-nosed linebacking corps led by juniors Niko and Lukas Iliescu, along with Sawyer Grose, setting up a physical battle at the line of scrimmage.

The other side of the matchup presents a much different challenge, as the Rams have evolved into a dangerous passing team this season. Senior quarterback Carson Abbato has thrown for 552 yards and six touchdowns, with senior Chris Raub and junior Cole Celeste emerging as his top weapons. They will test a talented Point Boro secondary featuring sophomores Lincoln Blasi and Owen Hart, Clayton and senior Lorenzo Natoli.

That Point Boro secondary has not been tested much through the air recently. Toms River North attempted only five passes against the Panthers last week, while Manasquan did not attempt a pass the week before with its starting quarterback sidelined by injury. Southern should provide a much different test.

Matawan at Freehold Township, Friday at 6 p.m.

These two teams are a mirror image of one another. Both enter at 1-2, coming off a loss and searching for a win that could turn their season around. Both lean heavily on the passing game, although the Patriots have been much more productive through the air this season with 974 yards to the Huskies’ 334. Each team also features a tall First Team All-Shore receiver from last season in Matawan’s Cayson Williams and Freehold Township’s Jake Schultzel.

While the ball should be in the air early and often, this game could ultimately be decided by which team wins the physical battle up front. Generating a consistent pass rush would go a long way toward disrupting either passing attack, while establishing the ground game is just as important. Both defenses were gashed for nearly 200 rushing yards last week, making gap discipline and physical play at the line of scrimmage a must.

No. 11 Manasquan at No. 8 Middletown North, Friday at 7 p.m.

The winner of this game will gain an early edge in the Class B North race, as it would finish the night as one of only two potential teams still undefeated in division play, with Middletown South being the other.

Both teams feature a returning All-Shore selection who makes an impact at tight end and middle linebacker in Middletown North’s Kade Little and Manasquan’s Luke Barry. The Lions have done most of their damage through the air this season, with junior quarterback Derek Grasso throwing for 421 yards and five touchdowns against just one interception. Manasquan’s pass rush was dominant against Matawan last week, recording five sacks, making Middletown North’s pass protection against the Warriors’ pressure one of the key matchups to watch.

Shore at Middletown South, Friday at 7 p.m.

For the second straight week, Shore finds itself in a matchup that raises questions about the disparity in school size. The Group 1 Blue Devils held their own in a 34-20 loss to Group 4 Middletown North last weekend, and now they are being asked to take on another Group 4 opponent in Middletown South. The concern with matchups like these goes beyond simply facing a larger school. Group 1 programs generally do not have the roster depth to absorb injuries the way larger Group 4 programs can, making consecutive games against significantly bigger opponents an especially difficult assignment over the course of a season.

On the field, both teams feature one of the Shore Conference’s better running backs. Middletown South senior Justin Rosato has rushed for 330 yards and four touchdowns, while Shore senior Cole Torres has totaled 300 yards and four touchdowns, setting up an intriguing matchup between two productive ground games.

Protecting the football will be critical for Middletown South. Senior quarterback Jack Schneider is an aggressive passer who has thrown for 570 yards and five touchdowns, but he also threw five interceptions over the first two games, both losses. He took care of the football in last week’s win over Freehold Township, and the result was a lopsided victory. Shore is a bit undermanned and undersized in this matchup, so forcing turnovers and creating extra possessions could go a long way toward giving the Blue Devils a shot at pulling off the upset.

Toms River East at Toms River South, Friday at 6 p.m.

If Toms River East wants to get back into the Class B South race, the Raiders will need to go on the road and knock off their crosstown rival. After an explosive start to the season, the Toms River East offense has gone cold over the last two weeks, getting shut out by both Toms River North and Lacey.

Toms River South, meanwhile, has looked much improved this season and is coming off a critical divisional victory over Central. The Indians’ secondary has been particularly opportunistic, recording six interceptions through three games, including a team-high three by junior Hamza Hollingshead. Against a Toms River East offense searching for answers, that playmaking ability in the secondary could be a major factor.

Brick at Central, Friday at 6:30 p.m.

The urgency will be at an all-time high for both teams, as each desperately needs a win to turn its season around. Brick has dropped two straight since its opening-night victory over Allentown, while Central enters still searching for its first win after an 0-3 start.

Neither offense has gotten much production from the passing game. Central lost junior quarterback Isaiah Troiano early in Week 0, while Brick has leaned heavily on its rushing attack, totaling 104 carries compared to just 15 passing attempts.

Barring a significant change in offensive approach, this game should be decided in the trenches. Whichever team controls the line of scrimmage and establishes its running game will have the inside track to a much-needed victory.

Red Bank at Raritan, Friday at 6 p.m.

These two teams have been on very different trajectories thus far. Raritan has been a pleasant surprise at 2-1 and is only a play or two away from being undefeated after a narrow loss to Matawan. Red Bank, meanwhile, is looking to get back on track after lopsided losses to Holmdel and Ocean.

The Rockets have leaned heavily on their ground game out of their pistol flexbone offense. Senior Eric Berg has rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns, while senior quarterback Parker Needham has added 184 yards and two scores on the ground. Slowing down that attack will require the Bucs to stay disciplined with their assignments and win their individual battles up front if they want to bounce back.

Neptune at Howell, Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Both teams run their offenses through their quarterbacks. Neptune senior Caleb Brown-Mason has thrown for 497 yards and four touchdowns while adding 163 yards and two scores on the ground. Howell junior Connor Acker has thrown for 239 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 77 yards on just three carries.

With both quarterbacks capable of making plays, the difference could be which team gets a big performance from another offensive weapon. For Neptune, that could be senior wide receiver Jason Whittaker, who has 16 receptions for 268 yards and two touchdowns, or fellow senior Hassin McMillian, who has 13 catches for 148 yards and a score. Howell has its own options in senior running back Tim O’Rourke, who has rushed for 148 yards on 19 carries, and senior wide receiver John Bertran, who has six catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Marlboro at Ocean, Friday at 7 p.m.

The winner of this game will gain an early edge in the Class C North race, as Raritan is the only other team that could finish the weekend undefeated within the division. Both teams enter with momentum after impressive victories, with Marlboro defeating Neptune, 24-13, and Ocean rolling past Red Bank, 34-0.

Special teams could also play a factor, as both teams have kickers with plenty of range. Ocean junior Aidan Zacharcyzk has connected on a 46-yard field goal this season, while Marlboro senior Zach Mojares has drilled one from 45 yards. Offensively, both teams have leaned slightly more on the running game than the passing game, but neither relies on a single workhorse. Each team has three players with more than 20 carries through the first three games, giving both offenses multiple options on the ground.

Colts Neck at Asbury Park, Friday at 5 p.m.

Much like the Middletown South and Shore game, this matchup raises the question of why these two teams are playing in the first place. Asbury Park is a Group 1 program with a roster that is small even by Group 1 standards, while Colts Neck is a Group 4 school coming off a 32-0 victory over Long Branch. That significant difference in school size and roster depth makes this a daunting matchup for the Blue Bishops.

The biggest challenge for Asbury Park will be slowing down the Cougars’ one-two punch in the backfield. Sophomore Trevor Baum and junior Mike Arminante have combined for nine touchdowns through the first three games, giving Colts Neck a dangerous tandem on the ground.

Manchester at Barnegat, Friday at 6 p.m.

The Bengals are looking to start 4-0 for the first time since 2018, and they have an opportunity to get there against a Manchester team that enters at 1-2. Barnegat has a strong one-two punch in the backfield with senior Chris Santero and junior Ryan Fitzpatrick, who have combined for 319 rushing yards while scoring three touchdowns apiece. Manchester junior linebacker Ryan Hetzel has been the Hawks’ most productive defender with 26 tackles and will be at the center of their efforts to slow down the Bengals’ rushing attack.

On the other side of the ball, Manchester has struggled to generate offense through three games, totaling just 236 yards. Finding a way to get the offense going will be even more challenging against a Barnegat defense led by senior linebacker Josh Kawka and senior defensive lineman Patrick Small, who have recorded 21 tackles apiece.

Monmouth at Long Branch, Friday at 6 p.m.

The Falcons have a chance to accomplish something it hasn’t done in nearly a decade, as a win over 1-2 Long Branch would give the Falcons their first 4-0 start since 2017.
Monmouth has several potential game-wreckers along its defensive front, led by junior defensive linemen Ryan Fleury and Amari Roach, who have combined for seven tackles for loss, along with senior defensive lineman Jaden Hall. That trio will look to create negative plays and get Long Branch’s flexbone triple-option offense behind the chains.

The Green Wave were at their best in their lone victory of the season against Keansburg in Week 1, when they spread the wealth in the running game. No player carried the ball more than four times, but six different players found the end zone, showcasing the variety of options Long Branch can utilize out of the flexbone.

New Egypt at Freehold Boro, Saturday at Noon

Both teams enter this matchup searching for some momentum, with New Egypt sitting at 1-2 and Freehold Boro still looking for its first victory at 0-3. The Warriors have the most productive offensive player in the matchup in junior quarterback Thomas Marabuto, who has thrown for 463 yards and four touchdowns while adding 228 yards on the ground. His top target has been junior wideout Joe Snyder, who has caught 12 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown.

Freehold Boro has struggled to generate offense through its first three games, totaling just 96 rushing yards as a team, while sophomore quarterback Adrian KrKuti has thrown for 135 yards. There were some encouraging signs in the Colonials’ most recent game, however, as KrKuti threw for 105 yards and a touchdown, including a 61-yard scoring strike to junior tight end Ryan Hoffman. That performance gave Freehold Boro a glimpse of what its passing game could become as the Colonials look to build some offensive momentum.

Keansburg at Lakewood, Saturday at Noon

The Titans finally put together a complete performance last week, breaking into the win column with a 30-12 victory over Freehold Boro. Junior quarterback Mason Rand has shown promise as a passer, throwing for 401 yards and three touchdowns through three games. Junior wideout Daizhan Jones leads the team with nine receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown, while senior Mikey Clayton emerged as another weapon last week with four catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns.

For Lakewood, taking better care of the football will be a major point of emphasis after throwing six interceptions through three games. Cutting down on those turnovers while establishing some semblance of a rushing attack would go a long way toward helping the Piners sustain drives and put themselves in position to be competitive.

Point Beach at Keyport, Saturday at Noon

The Garnet Gulls have emerged as the early favorite in the Class C South race. While wins over South River and New Egypt have helped build their case, perhaps the strongest evidence came in a competitive 21-13 loss to Shore. The Blue Devils followed that by hanging around with ranked Middletown North before ultimately losing by two touchdowns, making Point Beach’s performance against Shore look even more impressive. Junior linebacker Gage Boyle has been one of the most productive defenders in the Shore Conference with 40 total tackles, and he has made a significant impact on offense as well, rushing for 232 yards and three touchdowns.

Keyport has a productive running back of its own in senior Jermaine Finch, who rushed for 118 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s win over Lakewood. The challenge will be creating enough room for him to operate against Boyle and the Point Beach defense. If the Red Raiders’ offensive line can get a hat on Boyle and company and consistently create space, Finch has shown he can turn those opportunities into big plays.