New QB, Same Results: No. 5 Brick Memorial Rolls Past No. 11 Wall in Season Opener

BRICK TWP. – Brick Memorial senior Tyler Pierce heard all the offseason chatter about how the Mustangs might take a step back due to the graduation of record-setting quarterback Jason Lajara. 

“I definitely took it as motivation,” Pierce said. 

“Starting this summer, he took this team and made it his,” new head coach James Mahoney said. 

He presented a nearly flawless opening argument on Friday night of why Brick Memorial isn’t going anywhere after graduating the 2025 Shore Sports Insider Offensive Player of the Year. 

The Mustangs’ new starting quarterback went 12-for-14 passing for 110 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 82 yards and a score on five carries to complement a dominant defensive effort in a 28-3 nondivisional win over Wall in the season opener at DiFabio Field. The Mustangs return plenty of All-Shore weapons around Pierce like senior wideout Shawn Fowler and tight end Joe Livio, so all eyes are on the senior quarterback to make it work. 

“I feel like I proved a point in 7-on-7 (this summer), and I proved a point here, but we’ve got to continue that the rest of the season,” Pierce said. 

“Amazing,” Fowler said. “It’s always clutch how a program player can step up just like that, and that’s what we build at Brick Memorial.”

The victory also marked the first career win for Mahoney, who has some big shoes to fill of his own in taking over for the program’s all-time winningest coach in Walt Currie. 

 The defending sectional champion Mustangs (1-0), ranked No. 5 in the Shore Sports Insider Top 12(opens in new tab), scored 28 unanswered points and forced three turnovers against the No. 11 Crimson Knights (0-1) to beat them for a second straight season. They also dominated time of possession, including a drive that took up nearly the entire third quarter. 

Wall had 198 total yards, but 54 of them came on its opening drive, and 91 came after the Crimson Knights were down 28-3 and the game was out of reach. 

“After that first drive, we were all gas from there (on defense),” said senior WR/DB Casey Pierce, Tyler’s twin brother, who had a pass breakup and a touchdown catch in the win. 

Wall senior quarterback Frannie Scaramellino went 7-for-9 for 57 yards on the opening drive of the game to set up a 28-yard field goal by senior Kai Smith for a 3-0 lead. It was all Brick Memorial from there, as the Mustangs scored on their first possession and never looked back. Meanwhile, the defense held Scaramellino to 5-for-11 passing for 37 yards and two interceptions the rest of the game. 

“We were all kind of nervous, kind of excited, we didn’t know what was going to go on, but we stuck together, and we brought the energy,” Casey Pierce said. 

Tyler Pierce looked like a veteran in his first start after seeing time in four games last season. He led the Mustangs on a six-play, 55-yard drive that ended with his 30-yard touchdown burst and a 7-3 lead with 2:12 left in the first quarter to settle in immediately. 

“All the times that we went to the fields the past three years with Jason (Lajara), with Naz (Matthews), Tyler’s been there, it’s not like he’s been a secret,” Fowler said. “He’s been there practicing with us. Taking that experience from Jason Lajara, who’s a great player, and that just translates to the game.” 

“I was nervous, but I felt comfortable as soon as I got out there,” Pierce said. “I trained for this all offseason, hit the weight room. I have a bunch of returning All-Shore guys.” 

The Brick Memorial defense forced a three-and-out and then the Mustangs offense marched 93 yards in 11 plays, highlighted by a 42-yard run up the middle by Pierce. Another new weapon for the Mustangs, junior wide receiver Jayvon Ellison, added a 20-yard catch and finished with five catches for 46 yards. 

Fowler capped the drive by bulling his way in from five yards out off a direct snap to show off the new wrinkle of having him run the ball on top of being one of the Shore Conference’s best receivers. 

“Doing whatever makes my team win, I’m having fun with it,” Fowler said. 

Fowler then picked off a pass and returned it to Wall’s 20-yard line to set up one more score before the half. Six plays later, Pierce found running back Colin Schoellkopf for a 3-yard touchdown pass on third-and-goal for a 21-3 advantage with 2:58 left in the second quarter. Freshman defensive back Zylon Weaver then recorded his first career interception before the half for Brick Memorial’s second takeaway of the game. 

The Mustangs killed any suspense with a monster 13-play, 73-yard drive to start the third quarter that culminated with a special moment for the sons of former Brick Memorial star Jeff Pierce. Tyler Pierce rolled out to his right and found his twin brother for a 5-yard touchdown pass and a 28-3 lead with 2:41 left in the period. 

“That was awesome,” Tyler Pierce said. “It was something special.” 

“It was amazing,” Casey Pierce said. “We’ve dreamt of it since we were in like fourth grade. It’s the greatest feeling ever.” 

It marked a promising start for a program that graduated its all-time leading passer (Lajara), all-time leading receiver (Nyzier Matthews) and all-time leading tackler (Trey Tallmadge) off arguably its best team ever. 

“This senior class has a little chip on their shoulder,” Mahoney said. “They’re a really good class, too.” 

Next up for Brick Memorial is its rivalry game with Brick (1-0), while Wall will look to bounce back on the road next week at Freehold Township (1-0).

Scott Stump is the football editor and a reporter for Shore Sports Insider. He first started covering Shore Conference football in 1999. 

Email: scottstump25@gmail.com