Christian LaFonte’s strong debut, and a preview of Week One

Marlboro senior Christian LaFonte was blunt about how he was viewed in taking over as the Mustangs’ starting tailback this season.

“I think no one really knew who I was,” LaFonte said.

That will no longer be a problem after LaFonte put up 214 yards and 3 touchdowns on an average of 9.7 yards per carry in a season-opening, 34-0 win over Colts Neck that earned Marlboro Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week honors. His performance helped assuage any fears of a steep drop-off following the graduation of All-Shore star Matt Cassidy, who ran for 1,169 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.

“I got to learn a lot from watching Matt all of last season,” LaFonte said. “I knew I was up for the challenge.”

Plus, LaFonte did have plenty of varsity experience. He was second on the team in rushing last season with 230 yards on 48 carries, but he knew what people were thinking when Cassidy and a stellar senior class graduated. He came out and nearly surpassed his entire total from last season in one game.

“That was definitely a motivation,” LaFonte said. “Everyone was saying Cassidy and all them graduated, and they’re nothing now. I think we all knew we had it in us to go out there and compete.”

Marlboro turned in its third straight winning season for the first time in school history last year. The Mustangs entered this season looking to prove they have established a solid program that can withstand the graduation of a talented group.

Plus, they are motivated to return to the NJSIAA sectional finals. The Mustangs lost a 19-13, double overtime heartbreaker to Cherokee in the South Jersey Group 5 championship game to come up just short of their first state title since 1994.

“We know we can get back there, and that drives us every day,” LaFonte said. “Knowing we were just that close, we want to get back to that position, and we want a different outcome this time.”

After facing a Colts Neck team that lost almost its entire starting lineup to graduation, the competition ticks up this week with a game against St. John Vianney. The Lancers are ranked No. 10 in the Atlantic Physical Therapy Shore Conference Top 12, while the Mustangs are No. 12.

Asbury Park twins set to make history

Freshman twins Eniya and Elani Johnson will make Asbury Park the first team to ever start two female players in one game when the Blue Bishops take on Lakewood. They will play on both sides of the line. Read the full story.

Lakewood’s Rahmel Anderson keeps it rolling

With the highest rushing total of any Shore player in Week Zero, Lakewood senior quarterback Rahmel Anderson is right back to putting up huge numbers. It comes after a season in which he led the state in rushing, yet fell under the radar. Read the full story.

Alumni spotlight

Former Ocean star Trebor Pena got his season off on the right foot with a career-high 6 catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns along with a rushing touchdown in Syracuse’s 38-22 win over Ohio.

In @CuseFootball‘s 38-22 win against @OhioFootball yesterday, SU wide receiver Trebor Pena dominated with three touchdowns.@Austin_Barach had the call for the New Jersey native’s first, which closed out the opening half.

📽️: ACCN pic.twitter.com/b7wwHh1DG7

— WAER Sports (@WAERSports) September 1, 2024

Pena hadn’t scored a touchdown since 2021 after some injury-riddled seasons, but looks to be a playmaker for the Orange this season with former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord now at Syracuse.

What to watch for in Week One

An action-packed slate kicks off with a historic game on Thursday night followed by a loaded Friday slate and a pair of nondivisional games on Saturday.

Here’s what to know:

—Welcome to the Shore, New Egypt: Ocean County’s New Egypt is a new member of the Shore Conference this season. The Warriors face Keansburg on Thursday night in their inaugural game as a conference member. They have plenty of Shore Conference ties, including their head coach, Steve Fence, who is a former Manchester assistant. Also, Fence’s son, Brady Fence, is a 6-foot-6, 250-pound standout senior lineman for Pinelands.

—A showdown of top 10 teams in the state: Red Bank Catholic welcomes Don Bosco Prep in a clash of the titans at Count Basie Field. RBC, ranked No. 8 in the state by NJ Advance Media, is coming off a loss to Middletown (Del.), while Don Bosco, ranked No. 5, got beat 21-7 by Ohio power Archbishop Hoban. RBC has not started 0-2 in 15 years, so the Caseys will be looking to shake off last week’s loss. RBC quarterback Frankie Williams aired it out for 275 yards and a TD against Middletown, but the run game struggled. Meanwhile, Don Bosco had a more balanced offense, but only managed one score. The quarterback for the Ironmen is a former Shore Conference player, Deven Sisler, who transferred from Central Regional before last season.

—A top-five Shore clash: No. 3 Rumson-Fair Haven will open the season with a bang when it welcomes No. 5 Point Boro in a game that could go a long way toward Group 2 playoff seeding down the line. Point Boro crushed Steinert 49-7 in the opener, but this is a much different challenge. It will be the passing attack of Rumson and Owen O’Toole against the flexbone option attack piloted by Point Boro sophomore star Jake Clayton. Point Boro beat Rumson 42-28 last year. Both teams graduated a host of stars, so this is a litmus test to see where they are at with a lot of new faces in the lineup.

—Another Top 12 showdown: The other game between two ranked teams features No. 12 Marlboro at No. 10 St. John Vianney. Both teams cruised to wins in the opener, so this is an intriguing match-up. It’s a new-look Marlboro team led by tailback Christian LaFonte and a swarming defense against a high-octane St. John Vianney squad with junior Zach LaBarca at quarterback and sophomore Abdul Turay in the backfield. Both defenses are coming off shutouts, and that side of the ball should decide the game.

—The Battle of Brick: The rivalry game between Brick and Brick Memorial was bonkers last year. The Mustangs won “The Miracle in the Mud” on a fumble return in a driving rainstorm in the final minutes. I think I just dried off from covering it. New Brick head coach Jay Graber makes his debut in the longtime rivalry on Friday. Brick Memorial edged Allentown in its opener and is looking for a big season behind its stellar junior class, while Brick is looking for a bounceback season and a playoff berth. It all starts here.

—Quick hits:

No. 8 Jackson Memorial at Long Branch is a matchup of playmakers between Jaguars’ star running back Jonah Glenn and Long Branch QB Quinton Fisher. Whoever wins up front will decide this game…Raritan will honor its undefeated 2004 state championship team, the first one in school history, ahead of its game against Toms River South….Don Klein will debut as just the third Shore Regional coach since 1982 when the Blue Devils welcome Pinelands with a new-look offense…Jackson Liberty is looking for its first 2-0 start in 12 years when it faces Red Bank.

Freehold takes on Barnegat after recording its first shutout in 7 years in the season opener…Former Asbury Park star quarterback Will Johnson makes his debut as head coach when the Blue Bishops take on Lakewood…Holmdel has an 11-game winning streak against Shore Conference teams heading into its game against Ocean (1-0).

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