The Showdown Between No. 1 RBC and No. 2 Holmdel: Storylines, Matchups and Scouting

It’s not the game that was circled on every Shore Conference football fan’s calendar in the preseason, but it rapidly became the main event of the 2025 regular season: No. 1 Red Bank Catholic against No. 2 Holmdel. 

The clash of Monmouth County powers goes down at 7 p.m. on Friday at Count Basie Field in Red Bank and features the top two teams in the Shore Sports Insider Top 12 rankings squaring off in a crucial Class A North game. It’s the first meeting between them in 12 years. 

While RBC rapidly ascended to No. 1 after a season-opening win over Toms River North, Holmdel turned Friday night into a monster game by ending Rumson-Fair Haven’s 15-game winning streak to take the No. 2 spot and give itself an argument to be No. 1. 

The winner will only need to win one more divisional game to claim no worse than a tie for the Class A North title. A victory by Holmdel would also go a long way toward the Hornets securing a No. 1 seed in the playoffs and making everything go through Bob Roggy Memorial Stadium in their quest for their first state title. 

RBC is locked in a duel with old nemesis and defending champion Depaul for the No. 1 seed in Non-Public B, so a win over the Hornets would certainly help in that department. 

Here is a breakdown of all you need to know. I also spoke with coaches who have played or scouted both teams to get their insight. 

Storylines

Old vs. new

RBC is a perennial Shore power, although the Caseys were back in the pack last season with a 6-4 record. An injection of elite talent from their freshman class and the return of a group of veterans have put them back among their customary status as a team ranked in the top three in the Shore and the top 20 in the state. 

Holmdel, meanwhile, is in a place it has never been. This is the highest the Hornets have ever been ranked in the Shore and the first time in their program history that they have been ranked in the top 20 in the state by NJ Advance Media. Plain and simple, this is the biggest regular-season game in the 53-year history of the program.  

The veteran star vs. the rookie phenom

Holmdel is led by senior quarterback Jack Cannon, the early frontrunner for Offensive Player of the Year honors. He is a three-year starter and Dartmouth recruit who has made the Holmdel record book his autobiography. Cannon has thrown for 3,708 career yards and run for 2,160 career yards with a combined 106 touchdowns. 

This season, he has 585 yards passing, eight touchdowns and three interceptions to go with 534 yards rushing and nine touchdowns on an average of 10.3 yards per carry. Cannon is a human first down and the essence of a dual threat quarterback. 

His counterpart is RBC star Rahmir Rivera, who has lived up to his billing as one of the top freshmen in New Jersey. He has 712 yards passing, eight touchdowns and only one interception with a 76% completion rate. So much for having to adjust to high school varsity football. Suffice it to say that a freshman has never been named Shore Conference Offensive Player of the Year by a media outlet, not even Middletown South legend Knowshon Moreno, but Rivera is in the running. 

Will it be the veteran star making the freshman wait his turn? Or will the up-and-coming talent show that he’s ready to take the crown right now? 

Two deep groups of playmaking wide receivers squaring off 

These teams both have deep and talented receiving corps who can argue they are the best wide receiver rooms in the Shore. 

RBC’s group features senior Dan Zabora (15-308-4), sophomore Jason Bereczky (16-181-2), senior Johnny Williams, senior Chris Gibson, junior tight end TJ Walsh (4-43-1) and freshman running back Gabe Kemp (6-94-1). Junior Mikey O’Neal, an explosive punt and kick returner, also can be a threat in the passing game. Zabora and Bereczky both have FBS offers, and Zabora verbally committed to Air Force at the end of last week. 

Holmdel has a big three of sophomore Anthony Serini (10-163-3), senior James Murphy (8-227-3) and junior Michael Todisco (7-76-1), with tight end Carmine Aliperti as another option. 

The unstoppable force vs. the immovable object 

Holmdel is averaging 43.3 points per game and has not been slowed down by anyone, not even No. 3 Rumson-Fair Haven. 

Red Bank Catholic’s defense has allowed the lowest total points (15) of any team in the Shore Conference this season. 

Breaking Down the Matchup

Head coaches: RBC’s Mike Lange and Holmdel’s Noel Kavanagh. 

Lange has coached the Caseys to two state titles and another state final appearance in his six seasons, so he’s led them in the biggest games in New Jersey in the pressure cooker at MetLife Stadium. The Caseys have also played in numerous high-profile regular-season games against Shore Conference teams, perennial non-public North Jersey powers and out-of-state opponents. 

While Kavanagh is only in his second season as head coach at Holmdel, he knows all about playing in the biggest games in the state and Shore Conference. He was previously an assistant under Mark Ciccotelli when their teams won multiple state championships at Freehold and Neptune, so he’s experienced the atmosphere plenty of times. He also led the Hornets to a sectional semifinal playoff appearance last season. 

Offense

When RBC has the ball

Rivera’s running ability in RBC’s pro-style offense is used more to evade the rush and keep the play alive while keeping his eyes downfield. 

He has only 58 yards rushing on 10 carries, but his scrambling ability makes him especially dangerous on broken plays because he throws so well on the run that he can hit teams with a 40-yard bomb when they think they have the play defended. 

Freshman running back Gabe Kemp (72-489-4), who recently picked up an offer from Temple, has dramatically upgraded a Caseys run game that was essentially nonexistent last season. He is a threat to go the distance on any play and also is a target in the passing game. 

We’ve already mentioned the deep wide receiver group above. Zabora’s strength is high-pointing the ball in one-on-one matchups, Bereczky is dangerous on underneath routes where he can run after the catch, Williams also has good speed and Walsh is a big target over the middle. 

An offensive line led by two-way junior star Lorenzo Tartamella and senior Jordan Key has more bulk than last year and is able to get a push in short-yardage situations. Look for them to attack Holmdel up the middle after the Hornets have struggled at times in that area this season. RBC also has the advantage of depth, with plenty more fresh linemen it can cycle into the game as it goes along. 

Opposing coaches’ take: A big key for RBC is going to be avoiding the sluggish offensive starts it has had in recent games because Holmdel’s ability to score can put the Caseys in a hole. RBC has not trailed in any game this season.

The Caseys have the advantage up front and will want to methodically drive down the field to limit the possessions for Cannon and Co. and shorten the game. Rivera’s strength is hitting the intermediate routes that keep the chains moving and allow RBC’s receivers to run after the catch. Blitz pickups will be crucial because multiple coaches noted that Holmdel will run exotic blitzes from all angles to get splash plays by forcing turnovers or getting teams behind the chains.

The Hornets are good at disguising their pressures, so this will be a test for Rivera, but Holmdel also gambles and can get hurt by big plays if the rushers don’t get home. RBC’s RPO game could be crucial in taking advantage of the aggressive mentality of the Hornets’ defense.

When Holmdel has the ball 

Cannon is the franchise. He basically is the Holmdel running game, as no other player on the team even has more than 73 yards rushing this season.

He mixes in designed runs with his instincts to break the pocket on dropbacks if he sees a lane, so defenses can never relax. Cannon has 4.5 speed so if he gets to the second level, he can take it the distance. He had two touchdown runs of more than 70 yards in the win over Rumson. 

Cannon also has been running the offense as a starter for three years. He knows every little wrinkle, so he’s on the same page with Kavanagh whenever they see a mismatch. 

He also has matured as a passer. He threw a career-high five touchdown passes in a 49-21 win over Middletown South last week. 

As mentioned above, Cannon has a deep group of receivers, and they each have a certain skill set. Murphy is the big-play threat who averages 34.6 yards per catch, Serini has the speed to get behind the defense and Todisco is a sure-handed receiver when Cannon needs to move the chains. 

The offensive line has four new starters but has picked up right where the old group left off. Senior Luke Schiess leads a unit that will open a lot of eyes around New Jersey if it can win the battle up front against RBC’s vaunted defensive line. 

Opposing coaches’ take: A fast start for Holmdel would be huge. RBC’s defense has only given up 15 points all season, so if Holmdel comes out and scores two quick touchdowns, that could immediately dent the Caseys’ confidence.

Holmdel needs to take advantage of RBC’s aggressiveness and tendency to overpursue defensively to find running lanes and hit big plays. Cannon is hard to blitz because he can get the ball out quickly and avoid the rush. Holmdel’s line splits are so small that it’s hard to blitz them up the middle, so you have to come off the edge. If a rusher gets too far upfield, it creates a running lane for Cannon.

The Hornets’ run game is basically QB counter, QB iso, QB sweep and some power read option. It’s just trusting in Cannon’s ability to read the defense and make a play. The Hornets will also use screens and the quick passing game as basically part of their run game. Much of the game will come down to the discipline of RBC’s front seven on defense.

Defense

When RBC is on defense

The Caseys have been a shutdown unit that has only allowed 15 total points all season, and it starts with their defensive line.

They have a seemingly endless group of playmakers who can rotate up front, led by Tartamella (3 sacks), a Holmdel resident who is a four-star defensive end with dozens of FBS offers who draws consistent double teams. Sophomore defensive end Asher Cummins (4 sacks, 8 TFL) has been a breakout performer, while Key (5 TFL) has been steady in the middle. RBC also now has 300-pound defensive tackle Caden Sternlieb eligible after he transferred from St. Thomas Aquinas. 

The Caseys have recorded 11 sacks and 41 tackles for a loss in four games, so this unit is adept at putting offenses behind the chains with negative plays. That relentless pass rush has also led to eight interceptions in four games by the secondary because of quarterbacks throwing under duress. Zabora has three of them and Gibson has two on a unit that has forced 12 turnovers overall in four games. 

Junior Luke Scaturro (41 tackles, 6 TFL) and sophomore Brock Goodman (28 tackles) lead the linebackers, while junior defensive back Kieran McGonnell has been a force (31 tackles) in run support. 

RBC will try to turn Cannon into a dropback passer by stifling his running game. He has only attempted more than 20 passes in a game three times in his 27 career games, and Holmdel lost two of those games. 

Opposing coaches’ take: RBC believes it has the best defensive line in the Shore, so it will be up to the Caseys to prove it against by far the best offense they have faced this season. They will look to force Cannon to be more of a passer and settle for intermediate routes rather than deep balls to Murphy or Serini or quick screens.

RBC’s depth on the defensive line and its ability to generate pressure with the front four without having to blitz could be a major factor.

This will also be a test of RBC’s linebackers, who have been stellar thus far. Cannon is a slippery runner who bounces off tacklers. If they overpursue or can’t get him on the ground in space, it’s going to be a long night. It may be difficult for RBC to stay in a two-high safety look to defend against the deep shots because it removes an extra defender from the box to stop Cannon’s running game.

Cornerback Kieran McGonnell should be an important player for RBC in this one. Holmdel’s receivers and running backs are very good at being physical while blocking downfield to spring big plays for Cannon. McGonnell’s strength is quickly shedding blocks or avoiding them entirely to get ballcarriers on the ground out on the perimeter.

When Holmdel is on defense 

The Hornets are allowing 25.7 points per game in their 3-3 stack defense, but some of it is garbage time points from teams that they have been blowing out or instances where the defense barely got a rest because the offense scored so fast. 

The engine of their defense is turnovers, which Cannon and Co. usually translate directly into points. They have forced an average of three turnovers per game in their 3-0 start. 

Their secondary has been a strength, as Todisco is one of the Shore Conference’s top ballhawks with four interceptions as a safety. Serini is also a solid cover cornerback and freshman Tyler Carri has made an impact. 

Senior linebacker Peter Berardi (28 tackles, 2 TFL) is the anchor of the unit, along with his brother, junior linebacker Joseph Berardi. Junior Matt Scheinman (18 tackles), who also plays running back, has been another key player. 

Aliperti leads the defensive line with five tackles for a loss and Schiess has a pair of sacks. The Hornets have a little more depth up front than last year, but not to the level of what RBC has on its line. 

Opposing coaches’ take: The Hornets are all about momentum plays on defense. They will send exotic blitzes and try different stunts to generate a fumble, an interception or a negative play. They will try to rattle RBC’s freshmen by giving them different looks, but they are also susceptible to big plays.

Holmdel’s offense thrives on the sudden change. When the defense gets a turnover, Cannon seemingly always hits a big play within the first two or three plays of the ensuing possession.

A big thing to keep an eye on is how much Cannon ends up playing on defense. Holmdel will put him in at safety to roll to the side of a team’s best receiver if the opponent is hitting big plays. If he has to play both ways for an extended stretch, that might leave a little less in the tank for offense.

Special teams

Red Bank Catholic freshman kicker/punter Simon Picinich has been an important addition to the Caseys’ special teams. 

He has range out to 50 yards and attempted a 45-yarder last week against Middletown North. Picinich also consistently booms touchbacks on kickoffs. O’Neal is also dangerous as a punt returner. 

Senior Brandon Mueller is a two-year starter for Holmdel who has been reliable on extra points and hitting field goals out to about 30 yards. Murphy has also been a threat as a kickoff returner. 

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