Week 0 Shore Conference Football Players of the Week Poll Winners
Welcome to the first edition of Shore Sports Insider’s Shore Conference Football Player of the Week poll.
Each week we will post nominees for the Shore Conference offensive, defensive and special teams Players of the Week and give readers the chance to choose who should take home the award based on their performance in the previous week’s games.
Shore Sports Insider will also select offensive, defensive and special teams Players of the Week for each of the Shore Conference’s seven divisions.
Read through each player’s accomplishments for the week and cast your votes. This week’s poll will close on Wednesday at noon.
Update, Sept. 4: The polls have closed and we have our first winners of the 2024 season. Congratulations to all the nominees on their standout performances in Week 0. Scroll down to see the final results for Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week as selected by the fans. We’ll see you again on Monday with the Week 1 poll.
Week 0 Shore Sports Insider Football Player of the Week nominees (listed in alphabetical order)
*Scroll down for defense and special teams*
OFFENSE
Mason Adam, Sr., RB, Wall
Adam ran for 57 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 31-yard touchdown pass as the Crimson Knights dealt Matawan a 34-7 defeat for Wall’s first road win since 2021.
Rahmel Anderson, Sr., QB, Lakewood
The Shore Conference’s leading rusher in 2023 picked up right where he left off by rushing for 253 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries and converting a pair of 2-point conversion runs to lead the Piners to a 22-20 win over Ewing.
Kevin Andrews, Sr., RB, Brick Memorial
The standout senior rushed for 201 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries to help lead the Mustangs to a season-opening 23-20 victory over Allentown.
Matt Antonucci, Jr., QB, Manasquan
Making his first career start, Antonucci threw a touchdown pass, ran for a touchdown and caught a touchdown when the Warriors opened their season with a 33-0 win over Neptune.
Jack Cannon, Jr., QB, Holmdel
In a high-octane duel with Long Branch quarterback Quinton Fisher, Cannon ran for 174 yards and three touchdowns and threw for 107 yards to lead the Hornets to a thrilling 38-32 victory
Nick Cardone, Sr., QB, Freehold Township
Cardone completed 16 of 32 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 43 yards when the Patriots defeated Toms River South, 35-14.
Mason Ciccariello, Jr., QB, Jackson Liberty
The Lions started the season hot with a 34-0 victory over Hamilton West where Ciccariello completed 12 of 15 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown and ran for 50 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Qua’mir Everett, Sr., WR, Freehold
Everett caught a 44-yard touchdown pass and also returned a punt 44 yards for a touchdown in addition to having two other long touchdowns called back on penalties when the Colonials shut out New Brunswick, 28-0, to give Derek Reichenbecher his first win as Freehold head coach.
Quinton Fisher, Jr., QB, Long Branch
The early leader for the most improved player in the Shore is Fisher, who dazzled with 175 yards rushing and two touchdowns and 181 yards passing and two touchdowns as Long Branch battled to the end in a 38-32 loss to Holmdel.
Jonah Glenn, Jr., RB, Jackson Memorial
Glenn is the Shore Conference’s leading returning rusher among running backs and wasted no time racking up yards by rushing for 201 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries in the Jaguars’ 17-7 win over North Brunswick.
Christian LaFonte, Sr., RB, Marlboro
LaFonte erupted for career highs of 214 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 22 carries to power the Mustangs to a dominant 34-0 victory over Colts Neck.
Aidan Lunn, Sr., QB, Manchester
Lunn showcased his dual-threat abilities in the Hawks’ 26-21 victory over West Deptford at the Battle at the Beach Classic in Ocean City. He was limited by a lower-body injury in the second half but still finished with 149 yards passing and a touchdown and 98 yards rushing on 11 carries.
Dylan Reitmeyer, Sr., FB, Point Boro
The Panthers’ rushing attack was in midseason form with over 400 yards on the ground in a 49-7 win over Steinert and Reitmeyer led the way with 108 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries.
Matthew Rossi, Jr., QB, Point Beach
Rossi threw for 84 yards and tossed a pair of touchdown passes when the Garnet Gulls blanked South River, 28-0.
Alex Staten, So., RB, Ocean
Staten ran for 93 yards on five carries in the Spartans’ 10-6 victory over Red Bank, which was highlighted by his electric 82-yard touchdown run late in the first half that put Ocean ahead for good.
Abdul Turay, So., RB, St. John Vianney
Turay ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries and also returned a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown when the Lancers blanked Carteret, 34-0, to give head coach Bobby Acosta his first win at St. John Vianney.
T.J. Valerio, Sr., QB, Toms River North
Valerio was fantastic with four touchdowns in the Mariners’ 31-2 wipeout of Downingtown East, a top 25 team in Pennsylvania that went 11-1 last year. He completed 14 of 20 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 101 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.
Joe Vezzosi, Sr., QB, Central
Vezzosi completed 1o of 19 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns in the Golden Eagles’ 20-0 victory over Hightstown.
A’shere Woolfolk, Jr., RB, Manalapan
Although the Braves dropped their season-opener, 21-11 to Piscataway, Woolfolk ran for 148 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries.
DEFENSE
Jack Baker, So., LB, Toms River North
Baker shined in his varsity debut by recording six tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack when the Mariners blew out Dowington East, 31-2. Downingtown East was ranked No. 21 in Pennsylvania by MaxPreps and went 11-1 last season. Toms River North allowed zero yards of offense in the first half.
D.J. Carter, Jr., DB, St. John Vianney
Carter snagged an interception when the Lancers posted a 34-0 shutout over Carteret to open their season.
Justin Davis, Jr., LB, Wall
Davis hit the defensive hat trick with a sack, an interception and a fumble recovery in the Crimson Knights’ 34-7 victory over Matawan. He totaled eight tackles with three tackles for loss.
Nick Diadema, Sr., LB, Marlboro
Diadema was a wrecking ball in the Mustangs’ 34-0 shutout win over Colts Neck with eight total tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks.
A.J. Ehrmantraut, Sr., LB, Brick Memorial
Ehrmantraut posted 10 tackles, two sacks and one tackle for loss in Brick Memorial’s 23-20 win over Allentown.
Ja’mir Irby, Sr., LB, Freehold
Irby posted a team-high eight tackles with four tackles for loss to help lead the Colonials to a 28-0 shutout victory over New Brunswick in Derek Reichenbecher’s debut as Freehold head coach.
James Lynch, Sr., DL, Toms River East
Lynch recorded a safety that sparked the Raiders’ 12- 7 comeback victory over Barnegat. He finished with 10 tackles (4 solo), one sack, one tackle for loss and a pass deflection.
Jake Minniear, Sr., LB, Freehold Township
Minniear had six total tackles with one sack, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble in the Patriots’ 35-14 win over Toms River South.
Dante Mortellite, Sr., LB, Manchester
Mortellite recorded a team-high 13 tackles to help lead Manchester to a 26-21 win over West Deptford at the Battle at the Beach Classic in Ocean City.
Adam Murphy, Sr., DL, Manasquan
The Warriors shut out Neptune 33-0 to begin the season and Murphy helped lead the charge with five tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a combined sack.
Royalty Riley, Sr., DB, Central
Riley had a great all-around game that included two interceptions to help lead a shutout effort in a 20-0 win over Hightstown. He also caught five passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns.
Marcus Simmelkjaer, Sr., LB, Jackson Memorial
Simmelkjaer had six tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss when Jaguars strangled the North Brunswick offense in a 17- 7 victory by yielding just 68 yards of offense, including a paltry 23 yards rushing on 16 attempts.
Ronald Thorn, Sr., DL, Point Beach
Thorn led the way for the Garnet Gulls’ defense in its 28-0 shutout victory over south River with nine tackles and four tackles for loss.
Cole Toddings, Sr., LB, Barnegat
Toddigs picked up right where he left off after an outstanding junior season by recording 15 total tackles, five tackles for loss, 2 sacks and a pass breakup in Barnegat’s 12-7 loss to Toms River East.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Joe “The Toe” Bercovicz, Fr., K, Ocean
The Spartans’ freshman kicker delivered a 30-yard field goal with 2:39 left in the third quarter to give Ocean a bit more breathing room in its 10-6 victory over Red Bank that gave Chad King his first win as Spartans’ head coach.
Cipriano Bodnar, Sr., DL, Holmdel
Bodnar blocked a punt that Hamza Elmesei recovered in the end zone for a touchdown in the Hornets’ thrilling 38-32 win over Long Branch. He also recorded a team-high 10 tackles with one tackle for loss.
Keegan Foote, Sr., K, Southern
Foote connected on a 27-yard field goal and nailed both of his extra point attempts in the Rams’ 17-0 win over Highland.
Damier Lester, Jr., PR, Freehold
Lester ripped off a sensational 66-yard punt return for a touchdown during the Colonials’ 28-0 victory over New Brunswick.
Jack Marotta, So., K, Brick Memorial
Marotta’s 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter snapped a 20-all tie and sent the Mustangs to a 23-2o victory over Allentown.
Joe Muzzillo, Sr., K, Jackson Memorial
With the Jaguars and North Brunswick tied 7-7 late in the fourth quarter, Muzzillo delivered a clutch 36-yard field goal to give Jackson the lead for good in a 17-7 victory over the Raiders.
Yianni Papanikolas, Sr., K, Toms River North
Papanikolas kicked a 30-yard field goal and went 4-for-4 on extra points in the Mariners’ 31-2 win over Downingtown East (Pa.)
Ian Spicer, Sr., K, Manchester
Spicer went 2-for-2 with field goals of 26 and 30 yards and also went 2-for-2 on extra points to help the Hawks defeat West Deptford, 26-21, at the Battle of the Beach Classic.
