Atlantic Physical Therapy Shore Conference Football Top 12 for Oct. 1
Let’s get right to the point. Week 4 was awesome.
The weekend of Sept. 27 and 28 saw multiple down-to-the-wire games, top-12 upsets and important division victories as the Shore Conference football landscape continues to take shape as we approach the midway point of the season.
No. 1 Toms River North had to rally past No. 4 Point Boro, Manalapan took down St. John Vianney in an overtime thriller, Central won a battle of unbeatens with rival Southern, and Manchester, Holmdel and New Egypt came away with big wins to keep themselves in the hunt for a division title.
Two undefeated teams that have been on the cusp of the rankings enter the Top 12 this week, while the four ranked Class C North teams play another round of musical chairs.
Here is the latest Shore Sports Insider Football Top 12, presented by Atlantic Physical Therapy Center.
Shore Conference Football Top 12
1. Toms River North (5-0). Last week: No. 1
Senior quarterback T.J. Valerio threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 65 yards and a touchdown and made multiple clutch plays when the Mariners rallied for a last-minute 24-21 victory over No. 4 Point Boro to win their 31st straight game against public schools and hold onto first place in Class A South. Valerio threw a game-tying 5-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Nasir Jackson midway through the fourth quarter. Earlier on the drive, Valerio connected with senior wideout Cam Thomas for a 30-yard gain on a must-have 4th-and-15 from their own 32-yard line. He then led the game-winning drive that ended with senior Yianni Papanikolas bouncing a 20-yard field goal attempt off the left upright and through the goalposts with 46 seconds remaining. Toms River North gets a brief respite from the A South gauntlet this week when it hosts “The Civil War”. Next game: Friday vs. Toms River South (3-2).
2. Rumson-Fair Haven (4-0). Last week: No. 2
Senior quarterback Owen O’Toole threw for 236 yards and three touchdowns to go over 5,000 career passing yards and lead the Bulldogs to a 34-6 win over Middletown South. O’Toole tossed touchdown passes to Jack Gyimesi, Nick Thomas and Jordan Angstreich and also ran for a touchdown. Senior defensive back Carson Memmot returned an interception for a touchdown. Rumson will head to Ocean County to face a fellow division leader in Week 5. Next game: Saturday at Manchester (4-1).
3. Red Bank Catholic (3-2). Last week: No. 3
Senior quarterback Frankie Williams threw for 151 yards and four touchdowns and sophomore running back Jordan Mosenthine ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-0 win over then-No. 11 Marlboro. Daniel Zabora had two touchdown receptions and Chris Gibson and Jason Berecsky had one touchdown catch each. Senior linebacker Patrick McGonnell spearheaded the shutout with a sack and four tackles for loss. RBC has a bye this week ahead of a monster rivalry matchup in Week 6. Next game: Thursday, Oct. 10 vs. No. 2 Rumson-Fair Haven.
4. Point Boro (3-2). Last week: No. 4
The Panthers executed their gameplan to near perfection and came up just short of a massive upset, falling to No. 1 Toms River North, 24-21. Point Boro’s triple-option offense grinded out long drives and kept the Mariners’ explosive offense off the field for long stretches as the Panthers built a 14-7 halftime lead and led 21-14 in the fourth quarter. Senior fullback Dylan Reitmeyer ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns and sophomore slotback Nick Spanola ran for a touchdown. Point Boro’s two losses are to the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the Shore. Next game: Saturday vs. Colts Neck (0-5).
5. Brick Memorial (4-1). Last week: No. 4
Junior quarterback Jason Lajara tossed three touchdown passes and the Mustangs scored twice on defense to hold off then-No. 9 Donovan Catholic in a 34-27 Class A South victory. Junior wide receiver Nyzier Matthews had two catches for 132 yards and two scores and senior Matt Hillin caught a touchdown pass. Sophomore Shawn Fowler returned an interception for a touchdown and junior Erik Pedre returned a fumble for a touchdown. Next game: Friday vs. Southern (4-1).
6. Manalapan (3-2). Last week: No. 12
Separating the Class C North teams is an unenviable task. This week, the Braves lead the pack after a wild 35-34 overtime victory over St. John Vianney that gave them sole possession of first place in the division. After St. John Vianney tied the game late in regulation and scored on its first overtime possession, Manalapan sent the homecoming crowd into a frenzy when senior quarterback Ryan Dougherty threw a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Justin Troxell and then tossed the game-winning 2-point conversion to senior tight end Anthony Hammel. Dougherty also ran for two touchdowns, as did sophomore running back Nicky Palmieri. Manalapan can clinch a share of the division title in two weeks, but the Braves will first have to get past a familiar nemesis to keep their momentum going. Next game: Saturday at Howell (2-2).
7. Holmdel (4-1). Last week: No. 10
In a pivotal road game against an undefeated division leader, the Hornets put together a complete performance in a 35-14 victory over then-No. 6 Wall. Junior quarterback Jack Cannon continued his MVP-candidate season by throwing for 210 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 80 yards. Sophomore wide receiver/defensive back Michael Todisco had an incredible game with two pick-6s plus 80 yards receiving and a touchdown. Senior running back Matt Iulo and junior tight end Alex Reyes also scored touchdowns. Holmdel is averaging 35 points per game this season. The Hornets have a bye in Week 5. Next game: Thursday, Oct. 10 vs. Raritan (1-3).
8. Wall (4-1). Last week: No. 6
The Crimson Knights fall two spots after suffering their first loss of the season in a 35-14 setback versus Holmdel. Juniors Heath Reinhardt and Dylan Cohen scored touchdowns and junior Thomas Plisky had 10 tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss. Wall gets an extra seven days to regroup with a bye in Week 5 before another huge Class C North game. Next game: Thursday, Oct. 10 at No. 6 Manalapan (3-2).
9. St. John Vianney (3-2). Last week: No. 7
Sophomore running back Abdul Turay ran for 225 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-tying touchdown late in regulation and a go-ahead score in overtime, but the Lancers fell to then-No. 12 Manalapan, 35-34, when the Braves scored a touchdown and converted the 2-point conversion. It was Turay’s third straight 200-yard game to give him 900 yards and 16 touchdowns on the season. Junior quarterback Zach LaBarca tossed a 35-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout Jahmere James and D.J. Carter had an interception on defense. The Lancers step out of the chaotic Class C North division this week but will face an undefeated opponent looking for a signature win. Next game: Friday vs. No. 10 Middletown North (4-0).
10. Middletown North (4-0). Last week: not ranked
The undefeated Lions enter the Top 12 after a 35-7 win over Freehold. Junior quarterback Owen Robson threw for 145 yards and two touchdowns, junior wideout Jack Viola caught three passes for 105 yards and a touchdown and senior Brian O’Donnell had a touchdown run and a touchdown catch. Senior running back Shane Volante and sophomore running back Matt Belenko also ran for touchdowns. Middletown North’s first-string defense has not allowed a touchdown all season and the defense as a whole is yielding just 5.3 points per game. A major nondivisional test is on tap for this weekend. Next game: Friday at No. 9 St. John Vianney (3-2).
11. Donovan Catholic (1-3). Last week: No. 9
The Griffins drop two spots after a 34-27 loss to No. 5 Brick Memorial. We have given the Griffins a long leash considering their recent track record and schedule, as their losses are to Brick Memorial, No. 4 Point Boro and state No. 10 St. Augustine. They have their second bye week in Week 5 before returning to action with another division game next weekend. Next game: Friday, Oct. 11 at Jackson Memorial (2-3).
12. Central (5-0). Last week: not ranked
The Golden Eagles enter the Top 12 after a thrilling 26-21 comeback win over Southern in a multi-layered game that pitted two unbeaten teams playing for a rivalry trophy. Senior quarterback Joe Vezzosi was brilliant in throwing for a career-high 301 yards and four touchdowns, while sophomore wide receiver CJ Yates had a breakout game with six catches for 190 yards and three touchdowns. Vezzosi connected with Yates on a go-ahead 13-yard touchdown with 20 seconds left. Junior running back Austin Jarvis also had a touchdown catch and senior Royalty Riley caught six passes for 113 yards, including a clutch 41-yard reception on 4th-and-10 on the go-head scoring drive. Next game: Friday vs. Barnegat (3-2).
Dropped out
-No. 8 Jackson Memorial (lost 18-0 to Howell)
-No. 11 Marlboro (lost 42-0 to No. 3 Red Bank Cath0lic)
Knocking on the door
Howell (2-2)
The Rebels blanked then-No. 8 Jackson Memorial, 18-0, to even their record at 2-2. Senior defensive back Zach Padilla had a pair of interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Howell’s wins have come over Freehold Township and Jackson and their losses are to Brick Memorial and Donovan Catholic. Their schedule gives them a chance to make a statement each week, such as the opportunity that awaits them this weekend. Next game: Saturday vs. No. 6 Manalapan (3-2).
Freehold Township (4-1)
Senior quarterback Nick Cardone tied his own program single-game record with five touchdown passes in a 34-21 victory over Matawan to keep pace with Middletown North atop Class B North. A challenging game versus a district rival looms for the Patriots. Next game: Saturday at Marlboro (2-3).
Southern (4-1)
The Rams dropped a 26-21 contest to Central in a tremendous back-and-forth game. Senior running back Evan Wyrsch had a pair of touchdown runs and senior quarterback Cooper Dempsey threw a touchdown pass to senior wideout Talon Plenge. Southern will try to regroup on the road versus a ranked opponent in Week 5. Next game: Friday at No. 5 Brick Memorial (4-1).
Shore (4-0)
The Blue Devils’ dominance of the Class D North division continued with a 41-0 win over Keansburg. Senior running back Brendan O’Brien ran for three touchdowns and senior quarterback Josh Moeller threw for a pair of scores. Shore can essentially wrap up the division title with a win this weekend. Next game: Friday vs. New Egypt (4-0).
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