Video Highlights from No. 1 Toms River North’s 54-10 win over No. 8 Jackson Memorial
No. 1 Toms River North 54, No. 8 Jackson Memorial 10
Senior quarterback T.J. Valerio completed 8 of 8 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for two touchdowns, and senior wide receiver Cam Thomas caught four passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns and also returned a punt 50 yards for a touchdown as the top-ranked Mariners (3-0, 1-0) overpowered the Jaguars (2-1, 0-1) for their 29th straight victory over public schools.
Thomas had a highlight-reel 51-yard touchdown reception, followed it up with a punt return touchdown, and then hauled in a 26-yard touchdown pass from Valerio. Senior wideout Nasir Jackson caught a 20-yard touchdown pass and Valerio added touchdown runs of 1 and 8 yards when the Mariners built a 48-3 halftime lead. Senior running back Mordecai Ford added a 19-yard touchdown run that put Toms River North up 7-0 early in the game.
The Mariners’ defense yielded a big play early when Jackson Memorial junior Jonah Glenn broke free for a 76-yard run, but Thomas was able to chase him down and tackle him at the Toms River North 4-yard line. The Mariners’ defense held Jackson to a 22-yard field goal by senior Joe Muzzillo and the starting unit was locked in the rest of the way. Jackson had an interception on the game’s first play to set up North’s first touchdown, senior linebacker Eddie Slosky had a strip-sack that senior defensive lineman Hathem Hooranyi recovered near midfield, and Slosky and senior linebacker Blaise Boland combined on another strip-sack that led to a touchdown.
Jackson got into the end zone in the third quarter when senior wide receiver Eric Zebrowski took a quick screen from senior quarterback Dennis Caswell and turned it into an 81-yard touchdown.