Week 0 Thursday Night Football Games of the Week Presented by Sansone Jr’s Kia
Shore Conference football takes center stage under the lights Thursday night, and Shore Sports Insider will be on hand with coverage of two Week 0 matchups.
Tonight’s Shore Conference Thursday Night Football coverage is presented by Sansone Jr’s Kia, including Sansone Jr’s 66 Kia in Neptune and Sansone Jr’s Keyport Kia.
Freehold Township travels to Central at 6 p.m. for a season-opening matchup between two teams looking to start 2026 on the right foot. Shore Sports Insider’s Dave Smith will be at Central with coverage of the Patriots and Golden Eagles.
An hour later, Red Bank travels to Shore for a 7 p.m. kickoff in another intriguing Week 0 matchup. Shore Sports Insider’s Dan Yeserski will be on the scene as the Bucs and Blue Devils open their seasons under the Thursday night lights.
Shore Sports Insider will have coverage from both games throughout Thursday night and afterward on ShoreSportsInsider.com.
Below, we take a closer look at both matchups with an expanded preview of Freehold Township at Central Regional and Red Bank at Shore Regional.
Freehold Township at Central, 6 p.m.
Series Record: Central Leads 7-1
All-Time Results
2021: Central 35, Freehold Township 0
2018: Freehold Township 14, Central 13
1995: Central 27, Freehold Township 6
1994: Central 13, Freehold Township 6
1993: Central 41, Freehold Township 0
1992: Central 38, Freehold Township 13
1989: Central 22, Freehold Township 0
1988: Central 21, Freehold Township 0
Preview
One of the more intriguing games of the week has the potential to turn into an aerial showcase. Freehold Township’s patented Air Raid offense, led by senior quarterback Dakota Lasater and senior wideout Jake Schultzel, will test an athletic Central secondary headlined by seniors CJ Yates and Zyshun Carroll.
Freehold Township’s Jake Schultzel (Photo by Tom Smith/tspsportsimages.com)
On the other side, first-year starting quarterback Isaiah Troiano will have no shortage of weapons at his disposal. The junior signal-caller can lean on Yates, Carroll and senior wideout Dominic Prasad as he takes the reins of the Golden Eagles’ offense.
Central’s CJ Yates (Photo by Tom Smith/tspsportsimages.com)
The biggest difference between the two teams a year ago came on the ground. Central rushed for more than 1,600 yards, doubling Freehold Township’s total of roughly 800. If the Golden Eagles can establish the run, control the clock and keep the Patriots’ high-powered passing attack on the sideline, it could go a long way toward securing a victory.
Predictions
Stump- Freehold Township
Smith- Freehold Township
Crouthamel- Central
Yeserski- Central
Manzo- Central
Red Bank at Shore, 7 p.m.
Series Record: Even 9-9
2025: Red Bank 14, Shore 13
2021: Shore 23, Red Bank 8
1989: Shore 9, Red Bank 7
1988: Red Bank 16, Shore 13
1987: Red Bank 13, Shore 7
1986: Shore 28, Red Bank 14
1985: Shore 10, Red Bank 7
1984: Shore 35, Red Bank 0
1983: Shore 17, Red Bank 0
1982: Red Bank 16, Shore 7
1981: Shore 20, Red Bank 10
1980: Shore 15, Red Bank 13
1979: Red Bank 15, Shore 14
1978: Shore 10, Red Bank 8
1977: Red Bank 20, Shore 7
1976: Red Bank 26, Shore 0
1975: Red Bank 33, Shore 0
1974: Red Bank 34, Shore 12
Preview
Red Bank squeaked past Shore 14-13 last season in a game that came down to a failed two-point conversion. The two teams will look vastly different this time around, as Red Bank lost the majority of its offensive production outside of senior quarterback Brett Laude and slot receiver Kaden Jackson. At the same time, Shore returns just five starters, led by senior running back Cole Torres and senior quarterback Logan Clark.
Red Bank’s Brett Laude (Photo by Tom Smith/tspsportsimages.com)
Laude was particularly effective in last year’s matchup, throwing for 91 yards and two touchdowns to account for both of the Bucs’ scores. Red Bank also did a solid job containing Torres, holding him to 60 yards on 11 carries — an impressive effort considering he went on to rush for 1,651 yards last season.
Shore’s Cole Torres (Photo by Tom Smith/tspsportsimages.com)
With both teams replacing so many key contributors, this year’s matchup carries plenty of uncertainty. Familiar faces like Laude, Torres and Clark will be counted on to provide stability as two relatively inexperienced groups try to establish their identities early in the season.
Predictions
Stump- Shore
Smith- Red Bank
Crouthamel- Red Bank
Yeserski- Red Bank
Manzo- Shore
