Week 5 Shore Sports Insider Boys Soccer Top 10
The Shore Conference Tournament is a little more than a week away from kicking off and the field looks as unpredictable as it has all season. There has been stability in the No. 1 spot in the rankings, but the perch is occupied by a program that is not used to the burden of expectations. Meanwhile, the usual contenders have shown vulnerabilities at different times this season, including in the last week.
The SCT field will be finalized by Friday, when group play is scheduled to be completed. At the start of the week, it appears as though all of the teams that one would expect to make the 27-team tournament will get in, but with so many games yet to be played, there is still time for a major surprise or two.
1. Colts Neck (10-0-1, 4-0-1) Last Week: 1
Given its record, talent and overall body of work, Colts Neck is the clear-cut No. 1 team in the Shore Conference at the moment, but there are some reasons to pump the brakes. In their biggest game of the season, the Cougars let a 3-0 lead slip away against Manalapan in settling for a 3-3 draw. Since that result, Colts Neck has won three games against overmatched opponents (Red Bank Catholic, Donovan Catholic and Jackson Liberty) that have combined for five wins and were outscored, 20-1, by Colts Neck. The Cougars have showcased their prowess as a roster over the first month of the season but will head into the final week of the regular season with much still to prove.
2. Manalapan (11-1-1, 5-0-1) Last Week: 3
Every team outside of Colts Neck has at least one slip-up on its résumé and Manalapan’s is a 2-1 loss at Toms River East – hardly a bad loss. Factor in wins over Southern, St. John Vianney, Wall, Rumson-Fair Haven, Middletown South, Middletown North and Jackson Memorial and the Braves have made a well-rounded case to be considered for the No. 1 spot in the rankings and a No. 2 ranking heading into the final week prior to the Shore Conference Tournament.
3. Christian Brothers Academy (9-4, 4-1) Last Week: 2
Losses to Rumson-Fair Haven and St. John Vianney put CBA’s top-three ranking in question and on their worst days, the Colts have shown the sort of flaws that could get them picked off earlier than expected in the postseason. On the flipside, their peaks have been as impressive as any team in the Shore Conference. The six-game winning streak between those two intra-conference losses included convincing results over Toms River North, Manasquan, Holmdel and Howell, which is as good a collection of results as you will find in the Shore Conference field. A bye in the first round of the SCT is still possible, but it could be a harder road to a fourth straight Shore Conference Tournament championship than the program is used to.
4. Toms River North (7-4-1, 5-0-0) Last Week: 6
Amid a few unwanted results outside of divisional play (losses to St. Joseph of Metuchen, CBA and Lenape plus a draw vs. Toms River South), Toms River North has owned Class A South for a fifth straight season. The Mariners ran the table in the division, capped by two 1-0 wins over Southern and Central last week that showcased Toms River North’s ability to make it through a tournament. They still have some work to do to earn a first-round bye in the SCT because of the draw vs. Toms River South but that is still in play for the Mariners.
5. Toms River East (8-2, 3-2) Last Week: 7
Toms River East’s only blemishes to its record this season are losses to Toms River North and Central – both by one-goal margins. On top of that, the Raiders’ résumé looks stronger with each passing week thanks to wins over Manalapan, Holmdel and Southern. If the Raiders can take care of business vs. Ranney this week, they will clinch a bye in the first round of the Shore Conference Tournament as the winners of Group A.
6. St. John Vianney (8-2, 4-1) Last Week: 8
Heading into Saturday, the Lancers were on the verge of dropping out of the Top 10 following a stunning loss to Neptune, which would have made for a short stay in the rankings following a 10-year absence from the Shore Top 10. St. John Vianney, however, responded by knocking off CBA for the first time in 12 years, which now gives the Lancers two wins over teams currently ranked in the Top 10. It also gives them the inside track for a bye in the first round of the SCT, although they will need a win or draw at Middletown South on Monday for that to remain a likelihood.
7. Manasquan (6-3-1, 2-2-0) Last Week: 4
Since beating Howell while the Rebels were No. 1, Manasquan is 2-3-1 with losses to Colts Neck, CBA and Holmdel, a draw vs. Middletown South and wins over Jackson Liberty and Long Branch. The Warriors are a virtual lock to finish second in SCT Group I and that sets Manasquan up to become very familiar with Rumson-Fair Haven over the next two weeks. The two teams will play in a Class A North match this week and, if the Bulldogs beat Jackson Memorial this week, they will host the Warriors again in the first round of the SCT.
8. Howell (7-2, 3-2) Last Week: 5
Injuries have again curtailed a promising season for Howell, although there is still time for the Rebels to win something big in 2024. Both of Howell’s returning First Team All-Shore players from 2023 – Nick Turturro and Tye Maser – have dealt with injuries this season and might have to play at less than 100 percent at some point in the postseason. Maser is playing through a hamstring strain and Turturro is out with an ankle injury, which has compromised Howell’s attack and tested the Rebels’ depth. Despite that, Howell is one win over Red Bank away from nailing down a spot in the SCT and that would also likely lead to a first-round bye.
9. Ocean (9-2, 3-1) Last Week: 9
St. John Vianney’s loss to Neptune again opens up the possibility of a division title for the Spartans, who will also have to deal with Neptune this week. First, Ocean will play at Shore Regional on Monday night, with the winner gaining the chance to tie SJV for the division championship. Beyond the division, Ocean is a lock for a first-round bye in the Shore Conference Tournament the Spartans’ performance vs. Southern and Howell reveal a team that looks capable of going all the way in a wide-open Shore Conference.
10. Southern (7-4-1, 2-2-1)
The Rams return to the Top 10 after a 2-2 week that included a win over a state-ranked opponent and two close losses to teams ranked in the Shore top five. It started with a 1-0 loss to Toms River North in a game that decided with a goal in the 73rd minute. The next day, Southern handed Shawnee – ranked No. 13 in the state by NJ Advance Media – its first loss behind an Aidan Donnelly hat trick. After taking out Point Boro later in the week, the Rams capped the week with a wild, 4-3, overtime loss to No. 2 Manalapan. It has been a rollercoaster season for Southern, but the last week was another example that the Rams have it in them to make a deep tournament run.
Dropped Out
Toms River South (8-2-2, 5-0-0) Last Week: 10 – A 4-1 loss to Central knocks Toms River South out of the top 10 for now, but a bye in the SCT is still a possibility.
Top 10 Watch List
Marlboro (7-3-1, 2-2-1) – The Mustangs are getting healthier and now lay in the weeds as a serious threat in the SCT.
Central (6-4, 3-2) – Like Southern, Central has been close against some quality opponents and closed the week with a convincing 4-1 win at Toms River South.
Rumson-Fair Haven (6-4-1, 3-1-1) – With a win over CBA, Rumson has one of the better wins in the Shore Conference and an unbeaten week would inch the Bulldogs closer to a ranking.
Middletown North (5-5, 2-3) – At full strength, Middletown North has proven to be a dangerous offensive team and will be shooting for a third straight trip to the SCT semifinals.
Middletown South (6-3-3, 2-2-1) – The Eagles are putting together another solid season and will go for a second win over CBA in as many years this week.
Holmdel (5-4-1, 2-3) – The overtime win over Manasquan was a step in the right direction, but a 7-0 loss to CBA three days later was a harsh reality check for the Hornets as they try to get ready for another postseason push.
Wall (6-6-1, 1-3-1) – Goalkeeper Tom Ekburg was kicked in the face and broke his nose while Wall’s game vs. Manalapan was still close and his absence was a major reason that game (a 6-0 Braves win) got out of hand. When while, Wall has shown it can hang with just about any team at the Shore.
Shore (9-3, 3-1) – Outside of a 3-2 win over Central, Shore has struggled against the best teams on its schedule. The Blue Devils can further reject that narrative by beating Ocean on Monday.
Brick Memorial (8-2-2, 4-1-0) – A move from Class A South to Class C South has led to a resurgence for Brick Memorial, which has beaten a Class A North opponent (Long Branch), tied a ranked team (Toms River South) and handed the last perfect team in the Shore Conference (Point Beach) its first loss.
Lacey (7-4, 3-2) – The Lions are on track to win their SCT group after beating Middletown North and Point Boro during the group stage.
