Week 7 Shore Sports Insider Boys Soccer Top 10
In the weeks leading up to the Shore Conference Tournament, the weekly changes to the Shore Sports Insider Boys Soccer Top 10 were either slight or gradual. The occasional unranked team would jump into the fray with a big week, but for the most part, it has been a steady season of ranking the teams.
That changed last week.
The top three teams in the rankings remains solid in their positions, but the rest of the top 10 got a dramatic overhaul thanks to a Shore Conference Tournament that pitted teams against one another randomly. Not only did that make for early marquee match-ups between Colts Neck and Manalapan, as well Manasquan and Toms River East, but it also set up a tough circumstances for other prominent teams: a tough match-up for Toms River North that got the Mariners eliminated by Rumson; a long road trip to Lacey for Middletown South; a division rivalry game for Southern that ended with a loss at Central.
What’s left is a top 10 that looks different from what we have seen in the last month, including two teams breaking into the rankings who have come up just short each week prior to this one.
1. Colts Neck (14-0-1, 5-0-1) Last Week: 1
Although Colts Neck has been No. 1 for more than a month, the Cougars missed a chance to cement their position when they tied Manalapan, 3-3, in late September. Last week, they took a significant step toward wrapping up the No. 1 ranking in the conference before the NJSIAA Tournament by handling Manalapan, 3-0, in the SCT round of 16. Colts Neck still needs to win three more SCT games to finish that mission and it starts with Tuesday’s home match with Manasquan.
2. Manalapan (14-2-1, 5-0-1) Last Week: 2
Friday’s 3-0 loss to Colts Neck takes Manalapan out of the running for No. 1, but the Braves still have the best credentials of any team in the race for No. 2. Manalapan has tied Colts Neck and beaten Howell, Rumson-Fair Haven, Toms River North, Middletown South, Wall, Southern, St. John Vianney and Middletown North. The SCT dream is over for 2024, but the Braves will be a contender in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV bracket.
3. Christian Brothers Academy (13-4, 5-1) Last Week: 3
CBA is next in line for the No. 2 ranking, but when have the Colts ever been interested in settling for No. 2? CBA will host Holmdel Tuesday in a rematch of a 7-0 Colts win in Class A North divisional play and if they can maintain their dominance in the matchup, they will return to the SCT semifinals for the sixth straight tournament and eighth in the last nine.
4. Manasquan (10-4-1, 3-3-0) Last Week: 6
After barely escaping the first round of the SCT vs. Jackson Memorial, Manasquan again went to overtime in round two, this time knocking off Toms River East. Five years ago, Manasquan rumbled to the SCT final with consecutive penalty-kick shootout wins in the quarterfinals and semifinals and this time around, it is a pair of overtime games that earned the Warriors a rematch against Colts Neck. Manasquan will try to take the next strep against a team that beat the Warriors in overtime, 3-2, during SCT group play.
5. Central (9-4, 3-2) Last Week: Not ranked
The Golden Eagles finally surge into the top 10 and climb to No. 5 as one of the eight teams remaining in the Shore Conference Tournament. One of Central’s losses is to Southern, which the Golden Eagles just beat, 2-0, in the SCT round of 16. The other losses are to Shore (in overtime), Toms River North and Wall, with the 2-0 loss to Wall the only loss Central has suffered by more than a one-goal margin. The Golden Eagles won a grueling SCT group to earn a first-round bye and have wins over Southern, Toms River East, Toms River South and Howell.
6. Howell (9-5-1, 4-2-0) Last Week: Not ranked
If healthy, Howell is among the best rosters in the Shore Conference and even at less-than-full strength, the Rebels showed last week that they can compete against top-level opponents. They tied Scotch Plains-Fanwood and played Manalapan within a goal, 2-1, while missing senior standout Tye Maser. South Jersey Group IV is loaded with potential sectional champions and Howell will be on that list come NJSIAA Tournament time.
7. Ocean (11-3-1, 4-1-1) Last Week: 9
Red Bank gave Ocean a scare in the SCT round of 16, but the Spartans got by and will have a more complete lineup Wednesday against Rumson-Fair Haven in the round of 16. Ocean looked like an SCT final-four threat and a potential sleeper to win the whole tournament early in the season and after a rough patch that included a loss to St. John Vianney and a tie vs. Raritan, the Spartans are hoping to hit their stride starting this week on their way to their second SCT title in seven years.
8. Rumson-Fair Haven (9-6-1, 3-2-1) Last Week: Not ranked
Although Rumson had some impressive résumé bullets throughout the season, this is its first foray into the top 10. The Bulldogs went into the SCT with a win over CBA already on its résumé and added a convincing win over Toms River North in the round of 16 on Friday. Considering most of the lineup consists of new starters, they just played their first season in Class A North and shared an SCT group with Manalapan, the Bulldogs have done very well to get to 9-6-1 through 16 games with a chance to reach the SCT semifinals.
9. Toms River North (9-6-1, 5-0-0) Last Week: 4
Since winning the Class A South championship with a 1-0 win over Central, the Mariners have hit a rough patch. Since that win to clinch the Class A South championships for a fourth straight season, Toms River North is 2-3 and has been outscored, 10-6. The Mariners will have a chance to regroup before heading into the NJSIAA Tournament and they will be looking to reach a sectional final for the fifth time in six years.
10. Toms River East (10-3-1, 3-2-0) Last Week: 5
A nine-game unbeaten streak for Toms River East ended with a 2-1 overtime loss to Manasquan in the Shore Conference Tournament. That makes three losses for Toms River East by a one-goal margin, including overtime losses to Central and Manasquan. The Raiders are currently tracking to be a high seed in NJSIAA South Jersey Group III and has played a schedule that has them ready to take on any team they might cross, which could include Shawnee.
Dropped Out
Middletown South (8-5-4, 2-3-1) Last Week: 7 – The Eagles now lead the Shore Conference in ties and, unfortunately for them, one of them preceded a loss to Lacey on penalty kicks in the SCT.
St. John Vianney (9-4-1, 5-1-0) Last Week: 8 – After advancing one round in the SCT and falling to Holmdel, the Lancers will prepare to continue their resurgence in the NJSIAA Tournament as potential sleeper in South Jersey Non-Public A.
Southern (10-5-1, 2-2-1) Last Week: 10 – Southern’s win over Shawnee remains one of the best wins of any team in the Shore Conference this season and the Rams will try to re-discover the formula that netted that result in time to make a deep NJSIAA Tournament run.
Top 10 Watch List
Marlboro (10-3-2, 3-2-1) – Still on the edge of the top 10, Marlboro’s only losses are to Howell, CBA and Middletown South.
Holmdel (8-5-1, 2-4-0) – The Hornets put a complete game together in beating St. John Vianney in the SCT round of 16 and will need an even better effort vs. CBA on Wednesday.
Wall (10-7-1, 2-3-1) – The Crimson Knights let one goal slip through vs. CBA on Friday and were otherwise a brick wall against the three-time defending champions in a 1-0 loss.
Toms River South (9-5-2, 5-0-0) – The Class B South champions could not get past the first round of the SCT, but they did beat Lacey, which is one of the eight teams still playing for a conference title.
Lacey (11-4-1, 3-2-0) – The Lions are getting healthy and hot at the right time and are one win at home vs. rival Central away from their first SCT semifinal in 13 years.
Red Bank (11-6, 6-0) – Red Bank’s SCT run ended in the round of 16 but the Bucs gave Ocean everything the Spartans could handle in a 4-3 loss.
Middletown North (8-6, 2-3) – The Lions were stuck lamenting a first-round SCT loss in which they missed several chances to put away Wall and earn a shot vs. CBA for a third straight SCT.
Shore (11-5, 4-2) – Missing the SCT was a disappointing shortcoming for the Blue Devils, but they nonetheless remain the defending champion and a top contender in the Group I playoffs.
Raritan (6-6-2, 3-2-1) – Raritan blocked Ocean from clinching the Class B North championship, then took a 2-1 halftime lead over Southern in the SCT before falling in the second half.
Brick Memorial (8-6-2, 4-1-0) – The losses have come as the schedule has gotten harder, but the Mustangs have acquitted themselves nicely against quality competition – most recently a 2-1 loss to Holmdel in the SCT first round.
