2018 Shore Sports Network All-Shore Gridiron Classic Rosters Announced
*Rosters updated on July 5*
The rosters for the 2018 Shore Sports Network All-Shore Gridiron Classic have been announced and feature a star-studded group of athletes, including 13 players who received SSN First Team All-Shore honors this past season.
The 41st All-Shore Gridiron Classic, presented by InVision Eye Care, is New Jersey’s longest-running high school football all-star game and will take place on Thursday, July 12, at Brick Memorial High School. It will be preceded by the annual Shore Conference 7-on-7 championship game and will include the latest Shore Football Coaches Foundation Hall of Fame members being inducted at halftime.
Monmouth County came away with a 17-8 victory last year and Marlboro’s Cameron Caorsi set a Gridiron Classic record with 168 yards rushing to give Monmouth a 21-18-1 lead in the all-time series. Heading into to this year’s game Monmouth County has an absolutely loaded roster as it looks to make it two wins in a row.
Monmouth County will have 12 SSN First Team All-Shore selections on its roster led by an electrifying group of skills players. Freehold quarterback Ashante Worthy, Howell quarterback Eddie Morales, Rumson-Fair Haven running back Peter Lucas, Red Bank Catholic running back Zack Bair, Howell wide receiver Naseim Brantley and Long Branch wide receiver T.J. Fosque were all first-team offensive players last season. Add in Long Branch quarterback Juwan Wilkins, Marlboro wide receiver Justin Marcus, Red Bank Catholic wide receiver Brandon Lombana and Mater Dei Prep wide receiver Kyle Devaney, plus more, and Monmouth County has a collection of offensive talent that has the potential to break records.
As Shore Sports Network’s inaugural football MVP, Worthy had the greatest statistical season in Shore Conference and state history to lead the Colonials to an 8-4 record and a trip to the Central Jersey Group IV championship game. He ran for a modern state single-season record 2,860 yards with 41 touchdowns and added 2,106 yards passing and 20 touchdowns. HIs 61 combined touchdowns between rushing and passing set a state single-season record, and he became the first player in state history to rush and throw for 2,000 yards in a single season.
Only in the historic year that was the 2017 season could Lucas’s totals be third best behind Worthy and Manalapan running back Naim Mayfield, but he nonetheless had an incredible season, as well. In his first and only year as Rumson’s starting running back, Lucas set the school record for rushing yards and touchdowns by rushing for 2,196 yards and 31 touchdowns (33 total) on an average of 9.9 yards per carry to help Rumson go 10-2 and reach a fifth straight sectional championship game. Lucas, who was selected as the Class A Central Offensive Player of the Year, ran for over 200 yards in six of 11 games.
Outdone at quarterback only by Worthy’s incomprehensible season, Morales was a great leader who helped the Rebels to their best season in nearly a decade. The Monmouth University commit led the Shore in passing with 2,156 yards and 24 touchdowns with a 70 percent completion rate. He also ran for a team-high 725 yards and 10 touchdowns to power Howell to a 9-2 record and a trip to the South Jersey Group V semifinals. Morales also had 20 tackles and two interceptions on defense and caught a touchdown pass.
An ankle injury late in the season derailed a tremendous senior season for Bair, but for six-plus weeks he was one of the most electric players in the Shore for an RBC offense that averaged 39.8 points per game to rank No. 3 in the conference. Bair ran for 1,087 yards and 15 touchdowns on a conference-best 13.8 yards per carry and added a receiving touchdown, a punt return touchdown and a kickoff return for a touchdown.
Among the most dynamic players in the Shore, Brantley excelled on offense, defense and special teams with 20 total touchdowns to help the Rebels go 9-2 and reach the South Jersey Group V semifinals. Brantley caught 48 passes for 785 yards and tied for the conference lead with 13 touchdown catches. He also ran for two touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass. At defensive back, Brantley made 29 tackles with three interceptions, two forced fumbles and an interception return for a touchdown. As a kick returner, Brantley had two kickoff returns for touchdowns and a punt return for a score.
Fosque emerged as one of the Shore Conference’s top wideouts to help lead the Green Wave to the Central Jersey Group IV championship and a 9-3 record. Fosque caught 37 passes for 704 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 19 yards per reception.
Monmouth County also has standouts on the defensive side with Middletown North’s Austin Dewise at defensive end and a secondary that features Red Bank Catholic’s Matt Ansell and Long Branch’s Kevin Porch.
Ocean County’s all-stars include Point Boro quarterback James Fara, a SSN First Team All-Shore pick, as well as Panthers backfield mates Tanner Gordon and Brandon Cipriano, Brick Memorial running back Tony Thorpe and defensive back Blaine Netterman, the Lacey duo of quarterback Coleton Klaus and Jason Giresi, Point Beach’s quarterback/linebacker Luke Frauenheim, Toms River North linebacker Daryn Blackwell and Southern running back Matt Barnett.
As the leader of Point Boro’s triple-option offense, Fara had a great season to lead the Panthers to an 11-1 record, a third straight Class B South division title and a trip to a sectional final for the first time since 2007. Fara was fourth in the Shore in rushing with 1,628 yards and 24 touchdowns on an average of 7.8 yards per carry and also threw for 611 yards and seven touchdowns with a 60 percent completion rate. Point Boro had the No. 7 offense in the Shore averaging 32.5 points per game.
Cipriano was a key dual-threat player for an offense that averaged 32.5 points per game, rushing for 825 yards and 12 touchdowns on an average of 11.9 yards per carry and catching 25 passes for 451 yards and five touchdowns. A Class B South all-division selection, Cipriano’s play helped the Panthers go 11-1, win a third straight Class B South division title and reach the Central Jersey Group II final.
The Class A South Offensive Player of the Year, Thorpe ran for 1,372 yards and 14 touchdowns on an average of 6.2 yards per carry to lead Brick Memorial to a 7-3 record and a share of the Class A South division title. A three-year starter, Thorpe concluded his career as Brick Memorial’s all-time leading scorer and rusher.
Selected as the Class B Central Defensive Player of the Year, Frauenheim was the heart and soul of a Point Beach team that reached the Central Jersey Group I championship game. Frauenheim made 59 tackles with two sacks and two interceptions as a linebacker, and as Point Beach’s quarterback threw for 1,438 yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for a team-high 785 yards and four touchdowns.
Klaus completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,372 yards and 10 touchdowns while also rushing for 213 yards and four touchdowns, while Giresi ran for 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns to help lead the Lions to a 7-3 record and a playoff berth in South Jersey Group III.
Here are the complete rosters for both teams.
2018 Shore Sports Network All-Shore Gridiron Classic
Rosters
Monmouth County
Ashante Worthy, QB, Freehold
Eddie Morales, QB, Howell
Juwan Wilkins, QB, Long Branch
Danny Vital, QB, Keansburg
Peter Lucas, RB, Rumson-Fair Haven
Zack Bair, RB, Red Bank Catholic
Devonte Spann, RB, Matawan
Naseim Brantley, WR, Howell
Scott Scherzer, WR, Manalapan
T.J. Fosque, WR, Long Branch
Johnny O’Beirne, WR, Holmdel
Kyle Devaney, WR, Mater Dei Prep
Justin Marcus, WR, Marlboro
Ryan Mazik, WR, Howell
Jashawn Martin, WR, Keansburg
Brandon Lombana, WR, Red Bank Catholic
Shawn Scully, WR, Colts Neck
Salvatore Giglio, WR, Red Bank
Jerome Hansen, TE, Keyport
Thomas Olausen, OL, Mater Dei Prep
Evan Hilla, OL, Manasquan
Jaylen Paige, OL, Asbury Park
Andrew Worthington, OL, Ocean
Chris Manginelli, OL, Marlboro
Alec Larsen, OL, St. John Vianney
Sean Greaves, OL, Raritan
Justin Johnson, OL, Rumson-Fair Haven
Scott Prendergast, OL, Howell
Rich Christie, OL, Red Bank Catholic
Mike Karycinski, OL, Matawan
Anthony Damato, OL, Marlboro
Nick Densieski, DL, St. John Vianney
Austin DeWise, DL, Middletown North
Kyle Smith, DL, Long Branch
Antonio Deieso, DL, Manalapan
Damian Rybaltowski, DL, Freehold Township
Mike Rosati, DL, Shore
Braeden Bradforth, DL, Neptune
Joe Osterbye, LB, Keansburg
Connor Morgan, LB, Manasquan
Anthony Guarino, LB, Monmouth
Pasa Fields Jr., DB, Long Branch
Tommy Antonucci, DB, Manasquan
Kevin Porch, DB, Long Branch
Matt Ansell, DB, Red Bank Catholic
Connor Welsh, DB, Middletown North
Elijah Sherin, DB, Long Branch
Donte Abrams, DB, Asbury Park
David Gelb, K, Manalapan
Ocean County
James Fara, QB, Point Boro
Coleton Klaus, QB, Lacey
Louie Gallo IV, QB, Toms River East
Tony Thorpe, RB, Brick Memorial
Evan Otten, RB, Toms River East
Jalen Glenn, RB, Manchester
Jason Giresi, RB, Lacey
Tanner Miick, WR, Lacey
Brandon Cipriano, WR, Point Boro
Gannon Wyche, WR, Jackson Liberty
Nick Silvia, WR, Toms River East
Hunter Roberts, WR, Toms River South
Brennan Richardson, WR, Pinelands
Blake Horgan, TE, Central
Chris Hirtes, TE, Brick
Joe Hurle, OL, Jackson Memorial
Gabe Fattizzi, OL, Point Boro
Rahmi Halk, OL, Brick
Charlie Cushman, OL, Donovan Catholic
John Carr, OL, Lacey
Nick Florio, OL, Toms River South
Brandon Voss, OL, Central
Tony Lipari, OL, Point Beach
David Kohler, OL, Pinelands
Joe Castellano, OL, Brick Memorial
Ryan Emmets, DL, Central
Willie Garner, DL, Brick Memorial
Anthony Bonavito, DL, Point Boro
Nick Johnson, DL, Jackson Liberty
Joe Miele, LB, Southern
Daryn Blackwell, LB, Toms River North
Nate Chiarello, LB, Point Boro
Juan Abraham, LB, Barnegat
Lino Delgiudice, LB, Central
Tanner Gordon, LB, Point Boro
Luke Frauenheim, LB, Point Beach
Blaine Netterman, DB, Brick Memorial
Neil Harrington, DB, Central
Jonathan Banks, DB, Central
Jonathan Gonzalez, DB, Central
Jerry Ward, DB, Manchester
Anthony Tobia, DB, Lacey
Myles Jackson, DB, Lakewood
Mickey Maldonado Jr., DB, Toms River North
Billy Mullen, LS, Brick Memorial
Shane Black, K, Central
Managing editor Bob Badders can be reached at bob.badders@townsquaremedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bob_Badders. Like Shore Sports Network on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel for all the latest video highlights.