Scores, updates and details from Friday's NJSIAA playoff action.


 

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Friday's Games

NJSIAA Tournament

Semifinals

Central Jersey Group V

(3) Manalapan 28, (2) Hillsborough 6

Senior quarterback Dan Anerella threw two touchdown passes, senior tailback Imamu Mayfield added a 16-yard touchdown run, and senior fullback Ben Sieczkowski had a 32-yard scoring run as the Braves (10-1) beat the Raiders (9-2) by dominating the second half after the two teams were scoreless at the break to reach their fourth straight state sectional final.

Senior kicker Mike Caggiano hit four extra points to become the state's all-time leader in career points by a kicker with 234. The Braves became the first Shore team since Middletown South from 2000-06 to reach four straight state finals. They will play top-seeded South Brunswick (10-0) at either Rutgers, Kean University or MetLife Stadium on the weekend of Dec. 6-7 in search of their first state title in program history.

Manalapan's defense forced five turnovers in the win, including interceptions by defensive backs Dan Debner, Tyson Plummer and Anthony Bassani. Debner also caught a 22-yard touchdown pass, and senior tight end Kyle Mullen added a 4-yard touchdown catch.

Central Jersey Group IV

(1) Middletown South 27, (4) Neptune 3

Junior tailback Cole Rogers had 149 yards rushing and two touchdowns and the defense held the Scarlet Fliers (7-3) to 71 total yards, including minus-four yards rushing in the second half, as the Eagles (8-2) advanced to their 11th state final in the last 14 years and their first since 2012 by beating Neptune for the 10th straight time.

The Eagles will play third-seeded Jackson Memorial in the finals at a neutral site on the weekend of Dec. 6-7 in search of their first state title since 2006 and their 10th in school history.

It was a great night for Middletown South's special teams as junior Matt Mosquera booted field goals of 25 and 30 yards, and Joe Timmins returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown in the win. Mosquera added to his single-season school record and now has 11 field goals, three shy of the single-season Shore Conference record of 14 set by Matawan's Mike Creamer last year.

Senior kicker Hunter Daly had a 35-yard field goal in the loss for Neptune.

(3) Jackson Memorial 44, (2) Brick 0

The Jaguars (10-1) avenged their only loss of the season in emphatic fashion and reached their first state final since 2005 by shutting out the Green Dragons (9-2) as sophomore tailback Mike Gawlik ran for 101 yards and three touchdowns and also had one of the Jaguars' three interceptions on defense.

Jackson Memorial will now face top-seeded Middletown South at a neutral site in the final on the weekend of Dec. 6-7 in search of its first title since 2005.

The Jaguars blew out to a 31-0 halftime lead thanks to a pair of touchdown runs by Gawlik, a four-yard touchdown run by junior tailback Vinny Lee, a 53-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Joe DeMaio to senior wideout Matt Castronuova, and a career-long 40-yard field goal by junior kicker Jared Calhoun.

Gawlik added an 18-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, and Connor Testa scored on a 35-yard run as time expired for the final margin. The Jaguars' came up with five turnovers in the win, including interceptions by Gawlik, DeMaio and Kyle Johnson, and held a Brick offense averaging 38 points per game to 134 total yards.

Lee and Gawlik also each went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season in the win, marking the first time in school history that the Jaguars have had two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season.

Central Jersey Group III

(5) Matawan 23, (8) Ocean 20

Junior kicker Adam Elliott booted a 26-yard field goal with 9.7 seconds left in regulation to send the Huskies (7-4) past the Spartans (4-6) and into their first state final since 2011, where they will face third-seeded Carteret at a neutral site on the weekend of Dec. 6-7 in search of their second title in four seasons.

Freshman quarterback L.C. Pearson threw two touchdown passes to junior receiver DeJohn Rogers and a 62-yard strike to senior wideout Justin Ferrara in the win for Matawan.

Eric Rant had a 57-yard fumble return for a touchdown, sophomore quarterback Kenny Pickett threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to senior Frank Henry, and kicker Matt Fisher hit two field goals, including one that tied the game at 20 in the fourth quarter in the loss for Ocean.

(3) Carteret 21, (2) Long Branch 17

The Ramblers (7-3) outscored the Green Wave 7-0 in the second half to pull the upset over a Long Branch (7-3) team that beat them 31-6 earlier in the season and advance to face Matawan in the sectional final by knocking the Green Wave out of the playoffs for the second straight year.

Same Kamara scored on a 7-yard run in the fourth quarter to put Carteret ahead after it had trailed 17-14 at the half, and then the Ramblers came up with an interception inside their own 10-yard line in the final minute to seal the win. Senior tailback Dahmiere Willis had a 67-yard touchdown run and Dave Colbert caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Rodriguez in the loss for Long Branch.

Central Jersey Group II

(2) Rumson-FH 49, (3) Cinnaminson 13

The defending champion Bulldogs (8-2) rolled into their second straight state final by routing the Pirates (8-2) as sophomore quarterback Mike O'Connor threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kenny Ferrare and also ran for a 6-yard score, while senior tailback Charlie Volker ran for 126 yards and a pair of 15-yard touchdowns in the win.

Senior defensive back Jackson Reid added a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown and Lucas Seckler and Seamus Walsh each had touchdown runs for the Bulldogs, who will play the winner of Saturday's Delaware Valley-Roselle game in the finals on the weekend of Dec. 6-7 at a neutral site. Rumson is trying to repeat as state champions for the first time in school history.

Central Jersey Group I

(1) Shore 28, (4) Middlesex 13

The Blue Devils (9-1) advanced to their third straight state final by topping the Blue Jays (7-3) as junior running back Tyreek McCain scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 14 yards in the second half to help them pull away for the win.

Shore will face third-seeded South Hunterdon on the weekend of Dec. 6-7 at a neutral site in search of its first state title since 2010. Connor Rempel added a fumble recovery in the end zone for a touchdown and quarterback Ryan Campi had a one-yard touchdown run in the victory.

South Jersey Group V

(4) Cherokee 37, (8) Toms River North 14

The defending champion Chiefs (7-3) ended the run by the Mariners (6-5) as Evan Powell threw three touchdown passes to lead them back to the final.

Sophomore quarterback Mike Husni had a touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Craig in the loss.

South Jersey Group III

(1) Allentown 25, (4) Central 18

The Golden Eagles (7-3) gave the Redbirds (9-2) all they could handle in taking them to the wire as junior quarterback Mike Miserendino threw a touchdown pass and also ran for a 43-yard score and sophomore tailback Mike Bickford added a touchdown run in the loss.

Allentown advanced to its first state final in program history.

Non-Public Group III

(2) Red Bank Catholic 44, (3) St. Joseph's-Montvale 14

After losing to them in the semifinals in each of the last two seasons, the Caseys (10-1) blasted the three-time defending champion Green Knights (7-3) to roar into their first state final since 1980, as senior running back Tommy Spernal ran for touchdowns of 3 and 16 yards and junior quarterback Eddie Hahn threw two touchdown passes while the defense shut out St. Joe's in the second half.

RBC, which tied the single-season school record for wins with its fourth straight 10-win season, will play the winner of Saturday's St. John Vianney-Delbarton game at MetLife Stadium on the weekend of Dec. 6-7 in search of its first state title since 1976 and just the second one in school history.

Hahn threw a four-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout Nick Lubischer and a 30-yard strike to senior wideout Trevor Cowley. Senior tailback Mike Cordova added a 21-yard touchdown run, and senior fullback Nick Cella added a 54-yard run in the win.

Regular season

Class B South

Manchester 21, Donovan Catholic 17

The Hawks (1-9, 1-6) ended the season with their first win under first-year coach Bill Furlong as Javier Holguin, Jerry Blackburn and Jasir Cooper each ran for touchdowns, including Holguin's fourth-quarter scoring run to put Manchester ahead on its way to a victory over the Griffins (0-10, 0-7).

 

 

 

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