Football: Playoff Semifinals Preview

Fifteen Shore Conference teams are still alive in their quest to make it to the NJSIAA sectional finals on the first weekend of December, and the Shore Conference is guaranteed a champion in Central Jersey Group IV.

Here is a breakdown of the 12 semifinal games involving Shore Conference teams as they try to punch their ticket to the championship games, which will be at Rutgers, MetLife Stadium and Kean University for the Central Jersey teams, and Rowan University for the South Jersey squads.

For stats on all the local teams, check out the latest Shore Conference statistical leaders here. 

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP V

(3) Manalapan (9-1) at (2) Hillsborough (9-1), Friday at 7 p.m.

Key match-up: Manalapan's secondary vs. Hillsborough's wide receivers.

The Manalapan group of senior safeties Charles Lombana and Marc Goldstein along with cornerbacks Dan Debner and Anthony Bassani will face the best aerial attack they have seen all season in this game. Hillsborough quarterback Ed Trimpert has thrown for 2,476 yards, one of the highest totals in New Jersey, and 23 touchdowns, including 206 yards and three scores in a win over Monroe last week in the first round.

Debner is tied for second in the Shore Conference with four interceptions, and Lombana and Goldstein have combined for three more. Bassani leads the team with 11 pass break-ups. It will be up to them to prevent the big play and tackle well in the open field. The better job they do at not letting Hillsborough's receivers get separation, the more time it gives senior defensive end Kyle Mullen (7 sacks) and the pass rush to get to Trimpert. The main guy to stop is senior Scot Levonaitis, who has just under 1,000 yards receiving for the season. The other primary weapon is 6-foot-2 junior Dillon Zimmerman, who had 123 yards receiving and two touchdowns against Monroe and has over 600 yards receiving for the season.

X-factor: Dan Anerella, Sr., QB

Manalapan's senior quarterback threw a career-high four touchdown passes in the win over Old Bridge last week. If he keeps the chains moving, hits play-action and plays turnover-free football, it gives Imamu Mayfield more room to run. When Anerella plays well, Manalapan is very hard to beat, and the best way to stop Hillsborough's explosive passing attack is to make them stand on the sidelines for long Manalapan drives.

Notes: Manalapan is trying to become the first Shore team since Middletown South from 2002-06 to reach four straight state finals and is searching for its first state championship in school history...Hillsborough is coming off its first playoff win in 10 years and is trying to reach its fifth state final in program history. It won its last of two state titles in 2000...Manalapan senior kicker Mike Caggiano needs two points to become New Jersey's career leader in points scored by a kicker. A four-year starter who has an offer from Hawaii, Caggiano currently has 230 career points, which includes a state-record 188 extra points...Manalapan senior tailback Imamu Mayfield leads the Shore Conference with 29 touchdowns...Manalapan senior defensive end Kyle Mullen, who leads the Braves in tackles and sacks, has an offer from Columbia University and other Ivy and Patriot League interest...The last team to beat Manalapan in a semifinal game was Sayreville in 2010.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP IV 

(4) Neptune (7-2) at (1) Middletown South (7-2), Friday at 7 p.m.

Key match-up: Middletown South's offensive line vs. Neptune's defensive line.

A fast and physical Middletown South unit led by Youngstown State recruit James Wilson took it to Neptune's front in a 41-0 win earlier in the season. Since that game, Neptune has gone away from its 3-3-5 stack to more 4-3 and 4-4 looks in order to stop opposing running games. The Scarlet Fliers' front line, led by tackle Andrew Holland-Samuels and defensive end O'Shane Curate, has been outstanding during their current six-game winning streak, stifling 2,000-yard rusher Dahmiere Willis of Long Branch to the tune of 17 yards and holding 1,400-yard rusher Josh Dixon of Freehold to 67 yards last week.

Now the question remains whether they can slow down the Eagles' front line, which also features junior center Joe Rutkowski, senior guards Brian Joyce and Kyle Maynes, and junior tackle Tom Lopez, which paved the way for 356 total yards, including 255 on the ground, in their first meeting. Junior running back Cole Rogers gashed Neptune for 198 yards rushing and four touchdowns in the first game. Middletown South runs a no-huddle offense, often snapping the ball an instant after the official puts it down, so the key for Neptune is getting properly aligned, whereas the Eagles want to keep them off balance from the beginning.

Middletown South X-factor: James McCarthy, So., LB

McCarthy has become part of a stellar linebacking group that also includes senior Sergio Gonzalez and junior Dylan Rogers. If he has a big night stuffing Neptune's running game along with the other two, the Scarlet Fliers are going to be in trouble because they are not a team that throws the ball 15-plus times with any regularity.

Neptune X-factor: Royal Moore, Sr., QB/DB

Moore didn't play in the first meeting because he was sitting out due to NJSIAA regulations after transferring from Ocean. He gives Neptune a dual threat at quarterback and, perhaps more importantly, is another tackler to support the run defense as a standout safety. He is going to have to hit some throws against a tough Middletown South defense that is stingy against the run, and the big-play target is 6-foot-6 junior Isaiah Calhoun, who only has 8 catches, but has 279 yards and 3 touchdowns for an average of 35 yards per catch. Moore is more of a runner than a passer, but he is going to have to find a way to move the chains by hitting some throws.

Notes: Middletown South has beaten Neptune nine straight times since 1998...Middletown South has tied a school record with six shutouts this season, matching the mark of the undefeated 2004 team featuring Knowshon Moreno and Nick Macaluso, which registered three straight shutouts in the playoffs on its way to the Central Jersey Group III title...Neptune is looking to make the finals for the third time in four seasons after winning the CJ Group III title in 2011 and reaching the final 2012...Middletown South is trying to reach the finals for the 11th time in the last 14 seasons, all of them under head coach Steve Antonucci. Its last title came in 2006. The Eagles are second all-time in Shore Conference history with nine state titles.

Cole Rogers' 22 touchdowns rank fourth in the Shore Conference...After allowing 78 points in back-to-back losses to Middletown South and Red Bank Catholic, Neptune allowed a combined 28 in its next six games, including three shutouts...Last week's 21-7 win over Freehold was the inaugural playoff victory for first-year Neptune coach Rodney Taylor. Antonucci has 28 playoff wins and five state titles in his brilliant tenure...Middletown South junior Matt Mosquera leads the Shore with a single-season school-record nine field goals and is 76-for-76 on extra points in his two-year varsity career.

(3) Jackson Memorial (9-1) at (2) Brick (9-1), Friday at 7 p.m.

Note: This is the Jersey Mike's Game of the Week. It will be broadcast live on the radio on 1160/1310 a.m.

Key match-up: Jackson's linebackers vs. Carmen Sclafani.

You could also argue that Brick's interior defensive line against Jackson Memorial's offensive line is huge because the Jaguars' running game has just punished teams down the stretch of the season, while the Brick crew of Chris Kimbiz, Dan Finelli and others has been tough up front in stopping the run. However, this is also a great match-up because Sclafani is so good in turning 7-yard gains into 70-yard runs. A perfect example is his 87-yard run for a touchdown in the Green Dragons' 30-24 overtime win over Jackson Memorial during the regular season. He is excellent at dropping back to pass and then taking off the minute he sees the linebackers turn their backs, and then it's too late to recover because he's into the open field. Jackson standout like linebackers Zach Tetro and Mike Gawlik and safety Matt Castronuova have to be disciplined and wrap up in the open field to prevent Sclafani from gashing them with big runs.

Brick X-factor: Ray Fattaruso, Sr., RB/LB

He missed last week's game against Princeton for "personal reasons,'' according to coach Rob Dahl, and has never seemed completely in sync this year between injuries and issues like last week. When he is on his game, he terrorizes quarterbacks as a rusher off the edge and gives Brick another strong option in the running game to prevent teams from focusing solely on Sclafani. If the real Ray Fattaruso shows up on Friday night, it could change the complexion of the game.

Jackson Memorial X-factor: Matt Castronuova, Sr., WR/DB

Castronuova didn't play in the first game between these two teams because he was still sitting out due to the NJSIAA transfer rule after coming over from Jackson Liberty. He adds a vertical threat down the field and a speed threat across the middle on offense, where quarterback Joe DeMaio could blow the game open if he hits a few well-timed throws to complement the running game led by Gawlik and junior Vinny Lee. Castronuova also is a standout safety and a weapon in the kick return game on special teams. He adds an extra speed element to the outside that teams have to account for. Simply the threat of him coming across on a jet sweep often freezes the defense long enough for DeMaio to pull the ball and get a nice gain up the middle.

Notes: Jackson Memorial is trying to reach its first state final since going undefeated in 2005...Brick is trying to win this bracket for the second straight year for its first back-to-back titles since winning three straight from 1981-83...Sclafani has gone over 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards passing for the second time in his career. He also is a three-time 1,000-yard rusher, a rare feat for a quarterback in Shore Conference history...The last time Jackson Memorial won a state title, it nearly had two 1,000-yard rushers in Jon Reggio (1,231) and Mark Schiavone (989). The Jaguars are poised to potentially do it this year between Mike Gawlik (905) and Vinny Lee (971). They have never had two 1,000-yard rushers in one season, according to Jackson historian Jim Colbert...In the only times Jackson Memorial faced Brick twice in a season before this year, the Jaguars won back-to-back state titles in 2000 and 2001...Brick sophomore standout Ja'Sir Taylor, a wide receiver who leads the Green Dragons with 39 catches for 557 yards and a total of 10 touchdowns, is the son of former Asbury Park star Johnny Taylor.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP III 

(8) Ocean (4-5) at (5) Matawan (6-4), Friday at 7 p.m.

Key match-up: Matawan's blitz package vs. Ocean's offensive line.

With star tailback Tyler Thompson out for the season with a broken leg, Ocean has leaned more on its passing game with sophomore quarterback Kenny Pickett and playmaking senior wideout Marcus Blackman. Matawan loves to bring pressure from all angles, whether it's 'A' gap blitzes with fast linebackers like juniors Aliem Shaw, Isaiah Phillip and Alex Pierce or pressure from the edge with many of the same players. Senior defensive tackle Jake Weber is also capable of collapsing the pocket up front for a team that has 28 sacks. It will be crucial for Ocean to get its protection calls right and give Pickett some time to work in order to avoid the type of costly mistakes that Matawan thrives on. The Huskies will look to stop the run and then put Pickett under siege on obvious passing downs, especially considering Matawan has a good secondary featuring DeJohn Rogers, Shawn Ramcheran and Justin Ferrara that will pounce on mistakes. Also, the ability of those three to excel in one-on-one coverage allows Matawan to dial up its blitzes without fear of giving up a huge play.

Matawan X-factor: Devon Spann, Sr., RB.

When the Huskies can run the ball effectively, it opens up everything else for freshman quarterback L.C. Pearson. Spann ran for 95 yards and four touchdowns last week against Raritan in one of his best games of the season, and when he can get it going, it only gives more opportunities to set up deep shots downfield to Rogers, Ramcheran and Ferrara. It also helps keep standout Ocean safety Frank Henry out of Pearson's face, as Henry leads the Shore with 11.5 sacks and often walks up to the line and blitzes off the edge on passing downs. Pearson is still a freshman playing in the biggest spot of his career, so Ocean is going to try to rattle him to get an early lead. Spann can help alleviate that by starting strong.

Ocean X-factor: Kenny Pickett, So., QB. 

It's a pretty simple question. Can a sophomore playing in the biggest game of his young career consistently make clutch throws under pressure to put Ocean over the top? He has a great weapon in Marcus Blackman, who had all three touchdowns last week in the Spartans' 19-14 upset of top-seeded Hopewell Valley. Pickett also has good mobility and can make plays on the run. It mainly comes down to taking care of the ball and making good decisions against an opportunistic Matawan defense.

Notes: Ocean is looking for its first trip to a final under coach Don Klein and its first since winning its last title in 2005. This is its second straight trip to the semifinals...Matawan is trying to reach a sectional final for the fourth time in six years and the first time under coach John Kaye, with its last title coming in Central Jersey Group II in 2011...With 1,505 yards passing, Matawan's L.C. Pearson is 52 yards shy of what is believed to be the Shore Conference record for passing yards by a freshman (1,557) set by Middletown North's Donald Glenn last year...The last Shore team to reach a state final and finish with five losses was Howell (7-5), which lost to Hunterdon Central in Central Jersey Group IV in 2006.

(3) Carteret (6-3) at (2) Long Branch (7-2), Friday at 7 p.m.

Key match-up: Long Branch's offensive line vs. Carteret's front seven. 

It's pretty simple. When Long Branch wins up front, it means senior tailback Dahmiere Willis dominates and the Green Wave win handily. They have already done it once to Carteret this year in winning 31-6, with Willis rushing for 207 yards and two touchdowns in the victory over the Ramblers. Junior right tackle Cameron Hills, junior right guard Joe Jasio, junior center Steve Kologi, junior left guard Nick Stoia, 275-pound senior tackle Andrew Huff and senior tight end John Mimes need to take it to Carteret up front, and Willis will handle the rest.

X-factor: Vinny Mota, Sr., K. 

If Carteret does keep it close to try to pull the upset, the Green Wave do have a weapon in the kicking game in Mota, who is 24-for-27 on extra points and more importantly is 4-for-7 on field goals with a long of 37 yards. Even if Carteret gets some stops on Willis in the red zone, Mota can demoralize them by still putting up points.

Notes: Long Branch is trying to reach its first state final since 2007 and win its first state title since 1999, its first season under current head coach Dan George...Carteret's last title came in 2012, when it went 12-0. The Ramblers beat Long Branch in the first round of the playoffs last year...Long Branch senior linebacker Hunter Baillie is third in the Shore with 10.5 sacks, and defensive back Dave Colbert is tied for first in the conference with six interceptions...With a school-record 2,113 yards rushing, Willis is in striking distance of the single-season Shore Conference rushing record of 2,544 set by Pinelands' Matt McLain in 2010. The Green Wave also play Red Bank Regional on Thanksgiving, so there's the potential that Willis could have three more games to try to set the record. McLain impressively did it in 10 games...Long Branch has reached state finals in 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2007 under George.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP II

(3) Cinnaminson (8-1) at (2) Rumson-FH (7-2), Friday at 7 p.m.

Key match-up: Rumson's front seven vs. Cinnaminson quarterback Nick Thevanayagam.

Tackling Thevanayagam is as difficult as pronouncing and spelling his name, as he is a solid dual threat with 848 yards and 22 touchdowns rushing and 505 yards and 7 touchdowns passing. He ran for 127 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 56 yards and a score last week in a playoff win over Bordentown. The Bulldogs' linebacking group led by Tucker Briggs and Max Pfrang will need to do a solid job of wrapping him up in the open field and spying him when he drops back to pass in case he tucks it and runs. Obviously, the best way to stop him is to make him stand on the sideline and watch Rumson's Charlie Volker run for seven yards a pop, but defensively the Bulldogs will have to be disciplined and work to put (oh crap, I have to spell it again) Thevanayagam in obvious passing downs.

X-factor: Murray McHeffey, Sr., WR.

Honestly, there usually aren't too many X-factors in Rumson wins. Usually it's the offensive line playing well and Volker and sophomore quarterback Mike O'Connor piling up yards on the ground. McHeffey is their leading receiver with 14 catches for 261 yards and 3 touchdowns, and if he gets behind the defense for one early on that could help put Cinnaminson in a hole and allow the Rumson defense to attack.

Notes: Rumson is trying to win back-to-back state titles for the first time in program history and reach the finals for the fifth time since 2007...Volker is Rumson's all-time leading rusher and has rolled up 1,136 yards and 15 touchdowns in only six games because of an ankle injury...The Bulldogs are 18-3 so far under second-year coach Bryan Batchler...Cinnaminson is coming off just the fourth playoff win in its program history and won its only state title in its only finals appearance back in 1991...Rumson is 18-1 with Volker in the starting lineup the past two seasons.

CENTRAL JERSEY GROUP I 

(4) Middlesex (7-2) at (1) Shore Regional (8-1), Friday at 7 p.m.

Key match-up: Shore's front seven against Middlesex's run game.

The Blue Devils have swallowed up just about every running game in their path this season and have allowed a Shore Conference-low 36 total points this year. Linebackers Doug Goldsmith and James Bedell (102 tackles), along with defensive tackle Mitch Candido and 285-pound road block Steve Fiumefreddo up front, make this a rugged group to run against, especially with senior safety Mike Moore leading a secondary that does a good job in run support. Middlesex ran for 386 yards in blowing out New Egypt in the first round and rarely throws the ball, so if Shore stops the Blue Jays up front, they don't really have a Plan B. Senior Matt Hode ran for 171 yards and four touchdowns last week, so he will get plenty of attention, but this game is tailor made for a Shore defense that is built to stuff the run.

X-factor:  Doug Goldsmith's health. 

The standout junior fullback/linebacker sat out the second half of a 35-0 win over Asbury Park two weeks ago after taking a helmet to the ankle and then did not have any carries in a 49-0 win over Point Beach in the first round of the playoffs last week. He is the catalyst to their running game in the Wing-T and also one of their top defensive players. He should be ready to go this week as the stakes ratchet up.

Notes: Shore is looking to reach three straight state finals for the first time in program history in search of its first state title since 2010...Shore's offense has truly been a team effort in its Wing-T running attack. It has rushed for 2,172 yards as a team, but no back has more than 500 yards. Senior Mike Moore leads the team with 457 yards rushing, and there are six backs with more than 150 yards on the ground...Blue Devils quarterback Ryan Campi threw his first touchdown pass of the season last week...Head coach Mark Costantino picked up his 150th career win with the victory over defending CJ Group I champion Point Beach last week...A Shore Conference team has won the CJ Group I title in six of the past seven seasons.

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP V

(8) Toms River North (6-4) at (4) Cherokee (6-3), Friday at 7 p.m.

Key match-up: Toms River North's offensive line vs. Cherokee's front seven. 

Considering the explosiveness of Cherokee's offense, which hung 45 points on a Brick Memorial team that beat Toms River North during the regular season, the best path to the upset for the Mariners is to shorten the game and batter away with the tandem of junior tailback Asante Moorer and sophomore quarterback Mike Husni. Each of those two have gone over 1,000 yards rushing this season, which is a tribute to a Mariners front line led by senior Joe Fantozzi and juniors Tim Petersen and Luke Butera. The line dominated last week in a 19-10 upset of top-seeded Lenape, paving the way for 326 yards rushing, including 191 by Husni and 120 by Moorer. That's the formula they will have to execute again this week in order to continue to open eyes around the state.

X-factor: Da'shon Copes, Jr., DL

The run game sets the table for everything Cherokee does, and the Chiefs want to establish it immediately. Copes has been a monster up front with 17 tackles for a loss and 9 sacks this season, so his ability to clog running lanes and create negative plays to force obvious passing downs will be crucial. Cherokee, which has only thrown for 532 yards all year, has a 1,000-yard rusher in Marc Woodard, who is averaging 7.4 yards per carry, so he will be the one to key on. If Copes and the rest of the defensive front, including 315-pound senior Adam Kakar, can play flat and disciplined against the run, it could throw a big monkey wrench into Cherokee's game plan.

Notes: Toms River North is trying to reach its first state final since going undefeated in 2007...Cherokee is the defending South Jersey Group V champion and has won 9 state titles in its history...Sophomore Mike Husni is the second quarterback in two seasons for the Mariners to rush for over 1,000 yards and pass for over 1,000 yards. Current Brick senior Carmen Sclafani did it as a sophomore at Toms River North in 2012...Head coach Dave Oizerowitz was the defensive coordinator when the Mariners won their last state title in 2007...Toms River North senior tight end Jordan Craig remains one of the top uncommitted seniors in the Shore with offers from UConn and Buffalo.

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP III 

(4) Central (7-2) at (1) Allentown (8-2), Friday at 7 p.m.

Key match-up: Central's offensive line vs. Allentown's front seven. 

The best way to slow down Allentown's explosive offense is to make it stand on the sidelines. Central is well-equipped to do that with 1,700-yard rusher Mike Bickford jackhammering away behind a line led by senior center Liam Christensen and senior tackle Rudy Solomon that has paved the way for 2,473 yards rushing this season. Bickford had 41 carries last week in the Golden Eagles' playoff win over Oakcrest, so they do not deviate from their gameplan. They will feed it to Bickford to shorten the game and wait until he breaks one. The key will be getting to the second level to get their hands on Allentown linebackers Ricky Mottram and David Krieg, who have combined for 200 tackles and 21 tackles for a loss this season. If they execute that plan on Friday night, it will mean their first trip to a state final since 1994 and just their second final appearance in school history.

X-factor: Liam Christensen, Sr., OL/LB

Not only will Christensen be counted on to have a big game up front, he also is going to have to lead the defense against a Redbirds offense led by 1,100-yard rusher Michael Curry, who put 166 yards rushing and two touchdowns on Cumberland last week in the first round. Christensen also has 73 tackles as a linebacker and Bickford has 78, so the Golden Eagles are going to need a big two-way game from them both. Junior quarterback Mike Miserendino also will be key if he can hit a deep shot or two on play-action when Allentown sells out to stop Bickford.

Notes: Central has already won its first state playoff game and first division title since 1994, the only season it reached a state final. The Golden Eagles have never won a state championship...With another huge game on Friday, Bickford could become the second 2,000-yard rusher in Central history after Kalyph Hardy, who had 2,050 yards in 2011. Bickford has already had one of the best seasons by a sophomore running back in Shore Conference history with 1,769 yards and 23 rushing touchdowns...Head coach Willie Jacobs is a Central alumnus who has led the Golden Eagles to two playoff appearances in his two seasons after they had seven total in their history before last year...Allentown won only its second state playoff game in program history last week and has never reached a state final.

NON-PUBLIC GROUP III 

(3) St. Joseph's-Montvale (7-2) at (2) Red Bank Catholic (9-1), Friday at 7 p.m.

Key match-up: Red Bank Catholic's wide receivers vs. St. Joe's secondary. 

RBC has only scored a combined 14 points in two semifinal losses to St. Joe's in the past two seasons. Given the explosiveness of St. Joe's offense, it's hard to see RBC's defense being able to keep this as a low-scoring game. The only team that has held the Green Knights under 20 points all season is Good Counsel (Md.), which, as you may have noticed, is not even from New Jersey. That means the only way RBC is going to win this game is to finally put some points up against one of the state's tougher defenses, a unit that shut out nationally-ranked Paramus Catholic and held Don Bosco Prep to 10 points.

The only way to do that is for junior quarterback Eddie Hahn to have a strong day in the passing game. RBC's run game is not what it was last year behind 1,600-yard rusher Larry Redaelli, and even that group got held to seven points, so it comes down to Hahn moving the chains with his dual threat ability in between mixing in runs by tailbacks Tommy Spernal, Nick Cella and Mike Cordova. RBC's receivers, primarily Trevor Cowley and Nick Lubischer, have to find a way to get some separation and get open against a talented and fast St. Joe's secondary that includes FBS prospect Troy Gethers at safety and cornerback J.T. Giles-Harris, who is going to Duke on a lacrosse scholarship.

X-factor: Eddie Hahn, Jr., QB

Hahn, who has a combined 1,644 yards and 28 touchdowns between rushing and passing, is going to have to improvise some plays against a fierce St. Joe's pass rush. St. Joe's 45-32 win over Camden Catholic in the first round was not a sign of any chink in the armor of St. Joe's defense, as Camden Catholic scored three garbage touchdowns in the fourth quarter against the second string and returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Hahn gives RBC a dynamic that St. Joe's hasn't seen out of the Caseys in the past two years, but it's not like St. Joe's hasn't seen mobile quarterbacks given the daunting schedule it plays. It's crazy to think an offense averaging a Shore Conference-best 45.4 points per game is under pressure to even get 14 to 21 points, but that's the level St. Joe's is on.

He will be facing off against a star quarterback on the other side, as St. Joe's signal-caller Jack Walsh is one of the state's best and just threw two touchdowns last week to wideout Ugo Ezemma, who is second in the state with 16 touchdown grabs. RBC's defense is going to have its hands full, which only magnifies the importance of the offense stepping up against a team it has struggled to score against.

Notes: RBC is seeking its first trip to a state final since 1980. The Caseys are making their fourth straight semifinal appearance...There are three ACC recruits in the game between RBC linebacker Jamie Gordinier (Miami) and St. Joe's linebacker Joe Giles-Harris (Duke) and senior offensive lineman Tommy Hatton (North Carolina). RBC junior lineman Liam Smith also has offers from Miami, Duke, Syracuse and Virginia, and Eddie Hahn has an offer from North Carolina State...St. Joe's has won three straight state titles and made the finals in this bracket six straight times, winning four of them. The Green Knights have 17 state titles in their history. RBC's lone state title came in 1976.

(4) St. John Vianney (10-0) at (1) Delbarton (8-1), Saturday at 1 p.m.

Key match-up: St. John Vianney's offensive line vs. Delbarton's front seven. 

In Delbarton's lone loss this season to New York's Poly Prep, the Green Wave got trampled on the ground, with Poly Prep's quarterback and running back combining for 342 yards and 4 touchdowns rushing. St. John Vianney has the weapons, including junior quraterback Anthony Brown, to assault teams on the ground even though the Lancers are known for their passing, as Brown leads the Shore Conference in passing yards and touchdowns. They have had multiple games of over 400 yards rushing this year, so the Lancers can beat teams in multiple ways. If they can get the inside running of Aaron Mora and Calvin Beaty going to set up jet sweeps for Khalil Haskins and Jeff Sheard and give Brown room to run outside, they can absolutely win this game. Seniors Nick Mastria, Clay Kemp and Kyle Gibson lead a front line with good size that has the ability to control this game.

X-factor: Calvin Beaty, Jr., LB. 

Beaty is a hard-hitting linebacker with good closing speed who also can sink into coverage. He will need to be all over the field against a versatile Delbarton attack led by quarterback John Chiarolanzio, who has thrown for 959 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Lancers are clearly playing with a chip on their shoulder, feeling they have been disrespected by not being ranked No. 1 as the Shore's only unbeaten team remaining, and angry that they have been told their schedule doesn't measure up to other top teams in the area. That has fueled them so far, and it could take them one step farther on Saturday.

Notes: St. John Vianney is looking to reach its first state final since 1981. Its only state title came in 1980. The Lancers have already won their first division title since 1982...Senior Dan Calabro leads the Shore Conference with 11 touchdown catches...A win would mean the fifth state final appearance for a Mark Ciccotelli-coached team since 2008...Delbarton has won two state titles in its history, and is looking to reach its first final since 2012...St. John Vianney has tied the school record with 10 wins this season.

NON-PUBLIC GROUP I 

(5) Mater Dei Prep (8-2) at (1) St. Joseph's-Hammonton (9-0), Saturday at 1 p.m.

Key match-up: Mater Dei's offensive line vs. St. Joe's defensive front. 

The only shot Mater Dei will probably have to pull a stunning upset will be for senior quarterback Christian Palmer to have another crazy game after a season in which he's re-written the school record book to the tune of 2,972 total yards and 41 total touchdowns. That means the offensive line has to keep St. Joe's swarming defense, which has not allowed more than eight points in a game to a New Jersey opponent all year, off of Palmer long enough to unleash some deep throws to Eddie Lewis and Tysaun White or find a crack to break a run. They will need to do that to keep pace with a St. Joe's offense led by junior twins Salaam and A’Laam Horne, a pair of FBS prospects who are explosive threats at quarterback and running back, respectively. Salaam has thrown for 793 yards and 11 touchdowns on 22 yards per completion, while A’Laam has run for 930 yards and 17 touchdowns on a ridiculous 14.3 yards per carry.

X-factor: Eddie Lewis, So., WR

Lewis has 41 catches for 781 yards and 10 touchdowns this season, so he is the home run threat. If he can hit a couple plays down the field, the Seraphs might be able to hang around.

Notes: Mater Dei Prep is looking to reach its first state final since 1999. The Seraphs have never won a state title...St. Joe's has won 23 state titles and been in the finals 31 times. The Wildcats have won four straight Non-Public Group I titles...Mater Dei enters averaging a school-record 40.2 points per game. St. Joe's is averaging 44.2 points per game and has not been held under 36 points by a New Jersey opponent...Christian Palmer's 41 combined touchdowns between rushing and passing are believed to be a single-season Shore Conference record.