Manalapan, RBC, Lacey Lead Shore Sports Network Fab 50

Manalapan, Red Bank Catholic and Lacey all won Shore Conference divisional football championship this fall so it’s no surprise they head up the group of 50 players honored by the Shore Sports Network.

LISTEN: Barnabas Health High School Football Show featuring the Fab 50 announcement

In cooperation with head coaches from the Shore the Braves, Caseys and Lions each placed 4 players on the squad which was announced on the season finale of the “Barnabas Health High School Football Show” on 105.7 The Hawk Thursday night. Southern Regional, who reached the South Jersey Group 5 Finals, also placed 4 players on the team.

Manalapan, who won the A North title and finished 11-1 placed Senior lineman Jon Appice, Senior wide receiver Anthony Firkser (Harvard) and juniors Saeed Blackmail (WR) and Chris Noesges (LB) on the star-studded squad. Heading up the A South champion Lacey (10-1) quartet are seniors Kyle Spatz (RB/DB, Bill Belford (WR/DB) and Tyler Walsh (Center) along with junior WR/DB Christian Tutela. RBC whose only loss was to the state’s top-ranked team, St. Joseph of Montvale, placed two-way linemen Josh Klecko (Sr) and Quenton Nelson (Jr)

on the team along with senior all-purpose standouts Chris Whitlock and James Taylor. Representing the Southern Rams are seniors Dan Higgins (QB), Abe Gonzalez (RB) and Ryan Boyle (OL/DL) along with junior receiver Mike Gesicki.

Selected as the Players of the Year were Neptune quarterback Ajee Patterson (Monmouth County) and Point Beach running back Danny Tighe (Ocean County).

Coach of the Year honors were awarded to Colts Neck’s Greg LaCava (Monmouth County) and L.J. Clarke of Lakewood (Ocean County).

Firkser was one of four players who also made the squad last year. The others are Red Bank defensive end Garrett Sickels (Penn State), Monsignor Donovan offensive lineman Brad Henson (Virginia) and Neptune wide receiver Geoff Fairbanks. The team was made up of 38 seniors, 11 juniors and 1 sophomore.