Shore Sports Network Football Players of the Week, 11/25/14

Shore Conference Players of the Week

Offense

Red Bank Catholic’s running game

The Caseys’ offensive line of juniors Liam Smith and Ryan Oneidas and seniors Nick Roy, Neil Horenburg and Ryan Kroeger, along with senior tight ends Steve Dnistrian and Jamie Gordinier dominated the trenches in a 44-14 victory over St. Joseph-Montvale in the semifinals of the Non-Public Group III playoffs, paving the way for 333 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 44 attempts. Senior Tommy Spernal capitalized on the running room with 168 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, and senior Nick Cella added 76 yards and a touchdown on just five carries. Senior tailback Mike Cordova also had a rushing touchdown.

RBC has run for 2,675 yards this season on an average of 7.9 yards per carry and also has set a school record with 498 total points, which leads the Shore Conference. They will take that high-octane attack into the Non-Public Group III final on Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at MetLife Stadium against Delbarton in search of their first state title since 1976.

The Caseys’ offensive line also received 49.9 percent of the vote to win the Ace Outdoor Power Equipment Player of the Week.

Defense

Jackson Memorial’s secondary

Seniors Joe DeMaio, Kyle Johnson, Aaron Curet and Matt Castronuova, along with sophomore Mike Gawlik, combined to hold Brick quarterback Carmen Sclafani to just 30 yards passing while intercepting him three times in a 44-0 win in the Central Jersey Group IV semifinals. Gawlik, Johnson and DeMaio each had interceptions, and DeMaio, who also threw for 142 yards and a touchdown, added three pass breakups. Sclafani entered the game with 1,379 yards passing and 18 touchdowns.

Special teams

Adam Elliott, Jr., K, Matawan/Shawn Ramcheran, Jr., KR, Matawan

With 39 seconds left in a 20-all tie with Ocean in the Central Jersey Group III semifinals, Ramcheran returned a kickoff 48 yards to the Spartans 37-yard line to set up Elliott’s game-winning 26-yard field goal with 9.7 seconds remaining that sent the Huskies into their first state final since 2011.

Honorable mention

Dylan Rogers, Jr., LB, Middletown South: Rogers made 12 tackles and had 2.5 sacks in the Eagles’ 27-3 victory over Neptune in which they held the Scarlet Fliers to 71 total yards to reach the Central Jersey Group IV final.

Tyreek McCain, Jr., RB, Shore: McCain ran for 169 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-13 win over Middlesex that put the Blue Devils into the Central Jersey Group I title game for the third straight season.

Christian Palmer, Sr., QB, Mater Dei Prep: Palmer concluded his record-setting season with 212 yards and three passing touchdowns in a 41-18 loss to St. Joseph-Hammonton in the Non-Public Group I playoffs. He finished the season with a Shore Conference-record 44 total touchdowns and over 3,000 yards of total offense.

Imamu Mayfield, Sr., RB, Manalapan: Mayfield ran for 185 yards and a touchdown in Manalapan’s 28-6 win over Hillsborough that propelled the Braves to their fourth straight sectional final.

Charlie Volker, Sr., RB, Rumson-Fair Haven: Volker ran for 126 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-13 win over Cinnaminson that put the defending champion Bulldogs back in the Central Jersey Group II final.

Anthony Brown, Jr., QB, St. John Vianney: Brown threw for 278 yards and ran for two touchdowns in a 38-26 loss to Delbarton in the Non-Public Group III semifinals.