For the first time in over three years, the No. 1 spot in the Shore Conference was legitimately up for grabs in Week Seven. Until it wasn’t.

Top-ranked Red Bank Catholic unequivocally proved it is indeed the cream of the crop in the Shore Conference when it beat No. 2 Manalapan, 35-7, on Friday night at a jam-packed Count Basie Field. This was a matchup each team and area fans had been waiting for, and the Caseys put to rest any discussion as to who is the Shore’s best. RBC has games against Ocean and Jackson Memorial left during the regular season, but the conversation is likely over until next year.

Senior John Portela (18) congratulates senior Nick Cella (27) after a touchdown run in Red Bank Catholic's 35-7 victory over Manalapan. (Photo by Larry Murphy).
Senior John Portela (18) congratulates senior Nick Cella (27) after a touchdown run in Red Bank Catholic's 35-7 victory over Manalapan. (Photo by Larry Murphy).
loading...

While No. 1 seems locked up for the 2014 season, there are some huge games coming up that could have teams moving up and down the rankings. For now, all 10 teams from last week remain in the same slots. Middletown South won the only other matchup of top-10 teams when it came from behind to beat Brick Memorial, 24-21, in a nondivisional game that boosted the Eagles’ playoff prospects.

Also winning key games were Rumson-Fair Haven over Lakewood, Toms River North over Southern and Jackson Memorial over Toms River South.

There is only one matchup of ranked teams in Week Eight, but it’s a big one in Class A North as No. 2 Manalapan looks to rebound from its loss to Red Bank Catholic when it travels to face No. 6 and undefeated Freehold on Saturday afternoon. The Colonials are off to their best start since 2008, but have their two biggest tests of the season coming up in games against the Braves and Middletown South.

There are also three big divisional matchups on Friday night. In Class A South, No. 7 Brick travels to Toms River North while Toms River South welcomes No. 9 Brick Memorial. The division title is likely on the line in Class B Central where defending champion Shore hosts reigning Central Jersey Group I champs Point Beach.

 

 

1. Red Bank Catholic (7-0). Last week: No. 1

The Caseys won their 39th straight conference game by defeating No. 2 Manalapan, 35-7, on Friday night at Count Basie Field. Junior quarterback Eddie Hahn threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns - all in the first half - and senior wide receiver Nick Lubischer caught three passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yarder on the third play of the game. Senior running backs Nick Cella, Tommy Spernal and Mike Cordova each added touchdown runs, and the defense shut down Manalapan’s rushing attack in holding Imamu Mayfield to 75 yards. Senior defensive end Doug Zockoll led the charge with four of the Caseys’ eight sacks, while junior linebacker Dylan Murphy registered 13 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. The Caseys travel to face Ocean (2-4) on Friday night where a win will officially wrap up the Class B North division title. RBC is currently second in power points in Non-Public Group III, 14 points behind Delbarton (7-0) and 20 in front of St. John Vianney (7-0).

 

 

2. Manalapan (6-1). Last week: No. 2

The Braves had their 30-game conference winning streak snapped in a 35-7 loss to No. 1 Red Bank Catholic. It was also Manalapan’s first regular-season defeat since a 12-7 loss to Jackson Memorial in the first game of the 2011 season. Senior quarterback Dan Anerella threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Gerard Hodge-Rocourt for the Braves’ only points. Manalapan will look to rebound on Saturday when it travels to face No. 6 and undefeated Freehold in a Class A North game. The Braves can all but wrap up their fifth straight division title with a win. Manalapan is currently third in power points in Central Jersey Group V with 108 points. Hillsborough is first with 128 and South Brunswick second with 125. Montgomery is right behind Manalapan with 104 points.

 

 

3. St. John Vianney (7-0). Last week: No. 3

Junior quarterback Anthony Brown threw for a career-high 339 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another in a 65-17 nondivisional win over Donovan Catholic. Senior wide out Dan Calabro scored twice and also returned an interception for a touchdown. Junior Khalil Haskins ran for a touchdown and returned a punt for a score, and junior Calvin Beaty, senior Aaron Mora and junior Jeff Sheard each added touchdowns. The Lancers host Monmouth Regional (2-4) on Friday night. They sit third in power points in Non-Public Group III with 101, one in front of St. Joseph-Montvale, and 20 behind Red Bank Catholic.

 

 

4. Long Branch (6-1). Last week: No. 4

Senior running back Dahmiere Willis ran for a career-high and school-record 370 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Green Wave to a 40-28 victory over Matawan. It was the sixth straight game Willis has run for over 200 yards and also the sixth consecutive win for Long Branch. Willis leads the Shore Conference with 1,800 yards rushing. In its final game before the playoffs, Long Branch travels to face rival Neptune (4-2) on Saturday afternoon. The Green Wave are first in power points in Central Jersey Group III, four ahead of a Carteret team they defeated 31-6 in Week Two, and 16 ahead of undefeated defending champion Hopewell Valley.

 

 

5. Middletown South (5-2). Last week: No. 5

The Eagles won a thriller against No. 9 Brick Memorial by scoring 10 points in the final two minutes of a 24-21 nondivisional victory. Junior quarterback Matt Mosquera threw for 267 yards and a touchdown, and kicked the game-winning 22-yard field goal with 1.8 seconds left in regulation. Wide receiver Tom Coffey caught seven passes for 134 yards and a touchdown, all in the second half, and sophomore running back James McCarthy scored on a 3-yard run with 1:48 left in the game to tie the score at 21. Middletown South has a bye this week before returning to action on November 7 at home versus Freehold. That game will be crucial for playoff positioning in Central Jersey Group IV, where the Colonials are currently third by one point over the Eagles.

 

 

6. Freehold (7-0). Last week: No. 6

Senior running back Josh Dixon ran for 235 yards and three touchdowns, and junior quarterback Jake Curry ran for a 70-yard touchdown as the Colonials remained unbeaten with a 28-7 nondivisional victory over winless Toms River East. Freehold now enters its most crucial stretch of the season with back-to-back Class A North games against No. 2 Manalapan and No. 5 Middletown South before the playoffs. The Colonials will host the Braves on Saturday at 1 p.m. They are currently third in power points in Central Jersey Group IV, seven points behind Brick and one point ahead of Middletown South.

 

 

7. Brick (6-1). Last week: No. 7

Senior quarterback Carmen Sclafani threw three touchdown passes and accounted for 198 total yards in a 45-7 win over Colts Neck. Senior running back Ray Fattaruso ran for a pair of touchdowns and caught another, and senior Ja’Quez Johnson had a touchdown catch and an interception return for a touchdown. The Dragons travel to face Toms River North (5-2) on Friday night. They sit second in power points in Central Jersey Group IV with 104, 19 points behind Jackson Memorial and seven in front of Freehold.

 

 

8. Jackson Memorial (6-1). Last week: No. 8

Sophomore running back Mike Gawlik ran for 101 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries, and intercepted a pass late in the fourth quarter as the Jaguars held off Toms River South, 37-27, in a Class A South game. Senior quarterback Joe DeMaio threw for 115 yards and two touchdown passes, including a 53-yarder to senior wide out Kyle Johnson. The Jaguars will play at winless Toms River East on Saturday afternoon. They lead Brick by 19 power points for the No. 1 seed in Central Jersey Group IV.

 

 

9. Brick Memorial (4-3). Last week: No. 9

Junior quarterback Tim Santiago ran for a pair of touchdowns and threw another to senior wide receiver Karl Kumm, but the Mustangs fell to No. 5 Middletown South, 24-21. Brick Memorial is the only three-loss team in the Top 10, but those defeats have come to Brick, Jackson Memorial and Middletown South. The Mustangs also own a win over Toms River North (5-2) that helps keep them ranked. They will host Toms River South (3-3) on Saturday afternoon as they try to bolster their playoff chances. Brick Memorial is third in power points in a tight South Jersey Group V section behind undefeated Rancocas Valley and Lenape, and one point ahead of Williamstown and four ahead of Toms River North.

 

 

10. Rumson-Fair Haven (4-2). Last week: No. 10

Senior tailback Charlie Volker is back at full strength, and proved so in running for a school-record 328 yards and three touchdowns, including an 81-yard score, on 26 carries in a 33-12 victory over Lakewood. Sophomore quarterback Mike O’Connor added a rushing touchdown and junior defensive back Connor Kelly returned an interception for a touchdown. The Bulldogs are the defending Central Jersey Group II champions and are second in power points with 76 behind Roselle (88). Rumson does have a game in-hand on the Rams, however, and will host Raritan (3-3) on Friday night in a Class A Central game.

 

Dropped out: none

 

Teams to watch:

Toms River North (5-2): Sophomore quarterback Mike Husni threw for 180 yards and a touchdown and ran for 88 yards and two scores to spearhead the Mariners’ 24-14 come-from-behind win over Southern. Junior running back Asante Moorer ran for 96 yards and a score and the defense squashed Southern’s run game to the tune of minus-22 yards. The Mariners have a chance to leap into the Top 10 with a home game against No. 7 Brick on Friday night.

 

Middletown North (4-2): The Lions are coming off a bye to face North Brunswick (2-5) on the road where a win is crucial to keep their playoff hopes alive in a packed Central Jersey Group IV section. The Lions are currently 11th, but just 12 points behind No. 6 Burlington Township.

 

Shore (5-1): Junior running back Doug Goldsmith ran for 102 yards and a touchdown and made 11 tackles on defense in a 35-0 shutout of South River. Senior Mike Moore ran for two scores, including a 55-yarder, while quarterback Ryan Campi had a three-yard touchdown run and running back Tyreek McCain scored on a 50-yard run. The Blue Devils host Point Beach on Friday night in a game that will likely decide the Class B Central division title. Shore won the division title last season by beating the Garnet Gulls before Point Beach returned the favor in winning the Central Jersey Group I title.

 

Neptune (4-2): O’Shane Curate caught four passes for 82 yards and a touchdown and also returned an interception for a touchdown in a 41-0 victory over Wall. The Scarlet Fliers, whose losses have come to No. 1 Red Bank Catholic and No. 5 Middletown South, can make a major case to be ranked when they take on No. 4 Long Branch on Saturday.

 

Archive

More From Shore Sports Network