football game story

PISCATAWAY – Manalapan made no secret about its intentions for the 2013 season. After falling in the sectional final in each of the past two seasons, it was state title or bust for the Braves, who looked every bit like a championship team through 11 games...

UNION – In preparing to face undefeated Weequahic in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II final, Rumson-Fair Haven heard and read all about the Indians' staggering team statistics. The numbers were certainly jarring. Weequahic entered its third straight state sectional final averaging 39 points per game while dominating even more on the defensive side of the ball, posting eight shutouts and allowing

By Art Gordon – Shore Sports Network contributor GLASSBORO - The Delsea football program has won 11 sectional titles and appeared in 14 state championship games while the Barnegat program has been in existence for only eight years and reached its first state final this year...

Click here for a photo gallery by Bill Normile EWING – There was plenty John Wagner could have said to his team in the week leading up to Point Beach's first sectional final appearance in 31 years, just one week after losing by 31 to its championship opponent...

Follow Bob Badders on Twitter at @Bob_Badders WEST LONG BRANCH — Shore and Point Beach have been on a collision course since the season began, and their roads have led each to the rare, back-to-back showdowns to end the season and decide championships...

RED BANK - Red Bank Catholic's players and coaches have insisted all season that they don't pay attention to the rankings, but on Friday night the Caseys played like a team that wanted to send the message that it should once again end the season as the Shore Conference's top-ranked squad...

By Art Gordon – Shore Sports Network contributor LAKEWOOD – Coming into the Shore Conference’s longest continuous Thanksgiving rivalry game against Lakewood on Thursday, Toms River South was still stinging from its heartbreaking four-point loss to Shawnee in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV semifinals a week earlier...

MIDDLETOWN - With Middletown South in the midst of its first non-winning season in 29 years and Middletown North ending a four-year drought of state playoff appearances, there was some buzz that this might be the first time in more than a decade that the Lions would challenge Middletown South's supremacy in their annual Thanksgiving showdown...

By Art Gordon – Shore Sports Network contributor HAMILTON - The challenge was issued two weeks ago at their first practice as Colts Neck prepared to face a very athletic Neptune team in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV quarterfinals, and it was repeated this week as the Cougars prepared to face defending Central Jersey Group III champion Nottingham in the semifinals...

Follow Bob Badders on Twitter at @Bob_Badders TOMS RIVER — Through one half of football on Saturday afternoon at Detwiler Stadium, Toms River South was nearly flawless. The Indians had a three-score lead on visiting Shawnee in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group IV semifinals...

MANASQUAN - A swarming Delsea defense and a grinding, physical running game put an end to top-seeded Manasquan's playoff hopes on Saturday afternoon by fueling a 27-10 victory at Vic Kubu Warrior Field in the NJSIAA South Jersey Group III semifinals...

Follow Bob Badders on Twitter at @Bob_Badders OCEAN — Throughout Ocean’s undefeated run heading into Friday night’s NJSIAA sectional semifinal game, the Spartans had been one of the Shore Conference’s best defensive squads, holding six of their nine opponents to seven points or fewer...