With the sectional semifinals on tap for this weekend and 15 Shore Conference teams still in the running for state titles, much of the rankings will come down to these final few weeks.

Nine of the teams in last week’s The Office Lounge Football Top 10 were victorious in the first round of the playoffs. Eighth-ranked Brick Memorial suffered the only defeat at the hands of powerful Cherokee on the road in South Jersey Group V. No. 7 Neptune played the closest game out of all the top 10 teams in winning a 21-7 game against Freehold in Central Jersey Group IV. Every other game wasn’t close, so the Top 10 remains unchanged heading into this weekend.

There will almost certainly be some movement in next week’s rankings after three head-to-head matchups in the sectional semifinals. The Central Jersey Group IV bracket pits top-seeded Middletown South against fourth-seeded Neptune and second-seeded Brick hosting third-seeded and top-ranked Jackson Memorial.

Both games are rematches. Middletown South blasted Neptune 41-0 early in the season, but the Scarlet Fliers enter on a six-game winning streak looking for revenge. Brick handed Jackson Memorial its only loss in a 30-24 overtime classic on October 4, and round two should be one of the state’s best games this weekend. In Central Jersey Group III, Ocean’s stunning 19-14 win over top-seeded Hopewell Valley gives Matawan a home game vs. the Spartans in the semifinals. The fifth-seeded Huskies beat fourth-seeded Raritan 27-6 and will host Ocean for a trip to the final.

Middletown South will try to improve to 10-0 against Neptune since its last loss to the Scarlet Fliers in 1998. (Photo by Scott Stump)
Middletown South will try to improve to 10-0 against Neptune since its last loss to the Scarlet Fliers in 1998. (Photo by Scott Stump)
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St. John Vianney remained undefeated with a 56-7 detonation of Pope John XXIII in the first round of the Non-Public Group III playoffs and will travel to top-seeded Delbarton on Saturday. If the Lancers can pull off the win and reach the sectional final it could be the tipping point for them to jump to No. 1 in the Shore. Red Bank Catholic is in the same boat as it hosts a St. Joseph (Montvale) team that has eliminated it in each of the past three seasons. The Caseys rocked Bishop Eustace 62-7 to reach the semifinals for the fourth straight season.

The rest of the sectional semifinalists are: Manalapan in Central Jersey Group V, Long Branch in Central Jersey Group III, Rumson-Fair Haven in Central Jersey Group II, Shore Regional in Central Jersey Group I, Toms River North in Central Jersey Group V, Central Regional in South Jersey Group III and Mater Dei Prep in Non-Public Group I.

 

 

1. Jackson Memorial (9-1). Last week: No. 1

Junior running back Vinny Lee ran for 148 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries and sophomore running back Mike Gawlik ran for 119 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries to lead the Jaguars to a 45-7 victory over Middletown North in the first round of the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs. The top-ranked Jaguars will go on the road to face second-seeded and No. 5 Brick on Friday night in a rematch of the teams’ 30-24 overtime classic won by Brick on October 4. The Jags will try to return the favor on Brick’s home field to reach their first sectional final since their 12-0 season in 2005.

 

2. Red Bank Catholic (9-1). Last week: No. 2

Senior running back Tommy Spernal ran for a pair of touchdowns to lead a scoring barrage for the Caseys, as eight different players found the end zone in a 62-7 drubbing of Bishop Eustace that put RBC into the sectional semifinals for the fourth straight season. Among the touchdowns were a 28-yard interception return by senior defensive back Mike DeMonte and a blocked punt recovery by senior lineman Dan Wilen. Now comes the game Red Bank Catholic has been waiting for all season as the Caseys will host defending champion St. Joseph (Montvale) for the right to play for the sectional title. The Green Knights have knocked Red Bank Catholic out of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, but the Caseys get the game at Count Basie Field this year, so they have that advantage. Either way it will be a tall task, but if RBC can get past the Green Knights they will be back in play for the No. 1 spot in the Shore.

 

3. St. John Vianney (10-0). Last week: No. 3

Junior quarterback Anthony Brown threw four touchdown passes to bring his Shore Conference-leading total to 25, and also ran for a touchdown in the Lancers’ 56-7 wipeout of Pope John in the first round of the Non-Public Group III playoffs. The win was the Lancers’ first postseason victory since 1981 and tied the school record for wins set in 1980. St. John Vianney will travel to top-seeded Delbarton for a sectional semifinal game on Saturday.

 

4. Manalapan (9-1). Last week: No. 4

Senior running back Imamu Mayfield exploded for a career-high 277 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries to lead the Braves to a 39-14 victory over Old Bridge in the first round of the Central Jersey Group V playoffs. Senior quarterback Dan Anerella threw for 124 yards and a career-high four touchdowns, two to Kyle Mullen and one apiece to Tyson Plummer and Gerard Hodge-Rocourt. Manalapan will now go on the road to face second-seeded Hillsborough in the semifinals as the Braves look to reach a sectional final for the fourth straight season.

 

5. Brick (9-1). Last week: No. 5

Senior quarterback Carmen Sclafani finished with 322 yards of offense with two touchdowns rushing and two passing to lead the defending champion Green Dragons past Princeton, 48-12, in the first round of the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs. Sophomore running back Jay Obenauer ran for 119 yards and three touchdowns to help propel the Dragons into the semifinals, where they will host third-seeded Jackson Memorial in a rematch of their 30-24 overtime classic, won by Brick.

 

6. Middletown South (7-2). Last week: No. 6

Junior Matt Mosquera threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Tom Coffey and kicked two 36-yard field goals and a 27-yarder to lead the Eagles past Burlington Township, 25-0, in the first round of the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs. Junior running back Cole Rogers added a touchdown run, and the Eagles’ defense registered its sixth shutout of the season, which ties a school record. Middletown South will host Neptune in the semifinals as it continues its quest for the program’s 10th sectional title. The Eagles blanked the Scarlet Fliers 41-0 on September 19.

 

7. Neptune (7-2). Last week: No. 7

The Scarlet Fliers’ defense continued its great play in holding Freehold to 161 total yards in a 21-7 victory in the first round of the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs. Senior quarterback Royal Moore ran for a touchdown and threw another to junior Isaiah Calhoun, and senior running back Jaree Parrish added a touchdown run to push the Fliers to their sixth straight win. Neptune goes on the road to Middletown South in the semifinals as it tries to reverse a 41-0 loss at the hands of the Eagles earlier this season and reach the sectional final.

 

8. Brick Memorial (6-4). Last week: No. 8

Junior slotback Elie Lavarin ran for two touchdowns, and junior quarterback Tim Santiago and senior slotback Matt Cathey also added touchdowns, but the Mustangs fell to Cherokee, 45-28, in the first round of the South Jersey Group V playoffs. The Mustangs season has concluded, and although they could drop in the rankings based on what happens with the teams below them, they still have a good chance to finish the season ranked in the Top 10.

 

9. Long Branch (7-2). Last week: No. 9

Two weeks after getting shut down by Neptune, Long Branch senior running back Dahmiere Willis got back on track with 295 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 32 carries to lead the Green Wave past Hamilton West, 31-0, in the first round of the Central Jersey Group III playoffs. It is the seventh game of 200 yards rushing or more this season for Willis, as he became the program’s first 2,000-yard rusher. In the sectional semifinals, Long Branch will host a Carteret team it beat 31-6 earlier this season as it tries to reach its first final since 2007.

 

10. Rumson-Fair Haven (7-2). Last week: No. 10

Senior tailback Charlie Volker ran for 172 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries and sophomore quarterback Mike O’Connor rushed for 142 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries to lead the defending champion Bulldogs past seventh-seeded A.L. Johnson, 35-7, in the first round of the Central Jersey Group II playoffs. Rumson will host third-seeded Cinnaminson on Friday night in the sectional semifinals.

 

Dropped out: none

 

Teams to watch:

Shore (8-1): The Blue Devils blanked Point Beach 49-0 to record their fifth straight win and fourth straight shutout. They will take on Middlesex in the semifinals of the Central Jersey Group I playoffs.

Toms River North (6-4): The Mariners shocked top-seeded and undefeated Lenape, 19-10, in the first round of the South Jersey Group V playoffs. Sophomore quarterback Mike Husni ran for 184 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries and threw a touchdown pass to junior running back Asante Moorer to lead the upset. Junior defensive lineman Da’shon Copes continued his big season with three sacks. The Mariners will go on the road to face fourth-seeded Cherokee in the sectional semifinals.

Matawan (6-4): The Huskies beat Raritan 27-6 for the third straight win to reach the Central Jersey Group III semifinals. Senior running back Devon Spann ran for 95 yards and four touchdowns in the win. Matawan will host eighth-seeded Ocean in the semifinals.

 

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