The Shore Daily, 1/12/15
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Sunday was all about athletes making announcements about their future, starting with Middletown North graduate Shilique Calhoun saying he was forgoing the NFL Draft to play defensive end at Michigan State for another year, and then Manalapan star defensive end Kyle Mullen verbally committing to Yale University. When Yale and Harvard meet in their annual rivalry game this coming fall, there will be a former Brave on each side, as Anthony Firkser is a tight end on Harvard.
Mullen's commitment comes only a few weeks before National Signing Day on Feb. 4, when scholarship players will make it binding with their future schools by signing their National Letter of Intent. One of those players is Red Bank Catholic senior linebacker Jamie Gordinier, the Shore Sports Network Defensive Player of the Year, who will sign with the University of Miami and RBC grad Al Golden. The Hurricanes' staff made this fun Photoshop of the announcement. I like the scroll at the bottom.
Schools are always making these personalized things for recruits. I still think the Mike Gesicki puzzle from Urban Meyer might be the best one.
There also was a basketball commitment over the weekend. On Saturday, Southern Regional senior forward Eric Ray announced via Twitter that he will continue his career at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham, which currently features sophomore forward Mike Barber (Middletown North) and senior guard Kevin Furlong (Raritan).
Sunday night also marked the annual Mini Max High School Award dinner in Princeton Junction. Seven Shore Conference senior football standouts were part of the 57 players from across New Jersey who were honored by the Maxwell Football Club for their performance on the field, academically, and in the community.
Brick linebacker James Juliano, Red Bank Catholic linebacker Jamie Gordinier, Manalapan tight end/defensive end Kyle Mullen, Monmouth Regional receiver Isaiah Searight, Lacey quarterback Conor Davies, Shore Regional linebacker James Bedell and Raritan defensive back Colby Jones all received Mini Max Awards.
There also was some wrestling action on Sunday, as Brick Memorial beat Hanover Park 35-31 in a match-up of two of the top 10 teams in the state. A crucial pin at 145 pounds by Mustangs junior Anthony Mitchell helped send the Mustangs to a big win.
More on Monday:
- A new week means a new boys basketball Top 10 and a new wrestling Top 10.
- The Atlantic Baseball Confederation Collegiate League (ABCCL), a summer wood bat league featuring numerous former Shore Conference players now at the college level, has added two more teams, the New Jersey Angels and Intensity Baseball, heading into its 15th year and will now have a combined 10 teams in the league. The ABCCL is looking for host families to house out-of-state players participating in the league this summer. Anyone interested in being a host family can contact president Monique Koehler at (732) 671-4370.
On tap for today:
The game to watch today is No. 3 Red Bank Catholic heading to No. 8 Colts Neck at 6:30 p.m. in Class B North. Either the Cougars will remain in sole possession of first place, or the Caseys will throw the division into a four-way tie for first between RBC, Colts Neck, Red Bank Regional and Wall if the Crimson Knights can beat defending champion Matawan, which is trying to snap a three-game losing streak.
A Middletown South team that has won four out of five will head to No. 5 Freehold Township at 5:30 p.m. in Class A North, and a Middletown North team coming off an upset of Manalapan will take a crack at No. 1 Christian Brothers Academy at 6 p.m. Another key divisional game is Shore Regional (6-2) heading to No. 6 Manasquan at 6:30 to face the two-time defending Class A Central champions.
I'll end with this posterizing slam by Florida State recruit Malik Beasley from Georgia.
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