Ace Outdoor Power Equipment Player of the Week: RBC’s Offensive Line
Every week this season, Shore Conference football fans will get their chance to vote for the Ace Outdoor Power Equipment Football Player of the Week on our website, with more than 370,000 votes cast so far this season.
The latest recipient of the fans’ voting is the Red Bank Catholic offensive line, which bulldozed three-time defending Non-Public Group III champion St. Joseph's-Montvale to the tune of 333 yards rushing in a 44-14 rout that put the Caseys into their first state final since 1980. The group 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 up front to clear the way as senior running back Tommy Spernal racked up 168 yards rushing and two touchdowns and senior fullback Nick Cella added 76 yards and a touchdown on only five carries.
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 RBC fans voted a Casey as a winner for the second straight week, as defensive back Mike DeMonte was last week's recipient. The Caseys' offensive line received 49.9 percent of the vote to top Jackson Memorial senior quarterback/defensive back Joe DeMaio, who threw for 142 yards and a touchdown and also had an interception and three pass break-ups on defense in a 44-0 wipeout of Brick in the Central Jersey Group IV semifinals.