Scores and details from Friday's NJSIAA playoffs.

 

 

Causeway Auto 2015 Football Scoreboard
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NJSIAA Playoffs

Quarterfinals

North Jersey Section 2, Group IV

1-Middletown South 55, 8-West Windsor-Plainsbiro North 0

Senior running back Cole Rogers and junior running back James McCarthy each scored three times as the Eagles (9-0) cruised past the Knights (5-5) and into the semifinals.

Rogers scored three rushing touchdowns in the first half when Middletown South opened a 49-0 lead. McCarthy caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Matt Mosquera and ran for touchdowns of 14 and 38 yards. Mosquera also connected with Jeremy Joyce on a 40-yard touchdown pass. Ed Pinto added a 7-yard rushing touchdown in the second half.

The shutout is the fourth of the season for Middletown South's defense.

The Eagles will host rival Middletown North next Friday in the semifinals. The teams will also play the following week on Thanksgiving.

 

4-Middletown North 31, 5-Sayreville 6

Senior running back Chad Freshnock ran for 167 yards and a touchdown and sophomore running back Connor Welsh scored a pair of rushing touchdowns and the Lions (7-2) pulled away from the Bombers (5-5) for their first playoff win since 2000.

Freshnock had a rushing touchdown and junior quarterback Donald Glenn threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Dwight Wilkerson to give Middletown North a 14-6 halftime lead. A 24-yard field goal by Joey Cavanaugh pushed the lead to 17-6 before touchdown runs of 25 and 39 yards by Welsh in the fourth quarter sealed the win.

Middletown North will play at Middletown South in consecutive weeks, starting with next Friday's semifinal game. The teams also play on Thanksgiving.

 

Central Jersey Group V

2-New Brunswick 21, 7-Freehold Township 14

The Patriots' (4-6) season came to an end in heartbreaking fashion when they fumbled and New Brunswick recovered at its 2-yard line with seconds left the game.

Junior Anthony Lotti scored on a 5-yard run in the first quarter to give Freehold Township a 7-0 lead, and senior quarter quarterback Jack O'Brien found junior Adrian Rybaltowski for an 11-yard touchdown to pull the Patriots within 21-14 in the fourth quarter.

A 91-yard punt return touchdown by University of Pittsburgh recruit Maurice French gave the Zebras (9-1) a 21-7 lead late in the third quarter.

Freehold Township drove 71 yards to the New Brunswick 5-yard line before the turnover ended the game.

 

Central Jersey Group IV

1-Brick Memorial 38, 8-Jackson Liberty 6

Sophomore fullback Tony Thorpe ran for 161 yards and three touchdowns and senior quarterback Tim Santiago ran for 120 yards and a touchdown to lead the Mustangs (8-2) past the Lions (4-6) and into the semifinals.

Thorpe scored on runs of 4, 4 and 24, while Santiago had a 32-yard touchdown run. Elie Lavarin also scored a rushing touchdown and Matt Cuppari kicked a 23-yard field goal.

Brick Memorial will play the winner of Saturday's quarterfinal game between fifth-seeded Allentown and fourth-seeded Freehold.

 

7-Jackson Memorial 21, 2-Brick 7

Junior running back Mike Gawlik ran for 215 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries and  Jackson's defense held Brick to 166 total yards as the defending-champion Jaguars (6-4) upset the Dragons (8-2).

Gawlik ran for a 52-yard touchdown on the first possession of the game to stake the Jaguars to an early 7-0 lead. He added a 1-yard run in the third quarter that gave Jackson a 14-7 advantage. Kyle Johnson also ran for a touchdown for Jackson.

Senior defensive end Tyler Towns had huge game with five tackle for a loss or no gain, a sack and a fumble recovery. Senior defensive tackle Austin Ostrander added a sack and two tackles for loss and junior Zack Lubertazzi also had a strong game with two hits for a loss.

Brick junior Anthony Costanza filled in at quarterback for injured senior Tom Zbranak and thew for 91 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Ja'Sir Taylor  in the second quarter.

Jackson will play at sixth-seeded Steinert in the semifinals. Steinert upset third-seeded Burlington Township 16-7.

 

Central Jersey Group III

1-Rumson-Fair Haven 43, 8-Rahway 6

The Bulldogs (8-1) trailed 6-0 at halftime before ripping off 43 unanswered points to eliminate the Indians (3-6) and advance to the semifinals.

Junior quarterback Mike O'Connor scored a pair of touchdowns and ran for over 100 yards, and also threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver John Kingdon. Junior running back Matt Vecchiarelli gave Rumson its first score with a 2-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, opening the food gates for a 36-point third quarter.

The Bulldogs will host fifth-seeded Matawan, which outlasted Hopewell Valley 24-18 in triple overtime, next Friday night in the semifinals. Rumson is coming off consecutive Central Jersey Group II titles while Matawan is the defending champion in this bracket. The  teams played in Week Two with Rumson winning 17-0.

 

5-Matawan 24, 4-Hopewell Valley 18 (3OT)

A touchdown run by Isaiah Phillip in triple overtime and a stop by Matawan's defense delivered the defending-champion Huskies (7-3) an epic victory over the Bulldogs (7-3) in the opening round.

A field goal by Adam Elliot gave Matawan an 18-15 lead in the first overtime, but Hopewell Valley answered to send the game into a second overtime. Shawn Ramcheran gave the Huskies a 7-0 lead with a 65-yard touchdown and Makiya Ceasar extended the lead to 13-0 with a 9-yard touchdown run. A safety after a blocked punt by Devonte Spann put Matawan up 15-7 in the second quarter before the Bulldogs tied the game with a touchdown and two-point conversion in the third quarter.

Matawan will play at top-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven in the semifinals. Both are returning sectional champions, as Rumson has won the last Central Jersey Group II titles before being re-aligned to Group III this  year. They teams, which are Class A Central rivals, met in Week Two with Rumson winning 17-0. Matawan was without starting quarterback George Pearson for that game, however.

 

3-Red Bank 30, 6-South Plainfield 0

Senior Sadiq Palmer scored a pair of rushing touchdowns and also returned an interception for a touchdown as the Bucs (9-0) remained perfect and advanced to the sectional semifinals by blanking the Tigers (6-3). It is the first playoff win for Red Bank since 2003.

Palmer scored on runs of 3 and 4 yards and returned the interception 26 yards for a score. Senior running back Alim Godsey opened the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The Bucs defense, which recorded its second shutout of the season, scored on a safety in the fourth quarter.

Red Bank will travel to second-seeded Ocean with a trip to the sectional championship on the line next Friday. It will be a rematch of a Week Three Class B North game won by Red Bank, 16-6.

 

2-Ocean 35, 7-Hamilton West 0

Junior quarterback Kenny Pickett ran for two touchdowns and threw another, and senior running back Tyler Thompson scored twice to lead the Spartans (8-1) to their sixth straight victory and a spot in the sectional semifinals.

Picket ran for touchdowns of 3 and 6 yards in the first half before connecting with Ruquan Dean on a 28-yard scoring pass in the third quarter. He finished with 187 yards passing. Thompson ran for 120 yards and scored on a 1-yard run in the second quarter and a 2-yard run in the third quarter. Ocean's defense allowed just five yards in the first half on its way to registering its second straight shutout.

Ocean will host third-seeded and undefeated Red Bank next Friday in the semifinals. Red Bank defeated Ocean 16-6 in Week Three.

 

Central Jersey Group II

6-Raritan 17, 3-Point Boro 7

Junior quarterback Mark Carnivale threw a 38-yard touchdown to Jordan Smith in the closing seconds of the first half and ran for a 1-yard score in the third quarter as the Rockets (4-5) snapped a five-game losing streak in a big way by taking down the Panthers (8-2).

Point Boro had defeated Raritan 33-27 during Week Seven of the regular season.

Raritan freshman Gavin Toth sealed the game with a 23-yard field goal with 3:08 left in regulation. It is Raritan's first postseason victory since 2009 and first under head coach Anthony Petruzzi.

Senior quarterback Noah Husak scored on a 1-yard run for Point Boro.

Raritan will play at second-seeded Delaware Valley in the semifinals.

 

Central Jersey Group I

1-Shore 36, 8-Burlington City 0

Senior Doug Goldsmith ran the opening kickoff back 80 yards for a touchdown to send the undefeated Blue Devils (9-0) into the semifinals with a shutout victory over Burlington City (3-6).

Goldsmith also ran for touchdowns of 2 and 1 yards while playing linebacker for a defense that recorded its first shutout of the season. Senior Jack Britton added a 63-yard touchdown run and Alex Johnson scored on a 20-yard run.

Shore, which is the defending champion, will host fourth-seeded Florence in the semifinals next Friday night. Florence defeated Middlesex 41-20.

 

7-Keyport 21, 2-Asbury Park 18

A 1-yard touchdown run by Jay Hansen with 9:02 left in the game completed a 10-point comeback for the Red Raiders (6-4) and delivered Keyport its first playoff win since 2010.

Asbury Park led 18-7 heading to the fourth quarter on a pair of touchdown runs  by senior quarterback Davon Thompson and another by Dante Abrams. Keyport began its comeback when Desmond Underwood scored on a 30-yadr run in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. Underwood finished with 139 yards rushing on 25 carries.

Keyport will play at third-seeded Palmyra, which defeated Point Beach 34-16, in next weekend's semifinal round.

 

3-Palmyra 34, 6-Point Beach 16

Luke Frauenheim scored on a pair of 3-yard runs and Sean Gould kicked a 20-yard field goal, but the Garnet Gulls (5-5) could not hold down the aerial attack of the Panthers (8-1).

Max Smyth threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a score for Palmyra.

 

 

South Jersey Group V

4-Toms River North 35, 5-Kingsway 7

Junior quarterback Mike Husni ran for three touchdowns and threw another to lead the Mariners (9-1) past the Dragons (4-5) for their eighth straight victory.

Husni finished with 75 yards rushing and touchdown runs of 14, 1 and 52 yards. He completed 13 of 17 passes for 210 yards and one touchdown, a 60-yard strike to Kenny Cook that put Toms River North up 21-7 in the third quarter. Sophomore Daryn Blackwell added a rushing touchdown in the first quarter that had the Mariners up 14-0.

Toms River North will travel to top-seeded Lenape for a semifinal game next Friday. Lenape won its first playoff game in program history with a 7-0 victory over Rancocas Valley in the first round. The teams have history in the playoffs, as well. Last season as the No. 8 seed, the Mariners stunned the Indians 19-10 in the first round.

 

South Jersey Group IV

1-Hammonton 30, 8-Toms River South 7

Dashaun Alexander's touchdown run suppled the lone points the Indians (4-5) could muster against the top-seeded Blue Devils (9-1).

Toms River South will conclude its season on Thanksgiving against Lakewood.

 

3-Bridgeton 44, 6-Central 20

Junior running back Mike Bickford ran for 192 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries and senior quarterback Mike Miserendino ran for an 18-yard score, but the Golden Eagles (6-4) fell to the Bulldogs (7-3) in the opening round.

 

Non-Public Group III

1-St. John Vianney 41, 8-Donovan Catholic 0

Senior quarterback Anthony Brown ran for a touchdown and threw touchdown passes to Mike Stapert and Khalil Haskins to lead the Lancers (10-0) past the Griffins (3-6) and into the semifinals for the second straight season

Senior Calvin Beaty scored a pair of rushing touchdowns and junior Chris Chukwuneke also scored on the ground. St. John Vianney's defense recorded its third straight shutout and fifth overall this season.

The Lancers await the winner of Saturday's game between fifth-seeded Red Bank Catholic and fourth-seeded Pope John.

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