Huge Shore Contingent Part of Monday’s North-South All-Star Classic
The biggest group of Shore Conference players in the 35-year history of the annual North-South All-Star Classic will take the field as part of the South squad on Monday at 7 p.m. at Piscataway High School's Ciardi Field.
Of the 43 players listed on the South roster, 26 are from the Shore Conference, including both quarterbacks - Keyport's Alex Thomson and Freehold Boro's Brad Jones. The game has traditionally been at Kean University but will be at Piscataway this year because of renovations being done to Kean's field. The game also has been christened the Phil Simms North-South High School Football All-Star Classic after the former Giants quarterback and current CBS analyst came aboard to be part of the game. Admission is $10 at the gate.
Simms is just one of the big names who will be in attendance, as several former New Jersey greats who went on to success in the NFL will return to help hand out the Most Valuable Player awards for offense and defense for each team at the end of the game. Former Redskins great Joe Theismann (South River), former Cowboys All-Pro defensive lineman Jim Jeffcoat (Matawan), former Chiefs and Jets lineman Dave Szott (Clifton) and Simms' old Giants teammate, Saddle River resident Jim Burt, will be on hand for the awards ceremony.
The South squad is hoping to having a better showing after getting shelled 54-21 in last year's game, giving up the most points ever in a game that began in 1979. The North-South Classic is the oldest statewide football all-star game in New Jersey and the second-oldest all-star game behind the Shore Conference-centric U.S. Army All-Shore Gridiron Classic, which began in 1978.
Seven Shore Sports Network first-team All-Shore selections from the fall will be part of the South - Matawan kicker/punter Mike Creamer, Jackson Memorial defensive back Khani Glover and linebacker Ken Bradley, Brick Memorial safety Mike Basile, Colts Neck running back Anthony Gargiulo, Manalapan linebacker Chris Noesges and Barnegat offensive lineman Zach Andrews.
The host of other Shore Conference talent includes Mater Dei Prep defensive back Jalanie Mitchell, Toms River South defensive back Otis Kearney, Monsignor Donovan wide receiver Joey Fields, Wall wide receiver Chris Quinlan and defensive lineman Jeff Horwitz, Long Branch wide receiver Myson Pennington and linebacker Deon Williams, Lakewood wide receiver David Patterson and offensive lineman Ben Watson, Shore Regional offensive lineman Matt Proto, Brick offensive lineman Matt Ulufanua, Southern offensive lineman Bailey Bellissimo, Red Bank Catholic linebacker Frank Olmo, Point Boro offensive lineman Matt Gliddon, Point Beach offensive lineman Sean Struncius, Neptune defensive end Tyrell Montgomery, and Central defensive lineman Jesse Brown.