Jersey Mike’s Football Team of the Week: Freehold

Every week this fall, Jersey Mike’s and Shore Sports Network will be selecting a Team of the Week based on its performance over the past weekend.

The Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week for Week 6 is Freehold, which used a pair of clutch kicks by junior Kayden Hutchinson to rally past Middletown North, 40-37, and conclude the regular season with a 5-1 record. Shore Sports Network was at practice Tuesday to present the Colonials and head coach Dave Ellis with a special game ball, a commemorative mini helmet courtesy of Tackle Depression and a $500 Jersey Mike’s gift card.

Senior quarterback Sha'Kim Shuler gave Freehold a 14-0 lead in the first quarter with touchdown runs of 15 and 2 yards before Middletown North used a 65-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Giannone to Alex Perez to get on the board. Freehold went ahead, 21-7, on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Shuler to junior tight end Tyler Ochojski, but Middletown North tied the score at 21 on a 23-yard touchdown run by DJ Willis and a 7-yard shovel pass from Giannone to Lucas Cerbo. A 5-yard touchdown run by Yahsin Calhoun gave Freehold a 28-21 lead at halftime.

A 64-yard touchdown run by Middletown North's Eaghan Kieff tied the score at 28 with 7:54 left in the third quarter, but Freehold answered when a fumble recovery led to a 27-yard touchdown run by Shuler for a 34-28 lead with 4:35 left in the third. A safety by Zac Searight pulled Middletown North to within 34-30 and the Lions went ahead, 37-34, on a 2-yard touchdown run by Cerbo with 6:47 left in the game.

A 21-yard field goal by Hutchinson with 3:05 left in the game tied the score at 37. Hutchinson then connected on a 36-yard field goal with five seconds left to give the Colonials the thrilling victory over the Lions in a high-scoring, back-and-forth game.

Shuler ran for 267 yards and three touchdowns and completed 13 of 21 passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. Calhoun ran for 74 yards and a touchdown and caught six passes for 52 yards. Ochojski caught four passes for 39 yards and a touchdown. On defense, Shuler made five tackles, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble while Calhoun forced a fumble and tied teammate Jason Lee with a team-high 11 tackles. Kamore Gill also had an interception and Ochojski made nine tackles and recorded one sack. Noah Evans finished with nine tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Freehold was placed in a postseason pod with No. 5 Rumson-Fair Haven, No. 6 Colts Neck and No. 8 Southern. The Colonials will host the eighth-ranked Rams on Saturday.

Archive

Week 5 – Mater Dei Prep

Week 4 - Manchester

Week 3 - Keansburg

Week 2 – Colts Neck

Week 1 - Toms River South

Managing editor Bob Badders can be reached at bob.badders@townsquaremedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Bob_Badders. Like Shore Sports Network on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel for all the latest video highlights.