Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week: Wall
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 Team of the Week for Week Five is Wall, which sent a shockwave across the state when it stunned previously unbeaten Brick, the No. 2 team in the Shore Sports Network Top 10 and the No. 11 team in the state, with a 28-27, double-overtime thriller that ended an 11-game losing streak for the Crimson Knights.
The Crimson Knights and head coach Dan Curcione were presented with a special game ball at practice on Tuesday by one of their own, Jersey Mike’s NJ/NE Area Director Chad Tirpack, a former standout quarterback/defensive back at Wall. The players were also treated to free Jersey Mike’s subs.
The Crimson Knights pulled off one of the biggest regular-season upsets in the Shore Conference of the past 20 years thanks to several outstanding performances. Junior quarterback Matt Cluley went 9-for-17 for 114 yards and three touchdowns passing, including two in overtime, and also ran for 88 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries with six carries of 10 or more yards.
Wideout/safety Liam Ferguson had two touchdown catches, one in each overtime, including the 37-yarder that tied the game in the second overtime. He also had 12 tackles on defense. Linebacker Tim McGevna led a stellar effort on that side of the ball with 13 tackles. Junior kicker Nick Maciejewski also went 4-for-4 on extra points, including the game-winner in double overtime.
"It was just an amazing feeling,'' Ferguson said. "We just knew from the beginning that we were refusing to lose. You could see it in everyone's eyes."
The Crimson Knights join St. John Vianney, Toms River North, Neptune and Central as the recipients thus far of the Jersey Mike’s Team of the Week, which is selected by the Shore Sports Network staff.