Jersey Mike’s Week 3 Football Team of the Week: Long Branch

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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 3 is Long Branch, which went on the road this past Saturday to deliver a top-10 upset and thrust itself into the latest Shore Sports Network Football Top 10. Shore Sports Network stopped by practice on Tuesday to present the Green Wave and head coach Danny George with a special game ball and $250 in Jersey Mike's gift cards.

Tied at 14 entering the fourth quarter against then-No. 8 Freehold, Long Branch and senior quarterback Christian Rodriguez scored both touchdowns in the final period to come away with a 29-14 victory. Setting the table was a defensive stop on a Freehold fake punt inside the Colonials' 30-yard line. On the very next play, Rodriguez connected with Jayden Farmer for a 25-yard touchdown that gave the Green Wave a 21-14 lead. Later in the fourth quarter, Rodriguez scored on a 4-yard touchdown and then ran in the 2-point conversion to give Long Branch a 29-14 advantage.

Long Branch started the scoring late in the first quarter when Rodriguez scored on an 8-yard touchdown run. Freehold answered on a 10-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Kamore Gil and then took the lead when an interception by Matt Giuffrida set up a 14-yard touchdown pass from Gill to Cameron Croons. Long Branch was able to tie the score at 14 when Rodriguez fired a 53-yard touchdown pass to Ka'Jion Thorne.

Rodriguez finished 13 of 17 passing for 159 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions and ran for 86 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Jyshon Presley and Antonio Castanon had sacks for Long Branch and Rodriguez had an interception to help stifle Freehold's high-octane offense.

With wins over St. John Vianney and Freehold, Long Branch has gotten off to a fast start in the final year on the sideline for longtime head coach Danny George, who announced in June that he would be stepping down following the 2021 season. His farewell tour so far has Long Branch in first place in the Freedom Division and off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2018.

The Green Wave are back in action this Friday night when they welcome Jackson Memorial to Bresett Stadium for a nondivisional meeting.

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