Multiple Shore Conference football teams shut down by COVID-19

Updated on Nov. 18 to include Central Regional and Red Bank Regional 

Central Regional Athletic Director John Scran told Shore Sports Network that the Golden Eagles' football team is shutting down for the remainder of the season due to COVID-19 concerns. The Eagles were set to host Manasquan on Friday night. Central concludes its season with a 4-3 record. The entire district will move to remote learning on Nov. 19 and Nov. 20 and is scheduled to resume in-person instruction on Nov. 23, according to a memo on the Central Regional School District website

Red Bank Regional's football season is now over due to COVID-19 concerns, Shore Sports Network has learned. The Bucs were scheduled to play Jackson Liberty on Friday night. The Thanksgiving Day game between Red Bank and Long Branch has also been canceled. This would have been the 98th meeting between the schools.

Jackson Liberty will now host Lakewood on Saturday at noon. The two teams had recently scheduled to play one another on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

Updated on Nov. 16 to include Brick, Keansburg, Holmdel and Marlboro

Brick's football team is now shut down due to COVID-19 exposure and this Friday's scheduled game vs. Raritan has been canceled, Brick Athletic Director Pete Panuska confirmed to Shore Sports Network. The Dragons' season is over and they finish with a 2-5 record

Keansburg AD Tom Stark told Shore Sports Network the Titans are shut down for the rest of the season due to COVID-19 exposure. Keansburg's regular-season finale against Monmouth Regional is canceled. The Titans finish the season with a 4-3 record.

Holmdel's football team and boys and girls soccer teams are shut down for the remainder of the season because of COVID-19 exposure, Holmdel AD Matt Kukoda said. The Hornets' football team turned in another strong season and finished with a 6-1 record. The boys soccer team was ranked No. 3 in the Shore Sports Network Top 10 and was the top seed in the Central East Groups 1 and 2 state tournament.

Freehold Regional Superintendent of Schools Charles Sampson said on Monday night that Marlboro's football team is shut down for the rest of the season due to COVID-19 exposure. The Mustangs finish the season with a 1-6 record. They were scheduled to play St. John Vianney on Saturday, Nov. 21.

St. John Vianney will now host Barnegat on Thursday night. Barnegat was scheduled to play Asbury Park but the game was canceled by Asbury Park. The Asbury Park School District has yet to issue a statement whether or not the football team's season is over.

Updated on Nov. 14 to include Red Bank Catholic

Red Bank Catholic will not play in Week 8. The Caseys had a positive test but that player was not at the Friday, Nov. 14 game vs. Donovan Catholic. The status of a scheduled game vs. St. John Vianney on Nov. 25 is unclear at this time.

Updated on Nov. 14 to include Middletown North and Middletown South

All athletic programs at Middletown North and Middletown South have been shut down through Dec. 7, ending the fall season for all sports at both schools.

Updated on Nov. 11, 4 p.m. to include Point Boro and Ocean

Multiple Shore Conference football teams have been shut down due to COVID-19 exposure, which has significantly altered the first week of games in the postseason.

The varsity football teams at Point Boro, Ocean  Howell, Long Branch, Keyport and Freehold Township will not play in Week 7 (Nov. 13 and 14) because team activities have been suspended for their respective programs. Red Bank Regional High School's football team is currently shut down due to COVID-19 exposure, but the Bucs are allowed to return this weekend and are scheduled to host Hackensack on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Point Boro has shut down all football activities for the remainder of the season due to COVID-19 exposure, Athletic Director Chris Ferrone confirmed to Shore Sports Network. The Panthers were scheduled to play Barnegat this Friday.

Ocean Township Superintendent Jim Stefankiewicz announced that due to an increase in COVID-19 cases in the community, all Ocean Township schools will be operating on a remote schedule for Thursday, Nov. 12 and Friday, Nov. 13. Ocean Township High School Athletic Director Rusty Todd confirmed that all sports scheduled for those days are canceled, meaning the Spartans game vs. Middletown North is also canceled.

There is a possibility the game could be moved to Saturday. The school is expected to make a decision regarding that game on Thursday.

On Monday, Keyport Superintendent of Schools Lisa Savoia notified families in the district that several staff members had tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, the district transitioned to remote learning for all students and suspended all extracurricular activities through Nov. 30, ending the season for all of its athletic programs. The Red Raiders' football team (2-4) was scheduled to play at Lakewood this Saturday.

Because of the shutdowns at Point Boro and Keyport, Barnegat will now host Lakewood on Friday night.

Freehold Township's football team is shut down through Nov. 18 because of COVID-19 exposure. The Asbury Park Press reported that the exposure is related to Halloween party, according to Freehold Regional High School District Superintendent Charles Sampson. Freehold Township was scheduled to host Jackson Memorial on Friday night.

Jackson Memorial picked up a game with Nottingham that was scheduled for Friday, but on Wednesday afternoon Nottingham announced it had shut down its program. Jackson is currently seeking an opponent for Week 7.

Long Branch's football team is shut down, as well, after a member of the team tested positive for COVID-19, also according to the Asbury Park Press. The school is hopeful the team can return to action for its final game of the season against Red Bank on Thanksgiving. Long Branch was scheduled to play Brick Memorial on Friday night. Brick Memorial will now host St. John Vianney.

As previously reported by Shore Sports Network, Howell's football team is shut down until Nov. 17 due to COVID-19 exposure.

On Thursday, Nov. 5, Red Bank Catholic Athletic Director Joe Montano confirmed to Shore Sports Network that the school would be transitioning to full remote learning and suspending athletic and extracurricular activities for 14 days due to three positive COVID-19 cases among students. The decision forced the cancelation of the Week 6 football game vs. Raritan and would have knocked the Caseys out of the postseason. Red Bank Catholic is the No. 3 team in the Shore Sports Network Top 10 and was scheduled to host No. 2 Donovan Catholic in one of the games in the postseason pod that also includes No. 1 Wall and No. 4 Mater Dei Prep.

However, on Friday, Nov. 6 at 4:30 p.m., the school announced that athletics would return on Monday, Nov. 9.

"After consultation with the Board of Health seeking clarification, they have revised their recommendation for closure of all programs. Since our outdoor extracurricular programs were not involved in the decision to move to remove learning, the Administration has concluded all extracurricular programs may resume on Monday, Nov. 9," the school announced in a letter from Monsignor Joseph Rosie, Principal Robert Abatemarco and Associate Principal Karen Falco.

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.