Orthopaedic Institute Football Player of the Week: Toms River North’s Zach Goodale

Every week this season, Shore Conference football fans will have their chance to vote for the Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey/Shore Sports Network Football Player of the Week on our website.

The Week 9 Player of the Week is Toms River North junior wide receiver Zach Goodale, who caught three passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the Mariners’ 42-17 victory over South Brunswick in the quarterfinals of the NJSIAA Central, Group 4 state playoffs.

With Toms River North already leading 14-0 in the second quarter, Goodale helped blow the game open when he took the top off the Vikings defense and hauled in an 86-yard touchdown reception.

After Toms River North scored again to make it 28-0 and South Brunswick got on the board with a field goal, Goodale led the Mariners get into the end zone again and take a 35-3 lead into halftime. Goodale brought down a 40-yard pass from junior quarterback Jake Kazanowsky and then made a great play on a 13-yard touchdown reception by stretching to the sky and bringing down the pass while keeping his feet in bounds.

Goodale’s offensive exploits helped Toms River North score 40 or more points for the fourth straight game and sixth time in 10 games this season. The Mariners are averaging 34.3 points per game, which is the third-best mark in the Shore Conference. Goodale has enjoyed breakout season with 17 receptions for 441 yards and 6 touchdowns, averaging 25.9 yards per catch.

He and the Mariners will try to put the program into a sectional final for the eighth time in its history when they host sixth-seeded Kingsway (5-4) on Friday night at Gernerd Field.

Goodale cruised to victory in the Player of the Week poll with 25.51 percent of the votes to win over Jackson Memorial’s Zack Novak, Lacey’s Tynan Jensen and Wall’s Logan Peters.

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.