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Week 1

Thursday, Sept. 1

Nondivisional

No. 10 Jackson Memorial 35, Brick Memorial 21

Senior quarterback Tain Mann ran for 119 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries and completed 10 of 16 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns as the Jaguars (1-0) opened up their season with a victory over the Mustangs (0-1).

Mann threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Albert D'Alessandro, a 25-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Jaiden Hernandez, and ran for a 39-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that gave Jackson a two-score lead.

D'Alessandro also delivered an electric 90-yard punt return for a touchdown with 18 seconds left in the first half that put the Jaguars up 21-7 at halftime. Senior running back Aidan Sweeney ran for 85 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries as the Jaguars' offensive line paved the way for 210 yards rushing on an average of 6.4 yards per carry.

Sophomore running back Kevin Andrews had touchdown runs of 1 and 5 yards and junior running back Nicco Maribo had a 15-yard touchdown reception for Brick Memorial. Junior quarterback Connor Dietz ran for 91 yards on 17 carries and threw for 149 yards and a touchdown but was limited to 10 of 23 passing. Senior wide receiver Jeremiah Crispin caught five passes for 82 yards. Defensively, senior defensive back Mike Dayton had an interception.

 

No. 4 Point Boro 42, Neptune 0

Junior quarterback Matt Oliphant ran for 131 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries and also threw for 30 yards as the Panthers (1-0) scored all 42 points in the first half and rolled to a victory over the Scarlet Fliers (0-1).

Senior running back Connor Cilento added a 15-yard touchdown run, junior running back Jake Croce had a 1-yard touchdown run, and sophomore running back Colin Obser ran for a 5-yard score. Sophomore Dylan Reitmeyer added 50 yards rushing on three carries.

Obser also helped lead the defense as he and senior Maddox Samaritano recorded 10 tackles. Senior Aiden Ward pitched in with five tackles.

 

Pinelands 19, Point Beach 14

Senior quarterback Ryan Allen broke free for a 79-yard touchdown on the first play of the game and later tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Logan Russo as the Wildcats (1-0) defeated the Garnet Gulls (0-1). It is Pinelands' first season-opening home victory since 2010.

Sophomore running back Jaimin Parkinson added a 30-yard touchdown run as head coach John Tierney earned his first career victory. Liam Villinger made 14 tackles to lead the way on defense.

Senior quarterback/linebacker Joe Beley threw for 137 yards, ran for 53 yards and a touchdown, and recorded eight tackles. Senior running back Roman Grauso ran for 65 yards and a touchdown and added 22 receiving yards and senior wide receiver Kevin Burns caught three passes for 104 yards. Senior running back Jake Mullins ran for 59 yards and senior running back Ryan Oreste ran for 43 yards on just four carries.

 

Marlboro 34, Brick 7

Junior running back Matt Cassidy ran for 128 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries and also made 16 tackles with one tackle for loss to help lead the Mustangs (1-0) to a win over the Dragons (0-1).

Senior quarterback AJ Schwartz ran for 121 yards on 13 carries and scored on a 52-yard run. Junior running back Dan Alcide added one touchdown run.

Christian Brooker threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Ezra Meyers to account for Brick's touchdown. Senior quarterback AJ Grygiel ran for a team-high 59 yards on seven carries.

 

Howell 20, Central 7

Senior quarterback Jack Gartenstein ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as the Rebels (1-0) opened their season with a victory over the Golden Eagles (0-1).

Gartenstein threw a 13-yard touchdown to junior wide receiver Kevin Maloney and had two 1-yard touchdown runs, the second of which gave Howell a 20-7 lead with just over a minute left in the game. Ray DeFrancesco and Don Marino had interceptions for the Rebels.

Tony Brinson returned the second-half kickoff for a touchdown to account for Central's points. His kick return score tied the game 7-7 before the touchdown from Gartenstein to Maloney put Howell up for good. Brinson also had an interception on defense.

Central played much of the game without standout senior running back Chase Gumbrecht, who exited with an injury in the second quarter. Gumbrecht led the Shore Conference last season with 1,825 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns.

 

Toms River South 22, Toms River East 14

Jimmy Alexander threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Jones with six seconds left in regulation to lift the Indians (1-0) to a thrilling victory over the Raiders (0-1) and give head coach Matt Martin his first career win.

 

Raritan 31, Matawan 23

Senior running back Kieran Falzon ran for 113 yards and a touchdown and junior quarterback Logan Goldsbery tossed a pair of touchdown passes to lead the Rockets (1-0) to a comeback victory over the Huskies (0-1).

Junior wide receiver Stephen Moser had two touchdown catches and senior wide receiver/defensive back Dan Calicari returned the second half-kickoff 81 yards for a touchdown. Calicari also ran for 65 yards and Jayden Craft ran for 41 yards. John Molnar added a 24-yard field goal and senior cornerback Joe Murphy intercepted a pass on defense.

Sophomore quarterback Am'ir Martinez de Scott threw for 205 yards and a touchdown and ran for 68 yards and a touchdown to lead Matawan. Martinez's touchdown pass was a 41-yarder to junior wide receiver Keyshaun Sylvester late in the game. Sylvester finished with four catches for 104 yards. Junior Cameron Cooper added a 6-yard touchdown run and senior Jake Zibbell kicked a 22-yard field goal. Freshman Welman Crooms caught three passes for 81 yards and also had an interception on defense.

 

Ocean 28, Holmdel 14

Senior quarterback Tyler Douglas threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more to power the Spartans (1-0) to a season-opening win over the Hornets (0-1).

Tim Haggerty led Holmdel by rushing for 121 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Anthony Setteducate added 75 yards rushing and a touchdown on 13 carries and Brayden Savage rushed for 42 yards on 11 carries.

 

Jackson Liberty 46, Keansburg 7

Joe Accordino returned the opening kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown to send the Lions (1-0) on their way to a blowout victory over the Titans (0-1).

Zack Corrado ran for three touchdowns, scoring on runs of 46, 1, and 25 yards, and also ran for a 2-point conversion. Quarterback Dennis Caswell scored on a 3-yard run, Imere Smith had a 2-yard touchdown run, and Ryan Kinsman had a 63-yard interception return for a touchdown. Corzeek Palms also had an interception that he returned to the 2-yard line prior to Smith's touchdown run.

Keansburg's touchdown came when Jaheim Hill threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Riely Jankowski in the fourth quarter.

 

Freehold Township 27, Barnegat 0

Sophomore running back Chase Enlow ran for 150 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries while linebackers Nick Benjamino and Sebastian Andujar led the stout defensive effort that sent the Patriots (1-1) to a shutout victory over the Bengals (0-1).

Andujar made eight tackles with three tackles for loss and also blocked a punt, Benjamino recorded nine tackles with one tackle for loss and Jayden Holmdes-Cotter recorded a sack.

Junior quarterback Mark Augello threw a touchdown pass to sophomore Nick Cardone and junior cornerback Cameron Greenberg recovered a fumble for a touchdown.

Senior running back JoJo Bivins ran for 84 yards on 24 carries and quarterback Jake Harashinski completed 10 of 16 passes for 76 yards. Cole Toddings had 10 tackles with one tackle for loss and Max Giaccone had a sack and two tackles for loss.

 

Friday, Sept. 2

Rumble on the Raritan, at Rutgers

Westwood 34, Shore 0

 

Nondivisional

No. 1 Red Bank Catholic 63, Freehold 0

 

No. 3 Middletown South 23, No. 9 Long Branch 13

Colin Gallagher ran for a pair of second-half touchdowns and the defense pitched a second-half shutout as the Eagles (1-0) overcame a 13-0 halftime deficit to rally past the Green Wave (0-1) in a matchup of top-10 teams.

Trailing by two scores at the half, Middletown South got on the board via a 2-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Jake Czwakiel. After a safety on Long Branch because of a snap that went over the punter's head and out of the end zone made it 13-9, Middletown South took a 16-13 lead on Gallagher's 2-yard touchdown run. Gallagher then iced the game when he broke off a 44-yard touchdown run for a 23-13 lead.

Gallagher ran for 90 yards on nine carries, junior running back Donovan Summey ran for 90 yards on 16 carries, and Cwakiel ran for 45 yards on eight carries. Cwakiel also went 3-for-5 for 65 yards passing. Owen Richter caught two passes for 61 yards.

Gallagher, a junior running back/linebacker, also had a huge game on defense with 14 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 3.5 tackles for loss. Czwakiel recorded eight tackles, Luke Wafle had six tackles, half a sack, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a pass deflection, Richter made seven tackles, and Kyle Smith made eight tackles and was in on a hit behind the line of scrimmage.

For Long Branch, quarterback Earnest Reevey ran for 107 yards and a touchdown (20 yards)  on 13 carries and also completed 11 of 15 passes for 81 yards. Zaheem Brown also had a 20-yard touchdown run while Sekou Kamau ran for 83 yards on 12 carries.

 

No. 5 Donovan Catholic 41, Lacey 7

Junior quarterback Todd Lambertson completed 10 of 12 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns and sophomore wide receiver Michael Thomas III caught six passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns as the Griffins (1-0) surged to a victory over the Lions (0-1).

Lambertson also threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Zaire Day. Freshman running back Najee Calhoun ran for 100 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, sophomore Elijah Davis ran for 28 yards and a touchdown, and freshman quarterback Zach LaBarca threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to freshman wideout Emmanuel Gerana.

 

No. 8 Manalapan 14, Middletown North 3

Junior wide receiver Anthony Macchio caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Nick Heckel and also returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown as the Braves (2-0) won a slugfest with the Lions (0-1).

Macchio's punt return touchdown gave Manalapan a 6-0 lead in the first quarter after Middletown North blocked the extra point. The Lions cut into their deficit on a 37-yard field goal by Ian Poole-Morgan. In the fourth quarter, Manalapan took a 14-3 lead when Heckel connected with Macchio for the touchdown pass and then found tight end Preston Birnie for the 2-point conversion.

 

Monmouth 38, Red Bank 28

Senior standouts Julian Jones, Ta'haj Wiggins, and Anthony Jehn powered the host Falcons (1-0) to a victory over the Bucs (0-1) in a game played under the lights.

Jones ran for 208 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, Wiggins caught five passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns, and Jehn completed 10 of 19 passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns. Junior Kaiden Stafford caught a 21-yard touchdown pass and senior Brandon Ramirez connected on a 27-yard field goal.

Junior Dan Kikta led the defense with three sacks and an additional tackle for loss among his six total tackles. Junior Jaylen Harris recorded two sacks, junior Luke Palmieri had one sack, and senior Jere Booker came down with an interception.

 

Nonconference

Weequahic 1, Asbury Park 0 (forfeit due to AP not having enough eligible players)

 

Saturday, Sept. 3

Rumble on the Raritan, at Rutgers

No. 2 Toms River North 40, No. 6 Rumson-Fair Haven 27

Junior quarterback Micah Ford ran for 279 yards and five touchdowns on 27 carries and threw for 84 yards on 3 of 4 passing as the Mariners (2-0) put together a powerful offensive performance to defeat the Bulldogs (0-1).

Toms River North's offensive line had a huge game in paving the way for the Mariners to rush for 422 yards and total 506 yards of offense. Junior running back Josh Moore added 147 yards rushing on 22 carries and junior wide receiver Jeremiah Pruitt had a 52-yard reception. Sophomore Nasir Jackson also delivered six points with a scintillating 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Penalties were also a major theme in the game. Toms River North was flagged an astounding 19 times for 208 yards and Rumson had nine penalties for 65 yards.

Rumson was led by sophomore quarterback Owen O'Toole, who completed 19 of 28 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Scott Venancio caught five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown, including a 51-yard score, and junior wide receiver Nick Rigby caught four passes for 74 yards and a touchdown. Brayden Dill and Alastair Orr each had 3-yard touchdown runs.

Check back for a complete game story and video highlights.

 

Nondivisional

St. John Vianney 28, Colts Neck 21

Senior wide receiver Kyle Verriest scored on a 21-yard touchdown run with 26 seconds left in regulation to lift the Lancers (1-1) to a thrilling victory over the Cougars (0-1) and give head coach Jeff Papcun his first career win.

Verriest also had a touchdown in the first quarter.

Junior running back Chris Scully ran for 148 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries and caught four passes for 49 yards to lead Colts Neck.

 

Manchester 43, Lakewood 26

Junior running back Josh Love ran for 166 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries as the Hawks (1-0) rallied to defeat the Piners (0-1) and give head coach Tommy Farrell his first career win.

Love had touchdown runs of 2, 7, and 39 yards while quarterback Aiden Lunn completed 6 of 11 passes for 126 yards and threw a 71-yard touchdown to Tyrone Benjamin. Lunn also ran for 24 yards and a touchdown and Eli Casalan ran for 20 yards and a touchdown. MJ Goins added 58 yards rushing on five carries.

Benjamin caught two passes for 89 yards and a touchdown and also had an interception on defense, while Kurtis Mayer had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery and Dante Mortellite also recovered a fumble.

 

 

 

 

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