Shore Conference Football 2020 Division Realignment

The Shore Conference has announced its new football division realignment for the 2020 season with some major changes in six of the seven divisions.

AMERICAN DIVISION

Jackson Memorial

Manalapan

Middletown South

Red Bank Catholic

Toms River North

Wall

In: Jackson, Wall

Out: Long Branch, Rumson

Central Jersey Group 3 champion Wall, which finished No. 1 in the Shore Conference, and Jackson Memorial, which reached the Central Jersey Group 4 final and went 8-3, move up one division. Long Branch and Rumson move down one division.

COLONIAL DIVISION

Holmdel

Long Branch

Mater Dei Prep

Rumson-Fair Haven

Southern

Toms River East

In: Holmdel, Long Branch, Rumson, Southern, Toms River East

Out: Wall, Jackson, Brick, Freehold, St. John Vianney

Only Mater Dei Prep, which went 8-4 last season and has advanced to four consecutive state championship games, remains. Long Branch and Rumson enter from the American Division while Southern moves up from the Constitution Division after winning the division title. Toms River East jumps up two divisions from the Freedom Division where it went 9-2 and won the division title in its best season in a decade. Holmdel makes a big leap coming up three divisions on the heels of the program’s third straight winning season.

CONSTITUTION DIVISION

Brick

Central Regional

Donovan Catholic

Freehold

Lacey

Ocean

In: all new

Out: Southern, Brick Memorial, Howell, Marlboro, Freehold Township, Middletown North

Every team in the division was elsewhere last season. Donovan Catholic was 9-2 and the Liberty Division champion and Ocean was 8-1 and the Patriot Division champion. Brick went 3-6 in the Colonial Division and drops down one division. Freehold was also in the Colonial Division last season and finished 2-7. Lacey (7-4) and Central (3-6) each move up from the Liberty Division.

FREEDOM DIVISION

Brick Memorial

Freehold Township

Howell

Marlboro

Middletown North

St. John Vianney

In: all new

Out: Toms River East, Neptune, Colts Neck, Matawan, Toms River South, Jackson Liberty, Lakewood

Another division with a completely new look features five teams from last season’s Constitution Division and adds St. John Vianney, which drops two divisions from the Colonial Division. No team in the division had a winning record in 2019.

LIBERTY DIVISION

Colts Neck

Manasquan

Neptune

Point Boro

Raritan

Red Bank

Toms River South

In: Colts Neck, Neptune, Point Boro, Raritan, Toms River South

Out: Donovan Catholic, Lacey, Holmdel, Central

Manasquan and Red Bank are the only holdovers from the 2019 season. Colts Neck went 8-2 last season but comes down from the Freedom Division, as does Neptune after a 6-4 season and Toms River South (4-6). Point Boro (3-6) and Raritan (5-4) come up from the Patriot Division.

PATRIOT DIVISION

Barnegat

Jackson Liberty

Lakewood

Matawan

Monmouth Regional

Shore Regional

In: Jackson Liberty, Lakewood, Matawan

Out: Ocean, Raritan, Point Boro

Jackson Liberty, Lakewood and Matawan all move down two divisions from the Freedom Division. Division champion Ocean exits along with Raritan and Point Boro. Barnegat, Shore Regional and Monmouth Regional remain in the division. Matawan was 5-4 last year and is the only team in the division which had a winning record in 2019.

NATIONAL DIVISION

Asbury Park

Keansburg

Keyport

Manchester

Pinelands

Point Beach

In: no changes

Out: no changes

The small-school division remains unchanged. It was very competitive last season and moving any team up would not have made sense. Any easy decision for the conference.