Week 8 Shore Conference Football Divisional Players of the Week
In addition to the reader-selected Orthopaedic Institute of Central Jersey Football Player of the Week, we will also be selecting Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for each of the Shore Conference’s seven divisions. We’ll also choose an overall Shore Conference Special Teams Player of the Week to highlight any standout kicking performances or players who got it done in the return game.
Below we’ll focus on the best performances from Week 8.
SSN SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Holmdel’s Tom Ammirati, Evan Jennings and Dean Gallo
Ammirati blocked a punt which Jennings scooped up and returned 27 yards for a touchdown while Gallo had an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to begin the second half in the Hornets’ 31-0 victory over Raritan to claim the Battle of the Border trophy.
SSN DIVISIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
AMERICAN DIVISION
Offense
Nico Santorelli, Jr., RB, Manalapan
Santorelli ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries and added a 25-yard touchdown reception in the Braves’ 42-21 win over Lacey.
Defense
Matt Tardy, Sr., LB, Middletown South/Dylan Walling, Sr., LB, Middletown South
Tardy made nine tackles, had three quarterback pressures and deflected a pass that was intercepted by Walling late in the game to lead the Eagles to a 14-7 victory over Rumson-Fair Haven in a matchup of ranked teams. Walling also had nine tackles.
COLONIAL DIVISION
Offense
Sha’Kim Shuler, So., QB, Freehold
Shuler continued his emergence as a quarterback by completing 19 of 25 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 152 yards and four touchdowns on 13 carries in a 42-7 victory over Howell.
Defense
Rich Tallmadge, Sr., LB, Brick
Tallmadge had 18 tackles (12 solo) including a sack and two tackles for loss plus a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in Brick’s 49-6 win over Lakewood.
CONSTITUTION DIVISION
Offense
Casey Larkin, So., RB, Wall and Dontrell Alston, Sr., RB, Marlboro
Larkin ran for 159 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, caught four passes for 18 yards and made seven tackles and also recorded one sack and intercepted a pass on defense to lead the Crimson Knights to a 20-0 win over Neptune.
Alston followed up his Player-of-the-Week-winning performance from Week 7 by setting another career mark with 226 yards rushing and three touchdowns in Marlboro’s 47-14 win over Matawan.
Defense
Collin McCarthy, Jr., DE, Jackson Memorial
McCarthy recorded two sacks and five tackles for loss among his eight total tackles to lead the Jaguars’ defense in a 7-0 shutout victory over Freehold Township.
FREEDOM DIVISION (Besides overall Player of the Week, RBC’s Kevin Degnan)
Offense
Jermaine Corbett, Jr., RB, Long Branch
Corbett ran for 188 yards and three touchdowns to go over 1,000 yards on the season and also caught three passes for 43 yards and two touchdowns to lead Long Branch to a 40-14 win over Brick Memorial.
Defense
Dominic Spedeliere, Sr., LB and Kenny Johnson, Sr., DE, Toms River South
Spedeliere and Johnson led the way for the Indians defense in their thrilling 13-7 overtime win over Barnegat. Spedeliere had a team-high 17 tackles and a fumble recovery and Johnson had nine tackles with one sack and two tackles for loss.
LIBERTY DIVISION
Offense
James Pendergist, Sr., WR, Manasquan
Pendergist caught four passes for 107 yards and a touchdown and also ran for a touchdown as the Warriors beat Ocean, 21-7, to clinch the No. 2 seed in the Central Jersey Group 2 playoffs.
Defense
Scooby Tuddles, Sr., DB, Manasquan
Tuddles had a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown in Manasquan’s 21-7 win over Ocean.
PATRIOT DIVISION
Offense
Gil Goldsmith, Sr., QB, Shore
Goldsmith completed 8 of 9 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for 35 yards and a touchdown in the Blue Devils’ 41-7 win over Keyport.
Defense
Evan Burton, Sr., LB, Pinelands
Burton had a sack, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in Pinelands’ 38-20 win over Keansburg. He also had a significant offensive game by rushing for 168 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries to become the first player in Wildcats’ history to rush for 1,000 yards in three straight seasons.
NATIONAL DIVISION
Offense
Ryan Clark, Jr., QB, Donovan Catholic
Clark ran for 127 yards and three touchdowns and also threw for 96 yards to lead the Griffins to a 28-7 win over Point Boro.
Defense
Dominick Brogna, Fr., DL, Donovan Catholic
Brogna recorded 11 total tackles with four tackles for loss and one sack to lead the Griffins’ defense in a 28-7 win over Point Boro.
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