How good is Toms River North football? Very good but playoffs will give definitive answer
MIDDLETOWN - It has been one of the major questions throughout the high school football season.
How good is Toms River North as it has rolled up big scores against overmatched opponent after opponent the last seven weeks?
There is the potential this Toms River North team is as talented as any from its illustrious history, which includes six NJSIAA sectional championships and a 12-0 season in 2007.
The Mariners concluded a 9-0 regular season with a 50-6 win over Middletown North Friday night at Middletown North's Arnie Truex Stadium that enabled them to clinch the outright Shore Conference Colonial Division championship.
Over the last seven weeks, the Mariners have outscored the opposition 383-19, but now comes the final exam on their season - the NJSIAA playoffs.
"This is the time we've been waiting for all year. It's time to perform,'' said junior quarterback/safety Micah Ford, who rushed for 137 yards and three TDs and two 2-point conversions on 14 carries and was 5-for-7 for 113 yards with a 2-point conversion pass. "It's win or go home.''
How will Toms River North react being in a close playoff game?
It is no fault of its own. Toms River North played the schedule it was given by the Shore Conference. After being in the high-powered American Division in recent seasons, including last season when it played a lot of sophomores, the Mariners dropped down a division to the Colonial Division.
Toms River North clearly showed every week it was far superior to the rest of the Colonial Division teams. It also played its two sister schools - Toms River South and Toms River East - both of whom are under .500.
The result is the Mariners have not been in a game where its starters had to play four quarters since the first two games of the season against Washington Township and Rumson-Fair Haven.
Ford has had 62 carries in the last seven games after 53 in the first two. Junior running back Josh Moore, who sustained an injury on the third play of the game while playing defense that sidelined him for the rest of the game, had had 35 carries in the previous six games after having 36 in the first two.
It all begs the question -- how will Toms River North react if it is in a four-quarter game?
Again, it is not its fault, it has not been a four-quarter game in seven weeks.
"There's nothing like being in game shape and being stressed in the fourth quarter,'' Toms River North coach Dave Oizerowitz said. "We haven't really been tested since Washington Township (a 28-21 win on Aug. 27). The reality is we're going to get tested. We know the teams we're going to face and we've battled them before. The level of football in South Jersey 5 is good as it gets, and the Central Jersey 5 teams as well. "
One of the side effects of having to play the schedule it played, is Toms River North, no matter if it is in South 5 or Central 5, will be on the road for the sectional championship game should it advance that far. The Mariners lack enough power points to be the top seed in its section.
The Mariners did not play a non-public team. Thus, they were not able to get the power point multiplier for playing those teams that some of the teams in South Jersey have received.
"We're ready. We're excited to see who we draw,'' Oizerowitz said. "We really don't care what are seed is and who we draw and whether we're home or away. ''
Toms River North overcomes a bit of adversity
Middletown North (3-4, 3-2) did take a 6-0 lead when junior running back Neno Morgan-Acker raced 30 yards for a TD on the third play of the game. That was also the play, where Moore, who plays cornerback on defense, was injured.
Toms River North responded immediately as it drove 51 yards in eight plays. Ford ran for 14 yards on a fourth-and-8 from the Lions' 36 and then scored on a 7-yard run two plays later. His 2-point conversion gave the Mariners the lead for good.
"We came out and got punched in the mouth, but we punched back even harder,'' Ford said.
"I was just glad we were in a rock fight tonight,'' Oizerowitz said. "They were physical and they were tough. We faced some adversity and I liked the way we responded.''
Ford is electrifying
Ford is a threat to break a big run on any play. He had 134 yards of his yards in the first half. He also is an accurate passer. He set up two of the Mariners' TDs with completions of 45 yards to Tareq Council and 46 yards to Nasir Council.
He is the same type of dual threat record-setting quarterback Mike Husni was for Toms River North from 2013-16.
"There's been a lot of talk about who the best player in the Shore is. There's no question in my mind who it is: Micah Ford is the best offensive player in the Shore,'' Oizerowitz said. "I don't care what position you talk about. He is the most dynamic offensive player I've seen in a long time in Ocean County.''
And even with Moore injured, Toms River North still has running back to concern defenses in junior Jeremiah Pruitt. Pruitt rushed for 57 yards and two TDs on seven carries Friday night.
"Josh is an incredible all-around player, but Jeremiah is a good running back as there is in the Shore Conference,'' Oizerowitz said.
Rough night for injuries.
Oizerowitz did not have an update on Moore's injury and how it will affect his status for the playoffs.
Middletown North had a rough night in the injury department. Senior two-way lineman Jack Lopez was injured early in the game and was on the sidelines on crutches. Junior quarterback Luke Sheehan was injured early in the second half and did not return. Senior tight end/defensive end Peter Dempsey and Morgan-Acker also left the game with injuries and did not return.
Up next
Toms River North will host an NJSIAA sectional quarterfinal-round game. Middletown North will be on the road for an NJSIAA sectional quarterfinal-round game.
Toms River North 50, Middletown North 6
Toms River North 16 14 13 7 - 50
Middletown North 6 0 0 0 - 6
First Quarter
MN: Neno Morgan-Acker 30 run (kick failed).
TRN: Micah Ford 7 run (Ford run).
TRN: Ford 4 run (Ford run).
Second Quarter
TRN: Ford 42 run (run failed).
TRN: Jeremiah Power 2 run (Tareq Council pass from Ford).
Third Quarter
TRN: Nasir Jackson 37 punt return (pass failed).
TRN: Pruitt 25 run (Yianni Papanikolas kick).
Fourth Quarter
TRN: Mordecai Ford 43 run (Papanikolas kick).
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: TRN: Micah Ford 14-137, Jeremiah Pruitt 7-57, Mordecai Ford 2-44, T.J. Valerio 1-1. MN: Neno Morgan-Acker 10-47, Kaley Spearman-Young 9-49, Derek Soto 1-1, Brian O'Donnell 3-(-6), Luke Sheehan 7-(-7).
PASSING: TRN: Micah Ford 5-7-0-113. MN: Sheehan 7-12-1-83. O'Donnell 1-4-0-2.
RECEIVING: TRN: Tareq Council 2-52, Nasir Jackson 2-51, Pruitt 1-10. MN: Dylan Briggs 3-41, Peter Dempsey 1-29, Gavin Holleran 2-13, Morgan-Acker 2-2.
INTERCEPTIONS: TRN: Anthony Rodriguez.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shore NJ Football: Toms River North could have a special team.
