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The Shore Conference Football Top 10 after NJSIAA Playoff Week 3

steven falk, asbury park press
·7 min read

And then, there were three.

That's how many Shore Conference football teams are still alive in the NJSIAA playoffs.

Two of those teams are public school teams. This season, for the first time since the NJSIAA playoffs began in 1974, the public schools will play out to group state champions. That portion has reached the group semifinal stage.

Toms River North and Rumson-Fair Haven will be playing in the Group 5 and Group 2 semifinal this weekend at Cherokee High School, Marlton.

If both Toms River North and Rumson-Fair Haven win, they will advance to the Group 5 and 2 championship games respectively the weekend of Dec. 3-4 at Rutgers University's SHI Stadium.

Red Bank Catholic is the non-public team still alive. The defending NJSIAA Non-Public B champion Caseys will host an Non-Public B semifinal Friday night.

If Red Bank Catholic wins Friday night, it will advance to the Non-Public B state championship game Nov. 25 at 3 p.m. at MetLife Stadium.

The following is this week's Asbury Park Press Top 10. This will be the final in-season top 10. The final top 10 will appear shortly after the conclusion of the season.

The No. 1 spot in the final ranking will be determined by how No. 1 Red Bank Catholic and No. 2 and unbeaten Toms River North fare in the remainder of the playoffs. Red Bank Catholic's lone defeat is to Seton Hall Prep, which is in the Non-Public A semifinal.

1.  Red Bank Catholic (9-1): Last week: No. 1. Senior running backs Sabino Portella and Torin Harmon ran for two TDs and a TD respectively in the first quarter as the defending NJSIAA Non-Public B champion Caseys built a 27-point lead after the opening period and a 56-point lead by halftime in a 62-7 rout over Gloucester Catholic in a Non-Public B quarterfinal. Next game: Friday at 7 p.m. vs. Holy Spirit (8-1) in a NJSIAA Non-Public B semifinal.

2. Toms River North (12-0): Last week: No. 2. Junior Micah Ford rushed for 258 yards on 30 carries with TD runs of 72, 28 and 2 yards and he also returned an interception 25 yards for the game's first TD, junior running back Josh Moore returned to action after not playing in the last two games due to an injury and rushed for 218 yards on 16 carries with TD runs of 80 and 3 yards, junior Tareq Council returned an interception 90 yards for a TD and the Mariners rushed for 490 yards as they avenged a sectional final defeat from last year with a resounding 48-14 win over Kingsway in the NJSIAA South Group 5 championship game for their seventh sectional title and first since 2015. Toms River North has outscored its opposition 590-94. Next game: Saturday at 5:30 p.m. vs. Edison (9-3) at Cherokee High School in a NJSIAA Group 5 semifinal.

3. Middletown South (8-2): Last week: No. 3. Four turnovers and big plays by Mainland led to a 34-24 defeat for the Eagles in the NJSIAA Central Group 4 championship game. Junior Jake Czwakiel rushed for 142 yards and a TD on 29 carries, threw for 143 yard and kicked a 20-yard field goal. Junior Colin Gallagher had a 79-yard TD run and 117 yards on eight carries and junior running back Donovan Summey had a 2-yard TD run. Next game: Thanksgiving Day at 10:35 a.m. vs. Middletown North (3-5).

4. Donovan Catholic (6-4): Last week: No. 4. Freshman running back Najee Calhoun had a 83-yard TD run for the Griffins in their 41-7 defeat to powerful Bergen Catholic in a NJSIAA Non-Public A quarterfinal. Next game: Season completed.

5. Point Pleasant Boro (9-1): Last week: No. 5. The Panthers won their first nine games and Shore Conference Independence Division championship before their season came to an end with a 50-30 defeat to NJSIAA Central Group 2 champion Willingboro in a Central Group 2 semifinal. Next game: Season completed.

6. Ocean (8-1): Last week: No. 6. The Spartans won their first eight games and the Shore Conference Freedom Division championship before their season concluded with a 34-7 defeat to Burlington Township in a NJSIAA South Group 3 quarterfinal. They played without standout senior quarterback Tyler Douglas in that game due to an AC joint sprain in his shoulder. Next game: Season completed.

7. Rumson-Fair Haven (7-4): Last week: No. 8. Sophomore quarterback Owen O'Toole threw a 19-yard TD pass to senior receiver Scott Venancio on the Bulldogs' possession in the second overtime period and then defense came up with a stop on Raritan's possession as Rumson-Fair Haven rallied from a 17-point deficit after three quarters to record a pulsating 34-27 win in the NJSIAA South Group 2 championship game. It was Rumson-Fair Haven's seventh sectional championship - all since 2010 - and first since 2018. O'Toole, who threw for 281 yards, also had TD passes of 4 yards to Venancio early in the fourth quarter and 60 yards to senior Cole Cashion with 4:58 remaining. Oliver Lorraine sent the game into overtime with a 26-yard field goal with 1:23 remaining. Lorraine also booted a 36-yard field goal in the first quarter and Alastair Orr had a 7-yard TD run in the third quarter. Junior Nick Rigby had 11 receptions for 103 yards and Venancio had seven receptions for 87 yards. Next game: Sunday at 11 a.m. vs. Willingboro (6-5) at Cherokee High School in a NJSIAA Group 2 semifinal.

Rumson-Fair Haven senior wide receiver Scott Venancio is shown scoring the game-winning touchdown in the Bulldogs' come-from-behind 34-27 overtime win over Raritan this past Friday night in the NJSIAA South Group 2 championship game.
Rumson-Fair Haven senior wide receiver Scott Venancio is shown scoring the game-winning touchdown in the Bulldogs' come-from-behind 34-27 overtime win over Raritan this past Friday night in the NJSIAA South Group 2 championship game.

8. Raritan (8-3): Last week: No. 7. The Rockets suffered a heart-breaking 34-27 defeat to Rumson-Fair Haven in the NJSIAA South Group 2 championship game and were denied their first sectional title since 2015 and third overall. Senior running back Kieran Falzon had an outstanding game as he rushed for a career-high 308 yards on a career-high 46 carries with TD runs of 68, 2 and 70 yards. Junior quarterback Logan Goldsberry threw a 23-yard TD pass to senior Matt Agar in the first quarter. Next game: Season completed.

9. Jackson Memorial (7-3): Last week: No. 9. The Jaguars shared the Shore Conference Constitution Division championship with Colts Neck and advanced to the NJSIAA South Group 4 semifinal before they were defeated by two-time South 4 champion Millville. Next game: Season completed.

10. Marlboro (6-4): Last week: No. 10. The Mustangs recorded their second straight winning season, qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1999, won a playoff game for the first time since 1994 in their first home playoff game since that same season before they were defeated by Toms River North in a South 5 semifinal. Marlboro overcame a season-ending injuries to senior quarterback A.J. Schwartz and junior running back/middle linebacker Matt Cassidy in the first playoff game respectively. Next game: Season completed.

SCHEDULE

FRIDAY

NJSIAA NON-PUBLIC B SEMIFINAL

4. Holy Spirit at 1. Red Bank Catholic, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY

NJSIAA GROUP 5 SEMIFINAL

AT CHEROKEE HIGH SCHOOL

Edison vs. Toms River North, 5:30 p.m.

REGULAR SEASON

NONDIVISIONAL

Asbury Park (5-3) at Neptune (2-7), 11 a.m.

SUNDAY

NJSIAA GROUP 2 SEMIFINAL

AT CHEROKEE HIGH SCHOOL

Willingboro vs. Rumson-Fair Haven, 11 a.m.

THURSDAY, NOV. 24

REGULAR SEASON

NONDIVISIONAL

Long Branch (6-4) at Red Bank (7-3), 10 a.m.

Middletown North at Middletown South, 10:35 a.m.

Wall (4-6) at Manasquan (4-5), 11 a.m.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shore NJ Football 2022: Who is ranked where in the Top 10