'It's go time': Players ready for Thursday's Marisa Rose Bowl all-star football game

The coaches in the Marisa Rose Bowl charity all-star football game know the quality of their rosters. They’re all polished veterans, guys who have excelled on the gridiron.

So no need to bog them down in details – just cut the playmakers loose.

“We’re just looking to go ahead and get our guys the ball in a little bit of space,” said Woodbridge coach Joe LaSala, who is guiding Team Rose’s offense. “You know, give them a bunch of different looks from the offensive side and kind of just let them go ahead and do what they do. Not overcomplicate things. Get our playmakers the ball. Put our guys in a situation to be successful and then just kind of let them go.”

Fans should be in for a fun game when it kicks off Thursday at 7 p.m. at North Brunswick High School. The bowl features recently graduated seniors from Middlesex County high schools.

Proceeds benefit The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, whose mission is to assist pediatric patients and children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area.

After Tuesday’s final walk-through practice, neither side wanted to give away any trade secrets, but both Team Rose and Team Marisa feature exciting players on both sides. Beginning last Monday, each squad had six practices which included live scrimmage-situations in situational football.

“The kids are really buying into both offensively, defensively what we’re going to run,” said East Brunswick coach Andy Steinfeld, who is Team Marisa’s offensive coordinator. “These are the top players in Middlesex County. So they pick up things very quickly and we’re excited to finally get the game (Thursday). I know the kids are ready to go. They’re going out there to be competitive and they’re going out there to win the game.”

Team Marisa, in which the Sayreville coaches are running the defense, has former St. Joseph quarterback Christian Solino at quarterback. The Monmouth University-commit noted it’s the first time in two years that the game, formerly known as the Snapple Bowl and Autoland Classic, is being played.

“I think it means that much more to everybody for the guys to come out and basically revamp football before the fall starts again,” he said. “We’re setting the tone for all the high schools.”

He likes what he sees on Team Marisa.

“Everybody came together great,” said Solino, who threw for 1,522 yards last season. “First day was kind of just getting to know everybody. We’re all from the same area. We all either played each other or played with each other. So it’s all just a great, fun environment and everybody knows we’re all here at the end of the day to have fun, but we’re also competing.”

Steinfeld is also excited about the team’s pieces and praised Solino for being a leader and his dual-threat ability.

“Not only is he a good quarterback, but he knows the game,” Steinfeld said. “He’s very smart and knows how defenses play. At practice I would even ask him what route do you want to run because he’s very knowledge about where people are going to be and he would say watch what’s going to happen – and it actually happened with the route. I could see him possibly being a coach one day.”

Team Rose also has a strong-armed quarterback in Woodbridge’s Matt Stanton, who threw for 1,663 yards in the fall. He likes the weapons around him for Thursday’s game and the chemistry they built in such a short time.

“It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “Just going out here on the field playing with some of my best friends, just meeting some of the new guys as well is even a great experience. I’m just having fun out here.

“Everyone out here just loves each other like we’ve been on the same team for four years, freshman through senior. Everyone is just bonding well and everything is going great. This is a great feeling out here.”

The momentum built up over the two weeks and you could sense after last Thursday's scrimmages and Tuesday's walk-through that the players were ready.

“Things started off slow as expected in the beginning part of last week but then I think on the scrimmage we kind of came together and things started flowing," LaSala said. "We’re excited to get to the game on Thursday.

"(Tuesday's charity) walk was a great event and then we kind of came out here. We had good energy for practice today. I just think that the guys are ready to go. They’re all locked in. We went over all the last-minute details that we needed to before a game. That’s it. It’s go time.”

Bellamy and Sons Marisa Rose Bowl

When/where: July 21, North Brunswick High School, 7 p.m.

Who/what: Recently graduated football players and cheerleaders from Middlesex County high schools will participate in an intra-county charity all-star game with all proceeds benefiting the Marisa Tufaro Foundation.

About the game: Formerly known as the Snapple Bowl and Autoland Classic, the contest has raised $715,000 for charity since its inception in 1994.

Practice schedule: Practices will be held at North Brunswick High School July 11-14 and July 19 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on July 18 at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A walk-through for July 20 is TBD.

Game Tickets: Can be purchased for $10 at the gate on game night or at any of the practices.

About The Marisa Tufaro Foundation: Since its inception less than five years ago, the nonprofit has donated a quarter of a million dollars to assist pediatric patients and underserved children throughout the greater Middlesex County area. The foundation has also donated thousands of toys, nonperishable food items, winter jackets, baby supplies and other items upon which it has placed no monetary value. The nonprofit has awarded $26,500 in academic scholarships to 38 Middlesex County high school graduates.

About Marisa Rose Tufaro: Marisa survived six open-heart surgeries and a heart transplant before succumbing to a rare form of cancer in 2017 following a valiant battle. She was just 13 years old. Despite being hospitalized for more than two years and maintaining hundreds of doctor’s appointments, she lived a vibrant life that inspired.

Marisa Rose Bowl Banquet: Will be held at the Pines Manor in Edison on July 20 at 6 p.m.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Players ready for Thursday's Marisa Rose Bowl all-star football game