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Week 4

Thursday, Sept. 22

Liberty Division

Matawan 28, Pinelands 27 (OT)

Sophomore quarterback Am'ir Martinez ran for a 12-yard touchdown on the first possession of overtime and Matawan's defense stopped a 2-point conversion run by Pinelands at the 1-yard line as the Huskies (3-1, 3-0) survived a furious comeback bid by the Wildcats (1-3, 0-3)

After Martinez's touchdown run and the extra point gave Matawan a 28-21 lead, Pinelands scored on its first offensive play of overtime when junior Liam Villinger threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Mike Frawley. The Wildcats elected to go for the 2-point conversion and the win, and when Allen scrambled toward the end zone he was met with authority by junior defensive lineman Jordan Reamer. The ball was jarred loose and bounced into the end zone where Matawan recovered to clinch the victory.

Matawan led 14-0 at halftime on two touchdown passes by Martinez. He gave the Huskies a 7-0 lead with 3:01 left in the first half when he connected with freshman Welman Crooms on a 29-yard pass and then made it 14-0 when he found junior Cameron Cooper for a 16-yard touchdown with 39 seconds left in the half. Late in the third quarter, Martinez provided Matawan with what looked to be a comfortable 21-0 lead when he scored on a 1-yard touchdown run.

Pinelands' 21-point fourth-quarter rally began when sophomore running back Jaimin Parkinson scored on a 1-yard run and the Wildcats were successful on the 2-point attempt to make it 21-8 with 10:24 left in regulation. Pinelands then made it a one-score game when Parkinson scored on a 31-yard touchdown run with 6:08 on the clock. The extra point was good and cut Matawan's lead to 21-15.

Pinelands' defense forced a three-and-out and got the ball back inside its own 10-yard line with 4:41 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats then put together an impressive 90-plus yard drive and tied the game at 21 when senior quarterback Ryan Allen hit senior Stephen Borden for a 14-yard touchdown pass on 4th and 6 with 48 seconds left. The Wildcats elected to go for the 2-point conversion but Matawan stuffed the rushing attempt to eventually force overtime.

 

 

Friday, Sept. 23

American Division

No. 1 Red Bank Catholic 14, No. 3 Donovan Catholic 7

Senior running back Sabino Portella ran for 185 yards and two touchdowns and the RBC defense allowed under 100 yards of offense to lift the Caseys (5-0, 3-0) to a white-knuckle victory over the Griffins (3-1, 2-1).

Portella had touchdown runs of 49 and 8 yards, both of which came in the first quarter. Junior running back Luke Wassef ran for 62 yards and picked up two crucial first downs late in the game to run time off the clock.

Junior linebacker Davin Brewton, senior linebacker Michael Palmieri, junior defensive end Logan Graham, senior defensive end Aidan Donohue, and Portella at safety led a Caseys defense that kept Donovan out of the end zone and held the Griffins to just six first downs. RBC's first-team defense has not allowed a touchdown this season.

Donovan's touchdown came early in the fourth quarter when a blocked field goal was picked up and returned 80 yards by sophomore standout Michael Thomas III.

 

No. 5 Middletown South 24, Wall 6

Junior quarterback Jake Czwakiel tossed a pair of touchdown passes and junior linebacker Colin Gallagher led a stout defensive effort to power the Eagles (3-1, 2-1) to a victory over the Crimson Knights (0-3, 0-3).

Wall took a 6-0 lead when a hit by senior defensive lineman Billy Carr knocked the ball loose and senior defensive back Anthony Gartz returned the rumble 55 yards for a touchdown. It was all Middletown South from there as Czwakiel had touchdown passes of 5 and 15 yards in the second quarter to give the Eagles a 14-6 halftime lead. Czwakiel added a 21-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and Middletown South added another touchdown in the final five minutes.

Gallagher continued his superb season by making 11 total tackles with one tackle for loss. Beau Servido recovered a fumble and Logan Colleran had an interception. Brendan Sliva added seven tackles.

 

Rumson-Fair Haven 14, No. 6 Manalapan 10

A 1-yard touchdown run by junior running back Alastair Orr with 58 seconds left in regulation provided the go-ahead score to lift the Bulldogs (2-2, 2-1) to a dramatic victory over the Braves (2-3, 0-3).

Trailing 10-7 late in the fourth quarter, Cooper Bunnell recovered a fumble that gave Rumson the ball at its own 16-yard line with 3:43 to play. Sophomore quarterback Owen O'Toole connected with senior wide receiver Scott Venancio for a 16-yard gain on fourth-and-6 to move the chains and then found junior wide receiver Nick Rigby for a long gain down to the 1-yard line, setting up Orr's go-ahead score.

Manalapan took a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter on a 35-yard field goal by senior Michael Calton. Rumson grabbed a 7-3 lead when Venancio recovered a fumbled snap and scored on a 7-yard touchdown run with 2:32 left in the first half.

Manalapan pulled ahead, 10-7, on the first play of the fourth quarter when senior quarterback Matthew Grzejka tossed a 27-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Anthony Macchio.

 

Colonial Division

Middletown North 17, Southern 0

James Barnao and Neno Morgan-Acker had touchdown runs, Ian Poole-Morgan kicked a field goal, and the defense allowed under 100 yards of offense to lead the Lions (3-1, 3-0) past the Rams (2-2, 1-2).

A fumble recovery led to a short touchdown run by Barnao and Poole-Morgan kicked a 37-yard field goal to give Middletown North a 10-0 lead. Morgan-Acker cemented the victory with a 30-yard touchdown run.

Barnao along with seniors Jack Lopez and Peter Dempsey led the way on defense as the Lions shut down Southern's triple-option offense. Derek Soto added an interception.

 

Lacey 31, Central 18

Junior quarterback Nick Maertens ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries to lead the Lions (1-3, 1-2) past the Golden Eagles (0-4, 0-3) for their first win of the season.

Senior Chris Grassodonio added a touchdown run and junior Nicholas Stanziani returned a fumble 21 yards for a touchdown. Senior Diego Wolf kicked a 34-yard field goal and connected on all four extra point attempts.

 

Constitution Division

Howell 28, No. 7 Marlboro 14

Senior wide receiver Jack Gartenstein threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Maloney on a reverse pass and also caught a 58-yard touchdown pass from Egan Nelms as the Rebels (2-2, 1-2) upended the rival Mustangs (3-1, 2-1).

The victory for Howell, however, was clouded by a significant leg injury to Marlboro senior quarterback AJ Schwartz, who had to be transported to Jersey Shore University Hospital in Neptune in the second quarter.

Howell took advantage of Schwartz being out and came down with four interceptions against the Mustangs' backup quarterback with Ray DeFrancesco, Zach Padilla, Joe Cate III, and Matthew Iandoli picking off passes. DeFrancesco's INT was returned for a 20-yard touchdown and gave Howell a 21-7 halftime lead.

Nelms completed 9 of 15 passes for 134 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Maloney caught six passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns and Gartenstein caught three passes for 75 yards and a score. Brandon Wright ran for 121 yards on 28 carries.

Junior running back Matt Cassidy led Marlboro with 138 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 25 carries. Schwartz had an interception on defense being suffering the injury and Anthony LaFonte also had an interception.

 

Jackson Memorial 26, Freehold 0

Senior quarterback Tai Mann ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries and made five tackles with an interception on defense to lead the Jaguars (3-1, 2-1) to a bounce-back win over the Colonials (0-4, 0-3).

Mann had touchdown runs of 20 and 16 yards in the first half when Jackson opened a 20-0 lead. Senior running back Aidan Sweeney ran for 62 yards and a 2-yard touchdown on 12 carries. In the third quarter, Ryan Jagodzinski returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown for a 26-0 lead.

Junior Albert D'Alessandro also had an interception on defense and caught three passes for 56 yards. Sweeney made a team-high 11 tackles with one tackle for loss and Brandon Bigelow recorded 10 tackles.

 

Freedom Division

No. 8 Ocean 39, Toms River South 0

 

Brick Memorial 47, Neptune 41 (OT)

A 25-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Connor Dietz on Brick Memorial's first play of overtime completed a 20-point comeback and lifted the Mustangs (2-2, 2-1) to a wild win over the Scarlet Fliers (0-4, 0-3).

 

Red Bank 13, Brick 6

A 29-yard touchdown by Lamar Hicks with 1:20 left in regulation sent the Bucs (2-2, 2-1) past the Dragons (2-2, 2-1).

 

Independence Division

No. 4 Point Boro 39, No. 10 Raritan 0

Junior quarterback Matt Oliphant ran for 175 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries to lead the Panthers (4-0, 3-0) past the Rockets (3-1, 2-1).

 

No. 9 St. John Vianney 32, Manasquan 0

The Lancers (4-1, 3-0) rolled to a victory over the Warriors (0-3, 0-3) but the game was overshadowed by an apparent spinal cord injury to St. John Vianney senior Aaron Van Trease. The Lancers' starting quarterback and safety was hurt on the third play of the game and had to be airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

 

Liberty Division

Jackson Liberty 18, Manchester 14

Zack Corrado ran for 174 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries and Dennis Caswell ran for 50 yards and a touchdown on nine carries to lead the Lions to a victory over the Hawks.

 

Toms River East 14, Barnegat 0

 

Patriot Division

Shore 27, Keyport 0

 

Asbury Park 27, Point Beach 14

 

Saturday, Sept. 24

Colonial Division

No. 2 Toms River North 42, Long Branch 0

 

Constitution Division

Colts Neck 14, Freehold Township 7

 

Independence Division

Monmouth 14, Holmdel 9

 

Patriot Division

Lakewood 54, Keansburg 35

 

 

 

 

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