By Scott Stump – Senior Editor
E-mail: stump@digitalsports.com
Gee, anything happen in games involving ranked teams in Week One? So much for the preseason DigitalSports Top 10, as Middletown North, Freehold, Wall and Brick Memorial had other ideas as to which teams should be ranked this early in the season.
Personally, I love it despite the fact that it makes me look like I don’t know anything, although most neutral observers probably didn’t predict the wins by Middletown North and Freehold. Regardless, great job by both of those teams, and now welcome to the flipside – now those teams are highly ranked and have to learn to defend against others looking to puncture their good vibes.
I still think Toms River North and Middletown South are solid teams, but they have dropped out after one week because I’m not going to penalize teams that won this early in the season because someone ranked ahead of them lost. Both of them will have plenty of chances to break back into the rankings because of their schedules. For them, 11-1 is not a crazy thought. Toms River East and Long Branch also take a tumble out of the Top 10 after losses.
However, the real question, as numerous people began asking me as these scores were coming in during the weekend, involves what team is No. 1 right now. I have gone with Asbury Park, which has elicited the usual groans and cheers when a Group I school gets the nod.
I even told some players on a team that is in the argument for No. 1 on Monday that I was going with Asbury Park, and one of them groaned and said, “Man that’s Group I! There’s no way that team could play with us.!” Tell me how you really feel. If it has come to that point, then maybe before every season I should send a letter to members of the Patriot Division and other small schools: “DigitalSports regrets to inform you that no matter what you do this season, there is no way you will end up No. 1 in the Shore. Thanks you and good luck on your season, but don’t get your hopes up.”
Look, I can see that argument, and I still reserve the right to change No. 1 even if Asbury Park stays undefeated because it’s an opinion. That was the first thing a lot of people were saying to me – “Well, if you put Asbury No. 1, you’ll be stuck with them there because they won’t lose.” First of all, I’m not so sure about that, and second of all, shouldn’t any team have a right to make a claim for No. 1 if it goes undefeated?
That’s also why we will have the Fans’ Top 10 like last season, so if the majority of you disagree, you will be heard. The Blue Bishops didn’t play their best and still won by three touchdowns over a solid Shore team on Saturday, and their skill players are as good as any at any level. The argument is that their offensive and defensive lines couldn’t compete with those of a Group III or Group IV school, and if there was a nuclear holocaust, the cockroaches that were left would still be arguing about that.
To play devil’s advocate with my own rankings, what if Rumson-Fair Haven beats Asbury Park in Week Three, stunning the No. 1 team. Where does Rumson go? Do the Bulldogs go into the top five like Middletown North, or do we say that Asbury was overrated? The arguments can go on and on, but that’s why we love high school football. I feel like the margin for Patriot Division teams is just so slim. A loss and you’re gone, usually without any other games on your schedule to get you back in.
The season will tell us what we need to know. Will Freehold and Middletown North be one-week wonders or just show us that we underestimated them from the beginning? Will Asbury Park prove to be a worthy No. 1? If there is another school that is also undefeated and playing better, that school could grab the No. 1 spot. Essentially what I’m saying is that every spot is in play right now.
With that, here goes:
DigitalSports Overall Top 10
1. Asbury Park (1-0) – Last week: No. 3. Let the howls of injustice begin in some corners and the applause for the little guys break out across the room. The Blue Bishops topped Shore, 24-3, as the Derrell Bell show got kicked off in a big way for Asbury’s 12th straight win. They know they can be better, and the chance is theirs to seize this spot and not let it go. The last Group I team to finish here was Billy Shea’s Keansburg team back in 1996, and I’m sure there are some schools who were ranked below the Titans who are still mad about it. Asbury Park will face a struggling Mater Dei squad this week and then has a big one on the road against two-time defending Patriot Division champion Rumson-Fair Haven, which is the last team to have defeated Asbury Park.
2. Lacey (1-0) – Last week: No. 4. The Lions had to grind out a 23-6 win over Lakewood, and it shows that Lakewood must have improved if Lacey needed star back Tom Rickmers to carry the ball 38 times to hold off the Piners. Lacey deserves respect because of what it has done the past few seasons, and will get a nice test against a wounded Toms River East team coming off a loss to Brick Memorial. This is definitely a blue collar team that achieves its lofty rankings by hard work and physical play rather than flashy players.
3. Southern (1-0) – Last week: No. 5. The Rams rolled to a 27-2 win over nearby rival Pinelands, and a good sign was a strong first game by senior quarterback Brian Sullivan, who threw a TD pass and ran for another. His ability to make plays and Southern’s overall performance on offense will go a long way toward deciding if they can take that No. 1 spot. That would be a big milestone for a program on the rise, as they have never been No. 1 as far as I can remember. The Rams will get their first big test when they go on the road to play No. 10 Brick Memorial this week.
4. Middletown North (1-0) – Last week: Unranked. OK, we’re going to find out if the Lions’ seismic 21-7 win over the preseason No. 1 team, Toms River North, is because they are ready to roar to a big season or whether Toms River North isn’t as good as I thought. I am putting the Lions ahead of Freehold because they really played a crisp game, not allowing an offensive touchdown and running the ball effectively. They now vault from a 3-7 team last season into uncharted territory. They revoked their underdog status with that big win and now take on a hungry Toms River South team eager to atone for a loss to the Lions last year.
5. Freehold (1-0) – Last week: Unranked. There definitely were a lot of players and coaches shaking their heads at me as the Colonials took down last week’s No. 2, Middletown South, 22-7 in their Federal Division opener. They knew all along they would be good, and they didn’t even play their best game as they had four turnovers but made sure that never made a dent on the scoreboard. A win this weekend against No. 8 Neptune and the Colonials will be flying. I knew Nick Tyson and Brandon Brown were players, but I was impressed by hard-nosed running backs Tezzy Thorpe and Frank Nicosia, and their offensive and defensive lines were also a revelation. Now we’ll see how they’ll do with prosperity. Remember, this is a team that rode its “Us against the world” status to an upset of Middletown South and a high ranking last season, only to falter against a Monroe team that had never won a state playoff game in its history and then lost to Colts Neck on Thanksgiving. When this team can’t play the underdog, “nobody picked us” role, it has to prove it can get it done as the favorite. The talent, determination and coaching is definitely there to do it.
6. Red Bank Catholic (0-0) – Last week: No. 6. I told everyone I knew that there was no way RBC was getting beat last weekend. In all seriousness, the Caseys come off a first-week bye and get an immediate test against a jacked-up and angry Long Branch team that will be playing its first home game since 2003 and is coming off an overtime heart-breaker against Wall. Caseys coach Frank Edgerly left and is back, so we’ll see if RBC is ready to start turning some heads right out of the gate. I didn’t drop them or move them up because they haven’t done anything yet.
7. Point Boro (1-0) – Last week: No. 7. The Panthers also stay put after blanking Keansburg, 22-0, in their opener. As their offense continues to mesh and refine things, this team has shown that it can win with defense. A game against Manasquan on Saturday is an early chance to get a leg up in the National Division race.
8. Neptune (1-0) – Last week: No. 9. That whole “nobody respects us, nobody is picking us, we’ll show them” mentality that Freehold used to such great effect this past weekend now belongs to the Scarlet Fliers. Everyone wants to see them win a big game and prove that their talent will equal victories, and that gleaming opportunity is there this Saturday when they take on No. 5 Freehold. With quarterback Lem Walker showing some great playmaking ability in a 25-15 win over Monmouth, the ingredients are there. Michael Peavy showed he is still the same explosive back as last year, capable of going 80 yards on any play. This Freehold game is a referendum on Neptune’s line on both sides of the ball. If those guys show up, it will go a long way toward Neptune getting the respect it craves.
9. Brick Memorial (1-0) – Last week: Unranked. The Mustangs showed that they belong with a 28-14 win over Toms River East. It wasn’t the prettiest game, but it was effective. They proved they can run the ball and play solid defense while forcing turnovers. They immediately get another chance to leap up the rankings when they take on No. 3 Southern in a big American Division game on Friday night.
10. Wall (1-0) – Last week: Unranked. Senior tailback Blaze Caponegro showed he is the real deal, rushing for a career-high 247 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-34 overtime thriller against last week’s No. 8, Long Branch. However, Wall’s defense is going to have to shore things up to continually compete against Top 10 teams. Eventually, I would think that they would have to do something a little more different than hand the ball to Caponegro on 32 of 34 running plays and win, but maybe he and the Crimson Knights offensive line are that good. We’ll see.
Knocking on the door:
Colts Neck: My preseason sleeper pick in the Shore made me look good so far with a 35-10 win over Manalapan. The Cougars play Brick this week in another solid test, and if they win handily, they could push hard for a Top 10 spot.
Howell: I said I didn’t know much about this team before the season because of so many new faces, but a comeback win over Brick showed a couple of things. This offense is as potent as ever under new quarterback Jimmy Ryan, this team has resilience in that it came back from a 21-0 deficit, and the defense could be of the “bend-but-don’t-break” variety. Which means one thing – exciting games. The Rebels have a bye and then return to play Jackson in Week Three, so that should be a great test because Jackson has had their number in recent seasons, particularly in running the ball down their throats, and also handed them their only loss last year.
Ocean: The Spartans’ defense dominated in a 14-0 win over Manasquan in a nondivisional game, so this could be the return of the Big Red. They have a bye and then return against Manchester in Week Three.
Toms River East: Down, but certainly not out. A win over Lacey this week and it’s most likely right back into the Top 10.
Toms River North: The Mariners lost to Middletown North, but it was a nondivisional game and certainly not the complete end of the world. They have the talent to come back, and after a bye this week, they play Manalapan at home.
Middletown South: In a similar situation to Toms River North, but the Eagles get to hop right back in the saddle this week with a nondivisional game against Freehold Township.
Jackson Memorial: This team hasn’t played a game yet, but with its size and tradition, it has to be considered a contender to be ranked. Or maybe should be ranked already and I just screwed up. The Jaguars open with Manalapan on Friday.
Long Branch: A one-point loss in overtime proved that Long Branch and Wall are about as even as it gets. The Green Wave can zoom right back into the Top 10 by beating No. 6 Red Bank Catholic in their first home game in five years on Saturday.
Matawan: The Huskies grinded out a 15-0 win over rival Keyport in their opener, and now have Red Bank in their Liberty Division opener this weekend.
Small-school Top 10 (Parochials and Group II and smaller)
1. Asbury Park (1-0) – Last week: No. 1: The No. 1 overall team in the Shore, much to the delight of some and the chagrin of others.
2. Red Bank Catholic (0-0) – Last week: No. 2. We’ll find out about the Caseys immediately when they take on Long Branch on Saturday.
3. Point Boro (1-0) – Last week: No. 3. This team just keeps winning games as it topped Keansburg, 22-0, and now takes on rival Manasquan.
4. Long Branch (0-1) – Last week: No. 4. I know this team lost its opener, but a one-point loss in OT to Wall does not warrant a drop in this set of rankings, especially because no team made such an impressive debut that it had to move up.
5. Matawan (1-0) – Last week: No. 6. The Huskies blanked Keyport, 15-0, and now look to go 2-0 with a game against Red Bank this week.
6. St. John Vianney (1-0) – Last week: No. 7. The Lancers held off Red Bank in a heightened atmosphere at Red Bank’s first night game in school history. Senior running back Chris Mayo is one of the Shore’s more underrated backs.
7. Manasquan (0-1) – Last week: No. 5. The Warriors’ offense was suffocated by Ocean’s defense in a 14-0 loss, but they have the perfect opportunity to put that in the rearview mirror when they play Point Boro on Saturday.
8. Manchester (0-0) – Last week: No. 8. The Hawks had a first-week bye and open up with a Monmouth team that just pushed Neptune, so Manchester will have to prove itself immediately.
9. Monmouth (0-1) – Last week: No. 9. The Falcons put a scare into Neptune before losing by 10 points, but they proved that they are a team that opponents should be worried about.
10. Rumson-FH (1-0) – Last week: No. 10. The Bulldogs kicked off the season with a 24-7 win over Holmdel and have rival Keansburg this week before facing No. 1 Asbury Park in Week Three.
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