Football - Players of the Week, 9/15/08

By Scott Stump – Senior Editor
E-mail: stump@digitalsports.com

*Check back Tuesday for video highlights featuring several of the players from this list.*

OVERALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSE
(Tie) Blaze Caponegro, Sr., RB, Wall
In his best game of a standout career, Caponegro ran for a career-high 247 yards and four touchdowns, carrying the ball on 32 of Wall’s 37 offensive plays, in a 35-34 overtime win over Long Branch. In his last two games against Long Branch, Caponegro has run for 370 yards and six touchdowns on an average of 8.6 yards per carry.

Jimmy Ryan, Jr., QB, Howell
There are high school debuts, and then there is what Ryan did in a 34-27 win over Brick on Saturday. In his first varsity game, manning the controls of the Rebels’ spread offense, he went 32-for-37 for 363 yards and three touchdowns. He also showed resilience, as Howell trailed 21-0 during the game. His main receiver was Phil Adamo, who had nine catches for 111 yards. His 363 yards set a new school record, passing the 350 yards that last year’s DigitalSports Offensive Player of the Year, former Rebels’ quarterback Tim Lamirande, had in a win over Lacey last year.

DEFENSE
Dan Wollman, Sr., MLB, Middletown North
In the biggest upset of the weekend, Wollman led the way in a great defensive effort by the Lions as he had 11 solo tackles, two of them for a loss, and a pass deflection in a 21-7 win over Toms River North. The Lions did not allow an offensive touchdown by the Mariners in halting their 12-game winning streak.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Michael Leib, So., K, Wall
In his first varsity game, he went 5-for-5 on extra points in the pouring rain on a natural grass field, including kicking the game-winning PAT in overtime, in a 35-34 win over Long Branch.

Honorable mention
DAN CINTRON, Sr., PR, Barnegat
Cintron, one of the fastest players in the Shore, returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown in a 36-6 win over Point Beach.

Divisional Players of the Week
American Division
Offense (besides Ryan)
Brian Staub, Sr., QB, Brick Memorial
Staub had 53 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns in a strong 28-14 win over Toms River East. Staub also was a key part of the defensive effort with a late interception that helped seal the win.

Honorable mention
Brian Sullivan, Sr., QB, Southern
Sullivan totaled 181 yards passing as well as two touchdowns on the ground in his debut as the Rams’ new quarterback in a 27-2 win over Pinelands.

Defense
Matt Faiella, Sr., LB, Freehold Township
Faiella had several hits for a loss and helped lead a defense that blanked Marlboro, 12-0, to give the Patriots their first season-opening win since 2001.

Constitution Division
Offense
Ryan Moore, Sr., RB, Colts Neck
In his first game as Colts Neck’s new feature back, Moore went over 150 yards on the day and scored twice in a 35-10 win over Manalapan.

Honorable mention
(tie) Uly Gibson, Sr., RB, Middletown North
The Lions’ tailback ran for a game-high 127 yards and had a touchdown to help key a 21-7 upset of Toms River North.

Tom Rickmers, Sr., RB, Lacey
Rickmers rolled up 198 yards on 38 carries to help Lacey top Lakewood, 23-6, in a nondivisional game.

Defense (besides Wollman)
Anthony Terry, Sr., DB, TR South
The Indians senior helped break open a tight game when he returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown to jumpstart a 24-0 win over Jackson Liberty.

Federal Division
Offense (besides Caponegro)
Michael Peavy, Sr., RB, Neptune
One of the best running backs in the Shore kicked off his senior season by rolling up 190 yards rushing and one touchdown while also scoring on an 81-yard touchdown pass in a 25-15 win over Monmouth.

Defense
Freehold’s defensive line
The group of juniors Jared Mostowsky, Quadell Everett and Ryan Solley helped limit Middletown South to 48 total yards in the second half of a 22-7 win. They combined for two sacks and multiple hits for a loss.

Liberty Division
Offense
Nate King, Sr., RB, Matawan
King rushed for 139 yards and just 13 carries to help the Huskies top Keyport, 15-0, in a nondivisional game.

Honorable mention
(tie) Larry Morris, Sr., WR, Long Branch, and Davaughn Norfleet, Sr., WR, Monmouth
The two wideouts started off strong even though their teams lost their openers. Morris had seven catches for 108 yards and a touchdown in a 35-34 overtime loss to Wall, while Norfleet had seven catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Neptune.

Defense
Ricky Lyster, Sr., DL, Ocean
Lyster had several hits for a loss and spearheaded a defensive front that helped shut down Manasquan’s offense in a 14-0 win.

National Division
Offense
Chris Mayo, Sr., RB, St. John Vianney
Mayo ran for 126 yards and a touchdown on nearly eight yards per carry to help the Lancers rally to beat Red Bank, 21-7, in a nondivisional game.

Honorable mention
Jesse Raymond, Jr., RB, Raritan
Raymond ran for a career-high 152 yards and three touchdowns on just 13 carries in a 49-0 win over Mater Dei.

Defense
Zach Hayden, Jr., LB, Point Boro
Hayden had a partially blocked punt, a sack, and two other tackles for a loss to help the Panthers blank Keansburg, 22-0, in their opener. He also had a fumble recovery and 15 tackles.

Patriot Division
Offense
Derrell Bell, Sr., WR, Asbury Park
One of the top receivers in the Shore, Bell started with a huge game as he had seven catches for 165 yards and a touchdown in a 24-3 win over Shore.

Honorable mention
Josh Brister, Sr., RB, Rumson-FH
In his first game as Rumson’s feature back, Brister exploded for 197 yards rushing and three touchdowns in a 24-7 win over Holmde.

Defense
Taylor Brown, Sr., DT, Rumson-FH
Brown had three hits for a loss and helped lead a Bulldogs’ defensive front that limited Holmdel to 125 total yards in a 24-7 victory.