By Scott Stump – Senior Editor
E-mail: stump@digitalsports.com
OVERALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSE
Jesse Raymond, Jr., RB, Raritan
Raymond exploded for a career-high 242 yards and two touchdowns in a key 21-7 win over St. John Vianney in the National Division. He gained 154 of those yards after halftime, including a 64-yard touchdown run that helped the Rockets pull away and avenge a loss to the Lancers from last year. Raymond also had some big hits in the secondary on defense. It marked Raritan’s fourth straight win, and helped the Rockets improve to 2-0 and tie their win total from last season. Raymond now has 394 yards rushing and five touchdowns in two games after rushing for 463 yards and four touchdowns all of last season. The Rockets’ offense has already put up 70 points in two games after scoring 75 all of last year.
DEFENSE
McArthur Underwood, So., DB, Matawan
Underwood made a season’s worth of big plays in one game with two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned 20 yards for a touchdown, and two interceptions, one of which he returned 28 yards for a touchdown, in a 55-7 win over Red Bank. Underwood also caught a 14-yard touchdown pass on offense and had a kickoff return for a touchdown that was called back. In his first year as a starter, he has three interceptions in two games for the Huskies.
SPECIAL TEAMS
John Otchy, Sr., P, Manasquan
In a 3-0 win over Point Boro in a big National Division game in which field position was huge, Otchy boomed several 40-yard-plus punts, including one out of his own end zone late in the game that sailed 45 yards. His ability to force Point Boro to have to sustain long drives and to get the Warriors out of trouble deep in their own end combined with a great defensive effort to help give Manasquan the win. He was given the game ball by head coach Pete Cahill in the postgame speech.
Honorable mention
Brick’s special teams unit
Junior John Applegate‘s 70-yard punt return for a touchdown proved to be pivotal in an 18-13 win over Colts Neck. Chris Monroe and Chris Palazzo also blocked a field goal attempt for the Green Dragons’ special teams.
Middletown North’s special teams unit
Senior Uly Gibson returned a punt 73 yards to set up a touchdown, and senior Scott Zabe blocked a punt that was recovered by Dave Switay at Toms River South’s 16-yard line to set up another score in a 21-7 win for the Lions.
Dan Cintron, Sr., PR, Barnegat
For the second week in a row, Cintron took a punt to the house, as he brought one back 68 yards for a touchdown in a 32-7 win over Holmdel that put the Bengals at 2-0 for the first time in their three-year varsity history.
Divisional players of the week
American Division
Offense
Chris Pellicano, Sr., WR, Manalapan
Pellicano had three catches for 83 yards, and two of his catches were for touchdowns. He caught a 54-yard touchdown pass in the first half and then caught a 22-yard TD pass with just 34 seconds left in the game to help the Braves pull out a 23-21 thriller over Jackson.
Honorable mention
Tyler Wilton, Sr., RB, Jackson
Wilton had all three of the Jaguars’ touchdowns along with 143 yards rushing in a 23-21 loss to Manalapan.
Southern’s offensive line
The Rams’ front five, led by returning starter A.J. Romanoff, helped pave the way for 237 rushing yards in a 28-7 win over Brick Memorial.
Defense
Glenn Carson, Sr., LB, Southern
Carson had a team-high nine solo tackles, an assist, and two hits for a loss as the Rams bottled up Brick Memorial’s ground game in a 28-7 victory. He also had 116 yards rushing on offense. Senior linebacker Mike Bonsky added a pair of sacks as well and Anthony Stroffolino had five tackles and a sack.
Honorable mention
Kevin Cruz, Jr., DB, Manalapan
Cruz’s fumble return after a forced fumble by Chris Essner helped set up the game-winning touchdown in a 23-21 win over Jackson.
Joe Pittius, Sr., DB, Brick Memorial
The Mustangs fell to Southern, but Pittius had a fumble recovery and an interception in the defeat.
Constitution Division
Offense
Tom Rickmers, Sr., RB, Lacey
One of the Shore’s top backs grinded out 122 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries in a key 20-14 win over divisional foe Toms River East. He also had an interception on defense that helped seal the win.
Honorable mention
Sean Smith, Sr., WR, Colts Neck
Smith ran for one touchdown and caught another in an 18-13 loss to Brick, and teammate Ryan Moore, a running back, had 135 yards rushing.
Defense
Mike Stuppiello, Sr., DL, Lacey
A candidate for the overall Defensive Player of the Week honors, Stuppiello had two sacks, seven tackles for a loss and numerous quarterback pressures in a 20-14 win over Toms River East. His teammate, Anthony Caputo, also had a huge play with a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the game that helped polish off the victory.
Honorable mention
John Applegate, Jr., DB, Brick
Applegate had an interception and also tipped a pass that was intercepted, and he helped the Green Dragons slow down Colts Neck’s strong offense in an 18-13 win over the Cougars.
Federal Division
Offense
Tezzy Thorpe, Jr., RB, Freehold
Thorpe ran for a career-high 150 yards and a touchdown in a 35-14 win over Neptune that put the Colonials in the driver’s seat in the Federal Division race.
Honorable mention
Blaze Caponegro, Sr., RB, Wall
While Wall was stunned by Central, the Shore’s leading rusher still rolled up 212 yards and a touchdown on the ground to give him 459 yards rushing and five touchdowns in two games this season.
Michael Peavy, Sr., RB, Neptune
In a loss to Freehold, Peavy had 159 of his team’s 169 total yards and both of the Scarlet Fliers’ touchdowns.
Chris Bunge, Sr., RB, Middletown South
Bunge had 128 yards rushing and a touchdown in a 21-14 win over Freehold Township that gave head coach Steve Antonucci his 100th career win.
Defense
Tyler Palagonia, Sr., DB, Central
In a huge 12-7 upset of Wall that ended a 14-game losing streak, Palagonia had seven solo tackles as a safety, most of them of the touchdown-saving variety against Wall’s Blaze Caponegro. He also had three pass break-ups. Palagonia is also a wide receiver and holder on kicks, and he threw the game-winning touchdown pass in the final seconds of regulation after a high snap on a field goal attempt. Palagonia was the team’s quarterback last season before moving to wideout.
Honorable mention
Rakim Thorpe, Jr., LB, Freehold
Thorpe had 10 tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery as Freehold held Neptune to zero passing yards and 169 yards total to improve to 2-0 with a 35-14 win over Neptune.
Jim Hearon, Sr., LB, Jackson Liberty
Hearon had a career-high three sacks in a 27-7 win over Lakewood to help the Lions overcome a rash of injuries on offense to pick up their first win. Defensive end Chris Lowe also returned a fumble 69 yards for a touchdown in the victory.
Kevin Orender, Sr., DL, Wall
Despite a 12-7 loss to Central, Orender had four tackles for a loss in a game that Wall led 7-6 until the final seconds to continue a strong start to the season.
Liberty Division
Offense
David Reeves, Sr., RB, Red Bank Catholic
Reeves ran for 96 yards and a touchdown on just 11 carries and also threw a 41-yard pass to Jake Flaherty that set up another touchdown in a 28-0 win over Long Branch. He also added an interception on defense.
Honorable mention
D’Andre McFadden, Sr., RB, Manchester
McFadden ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries and also had one catch for 23 yards and a pair of punt returns that totaled 61 yards in a 36-7 win over Monmouth in the Hawks’ season opener.
Nate King, Sr., RB, Matawan
King had three touchdowns and 89 yards rushing on just nine carries in a 55-7 win over Red Bank.
Defense (besides Underwood)
Red Bank Catholic’s entire unit
The Caseys held Long Branch to just 20 yards rushing in a 28-0 win that spoiled the Green Wave’s first home game since 2003. Senior linebackers Anthony Lubischer and Luke McCarthy, the latter of whom had an interception return for a touchdown, and senior defensive lineman Shawn Smith spearheaded a unit that was consistently getting into the backfield.
Honorable mention
Eric Delaney, Sr., DB, Manchester
Delaney returned an interception 85 yards for a touchdown to blow open the game in a 36-7 win over Monmouth.
National Division
Offense (besides Raymond)
Mike Notobartolo, Sr., RB, Barnegat
Raritan’s Jesse Raymond wasn’t the only National Division back to go over 200 yards this past weekend as Notobartolo ran for a career-high 206 yards on 27 carries along with a pair of touchdowns in a 32-7 win over Holmdel.
Honorable mention
Lorenzo Venable, Jr., RB, Manasquan
Venable rushed for 135 yards in a 3-0 win over Point Boro to help the Warriors control the clock.
Defense
Neal Sterling, Jr., DB, Manasquan
Sterling sealed a 3-0 win over Point Boro with an interception and also had a crucial pass deflection, one of three pass break-ups on the day, on fourth down at the Warriors’ 9-yard line in the second half.
Honorable mention
Steve Carcasses, Sr., LB, Barnegat
Carcasses registered a pair of sacks in a 32-7 win over Holmdel.
Patriot Division
Offense
Mike Duddy, Sr., RB, Monsignor Donovan
Duddy ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns on just five carries in a 28-0 win over Point Beach.
Honorable mention
Jamar Small, Jr., QB, Asbury Park
With the lineup shuffled because of running back George Stephens being out with the flu, Small stepped in and threw a career-high three touchdown passes in a 42-0 win over Mater Dei.
Defense
Justin Hook, Sr., DE, Rumson-FH
Hook turned in a career-high three sacks in a 23-7 win over Keansburg to help the Bulldogs improve to 2-0.
Honorable mention
Alex Pisko, Sr., LB, Monsignor Donovan
Pisko had a key pass break-up on fourth down early in the game and seven tackles to help the Griffins blank Point Beach, 28-0, in their season opener.
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Players of the Week, 9/15/08
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