Shore Conference football: Predictions for all 18 games in Week 2
Divisional play gets going at full blast as the scholastic football season swings into Week 2.
All 18 of the games on this week's Shore Conference schedule are divisional games.
The slate is headed by the game at Rumson-Fair Haven's Borden Stadium between Toms River North and Rumson-Fair Haven.
Shore Conference football rankings: Reshuffling heading into Week 2. Who moved where?
Toms River North is ranked No. 1 in the Asbury Park Press Shore Conference Top 20 and No. 1 in the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey Public School Top 20.
Rumson-Fair Haven is ranked No. 4 in the APP Top 20 and No. 9 in the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey Public School Top 20.
Some teams will be playing their third game of the season that began in the last week in August, or what the NJSIAA calls Week 0.
More: Shore Conference football top performers from Week 1
NJ football: Who will be Player of the Week after Week 1 action?
We were 19-3 with our picks last week. Here's a brief look at each game, followed by a prediction:
NJ high school football: Friday, Sept. 8, 2023
NJ football: American Division
Wall (1-1, 0-0) at Middletown South (1-1, 0-1), 7 p.m.
Both teams rebounded from opening defeats. Wall rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit to defeat Howell 21-20. Middletown South, despite playing without senior quarterback/defensive back/placekicker/punter Jake Czwakiel and most of the game without senior running back Donovan Summey, defeated Raritan 19-0.
Both Czwakiel and Summey sustained high ankle sprains and will be game-time decisions on whether they will play, Middletown South coach Steve Antonucci said. Middletown South does have a bye next week before it plays at Toms River North on Sept. 22.
Czwakiel has not played since he was injured on the Eagles' second play from scrimmage against Rumson-Fair Haven on Aug. 25. In the absence of Czwakiel and Summey, senior Colin Gallagher raced for 241 yards and three TDs on 19 carries. He also was a standout on defense with 11 tackles, 3.5 of which were for a loss, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Wall senior quarterback Andrew Olsen threw a TD pass and running backs Mason Adam and Tony Credle each had TD runs last week. The Pick: Middletown South
Toms River North (2-0, 0-0) at Rumson-Fair Haven (2-0, 1-0), 7 p.m.
This is the first of what will be a series of intriguing games in the power-packed American Division. Rumson-Fair Haven gave Toms River North its second-closest game score-wise last season in a 40-27 defeat in the Rumble on the Raritan at Rutgers University's SHI Stadium.
In that game, Toms River North rushed for 422 yards and compiled 506 yards of total offense. Quarterback Micah Ford rushed for 279 yards and five TDs and threw for 84 yards on three completions. Running back Josh Moore added 147 yards rushing. Rumson-Fair Haven quarterback Owen O'Toole, in his first varsity start, threw for 272 yards and two TDs.
Toms River North also had 19 penalties for 208 yards. Both teams are significantly better than they were then. Toms River North, which has a 16-game winning streak dating back to the start of the 2022 season, has more big-play potential. The Pick: Toms River North
NJ football: Colonial Division
Raritan (0-1, 0-0) at Red Bank (0-1, 0-0), 6:30 p.m.
It is a critical game for both in the tough Colonial Division. Raritan was defeated 19-0 by Middletown South, ranked No. 5 in the Asbury Park Press Top 20. Red Bank was defeated 28-13 by Freehold Township and gave up 500 yards of offense, 290 passing and 210 rushing. The Pick: Red Bank
Long Branch (1-1, 0-0) at Manalapan (1-1, 0-0), 7 p.m.
Both teams figured to contend in the Colonial Division at the start of the season. Long Branch, after rushing for almost 400 yards in a 23-21 win over Piscataway in the opener, was defeated 41-13 by Donovan Catholic last week.
Senior quarterback Earnest Reevey, who rushed for 210 yards and three TDs in the opener, was limited to playing on defense last week due to a broken throwing hand, Long Branch coach Chad King said. King said Reevey's hand is in a cast and his status on offense is "day-to-day'' and "week to week.''
Manalapan was defeated 20-13 in overtime by Jackson Memorial. A fumble at the goal line in overtime ended the game. Manalapan showed a power running attack out of the "Wildcat'' throughout that game and quarterback Ryan Dougherty got hot in the second half. The Pick: Manalapan
NJ football: Constitution Division
Asbury Park (0-1, 0-0) at Ocean (1-0, 0-0), 7 p.m.
This is the first meeting between the two neighbors since the opener of the 1987 season when Ocean defeated Asbury Park 23-12.
Ocean's head coach then was George Conti Jr., who had coached an NJSIAA Central Group 2 championship team at Asbury Park in 1980.
Asbury Park's head coach then was Leroy Hayes, who coached the Blue Bishops' 11-0 1984 Central Group 2 championship team. Hayes is now an assistant coach to first-year head coach Marquan Mutazz and is a long-time staple of the Asbury Park program.
Ocean residents went to Asbury Park High School before Ocean opened in the mid-1960s. Ocean opened with a 28-14 win over Lacey as junior James Sobieski had a solid all-around game. Asbury Park was defeated 50-0 by Weequahic in its opener. The Pick: Ocean
Holmdel (1-0, 0-0) at St. John Vianney (0-2, 0-0), 7 p.m.
The result here will go a long way toward determining which team is a contender in the Constitution Division. Holmdel opened with a 42-6 win at Toms River South as sophomore quarterback Jack Cannon, in his first varsity start, accounted for 221 yards of total offense, ran for two TDs and threw for a TD. St. John Vianney has been outscored 51-7 in its first two games by Hammonton (1-1) and Marlboro (1-0). The Pick: Holmdel
NJ football: Freedom Division
Middletown North (1-1, 0-0) at Howell (0-1, 0-0), 7:30 p.m.
Both teams were defeated in games they led last week. Middletown North was defeated 21-17 by Brick Memorial after it led 10-0. Howell was defeated 21-20 due to a missed extra point early in the fourth quarter after it led 14-0.
Middletown North has a balanced offense with quarterback Luke Sheehan and running back Neno Morgan-Acker. Howell quarterback Vince Meehan accounted for 252 yards of total offense, 166 rushing and 86 passing, and Brandon Wright had two TD runs last week. The Pick: Middletown North
Jackson Memorial (1-0, 0-0) at Lacey (0-2, 0-0), 6:30 p.m.
Jackson Memorial opened with a wild and dramatic 20-13 overtime win over Manalapan. Lacey has been defeated by a combined 54-28 by Absegami and Ocean.
Sophomore tailback Jonah Glenn rushed for 164 yards and a TD on 20 carries last week and junior quarterback Dennis Caswell threw a 30-yard TD pass on a second-and-15 to senior wide receiver Frank Castellano in overtime in Jackson Memorial's win.
But, the Jaguars still needed senior linebacker Ethan Kalinauskas to recover a fumble at the goal line that senior linebacker Ethan Kalinauskas forced to end the game. Quarterback Nicholas Maertens has been solid for Lacey. The Pick: Jackson Memorial
Marlboro (1-0, 0-0) at Southern (2-0, 0-0), 7 p.m.
Defenses may dominate here. Marlboro opened with a 16-7 win over St. John Vianney. Southern has defeated West Windsor-United and Central by a combined 56-0. Luke Houston contributed in many ways for Marlboro last week. Armando Sanchez had an outstanding all-around game for Southern last week. The Pick: Southern.
NJ football: Independence Division
Barnegat (0-2, 0-0) at Brick Memorial (2-0, 0-0), 6 p.m.
Brick Memorial ground out a come-from-behind 21-17 win over Middletown North last week as senior quarterback Connor Dietz scored the game-winning TD with 2:23 remaining and then sophomore Nyzier Matthews came up with an interception to seal the win.
Barnegat junior linebacker/tight end Cole Toddings continued his outstanding start to the season with 18 tackles, three of which were for a loss, a forced fumble and five receptions for 75 yards in the Bengals' 36-24 loss to Manchester last week. Toddings has 34 tackles in two games. The Pick: Brick Memorial
Freehold Township (1-1, 0-0) at Matawan (0-2, 0-0), 6:30 p.m.
Freehold Township's impressive 28-13 win over Red Bank last week made this game a lot more intriguing. Matawan has played two teams that are a combined 4-0, including Rumson-Fair Haven.
Junior quarterback Nick Cardone threw for 290 yards and two TDs and ran for 85 yards last week. Freehold Township compiled 500 yards of offense — 290 passing, 210 rushing. The Patriots' defeat is to Middletown North.
Matawan has been outscored 69-6, but still has big-play ability with junior quarterback Am'ir Martinez, junior running back Colin Palumbo, sophomore receiver Welman Crooms and senior receiver Cameron Cooper. The Pick: Matawan
NJ football: Liberty Division
Pinelands (1-0, 0-0) at Neptune (1-0, 0-0), 6:30 p.m.
The winner will establish themselves as a contender in the competitive Liberty Division. Pinelands was balanced on offense last week in a 41-13 win over Point Pleasant Beach.
Junior running back Jaimin Parkinson ran for 149 yards and two TDs and junior quarterback Ty Kline threw for 131 yards and three TDs. The TD receptions were to Mike Frawley, Liam Villinger. Neptune made first-year head coach Michael Seber's debut a successful one with a 26-6 win at Lakewood. Senior running back Eddie Green ran for 176 yards and three TDs. The Pick: Pinelands
Toms River South (0-1, 0-0) at Monmouth (2-0, 0-0), 6:30 p.m.
Monmouth allowed six points combined in wins over Barnegat and Keansburg. Senior quarterback Dom O'Grady had a big game in the Falcon's 29-0 win over Keansburg last week. Toms River South opened with a 42-6 defeat to Holmdel and has lost 10 straight games since an opening-day win over Toms River East last season. The Pick: Monmouth
Toms River East (0-2, 0-0) at Central (1-1, 0-0), 7 p.m.
Toms River East is coming off the 42-0 defeat to Toms River North. The Raiders were also defeated 19-0 by Brick (2-0) in the opener. Central is coming off a 21-0 loss against Southern but did defeat Hamilton West 36-12 in the opener, as junior Nick Ruggiero ran for three TDs. The Pick: Central
NJ football: Patriot Division
Keansburg (0-1, 0-0) at Jackson Liberty (0-1, 0-0), 6 p.m.
Jackson Liberty put forth a solid showing in a 12-7 defeat at Brick last week. The Lions also defeated Keansburg 46-7 last season in a nondivisional game. Keansburg opened with a 29-0 loss to Monmouth. The Pick: Jackson Liberty
Point Beach (0-2, 0-0) at Manchester (2-0, 0-0), 7:30 p.m.
Manchester defeated North Plainfield and Barnegat — two teams that are a combined 0-4 — by a combined 70-30. Point Beach has been outscored a combined 67-19 by New Egypt (1-1) and Pinelands.
Manchester senior running back Josh Love has run for 238 yards and five TDs. Love also has two TDs receiving and four receptions for 144 yards. Hawks' junior quarterback Aidan Lunn has thrown for 253 yards and four TDs.
Liam Brosnan rushed for 66 yards and a TD and had two tackles for a loss and Kyle McPherson returned a fumble 25 yards for a TD for Point Beach last week. The Pick: Manchester
NJ high school football: Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023
NJ football: Independence Division
Brick Township (2-0, 0-0) at Freehold Borough (1-0, 0-0), noon
Brick is 2-0 for the first time since 2017. Freehold's 35-28 win over Keyport last week snapped a nine-game losing streak, dating back to a 17-14 win over Howell on Oct. 30, 2021. Brick's defense has allowed just seven points and its offense has been balanced enough. Freehold quarterback Spencer Rushton and running back Gavyn Golub combined to rush for 241 yards and four TDs last week. Rushton also threw for 176 yards. The Pick: Brick
NJ football: Patriot Division
Lakewood (0-1, 0-0) at Keyport (1-1, 0-0), noon
Keyport senior Nazir Treadwell, who has made the move to quarterback from running back, has rushed for 261 yards and five TDs and thrown for 269 yards and three TDs. Keyport defeated Manville (1-1) 41-6 before it was defeated 35-28 by Freehold. Lakewood was defeated 26-6 by Neptune in its opener. The Pick: Keyport
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore football: Week 2 Shore Conference game predictions
