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Toms River North football team has overcome a lot to get to Group semifinal

steven falk, asbury park press
·4 min read

It has been a far more difficult road for the Toms River High School North football team than it was a year ago.

However, the Mariners have navigated the road to get within two wins of a second consecutive NJSIAA Group 5 championship. The NJSIAA only began playing out to overall group champions for the public schools last season.

Toms River North (10-2), ranked No. 2 in the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey Public School Top 20, will play at Cherokee (9-2) Friday at 6 p.m. Cherokee is ranked No. 7 in the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey Public School Top 20.

More: NJSIAA football playoffs: Shore Conference predictions for state semifinals

The Toms River North-Cherokee winner will meet either Passaic Tech or Union City at Rutgers University's SHI Stadium in the Group 5 championship game. If Toms River North wins, that game will be Nov. 26 or 27. If Cherokee wins, that game will be Nov. 29 or Nov. 30 because Cherokee has a Thanksgiving Day regular season game against Seneca.

Toms River North is shown posing for pictures after it defeated Washington Township in the NJSIAA Central Group 5 championship game.
Toms River North is shown posing for pictures after it defeated Washington Township in the NJSIAA Central Group 5 championship game.

“Our team has faced a lot obstacles this year,’’ Toms River North head coach Dave Oizerowitz said after the Mariners’ resounding 49-14 win over Washington Township in the Central Group 5 championship game.

Persevering through a key injury

Among the obstacles, Toms River North had to overcome the loss of standout senior quarterback/safety Micah Ford for three games from Sep. 22-Oct. 6 plus the final three quarters of the Red Bank Catholic game on Oct. 20 due to a knee injury.

Shore football: Toms River North gets defensive, wins Central Jersey Group 5 crown

In Ford’s absence, Toms River North won three games by a combined score of 112-13 and almost defeated Non Public B finalist Red Bank Catholic in a 35-28 overtime defeat.

While Ford was absent, junior T.J. Valerio showed he could be a starting quarterback for a lot of teams and the defense played well for the most part.

“We obviously lean on Micah a lot on offense and defense, but when he was out, everybody had to come together and play harder,’’ Toms River North senior wide receiver Tareq Council said.

Showing poise through adversity

Toms River North, which in its 14-0 2022 season won 12 games by three touchdowns or more and outscored its opposition 660-115, also had to play a tougher schedule this season.

The Mariners moved up to the Shore Conference American Division and had to play Red Bank Catholic, Non Public A semifinalist Donovan Catholic and Group 2 semifinalist Rumson-Fair Haven. They also played South Group 4 runner-up Millville in the season-opener.

There were the defeats to Donovan Catholic (21-7 on Sept. 15 in which Ford was injured late in the fourth quarter) and Red Bank Catholic (in which the Caseys tied the game with two seconds left in regulation).

“Some teams don’t come back when they get knocked to the canvas,’’ Oizerowitz said. “We came back stronger off those games.’’

In the sectional final, Toms River North did not panic while it was assessed 12 penalties for 128 yards to Washington Township’s two penalties for 10 yards.

Nor did the Mariners panic when Washington Township closed a 21-0 deficit to 21-14 with two TDs within a span of 1:18 late in the first half. Penalties helped Washington Township score those TDs

Toms River North’s response was to drive 62 yards in 36 seconds for a TD. Ford culminated that drive with a 29-yard TD pass to a wide-open Nasir Jackson on the last play of the first half.

Ford has more than amazing talent

Ford, with his ability to run and throw the ball, makes stopping the Mariners difficult.

But, there is more than just talent that makes Ford the great player he is.

The perfect example was the TD pass against Washington Township - when he surveyed the whole field from right to the middle and then left and found Jackson, his fourth option.

“He’s not just book smart (Ford has made a non-binding commitment to Stanford University). He’s football smart,’’ Oizerowitz said. “If you can create someone in a lab to play power spread quarterback at the high school level, you can’t get much better than Micah Ford.

“Not only is he big, fast and powerful running the football, but he understands the concepts of what we’re trying to do in the pass game, run game and the number system. He’s so advanced with his mind. He’s the complete quarterback.’’

Ford said coaching is the reason for his development.

“I just want to say thank you to Coach Penna (quarterbacks coach Anthony Penna, who was the Mariners’ quarterback in 2007, when they went 12-0 and won the South Group 4 championship) for spending time with me throughout the summer and making me the quarterback I am today,’’ he said.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore football: Toms River North vs Cherokee in Group 5 semis