GMC FOOTBALL: Greg Tufaro's Week 4 analysis and picks
Thursday (all games 7 p.m.)
No. 2 South Brunswick (3-0) at No. 3 Sayreville (2-1): Manalapan set a school record for points scored Saturday with a 64-28 victory over the Bombers in a rematch of last year's Central Group V semifinals. Sayreville coach George Najjar said the Braves won the battle up front, which is where South Brunswick also emerged victorious in last weekend's impressive 34-14 victory over No. 4 Old Bridge. After Manalapan rolled up 351 yards on the ground including a career-high 248 yards and five TDs form running back Imamu Mayfield, Sayreville defensive coordinator Charlie Garcia had a short week to prepare for South Brunswick's vaunted triple option. The subplot in this pivotal GMC Red Division meeting, of course, is that it features two of the state's best all-around players. South Brunswick's Dontae Strickland (525 yards, 8 TDs rushing), a Syracuse commit, and Sayreville's Myles Hartsfield (416 yards, 8 TDs rushing), a Penn State commit, have combined for 1,359 all-purpose yards this season. Both are brilliant open-field runners with the ability to score from anywhere. With his team trailing early and with Manalapan taking away the running game, Hartsfield, who was limited to 20 yards on 11 carries, inflicted damage as a receiver, catching five passes for 148 yards and three touchdowns. Both teams prefer to keep the ball on the ground, with South Brunswick averaging 346 rushing yards per game and Sayreville averaging 315.3. South Brunswick's balanced backfield features quarterback Amir Johnson (4.3 yards per carry and 6 TDs), Phil Campbell and Matt Golden. Sayreville counters with quarterback Jason DeMild (14 of 31 for 338 yards with 6 TDs) and Linwood Crump (26 carries, 236 yards, 2 TDs). South Brunswick's defense has forced five turnovers and recorded eight sacks. Linebackers Chris-Jon Summers and Campbell lead the Vikings with 7.3 tackles per game. Lineman Anthony Porcaro anchors Sayreville's defense with four tackles per game. The teams have one common opponent with Sayreville defeating J.P. Stevens 42-7 and South Brunswick beating the Hawks 46-20. Sayreville defeated the Vikings 35-13 last year and has won 10 of the past 12 meetings between the schools. South Brunswick 23-22.
Edison (0-3) at East Brunswick (0-2): East Brunswick was limited to two yards of first-half total offense in a 40-0 season-opening loss to No. 1 Piscataway. Following a bye week, quarterback Kevin Hemmings completed 9 of 14 passes for 132 yards in a 40-13 loss to North Brunswick last weekend. He had one touchdown throwing and another rushing. After being hit behind the line of scrimmage 18 times against the Chiefs, East Brunswick endured 15 tackles for a loss against the Raiders. The Bears were limited to 30 rushing yards on 34 carries. Edison has been outscored 107-27 in losses to No. 1 Piscataway, No. 4 Old Bridge and No. 6 Monroe. The Eagles played Monroe even for the entire second half and played Piscataway even for the entire first quarter, limiting the Chiefs to 14 yards and no first downs. Freshman quarterback Haaziq Daniels has shown promise. The Eagles have struggled to get their running game on track. Edison has won the last three meetings between the schools including a 41-0 victory last season. Edison 20-12.
J.P. Stevens (0-3) at No. 4 Old Bridge (2-1): After enduring a 42-7 loss to No. 3 Sayreville and a 46-20 setback to No. 2 South Brunswick, the Hawks rolled up more than 400 yards of offense in last weekend's heartbreaking 28-27 loss to No. 6 Monroe. Sophomore Luke Jacobi (6 of 8 for 73 yards with a rushing touchdown) and junior Jay'von Blacknall (6 of 8 for 70 yards with a touchdown passing) split time at quarterback. Chris Chukwuneke rushed 20 times for 102 yards and caught eight passes for 105 yards, while teammate DeAndre Perkins had 10 carries for 152 yards. Perkins leads the team defensively from his linebacker spot with 14 tackles and a sack. The Hawks are athletic at the skill positions. Old Bridge has likely lost the services for the rest of the season of two-way starter and return specialist Myles Williams, who broke his leg in last weekend's 34-14 loss to South Brunswick. Behind quarterback Mike Gargano who leads the team with 193 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, Williams was Old Bridge's second-leading rusher (149 yards). Tackle T.J. Townsend missed the South Brunswick game with an injury. Gargano has completed 24 of 49 passes for 265 yards. His favorite target is 6-foot-3 wideout Tyler Hopman (10 catches, 111 yards, 2 TDs). The reminder of last year's 9-0 loss to J.P. Stevens, which nearly cost Old Bridge the Red Division title and which proved to be the biggest upset of the 2013 campaign, is fresh on the minds of the Knights. The Hawks also played Old Bridge tough in a 16-13 loss the previous year. Chidera Udeh (7 tackles per game) and Noah Torino (2 sacks) lead Old Bridge defensively. During a pregame ceremony, Old Bridge will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its 1964 Madison Township squad, which was declared Central Group IV champions. Old Bridge 24-20.
North Brunswick (1-2) at No. 6 Monroe (2-1): The Falcons finally got their running game on track as Akeer Franklin rushed for 170 yards and three touchdowns in last weekend's 28-27 win over J.P. Stevens. Franklin had rushed for under 100 yards in two previous games combined – a 24-14 loss to Piscataway and a 35-14 win over Edison. In the latter, quarterback Stephen Karoly passed for 240 yards, but has been limited to 208 yards through the air since. Karoly and Franklin have accounted for 700 of Monroe's 728 yards from scrimmage. Linebacker Brendan Germano has a sack and an interception. Cameron Coleman anchors the defense with a team-high 30 tackles. North Brunswick quarterback Kevin Poindexter has been near perfect, completing 30 of 39 passes for 384 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions this season. He has also rushed for 152 yards. The emergence of Max Emmanuel as a solid rushing threat the past two weeks (he has 28 carries for 240 yards and 2 TDs on the year) has helped balance the offense. Tight end Joe Castellanos (11 catches, 146 yards, 2 TDs) in among the league's most unheralded players. Poindexter has been sacked eight times for minus-29 yards and the Raiders are losing the turnover battle by a 4-2 margin. North Brunswick actually outgained Old Bridge in total yards from scrimmage in a season-opening 28-0 loss, a game in which the Raiders went 0-for-3 in the red zone. North Brunswick handed East Brunswick a 40-13 defeat last weekend, recording 15 tackles for a loss. Junior nose guard Zach Rowell had 12 tackles (five for a loss) and one sack. Monroe 23-19.
Friday (all games 7 p.m.)
No. 7 Carteret (2-1) at No. 5 Colonia (3-0): Colonia's first-team defense has allowed just two touchdowns as the Patriots have outscored three opponents – No. 8 J.F. Kennedy, No. 9 Bishop Ahr and Perth Amboy – 96-35. Linebackers Raul Cardona (32 tackles), who has received a scholarship offer from Bryant, and Solomon Manning (26 tacklers), who is being recruited by Boston College, anchor a defense that features an athletic secondary and a solid rotation up front. Offensive linemen Jim Becker, who should be getting looks from major Division I schools, and Michael Quinn are exceptional, combining for seven pancake blocks. They have paved the way for running back Sam Pero (58 carries, 440 yards, 6 TDs) and quarterback Tenny Adewusi (24 of 25 for 401 yards with 5 TDs). Adewusi, who has scholarship offers from Delaware and Fordham, has also rushed for 161 yards. He and Pero have accounted for all but 79 of Colonia's 1,081 yards from scrimmage. Colonia's receiving corps is as deep as its secondary with Pharoah Napolean (11 catches, 153 yards, 4 TDs) leading the way. Carteret's defense, which has performed exceptionally well in the red zone during wins over Woodbridge and New Brunswick (Hassan Williams had an interception and a fumble recovery), should be up to the challenge. End Sam Kamara (team-leading 26 tackles) has emerged as one of the league's top players, while safety Brandon Gilder anchors an athletic secondary. A four-year starter, Gilder eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark in last weekend's 26-2 win over the Zebras. Quarterback Nelson Baez was brilliant, gaining some much-needed confidence, completing 6 of 8 passes for 217 yards and two scores. Tailback Rakeem Bennett rushed for two touchdowns. He and Da'Avion Ellington have accounted for 359 of Carteret's 392 rushing yards. Colonia 18-16.
No. 9 Bishop Ahr (2-1) at New Brunswick (1-2): A week after upsetting South Plainfield, the Zebras went 0-for-4 in red zone chances and committed two turnovers during a 26-2 loss to Carteret. Running back Maurice Ffrench eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the third consecutive game but was kept out of the end zone for the first time all season. Bishop Ahr must contain gifted quarterback Trevon Blakey, who is a dual threat. New Brunswick loaded the box and was burned on two long touchdown passes. They will have to be more careful against quarterback David Holder, who has completed 13 of 19 passes for 222 yards and two scores since getting knocked out of the team's opener with a pinched nerve in his neck. Dane Lupton (32 carries, 124 yards, 1 TD) and Tim Howard (7 carries, 132 yards, 2 TDs) are Bishop Ahr's leading rushers. One of eight players to catch a pass, Howard is also the team's leading wideout with four receptions for 72 yards and a score. James Robinson is another pass-catching threat. After opening the season with a 35-14 loss to No. 5 Colonia, Bishop Ahr has notched one-point victories over Woodbridge (19-18) and Point Pleasant Boro (13-12). The game pits former Bishop Ahr coach Don Sofilkanich, who left the program earlier this year to take over at New Brunswick, against his former team. Bishop Ahr 21-20.
St. Joseph (0-2) at No. 8 J.F. Kennedy (2-1): After opening the season with lopsided losses to South Plainfield and state power Red Bank Catholic (combined 77-24 margin of defeat), the defending White Division champions had a bye week. Against Red Bank Catholic, the Falcons moved quarterback Breein Tyree, one of the state's best all-around athletes, to wideout in the second half, during which he caught six passes for 99 yards. Tyree may play receiver again, as Javon Hicks proved to be a more than competent signal caller. His move to wideout would allow St. Joseph to maximize its athletes as it attempts to establish a running game following the graduation of 2013 Home News Tribune Offensive Player of the Year Matt Olivo. Hicks (64 yards) and Tyree (63 yards) are the team's leading rushers. J.F. Kennedy has shown a flair for the dramatic, sandwiching a last-second 24-21 win over New Brunswick and a 22-16 win in the closing minutes over South Plainfield around a 21-6 loss to Colonia. Quarterback Andrew Roberts has been brilliant, completing 25 of 49 passes for 435 yards and rushing for 169 more yards. Terence Young, the Home News Tribune's reigning Player of the Week with all three of his team's touchdowns against South Plainfield, has amassed 446 yards rushing and receiving. Wideout Step Oziegbe is another dangerous weapon. J.F. Kennedy 24-18.
Shore (3-0) at Dunellen (2-1): After enduring a 28-14 season-opening loss to Spotswood, Dunellen has rolled up 921 rushing yards in its last two games. Dunellen has averaged 48 points in victories over Metuchen (46-22) and Mater Dei (50-38) with separate rushers (Nassan Anderson against the Bulldogs and Rob Young against the Seraphs) amassing 200-plus yards on the ground. The Destroyers, who have punted just once this season, rolled up 250 rushing yards against Spotswood, a team against which it averaged eight yards per carry. Dunellen will receive a stern test against Shore, a team that returned eight defensive starters and blanked Spotswood 10-0 earlier this season. The Blue Devils have also defeated Keyport (21-6) and Keansburg (44-6). Shore also likes to keep the ball on the ground with a balanced running game. Mike Moore (235 yards), Alex Johnson (133 yards) and Devin McLaughlin (130 yards) pace the offense. Quarterback Ryan Campi has completed just 4 of 22 passes for 47 yards. Dunellen quarterback David Johnson could be the key. Dunellen 30-29.
Spotswood (2-1) at Point Pleasant Beach (2-1): The defending Central Group I champion Garnett Gulls play solid defense and are efficient on offense. They may, however, lack a player with the game-breaking ability of Spotswood's Chase Fee, who could be the difference-maker. Point Pleasant Beach's lone loss is a 14-6 setback to Middlesex. Spotswood has defeated Dunellen 28-14 and Highland Park 42-6. Fee has rushed 43 times for 374 yards and five touchdowns. Rookie quarterback Ryan Smolin has completed 10 of 28 passes for 301 yards and two scores. Spotswood 19-13.
Saturday (all games 7 p.m.)
Perth Amboy (0-2) at Woodbridge (1-2): A vastly improved Woodbridge team rebounded from a 14-7 loss to No. 7 Carteret and a 19-18 setback to No. 9 Bishop Ahr with an impressive 21-12 win over Colts Neck last weekend. With a little more success in the red zone against the Ramblers or being able to convert a field goal attempt in the closing seconds against Bishop Ahr, Woodbridge would be ranked in the Top 10. Quarterback Tracy Fudge (32 of 55 for 327 yards) has provided the Barrons with the passing threat they lacked a year ago. Wideout Quaasim Glover (17 catches, 187 yards) is his favorite target. Nate Lanier (31 carries, 321 yards, 3 TDs) and Zahneer Shuler (17 carries, 121 yards, 2 TDs) pace a balanced running game. Percy Martin (32 tackles), Donavan Brown (29 tackles) and Ryan Alcott (27 tackles) anchor the defense. After enduring an injury-plagued 40-0 season-opening loss to Middletown North, Perth Amboy looked better in a 35-14 setback to No. 5 Colonia last weekend. Quarterback Manny Saucedo, the younger brother of former Panthers star Faustino, completed 10 of 21 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown in defeat. Woodbridge 26-14.
Asbury Park (0-3) at No. 10 Middlesex (3-0): The Blue Bishops lost 15-12 to Point Pleasant Beach, which the Blue Jays defeated 14-6. Asbury Park was also defeated by Metuchen (34-6) and Mater Dei (30-20). The team has proved to be vulnerable to the sack. The Blue Jays have played stout defensively all season and the triple option is operating on all cylinders. Fullback Matt Hode (34 carries, 245 yards, 1 TD) makes the offense go along with quarterback A.J. Abate, who has been successful off play action, completing 4 of 7 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Kayshawn Wilson (16 carries, 126 yards, 3 TDs) and Anthony Marshall (13 carries, 138 yards, 2 TDs) are also keys. Wilson and Dennis Brodnax have all the team's receiving yards. Middlesex 20-12.
South River (1-2) at Keansburg (1-2): The Titans were outscored 87-12 in losses to Shore and Mater Dei. They needed an interception in the end zone to preserve a 22-20 victory over winless Highland Park. Running back Mario Nigro (48 carries, 210 yards, 2 TDs) leads the Rams. Quarterback Nick Lepore has completed 20 of 42 passes for 159 yards and two scores. Linebacker Sean Darrar (22 tackles) and end Richie LeoGrande (21 tackles) anchor the defense, which has intercepted four passes and recovered three fumbles. South River 28-12.
Staff Writer Greg Tufaro: 732-565-7289; gtufaro@mycentraljersey.com