18 Questions

This post was originally called "20 questions" but four teams played today, and two lost including New Egypt. So, intsead we have "18 Questions".


Howell


Section: Central Jersey Group IV
State Wins: Defeated No. 13 Trenton 4-1.
Next Opponent: No. 12 Montgomery, Friday 2 p.m. at Howell HS.
Chances This Game: Howell beat Montgomery 6-0 in last year's CJ IV first round and, while not more talented than last year's team, the Rebels have played a little sharper than the 2006 squad. Montgomery knows who Kyle Bethel is after he torched them last year, but that doesn't mean they can stop him or anyone else on Howell for that matter. Nothing would surprise me more than Howell losing this one.
Chances Going Forward: If they win as expected, Howell will either get a hot East Brunswick team at home or top-seeded North Brunswick on the road. Still, you have to like Howell's chances against either. They are the best team in this bracket, and it's just a matter of proving it.



Manalapan


Section: Central Jersey Group IV
State Wins: Defeated No. 11 Brick 3-0.
Next Opponent: No. 3 Hunterdon Central, Friday 2 p.m. at HCHS.
Chances This Game: 50-50 give or take. In last year's sectional final, Hunterdon Central did a nice job containing George Quintano until he finally broke free in the 96th minute for the game-winning goal. In that game, Dann Delorenzo and Erik Ilisije played well for the Braves and Grinkevich kept them in it with some big saves. Hunterdon Central returns a lot, and the Braves add Adam Rice, who missed the game last year, to the rematch. I like the way Brandon Russo and the defense have been playing, so my guess is that Manalapan prevails.
Chances Going Forward: We'll have a better idea after watching how Rancocas Valley fairs against Jackson. Manalapan was clearly the better team when they played Jackson, but I couldn't see the Jags getting 5-0'd (made up word alert) if it comes to that. If the Braves get to the finals, Howell is not the only rival that could be waiting for them. North Brunswick has seen Manalapan the last two years, including the 2005 finals when Manalapan blew a 2-0 lead and ultimately fell 3-2.



Jackson Memorial


Section: Central Jersey Group IV
State Wins: Defeated No. 10 West Windsor South 1-1, 3-2 in PKs.
Next Opponent: No. 2 Rancocas Valley, Friday 2 p.m., at RVHS.
Chances This Game: Based on how they've played the last two games, I might be a little worried for the Jaguars. Based on the way Brick Memorial gave RV trouble, I like Jackson's chances. So, ultimately, it's up to the Jags here. They put up an early goal on WWPS, gave up what sounded like a flukey goal before the half, and leaned on Morgans for the win in PKs. That's not necessarily a bad game, but you would have liked to see a dominant outing after the whooping they caught from Manalapan. Still, the tournament's all about survival and Jackson did just that. If they build on the win, they have the wherewithal to knock off the Red Devils and get a possible rematch with Manalapan.
Chances Going Forward: Once the Jags get by this game, its a little more unclear where they stand. They are not getting beat 5-0 again, but that Manalapan game raised some questions about the defense, and maybe even moreso in their attack, which produced zero quality shots. I wouldn't rule out them beating Manalapan in a rematch, but their defense will have to be flawless. Jackson can hang with North Brunswick in the finals, but they'd have a real tough time playing with Howell.



Toms River East


Section: South Jersey Group IV
State Wins: Bye
Next Opponent: No. 7 Vineland, Friday at 3 p.m., at TRHSE
Chances This Game: TR East controlled Marlboro in its SCT, PK loss tot he Mustangs. They played a great defensive second half, and Brandon Zeller is rarely going to be outdone on the field. The only way I see East losing this game is if they aren't ready to play, which Ted Gillen and his seniors won't let happen.
Chances Going Forward: After the Vineland game, things get a little more interesting. The Raiders would get either TR South or Lenape in the semis, which present two different challenges. The battle of Toms River would be a toss-up in my view because of familiarity, while Lenape is more of a mirror image of East in terms of the style they play. The good news is that the Raiders are at home against either one, so their chances to make it to a second straight sectional final are good.



CBA


Section: South Non-Public A
State Wins: Defeated No. 5 SJV 4-1.
Next Opponent: No. 1 St. Augustine, Tuesday 2 p.m., at St. Augustine HS.
Chances This Game: These two are probably getting tired of running into one another. CBA upset the Hermits as an eighth seed in last year's sectional final, while St. Augustine beat CBA in overtime the year before. I thought CBA would have a better team going into the year, but they miss the big-save ability of Scott Micallef. Other than that, the Colts are pretty much the same team that came within a goal of the Non-Public A title. This will certainly be a one-goal game, but my guess is Augustine gets their revenge.
Chances Going Forward: Like I said, this CBA team has similar abilities to the team that made a run last year. They'll need to protect the goal much better than they have in order to get out of the South and to TCNJ, but they have it in them. If they can get by Augustine, Monsignor Donovan will likely be waiting for them, which is a winable game. As someone who covers the Shore, I would love to see Mon Don CBA and I'd struggle to choose between that and Howell-Manalapan Part 8.



Toms River South


Section: South Jersey Group IV
State Wins: Defeated No. 11 Cherry Hill East 3-1.
Next Opponent: No. 3 Lenape, Friday 2 p.m., at Lenape HS.
Chances This Game: I've mentioned TR South's road record in this spot and in the paper before, and it comes into play here. What is really comes down to is that TRS is very tough on the turf and have trouble on the natural surface, which Lenape happens to play on. Lenape will want to play soccer, while the Indians will try to get up and down the field and to Ian Martin's feet in a hurry. From what I know, Lenape is very tough, and I think they'll be too tough for South.
Chances Going Forward: If TRS can pull this one out, they'll be in pretty good shape. I think East is the better team, but South is certainly capable of beating the Raiders on their home turf. If TR East loses to Vineland, then the Indians would have a home game. If the TRS works its way to the finals, don't count out a home game against TR North. More on them later.



Monsignor Donovan


Section: South Non-Public A
State Wins: Bye
Next Opponent: No. 3 Gloucester Catholic, Tuesday 2 p.m., at Whitty Road Fields.
Chances This Game: The home game helps and the Griffins are clearly a battle-tested team. I thought they were a sleeper to get to the finals of the SCT and even in losing to Jackson, they played a very good Group IV school tough. Mon Don is talented enough to win and they might have been well-served to take a loss before states. I like their chances to make the finals.
Chances Going Forward: The North Jersey Schools are typically better, but other than that, I don't know how Mon Don would match up with a team like Seton Hall Prep or Pingry. Either CBA or Augustine in the sectional final would be a good game that could go either way. I'll delve deeper into a CBA matchup if it happens.



Central


Section: South Jersey Group III
State Wins: Bye
Next Opponent: No. 6 Deptford, Friday 2 p.m., at Central Regional HS.
Chances This Game: The Golden Eagles are a sound team with a very good scorer up front in Gashlin, which is similar to how Deptford is built. From what I gather, the difference is the Central defense with Kazuki Io in net. If he plays true to form, Central should move on.
Chances Going Forward: I see Central in a win-win situation if they survive Deptford. Either they avoid No.7 Shawnee or they get a home game. Either way there is a silver-ling as long as they can get by Deptford. No. 1 Ocean City in the finals would be tough, but there is always the possibility of Ocean City getting knocked off and Central hosting the sectional finals.



Monmouth


Section: Central Jersey Group III
State Wins: Bye
Next Opponent: No. 10 Ocean, Friday 2 p.m., at Monmouth Regional HS.
Chances This Game: Ocean battled Monmouth to a 1-1 tie in the last meeting between the two teams, while Monmouth put a 3-0 hurting on them in the first game. Ocean is as healthy as they've been in a while and looked sharp in a 2-0 win over Lakewood. Monmouth has been inconsistent, which is not a good trait to have in a tournament. They've had time to get right since a loss to Howell, most importantly in terms of Tiago Dutra's health. They should be able to get by Ocean.
Chances Going Forward: Monmouth needs to be a lot more consistent, and a team like Red Bank can give them problems with their tough defense and skill players. The Falcons are talented enough to beat anyone in the section, including Princeton, but they wear many hats. It's going to take their better soccer than they've played to wear the crown.



Red Bank


Section: Central Jersey Group III
State Wins: Defeated No. 14 Point Boro 4-1.
Next Opponent: No. 11 Hopewell Valley, Friday 2 p.m., at RBR.
Chances This Game: I like RBR a lot in this one. Jackson saw Hopewell Valley in preseason, and coach Steve Bado didn't seem to think they were anything special. He was very impressed by Red Bank in a PK win over the Bucs in the SCT, and while how you play against Jackson is not the be-all, end-all of comparison. But with that as a frame of reference, and considering Red Bank's skill and senior leadership, I like the Bucs to move on.
Chances Going Forward: I'd favor Red Bank to make the sectional finals over Red Bank at this point, only because you know what you're getting from them. Monmouth will bring the intensity, but that can hurt them as much as it helps them. I'd give the edge in talent to Monmouth, and if they are on their game, the Falcons will be a very tough out for Red Bank.



Manasquan


Section: Central Jersey Group II
State Wins: Bye
Next Opponent: No. 6 Governor Livingston, Friday 2 p.m., at Sea Girt Army Base.
Chances This Game: Manasquan walks the fine line between winning and losing seemingly every game, but they've learned not only to live with it, but to thrive while doing so. Manasquan won't let the game open up enough to blow anyone out, but they can control a game without dominating the score. The Warriors need a win to get the ball rolling, and I think they'll get enough from their attack to give the defense a goal or two. That's usually all it takes.
Chances Going Forward: This is my favorite to win the section. With apologies to Rumson and Shore, Manasquan plays better defense, and still has the man-power up front to put the ball in the net. They have had great success in this bracket over the past two years and have also played tougher schedules than Shore and Rumson. Somerville will be very tough on the road in the semis should Manasquan get there, but they've seen much better teams along the way. As always, finishing is key with them and they always seem to come up with the big goal in postseason.



Rumson-Fair Haven


Section: Central Jersey Group II
State Wins: Bye
Next Opponent: No. 8 Shore, Friday 2 p.m., at RFHHS
Chances This Game: Horrible draw for Rumson. They have already been through two wars with Shore, the Blue Devils will not be thrown off by the Bulldogs' style, and they are hungry for a win after two very tough losses. With that said, I like Rumson because they will be on the turf. They are faster than Shore, their height advantage will help with those high bounces, and it's harder for Shore to play possession on them on the fast track. Shore will be in full force, but Rumson has more experience and the homefield advantage going for it.
Chances Going Forward: Rumson should get to the sectional final if it can survive Shore (literally and figuratively). They have a lot of talent, they are hard to run with, and can score when they need to. They've shown they can win the close game, but I've been more impressed by Manasquan when they've played up than when Rumson has. On the other hand, Rumson played pretty well against Class A Central, going 1-1 with a win over Red Bank and a loss to SJV. I think Manasquan is better, but don't discount the homefield for Rumson.



Shore


Section: Central Jersey Group II
State Wins: Defeated No.9 Carteret 2-1.
Next Opponent: No. 1 Rumson, Friday 2 p.m., at RFHHS.
Chances This Game: Despite losing twice to Rumson this year, Shore wouldn't have it any other way in the second round. There's something to be said for Shore really wanting another crack at Rumson while Rumson has to be shaking their heads at the draw. Shore is going to have to play smart, and under control, something I haven't seen them do for a full game yet. They lost control against a better Freehold Twp. team, and let too many external factors affect them in a winable game at Rumson. Anyone who has been on this blog knows that this rivalry is fierce, so I think cooler heads will prevail in this one.
Chances Going Forward: Shore has not played a great game yet this year. They split with Point Beach, got swept by Rumson, tied Ocean, got blasted by Freehold Twp., lost to Raritan, and failed their A North test against Colts Neck. Their wins have come from the Henry Hudson/Asbury/Mater Die trio (6 wins), one from Point Beach, two from St. Rose, and one against Carteret. Again, they can beat Rumson, but if they had to face Manasquan or a team that beat Manasquan, they'd be the underdog.



Holmdel


Section: North Jersey 2 Group III
State Wins: Defeated No. 5 Ferris 1-0.
Next Opponent: No. 4 Nutley, Friday 2 p.m., at Nutley HS.
Chances This Game: What little senior experience Holmdel has is in the back, and those seniors were up to the task in a 1-0 win over Ferris. John Nacarlo has done as good of a coaching job as anyone at the Shore and I expect Holmdel to play another tough game on the road in round two. That they are even in the tournament with so many freshmen and sophomores playing large roles is key for their development.
Chances Going Forward: I don't see the run going past this round. Maybe the Hornets get a win, but they've had lapses at times, which should be expected from a young team. If they surprise Nutley, top-seeded Cranford will likely be waiting for them and they should have enough to beat Holmdel.



Toms River North


Section: South Jersey Group IV
State Wins: Defeated No. 5 Oakcrest 3-0.
Next Opponent: No. 4 Cherry Hill West, Friday 2 p.m., at CHWHS
Chances This Game: Pretty good actually. I guess you could accuse me of being a Toms River North apologist, but I promise, there is reason it seems that way (other than the fact that I'm a Seattle Mariners fan). I ranked them #4 in the Shore preseason, which was clearly wrong, but they have the talent of a top 10 team. Now that they are healthy, they are playing much better and these top teams in South Jersey - including TR East and TR South - seem beatable. CH West has some very good athletes, but the No. 12 M's are confident that, when healthy, that can beat athletes in a game of soccer. We'll see what they are made of.
Chances Going Forward: The potential quarterfinal game between Washington Twp. and TRN is an interesting one because even though there is a large discrepancy between seeds. This was the 8-9 game in last year's first round and No. 9 TRN played No. 8 Washington even until Washington won on PKs. I don't know what Washington brings back, but TRN has some major players back from last year and some very good sophomores that are starting to fit into their roles. I wouldn't rule out an all Toms River sectional final at this point.



Point Beach


Section: South Jersey Group I
State Wins: Defeated No. 2 New Egypt 0-0, 5-4 on PKs
Next Opponent: Winner of No. 3 Clayton vs. No. 6 Woodbury, Tuesday, at site of winner.
Chances This Game: Hard to say without knowing who they'll be playing, but then again, I don't know much about either potential opponent. Both Clayton and Woodbury made the sectional semis last year, where Point Beach beat Clayton 3-0 to get to the sectional finals. Clayton is traditionally a very good Group I school, but Beach is battle-tested and have a very similar team to the one that made it to the sectional finals last year.
Chances Going Forward: Well a win over Clayton/Woodbury puts Beach back in the finals for the second straight year. They have tested themselves in the regular season against some very good Group II schools and even against a Group IV power in TR East. The Gulls have a very realistic shot to win this section as a seven-seed.



Neptune


Section: Central Jersey Group III
State Wins: Defeated Lawrence 3-2
Next Opponent: No. 1 Princeton, Friday 2 p.m., at Princeton High School.
Chances This Game: I saw Neptune get beat 5-0 by Princeton last year because it was about five minutes from my house. I won't be watching that game again this year, but not because I think it will be a repeat of last year. Both teams are improved, but Neptune is much better than it was last year while Princeton had much less to improve upon. I expect the Little Tigers to play big and win, but Neptune is going to suprise them with their attack. If the Fliers can get a score early they'll play them tough. If they get two goals early, they might shock them.
Chances Going Forward: Any team that can take out the top seed in this bracket has a chance to win the whole thing, especially a team like Neptune that has shown it can put wins together. Monroe will be very tough on whoever gets them in the semis, and Red Bank, Monmouth, or even Ocean could be threats to win the section if they get to the last game. Neptune has beaten both Ocean and Monmouth during its seven game winning streak, but they lost to Red Bank in the middle of a four-game losing streak. The Fliers have a high ceiling, which they'll have to reach to win its next game.



Ocean


Section: Central Jersey Group III
State Wins: Defeated No. 7 Lakewood 2-0.
Next Opponent: No. 2 Monmouth, Tuesday 2 p.m., at Monmouth Regional HS.
Chances This Game: I went over this game in Monmouth's breakdown. To reiterate, Ocean already gave Monmouth all it could handle in a 1-1 tie and is playing as well as it has all year, while Monmouth might need to work out some kinks. Monmouth is the better team, but Ocean is good enough to beat them if the Falcons don't come to play.
Chances Going Forward: Ocean has benefited greatly from getting into tournament play. They've played close games all year, and during tournament time, they've been forced to play for the win instead of settling for ties. The Spartans have quality wins over Rumson, Wall, and Lakewood, and took CBA into overtime before losing in the SCT. They have a tough road, but facing Princeton and Monroe would be even tougher. With all its rich soccer history, it's not beyond Ocean to end up in the finals.

State Scoreboard

CJ IV

#1 North Brunswick 3, #16 Marlboro 2 - (MARL) Parkin 36', Stone 75'.
Evans Ofori scored with five seconds left on a mistake in the Marlboro backfield to end the Mustangs run in stunning fashion. Mike Stone scored to tie the game at 2-2 10 seconds after North Brunswick's Ibrahim Kamara gave North Brunswick the lead at 74:10.

#2 Rancocas Valley 1, #18 Brick Mem. 0 (OT)
RV's Alexander Kustas scored off of a corner kick in the 98th minute as the number-two seed survived a scare against Brick Mem. According to Brick Memorial keeper Chris Pimentel, Kustas hit the ball with his hand before kicking it past him.

"The ball kind of popped up and he hit it with his hand as I was coming to get it, then he just shot it past me," he said. "I saw it pretty clearly but I guess they (the referees) couldn't see it."
Brick Memorial was just a couple of minutes away from its second straight shootout in the CJ IV playoffs. The Mustangs beat Freehold Township 5-3 on kicks Friday after playing to a 2-2 tie.

#4 Howell 4, Trenton 1 - (HOW) Bethel 1', Ghaffari 31', Calafiore 51', Bethel 65'.

#6 Manalapan 3, #11 Brick 0 - (MAN) Quintano 20', DeFalco 61', Quintano 71'.

#7 Jackson 2, #10 WWPS 1 (Jackson wins 3-2 on kicks) - (JM) Carletta 9', Morgans saved three shots in PKs.

CJ III

#10 Ocean 2, #7 Lakewood 0 - (OCN) Rubenstein 5', Mahaniranananda 52'

#8 Neptune 3, #9 Lawrence 2 - (NEPT) Joyce 52', Fitzsimmons 53', Fitzsimmons 67'.
Neptune spotted Lawrence a goal when they kicked a ball into their own net in the fourth minute, but rallied to beat Lawrence behind two Brennan Fitzsimmons headers off Vinnie Riozzi feeds. The second broke a 2-2 tie in the 67th minute.

#3 Red Bank 4, #14 Point Boro 1 - (RBR) Doherty 10', Child 21', Stern 45', McAlonie 79'; (PB) Quigley 64'.

#4 Monroe 3, #13 Wall 2 - (WALL) Powell, Martino (pk) G each.

CJ II

#8 Shore 2, #9 Carteret 1 - (SHORE) Perrera 28', Pererra 69'.
Mike Pererra scored both Shore goals, including the game-winner that just broke the goal line following a Taylor Scarpino throw-in.

#7 Bordentown 3, Matawan 0

SJ IV

#12 TR North 3, #5 Oakcrest 0 - (TRN) O'Donnell 27', O'Donnell 53', Sica 77'.

#6 TR South 3, #11 Cherry Hill East 1 - (TRS) Leissing 35', Leissing 42, Panecki 46.


SJ III

#6 Deptford 4, #11 Pinelands 2 - (PINE) Vera 4', Ackah 14'.
Samy Ackah scored to tie the game in the 14th, but Deptford scored with 30 seconds left in the first half to take the lead for good.


North 2 III

#12 Holmdel 1, #5 Ferris o - (HOLM) Strickland 77'.
Patrick Strickland burried a shot from 12 yards out after Guilherme Borges won a 50-50 ball and got him the ball near the net.

SJ Group III

Like Central Group II, I'll get into this one more on Friday since there are only three games on Tuesday. The surprise of the bracket, though, is that perennial power Shawnee drew a seventh seed. I know they went through a split, but this was a Group IV power a few years back.

#11 Pinelands at #6 Deptford

The Wildcats made it to the sectional semifinals against Ocean City last year and despite losing most of its starters, they are back in the playoffs and have had time to get healthy. They have a good shot to win this game, but they'll have their hands full with a Central team that's already beat them twice.

SJ Group IV

Washington Twp. and TR East have byes in a bracket that looks empty relative to CJ IV. Washington beat TR North in the first round in a shootout last year and TR East lost to Eastern in the sectional finals after drawing the number one seed. I don't know much about these South Jersey teams except that they beat each other up for most of the year (much like A South) and its reflected in the records. Here's how the other two Toms River schools look in the first round.

#12 Toms River North at #5 Oakcrest

TR North looked like a team with a nice mix of experience and young talented, but this year they have just looked young. They have a lot of skill, they are healthier than they were when they really struggled in the middle of the year. I find it hard to believe they'll beat Oakcrest after losing to Manasquan in the SCT, but that's the way the Mariners have been this year. I wouldn't be surprised to see their season end Tuesday, but I woldn't be surprised to see them in the semis.

#11 Cherry Hill East at #6 Toms River South

I mentioned it in the notebook this week and it's hard to ignore when you break it down:

TR South at home: 9-0
TR South on the road: 3-6

That's good news for Tuesday's game against CHE, but bad news for a game against if #3 Lenape beats #14 Cherokee. The talented Indians have a lot of upside, but it's hard to win a sectional title if you can't win on the road. Unless of course, nobody else can win at home.

CJ Group II

Last year, Raritan made a run to this sectional final before losing to Somerville. With the Rockets out of the picture this year, it's one of the teams it beat that has me thinking about a Shore sectional champ. Since six teams have first-round byes, this is more a preview of a preview. Check out the blog before Friday's games to get the rest of the preview.

#9 Carteret at #8 Shore

Shore might be well-served to get a game under their belts before another game against Rumson. At home against a team that likely won't have the talent the Blue Devils have, Shore should advance to a third game against Rumson (this again?). But they haven't really had a great performance in a big game yet this year, so the opening round game is important beyond just winning.

#10 Matawan at #7 Bordentown

Matawan did great job getting in but beat a couple of weak teams to get there. On the plus side, they tied SJV and competed well in a Class B North division that is comprised mostly of schools that are bigger. They may have another win left in them, which would be big because it would guarantee a .500 season. Unfortunately, they'll have to beat defending sectional champion Somerville if they get by Bordentown.

I'm afraid to ask, but I'll do it anyway...

CJ Group III

Defending sectional champions Princeton may even better than they were last year and the Mercer County Champs have the path to the sectional championship lined up. The good news for the Shore Conference is that they are very likely to have a finalist in the CJ III bracket, with five of the seven teams on the side of the bracket opposite of Princeton. The top-seeded Tigers and #2 Monmouth both get first round byes, but everyone else is playing on Tuesday.

#14 Point Boro at #3 Red Bank

The Bucs have had one of their best years in program history, but face a dangerous game right off the bat. Red Bank has been able to keep the opposition out of the goal this year, but gave up three goals in a game for the first time all year in a loss to Long Branch last week. Point Boro has the dangerous scorer in Kyle Hazard and some talent throughout the field in midfielder Nick Crowning and defender Brian Coeyman. Red Bank counters with Rob Brandt in the back and Rob Child and Marty Stern up front, who have accounted for a vast majority of the offense. If Red Bank brings the tough defense, they should advance, but B South has been strong this year and Point Boro is a big reason. With wins over Monsignor Donovan and Lakewood, ties against Brick and Central, and a narrow 1-0 loss to TR South, the Panthers are not a team to take lightly. If they get by Red Bank, they could easily be in the semifinals.

#13 Wall at #4 Monroe

Two programs with a lot of rich recent history square off in a game that will most certainly be close. Wall certainly have a shot, but I've seen Monroe a few times over the last couple years, although I have't seen them this year. They are well-coached and always talented, and I expect them to make a run whenever they are in the bracket. Wall's back on track after missing the playoffs last year, but this is a tough draw.

#12 West Windsor North at #5 Hamilton West

Hamilton has actually played two local teams this year, beating Neptune 4-3 and Jackson Liberty 3-0. I don't know much about WWPN, but these two are in the same conference, so I'd expect Hamilton to move on and play Monroe or Wall. If Wall gets by Monroe, Hamilton is beatable.

#11 Hopewell Valley at #6 Northern Burlington

Don't know anything about Northern Burlington except that I know where the school is after covering a state softball game there last year. Hopewell Valley played Jackson in the preseason and lost 3-0 to a very tough team. You can't take much from a scrimmage or a loss against a good group IV school, so I can't draw any firm conclusions about this game. The winner will have a tough next opponent, even if Point Boro pulls off an upset.

#10 Ocean at #7 Lakewood

I'll be at this game Tuesday and it should be a good one. Ocean is coming off an SCT loss in which it gave CBA all it could handle, while Lakewood gave Monmouth fits in their first-round SCT loss. Both sides have some talent and will be well prepared for one another as they have most certainly gone over the scouting reports with other local coaches. Both played tough schedules, but I think Lakewood has an advantage in offensive talent and in the homefield advantage. Of course, I thought the exact same thing about Rumson in the first round of th SCT and Ocean took it to them early. Tom Reilly will have his boys ready so it should be a fun one.

#9 Lawrence at #8 Neptune

If Neptune plays well, they will win. Unfortunately for the Fliers, they have been way too streaky to have any idea what kind of game they are going to play. They started 2-4, won seven in a row, and have lost their last four. Neptune got some experience against the CVC when they lost to Hamilton, so that game should give them a decent frame of reference. But the Fliers have enough talent to beat a lot of teams in this bracket so it's all about how they play in the first round. In the second round, they'll have an improved Princeton team that beat them 5-0 last year.

CJ Group IV Preview

I'll just be doing quick looks at some of the brackets that are heavy with Shore Conference teams. I may do picks at some point, but the first round is such a crapshoot because of the different conferences, that to make them now would be pretending I know enough about the teams to do so, which I probably do not. I won't go too much into SJ I (Point Beach) or North 2 III (Holmdel) because there is only one Shore team in each.

Central Jersey Group IV

A remarkable number of teams made it into this bracket with 19 of the 23 eligible teams qualifying. That made for an early start to the playoffs with games this weekend, including wins by Brick Memorial and Marlboro over Freehold Twp. and Midd. North, respectively.

Here's a look at the first round matchup's set for Tuesday, including what I can tell you about the Non-Shore games. All games are set for 2 p.m. at the site of the home team unless otherwise noted.

#16 Marlboro at #1 North Brunswick, 3 p.m. at NBHS

Some people I've talked to love North Brunswick, others think they are a little overrated, and it seems no one is sure whether they have all the elements to win this section. The Raiders already got beat in the GMC Tournament semis, but they do have two studs named Ibrahim Kamara (forward) and Evans Ofari (center-mid.) and they go as they go. Kamara has top-of-the-line talent along the lines of a Kyle Bethel, but he relies on Ofari to set him up. Jackson lost to North Brunswick last year and coach Steve Bado said they took Kamara out of the game without much of a problem. Marlboro, meanwhile has showed they can play with anyone, but I'm not sure they can beat anyone. North Brunswick is not Howell so this would not be a shocking victory by the Mustangs, who beat Sayreville 6-0 last year as a #15 seed, but I do think that the talent on the field for North Bunswick looks like that of a number one seed. I would be impressed with a Marlboro win, but not surprised.

#18 Brick Mem. at #2 Rancocas Valley

A couple of coaches that have seen RV tell me they are pretty good, but I must admit, I don't know as much about them as I do about North Brunswick. They last to Hunterdon Central in last year's first round, and the Red Devils went on to the finals where they lost to Manalapan 3-2 in overtime. Brick Memorial is riding high right now and has been good enough to play with TR South and Jackson at times this year. They played Marlboro tough and they seem to have found consistency. I don't see the Mustangs going past the quarterfinals on friday, but they could certainly get there.

#14 Sayreville at #3 Hunterdon Central

As I mentioned before, Sayreville Bombers were the ones getting bombed last year when they bowed out to Marlboro 6-0 last year as a #2 seed. Maybe they like being the higher seed a little better, but this is a very good team they have to beat. I saw Hunterdon Central against Manalapan last year, with a roster made up with very few seniors (kind of like Howell this year). As long as they are not looking ahead to a rematch with Manalapan, I think the Red Devils (yes there are two Red Devils in this bracket, just like there are two Mustangs and two Raiders. That's what happens in a 19-team bracket) will have a chance at revenge when they meet Manalapan in the quarters.

#13 Trenton at #4 Howell

Howell may very well be the class of this section and if that's not enough, no Shore team will get a crack at them until the semifinals, at the earliest. Last year, they got Manalapan in the second round and we all know how that turned out. But before that, they beat up on Montgomery 6-0 and the Trenton team they'll be playing Tuesday doens't figure to fair much better. Again they, don't always finish and that could be the downfall of any team, but they probably are the best team on this side of the bracket, and that includes North Brunswick.

#12 Montgomery at #5 Steinert

Tough one to call here because while Steinert is good and has lost to some good teams, some of those teams are not group IV schools. Steinert lost to Princeton (a very good group III) in their conference championship, while Montgomery has played some very good competition in teams like Hunterdon Central and Bridgewater. I could see Montgomery pulling this one out and getting some more good competition (Howell) in the next round.

#11 Brick at #6 Manalapan

Manalapan is one of the top three teams in this bracket, but I think they get a tough draw in two regards. First, they have to play a Brick team that I think learned a lot from their 6-0 loss to Howell before the SCT. While Manalapan should be too much for them, I think you'll see that young, scrappy enthusiasm come through as opposed to the overwhelmed inexperience that showed against Howell. Second with regards to Manalapan, if they get by Brick, they have to play a team that gave them a lot of trouble in the sectional finals last year. They'll certainly want to take out their SCT frustrations on Brick by blowing them out, but I don't think Brick will let them. I think Manalapan will get past Brick without a major problem, but the next two rounds are very tricky.

#10 West Windsor South at #7 Jackson

Jackson has a lot of regrouping to do after getting blitzed 5-0 by Manalapan in the SCT semis. WWPS has a couple of tough matchups, but they are not as good as some of the other players Jackson has seen this year. I think the Jags bounce back with a first round win, and how they fare against Rancocas Valley in the next round will be telling as to how good either team is when they take on Manalapan or Hunterdon Central in the sectional semis. I don't expect Jackson to give up 4 goals to anyone from here on out, so as per usual, finishing will be the key.

#9 East Brunswick at #8 South Brunswick

Two more teams that might be a little better than the seeding indicates. South Brunswick, while different than North Brunswick, is not that far off from them. East Brunswick, meanwhile, handed North Brunswick its only loss this year. The Shore comes into play on this side if Marlboro starts another run by beating North Brunswick in the first round and plays one of these two in the second round.

Post Game Thoughts

Great performance by Howell tonight from every single player that saw action. It's easy to pick out a team effort when five different guys score goals, but watching them execute their gameplan makes you appreciate just how good each of their players is.

The two plays of the game were the goal by Bethel that just got over the line in the 11th minute and a near-goal by Caner Semen with about 15 minutes left. In case you didn't see it or hear about it, Semen took a shot that Brian McDonough got a hand on. The ball was about to go over the line when Howell defender Kevin Carbone kicked it out just in time. Very similar plays that both turned into Howell bounces.

I got a pretty good look at both plays. Bethel's goal was definitely the right call, but Semen's was questionable. At first look, it looked like it crossed the line, but I wasn't in great position to see it myself. One of the Brick Memorial girls coaches said they thought it crossed the line too, but take that for what it's worth.

Based on those two plays, that game could have also ended 1-0 Manalapan or tied going into overtime. Based on the rest of play Howell deserved to win the game. They moved the ball beautifully, got more shots, got more quality shots, and played lock-down defense on George Quintano.

I've seen Howell more than any team in the Shore this year, and this is far and away the best Bethel has looked. The first goal was a great set up by Matt Salvatore and Eric O'Neill, but Bethel's speed is what finished it. I talked to Jake Grinkevich real quick and he said he went after the ball like he always would, but when he has to beat Kyle Bethel to the ball, there's not much he can do. In addition to the goal, Bethel created a lot of opportunities and almost had two other goals, but hit the corner of the crossbar and right post on a direct kick and had a shot saved by a leaping Grinkevich late in the game.

Grinkevich couldn't get to the ball on Bethel's first goal, but after that mistake, he played a great game. He made five quality saves in the second half, with three of them being very tough stops. I thought Quintano played okay, but Grinkevich kept Manalapan in the game.

So how good is Howell? I think on a good day, they may be better than last year's Manalapan team. They are more consistent defensively, and while they don't have the size in the midfield, they certainly have the skill. North Brunswick is always tough and they have the number one seed in CJ IV, and I saw Hunterdon Central against Manalapan last year and they are a tough team as well. I've heard Rancocas Valley is good, but not better than Howell, so we'll see.

With only three starters graduating (granted one of those is Bethel), Howell is going to be a good bet to repeat next year. Calafiore, Kappock, Katona, McDonough, Salvatore, Carbone, and DiCharo have all been big and will all be back. I don't know what's going to follow this junior class, but at the very least, we're looking at a pretty major three-year run for the Rebels.

SCT Finals Live

Final - Howell 1, Manalapan 0

72nd minute - Bethel ripped a 30-yard shot that deflected off a leg and was destined to find the back of the net just under the bar, but Grinkevich dove to tip it over the goal.

70th minute - George Quintano shoots just wide of the right crossbar on a 22-yard direct kick. Howell still leads, 1-0, ten minutes from a SCT title.

57th minute - Bethel hit the corner of the crossbar and the right post on an 18-yard direct kick and Grinkevich kept the Braves in the game when he made a save on a shot off the rebound.

47th minute - Bethel took on a defender and shot as he entered the 18, but Jake Grinkevich went down to make the save at the left post.

Halftime - Howell still leads, 1-0.

11:06 - Howell takes a 1-0 lead on a goal by Kyle Bethel from the left side just inside the 6-yard box. The ball just made it over the goal line.

One Friday Score

State Tournament - Central Jersey Group IV Prelims

#18 Brick Mem. 3, #15 Freehold Twp. 2 (Brick Mem. wins in PKs 5-3) - (BM) Wogan 11', Pfeiffer 75', PK: Nathu, Reilly, Raftery, Pfeiffer, Kocher; (FT) Fiorletti 25', Composto 66', PK: Clark, Fiorletti, Egan.

Justin Pfeiffer scored from 16 yards out with 5 minutes left in regulation to send the game to overtime and eventually penalty kicks, where the Mustangs prevailed. Chris Pimentel saved Freehold Twp.'s second pk attempt, a shot to the left of the senior keeper off the foot of Jared Moskowitz. Joe Kocher converted Brick Mem's final kick to seal the win. Brick plays #2 Rancocas Valley Tuesday.

The Finals

#1 Howell (17-2-1) vs. #2 Manalapan (15-2-2)
Saturday, Oct. 27, 5 p.m. at Memorial Field, Neptune

It's Howell-Manalapan for the third time this year and the seventh time in the last two years. What more can you say? I'll think of something.

Once Manalapan righted the ship in the middle of its Class A North schedule, it has been the Rebels and the Braves, and then everybody else. Manalapan showed just how much of a difference there is between the second-best team in the Shore and the third-best team by dominating Jackson from start to finish. Jackson may not be the third-best team, but there isn't much separating Jackson from TR East, CBA, Marlboro, Monsignor Donovan, Toms River South, Monmouth, and Central.

The semifinal game between the two teams was more competitive than the final between TR East and Manalapan, so it's only right that the two will meet in the finals. These two teams are already familiar with what each other does and wants to do, but in case you all aren't, let's have a look.

Howell

From what I've seen, the Rebels are hands-down the best team in the Shore. I saw one Shore Conference coach at the semifinals on Thursday who was in a talking mood, and he told me Howell was the best team he had seen in the entire state and that other coaches around the state have come to the same conclusion. They move the ball beautifully, they have speed, they have two great scorers in Cody Calafiore and Kyle Bethel, they have very good supporting players in Eric O'Neill, Billy Kappock, and Chris Katona, and they have a suffocating defense.

Unfortunately for the Rebels, looking like the best team will amount to nothing for them Saturday night. They will have to score more goals than Manalapan, which they had trouble doing in two postseason meetings with the Braves last year. Howell has a similar team to the one it did last season, for better and for worse. I mentioned some of the good earlier, but patching up their few weaknesses will critical to Howell finishing the job this year.

Howell has two flaws that could work against them Saturday. The first is their inconsistency finishing quality chances. This can happen to any team, and it's not really a major problem, but it has been a theme is some of the Rebels games in which they have lost, or come close to losing. Even in a 5-2 win over Marlboro, there were some early opportunities they couldn't finish before errupting late. Again, not a major problem for a team that creates a lot of opportunities, but if opportunities are hard to come by, finishing will be even more important.

The second flaw is that Howell cannot afford to let Manalapan dictate the pace, more specifically the physicality, of the game. They have been sucked into playing and more up-and-down, phyisical game in the past against the Braves, and it showed in the CJ IV game last year when the Braves beat them 2-0. Even in the 2-2 tie this year, Howell missed some chances earlier and allowed Manalapan to counter for two goals because they got out of their possession game. Howell can win the up and down game because it has some tremendous skill players, but they have not faired well doing so against Manalapan. Howell needs to possess the ball and force Manalapan to do the same in order to build an attack.

Manalapan

The Braves are playing a lot like they did during the postseason last year, which should be a scary proposition for the Rebels and everyone else in Group IV. They are 13-0-2 in their last 15 and only Howell and Midd. North have even come close to beating them.

George Quintano is the front-runner for player of the year after the hat trick against one of the Shore's top defenses in Jackson, and he'll need to be even better against Howell. The Rebels have done a great job keeping him in check this year, holding the senior scoreless in two games. He doesn't necessarily have to score, but he'll need to be able to create scoring chances in some capacity. If Quintano is held down, Caner Semen and Adam Rice will be key for the Manalapan attack. If Quintano is hounded for most of the game, Rice and Semen will have the ball at their feet most of the time.

Manalapan has not shown many weaknesses of late, but their defense has to be at the top of the short list. Brandon Russo has looked very comfortable at sweeper, but the rest of the group was inexperienced coming into the year. They've had time to grow, but Howell was still able to create some quality chances in the second meeting. Jake Grinkevich is as good a goalie as there is in the area, but there are some coaches who don't think he's regained all of his speed since his left ankle injury.

As stated earlier, Manalapan has to dictate the pace of this game, which they have been able to do in their postseason meetings with Howell and in their last two SCT games. The Braves have played great in the postseason in the last two years, and carry with them about as much skill, leadership, and experience that they had last year.

The Last Word

This rivalry reminds me of the Patriots-Colts rivalry, with Howell playing the role of the Colts and Manalapan playing the role of the Pats. Howell is the better team to watch. They play a good-looking brand of soccer and when you look at the skill players on the field, it's hard to find many teams that are better. Meanwhile, Manalapan, while not playing an ugly brand of soccer by any means, plays a more physical game, relying more on creating mismatches and pouncing on quick scoring opportunities rather than trying to possess the ball. The obvious parallel between the rivalries is that Manalapan, like the Pats, had a mental edge over their opponent that showed in these big games. They are able to play the game the way they want to and Howell has trouble getting the game back in their favor. The regular season success means something, but if Howell falls behind early and loses control of the game, it's going to be hard not to say "here we go again.''

I like the way Manalapan is playing right now. They are confident, their defense is playing well, and their top players are playing their best. Howell has a more quiet confidence about them, which is harder to read. What's easy to read is their play on the field. Still, I think there's something to be said about experience. They've both been there, but Manalapan has won this game before. I think they'll do it again.

The Pick: Manalapan 3-2.

State Tournament Pairings

Here are the State Tournament pairings.

I'm not going to go into detail tonight, but I'll give you a listing of the teams and Groups if you are looking for a specific one.

Central Group IV

Manalapan
Howell
Jackson
Brick
Brick Mem.
Marlboro
Midd. North
Freehold Twp.

Central Group III

Monmouth
Red Bank
Ocean
Lakewood
Wall
Neptune
Point Boro

Central Group II

Rumson
Shore
Manasquan
Matawan

South Group IV

TR East
TR South
TR North

South Group III

Central
Pinelands

South Group I

Point Beach

North 2 Group III

Holmdel

Non-Public A

Monsignor Donovan
CBA
SJ Vianney

Game 2 Live

Howell 5, Marlboro 2, Final.

Update: Jack Parkin scored to make it 4-2, but Eric O'Neill scored 13 seconds later to push it to 5-2 with 10:26 left.

Bethel scored what looks to be the capper in the 63rd. Blowout watch is back on.

Katona and Billy Kappock score within two minutes of each other to put Howell up 3-1 with 27:00 to play. Howell has not allowed more than two goals in any game this year. This Marlboro run is in serious jeopardy.

Sam Nunes banged home a rebound attempt 1:31 before the half to tie it at 1. Gorskie sent in a free kick from 45-yards, Stone took the first shot, and Nunes ripped it in. Blowout watch is over for the moment.

Chris Katona scored off a feed from Eric O'Neill in the 11th minute. The concensus in the press box is that Katona was offsides, but certainly debatable. The last game started with Quintano scoring in the 11th minute. We're officially on blowout watch.

Game 1 Live

Manalapan 5, Jackson 0, Final.

Update: Quintano makes it 5-0 with his third goal.

Russo nails a shot from 25 to the right side in the 61st minute and the route is on. 4-0.

Quintano scored 33 seconds later on a breakaway off a missed header to make it 3-0. It's starting to get chippy as Weissman and Quintano just got into a confrontation shortly after the third goal.

Semen beat Tito Nurundeen on a pass from Brandon Russo and put one in the 32nd. Nurundeen, Semen, and Morgans all collided, and Semen got his foot on the ball inside the 18 and poked it in.

George Quintano opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a shot to the near post on the left side from about 20 yards out. Not much Alex Morgans could do on that. Just a perfect shot.

One Last Question

At the beginning of the tournament, I filled out the entire bracket with my picks. I decided to just make predictions round-by-round as an idiot protection policy, which of course is a policy that protects me from looking like an idiot. It only half-worked, because while my original picks were not displayed for all to see, my round-by-round picks weren't all that hot either. I don't have my original bracket in front of me, but I'll give you my original final four picks.

Manalapan over Jackson (I know I picked Donovan on the blog, but I changed my mind).
CBA over Howell
Manalapan over CBA

Here are my revised final four picks:

Howell over Marlboro
Manalapan over Jackson
Manalapan over Howell

You can read about my semifinal picks in the two posts below, but before you do, riddle me this...

Heat Check

#12 Marlboro (12-9) vs. #1 Howell (16-2-1)
Thursday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m., at Memorial Field, Neptune

It's tempting to call Marlboro the hottest team in the Shore right now. They've won eight of their last nine and 10 of their last 13, sneaked into the SCT on the cutoff day, and have downed #5 Toms River East and #4 CBA on the road to make it to Neptune. But can you even call them the hottest team on the field Thursday, when the team on the other side has lost once in their last 18 games, are undefeated in their last 10 games, and beat Marlboro twice, including a 2-0 win on Oct. 10? That's all up for debate, but it has little to no bearing on who will win when the two teams meet for a third time Thursday night. Let's take a look at what will matter.

Marlboro

Even coach Dave Santos and the Marlboro players mention luck the biggest factor in their team's turnaround. as they put it, they weren't playing bad early in the season, but rather just getting unlucky. Now that the bounces are going in their favor, the scores are starting to go in their favor as well.

That have had some good luck during this run, but that's not nearly the entire story. The most important personnel move Marlboro made was to move junior Alex DeJohn to sweeper, which has turned Marlboro from an average-to-below-average defensive team, to a very good one. The Mustangs were scoring goals even during their tough times, bit now the efforts of top scorers Mike Stone (11 goals) and Hunter Gorskie (eight goals, 13 assists) are going towards a winning cause rather than going to waste.

Offensively, Marlboro probably relied too much on Gorskie early in the season. Mike Stone got hot a few games into the year, the rest of the Marlboro team has gradually become more involved in the attack. During the SCT, Marlboro has scored six goals in three games, with four different players scoring. The kicker (pun intended) is that those two leading scorers (Gorskie and Stone) have not scored any of the six goals. The Mustangs main source of SCT scoring has been Mario Rangel, who only had two goals during the regular season. The sophomore opened the scoring in the SCT for Marlboro, and scored both goals during the PK win over Toms River East, including a perfect shot with 42 seconds left to send the game to overtime. Trailing CBA 1-0 on Tuesday, Jack Parkin came through with a shot to tie the game and Sam Weinberger converted a feed from Hunter Gorskie to win it. They are starting to score from all angles, much like their opponent Thursday night.

In its last two games, Marlboro showed an ability control possession, including against a CBA team that tries to do the same thing. TR East threw them off when they played a much more physical and much better defensive second half. The challenge for Marlboro Thursday will be to play their possession game against the best possession team in the Shore, while at the same time trying to maintain possession against an equally tough defense.

Howell

There were some rumblings lasat year about how Manalapan and Howell should have been on opposite sides of the bracket, and those rumblings were quieted when those two got the top two seeds. But Howell had to feel a little snubbed that they were looking at CBA for a third time if the seeds held up. The Rebels don't get CBA, but they do get another Class A North team that they have already seen twice, while Jackson gets a new opponent in Manalapan.

The third-time-is-a-charm rule came into play for Marloro against CBA, but does it against Howell? While the Mustangs played CBA tough in two losses, Howell beat them by a combined 6-0 in their two matches, 4-0 the first time and 2-0 the second time. Howell has done it in every facet of the game this year, scoring with their two superstars Cody Calafiore (12 goals, 13 assists) and Kyle Bethel (eight goals, six assists), getting scoring contributions from their role players, and playing some of the best defense in the Shore despite losing two of the area's best defenders to graduation in Mike Krol and Paul Calafiore.

The defense starts in the midfield, with Billy Kappock, who has filled Paul Calafiore's role as the team's top two-way player. Kappock has come up with four goals this year and is all over the field on most days. Matt Salvatore has replaced Krol as sweeper, and while he doesn't transition to the attack like Krol could, he has cleaned up nicely in the back. George DiCharo has been the stopper, shutting down George Quintano in two meetings with Manalapan and limiting Monmouth's Eric Mackin in the Rebels' quarterfinal win Tuesday. Brian McDonough doesn't see much action in goal, but when teams have penetrated the defense and got to McDonough, he's been up to the challenge.

EDIT: DiCharo - marking back, Kappock - stopper.

Most teams focus on Bethel when stopping the Howell attack. While that was easier to do when Bethel was hobbling around on a bum ankle, it hasn't been as easy as his health has improved. Even if the Mustangs can keep Bethel in check, Howell's offense runs through Calafiore and making life hard on him would be worse for Howell than if Bethel could not get free. Even so, both Calafiore and Bethel were quiet against Monmouth, and the Rebels prevailed. The defense is the key.

Last Word

We've seen the third-time-is-a-charm possibility come into play twice this SCT, and it's 1-for-2. Donovan beat Pinelands for a third time, but CBA couldn't beat Marlboro for a third. For Marlboro to pull it off again, they are going to need a little bit of help. Howell's losses this year have not come from getting outplayed or getting sloppy, but just flat-out not finishing. Their defense is very good, but not dominant and they can be beat. Marlboro will need to disrupt the flow of Howell's possessions and they'll need the Rebels to help them out by missing the chances that their offense will invariably create. I actually like the chances of that happening, because, Marlboro is playing so loose right now and Howell looks tight at times, which can lead to forcing the issue at times.

I might have picked Marlboro if I didn't watch Howell come back to tie Manalapan during their Oct. 3 deadlock. In the game, Howell erased a 2-0 deficit to come away with a tie against a team that looked like it had a real mental edge on them. But this Howell team is on a mission and I think they've moved on from the disappointment of last year's SCT semifinal loss to Manalapan. There are teams out there that can beat Howell, but I don't think there are many that can beat them on this night, and that includes Marlboro.

The Pick: Howell 2-0 .


Question of the Game

Mohawks vs. Bleach Blondes

#3 Jackson Memorial (14-3-2) vs. #2 Manalapan (14-2-2)
Thursday, Oct. 25, 5 p.m. at Memorial Field, Neptune

Are you an adolescent who wants to wear his hair in a ridiculous looking fashion, but can't do so without catching flack from your parents? Well, it appears all you have to do is play sports with a bunch of guys who want to wear the same ridiclous hairstyle.

Unity hairstyles are common in sports, from the buzz cuts (1998 Pacers, this year's Mets), to facial hair (2005 Astros, the 2005-06 Cleveland Cavs), or even just wearing headbands (half of the college basketball teams in the U.S.). That doesn't make them look any less puzzling, but if the group's doing it, I guess each player thinks it looks good.

The first game of the Shore Conference Tournament Semifinals between No. 3 Jackson and No. 2 Manalapan not only pits two of the areas best teams against one another, but could also, potentially, pit the two most hideous team hairstyles conceivable against one another.

Jackson has taken a liking to the Mohawk over the last two years, or perhaps more aptly termed fo most of the players, the Fohawk. The differnce between the two is that the Mohawk is the more of the punk-rock look involving gel and a completely bald look surrounding the streak of hair, where as the Fohawk just looks like the barber missed a spot. Kevin Gorr has the closest thing to a true Mohawk, whereas the rest of the team pretty much just mailed it in and wore Fohawks. The advantage to the mohawk/fohawk style is definitely that it takes a minute to get rid of, as long as you can deal with having no hair for a while.

Then there is Manalapan. When I was a freshman in high school, my baseball team took a trip to Florida, and not all the freshmen got to go. I was left out and it was a little disappointing, until everyone who went on the trip came back with bleached hair. How this could strike anyone as a good idea is beyond me. If it's superstition, I guess I can't argue with it, because Manalapan has certainly had more fun as blondes, going 34-6-3 over the past two years with an SCT and CJ Group IV title to boot. I just can't see what would make anyone say, "Hey I have an idea. Let's all look like Nazis! They were a good team, right?"

Getting past the hair, this is quite a matchup. Both teams are back in the final four for the second straight year and playing at the top of their games. Let's take a look at each.

Jackson

Jackson is a different team this year than it was last year, leaning even more on its defense and embracing its identity as a fast, strong, and hard-nosed team. When I talked to coach Bado and his players at the beginning of the year, they all agreed that they had a sort of idenity crisis, in so many words, towards the end of last year. They had Ben Rodkey and ran their offense through him, but at the same time, they had a lot of thes same kind of bruisers that they do this year. So part of the time, they tried to play this precision game with Rodkey's skill, and other times they'd play a more physical brand of soccer and that, along with Alex Morgans' red card late in the year, took a lot of steam out of an early season run.

There have been times this year I'm sure Jackson would have liked to have someone of Rodkey's skill level on the field, but this is a team that embraces what it is moreso that they did last year: a big, strong, fast, defensive team, with a great keeper. They have not allowed a goal in two SCT games, have allowed just seven goals all year (tops in the Shore Conference), and have allowed two goals in a game just twice (losses to Brick and Toms River South). Their guys in the midfield have had some issues putting the ball in the net at times, but don't interpret that to mean they are a little weak in the midfield and up front. Midfielders Andrew Ventura, Kevin Gorr, Matt Riley, and Cory Weissman can control the game both with their athleticism and their ability to possess the ball, as they showed in a 2-0 quarterfinal win over Monsignor Donovan.

Tito Nurundeen is their key player in the back, because he has the speed to go from defense to offense and back. Most of the time, when the Jags win a ball in their half of the field, their players will blast the ball the other way and let Mike Carletta try to run it down. Nurundeen, though, can win a ball and bring it up himself. There's no right way to counter, but Nurundeen gives Jackson the option to keep the ball on the ground to move it forward.

The great aspect of Jackson's game is you know what you are going to get out of them. They may or may not be converting their chances, but even against a great offensive team like Manalapan, they shouldn't give up more than a goal or two assuming they are on their game, which they have been all year.

Manalapan

Unlike Jackson, Manalapan is the same type of team as they were last year when they won this tournament, the Central Jersey IV title, and were a win away from the Group IV crown. Their two biggest losses from that team were midfielders Erik Illisije and Dann DeLorenzo, and they had some trouble adjusting to life without those two at the beginning of the season.

The most important development, however, for the Braves has been the gradual improvement in health of keeper Jake Grinkevich, who missed the first game of the season with a high left ankle sprain. He and Morgans are the two best goalies in the Shore and since Grinkevich has been healthy, so has the Manalapan defense. The Braves started the season 2-2 and in losses to CBA and Howell, they allowed 10 goals. Since, they are 12-0-2 and have allowed only eight goals in those 14 games. In their last seven games, Manalapan is 6-0-1 and has outscored the opposition 25-2, including a 4-0 drubbing of a Toms River South team that gave Jackson a lot of trouble in two meetings.

Quietly, George Quintano is having an even better year than he did last year. GQ had 10 goals and 21 assists in 2006, and this year, already has 20 goals and 13 assists. But he made a name for himself by playing like an unstoppable force in postseason, both in the SCT and State Tourney, and he'll have to play at a similar level for Manalapan to have the same success. So far, so good, as Quintano has three goals and two assists in two SCT games. I've never seen Quintano not get chances, but I have seen him struggle to finish. Tito Nurundeen and Bob Lindstrom will have to do their part to limit his chances and Morgans will have to make it hard for him to finish.

Outside of Quintano, there are three key players to Manalapan's success: Adam Rice, Caner Semen, and Brandon Russo. Rice was injured for a good part of last year, and looked a little rusty to start the year, but has been as good as any midfielder in the Shore during Manalapan's 14-game unbeaten streak. Semen flies under the radar playing up front with Quintano, but his prescence is a big reason for GQ's success. If opponents key too much on Quintano, Semen is sure to to beat them. Plus, it's always a laugh to hear the awkward pause from the PA announcer before saying his last name. Russo is the heart-and-soul of the Manalapan defense. Most coaches don't bring up his name when talking about top defenders, but I think he belongs in the conversation. He goes hard after loose balls, he can stay in front of pretty much anyone, and he has matured as a leader over the past year. Last year, Russo lost his cool in the SCT semis when he drew a red card and played the same way in the states. This year, he has played much more under control and his game has improved.

The Last Word

Both teams play physical, but I think Jackson can play that game a little better than Manalapan can. Manalapan can rough up more skill-heavy teams like Howell, CBA, Freehold Twp., and Marlboro, but they won't push Jackson around. On the other side, Jackson can indeed play more physical than Manalapan, but they can't match their skill up front. Alex Morgans has been the best goalie in the Shore and he's going to have to be, because Manalapan will get shots on goal. Not only does Morgans have to deal with the best attack he's seen, but there is a goalie on the other side that can match his efforts. The difference it, Manalapan is a better team at finishing. That's what these games ultimately come down to, and I think that's the difference in this one.

The Pick: Manalapan 2-1


Question of the Game



Howell-Marlboro preview to come (without the hair-do breakdown).

Tuesday SCT Results

#1 Howell 1, #8 Monmouth 0 - (HOW) Carbone 45'.

The Howell defense kept Eric Mackin in check and got a pretty goal from Kevin Carbon in the 45th minute to squeak past Monmouth. Carbone juked a defender from about 30 yards out on the right side and blasted an open shot past keeper Kevin Marron from the 18 to the far post.

#12 Marlboro 2, #4 CBA 1 - (MAR) Parkin 58', Weinberger 67'; (CBA) A. Liapis 47'.

The Marlboro magic continued thanks to second-half goals by Jack Parkin and Sam Weinberger that knocked off CBA. Andrew Liapis put CBA up 1-0 early in the second half, but Marlboro responded a little more than 10 minutes later with Parkin's goal. The win is Marlboro's 10 in its last 13 games, and gives the Mustangs it's first ever appearance in the SCT semifinals, according to coach Dave Santos. Marlboro lost to CBA in its two regular season meetings, and its semifinal opponent, Howell, also beat the Mustangs twice in the regular season.

#2 Manalapan 4, #7 Toms River South 0 - (MAN) Quintano (pk) 15', DeFalco 48', Franklin 51', Semen 78'.

George Quintano got Manalapan started by converting a first-half penalty kick after he was taken down in the box, and the Braves rolled past Toms River South and into the semifinals with a three-goal second half.

#3 Jackson 2, #6 Monsignor Donovan 0 - (JM) Riley 39', Ventura (pk) 56'.

Matt Riley broke through in the 39th minute and Andrew Ventura capped the scoring with a penalty kick in the 56th, as Jackson ended Donovan's 13-game winning streak and advanced to the semifinals to play Manalapan. The game pitted the top two goalies in the Shore in terms of shutouts in Jackson's Alex Morgans and Donovan's Kyle Milana, with Jackson emerging with his Shore-leading 14th shutout.

SCT Quarterfinals

After much deliberation, here are the picks.

#8 Monmouth (12-3-2) at #1 Howell (15-2-1)

This game reminds me of last year's quarterfinal game between Howell, who was the No. 1 seed, and No. 9 Holmdel. Like that Holmdel team from last year, there are a lot of seniors on Monmouth who have been playing together fo a long time, and there has to be a "now or never" mentality with the team. They've had a nice run up to this point, but it's games like this that can define a team, a class, and/or a program. This is the biggest game in the history of the program, so the Falcons will be geared up to play, but there are a few concerns: 1) The health of Tiago Dutra; 2) Eric Mackin against an A North team that can match his athleticism; and 3) Kyle Bethel. Dutra played well in the win over Brick, but wasn't going to play unless needed. If he's not himself, it's going to be hard for Mackin to be himself. Mackin could not do anything against Marlboro without Dutra and it's going to be more of the same if the senior midfielder is not their for Mackin. Monmouth is going to need Jared Flynn to step up in the midfield, which he has done on several occasions this year, as well as a big performace from Josh Martin, who will presumably be marking Bethel.


Monmouth is going to be fired up to play and I think they will throw everything they have at Howell. But if it's not Bethel that beats you, there is Cody Calafiore, who has been the backbone of the team this year, or Billy Kappock, or Eric O'Neill. This Rebels team is on a mission and they have played well when teams have challenged them. They'll get challenged here, but they'll be up for it.

The Pick: Howell 4-2.





#12 Marlboro (11-9) at #4 CBA (11-4-1)

I was surprised it took this long for the CBA crowd to start making some noise on these comment threads, but it's funny what a little perceived disrespect can do. I was leaning towards Marlboro earlier on the "third time's a charm" theory, since CBA won the first two meetings 4-3 and 3-2. But there could be another dynamic at play here. What if CBA is so much better than Marlboro, and those first two games were the result of Marlboro's best efforts? Then, presumably, CBA has yet to play its best game against Marlboro this year and instead of the third time being a charm for a Marlboro win, the third time would be a charm for CBA domination. People fail to mention that when talking about how it's hard to beat a team three times.

What I love about this game is that these are two teams that have raised their play in big games and when a game is on the line. CBA showed its vulnerability by letting its guard down against Freehold Twp. in the second game of the year, but has been great in close games since, going 8-3 in games decided by one goal (to go with one tie), and has won its last five games, each by one goal. The Colts are scoring the ball better than they did last year, but their defense has not been as strong. Jim Lannon is as good a sweeper as there is in the Shore Conference, but he likes to push up to strengthen to attack, which leaves the back vulnerable. Last year, CBA had a better keeper to offset any mistakes, where as this year, Alessio is a keeper that needs more protection. Marlboro will make them pay, and has made them pay for defensive lapses. CBA is a patient team, but they need to be even more patient and stay stong defensively for 80 minutes. Marlboro did not respond well when TR East played more physical second half, and I'm not sure CBA will play that physical, or that they even should, but the they have to keep Marlboro's chances to a minumum. The third time will be a charm, but for whom? I'm sensing a big game from CBA.

The Pick: CBA 3-1.





#6 Monsignor Donovan (16-2) at #3 Jackson Memorial (13-3-2)


If Toms River South can't go into Manalapan and win, this could be the closest thing we'll get to an Ocean County Championship game. The two teams are coming off of opposite games, with Monsignor Donovan winning in impressive fashion over a Freehold Township team that was supposed to give them trouble, and Jackson needing keeper Alex Morgans to save them against a Red Bank team that it was supposed to be too big, too fast, and too good for. In addition to the opposite performances, the two teams play opposite styles. It's been mentioned several times in this space that Jackson relies on its athleticism, which is a nice way of saying they play kick-and-run. The difference between them and some of the lesser teams that play that style, is that they probably have the best defense in the Shore and are indeed the most athletic team. Mon Don, meanwhile, will try to play possession with Brian Thomsen and Tim Hojnacki playing All-Shore level soccer in the midfield. The element the Griffins have going for them is that they have the edge in skill in the midfield, but they also have an excellent defense to go with an excellent keeper. I've said a number of times that Mon Don could have won A South if they were in it, considering the parity of the division coupled with the talent of Mon Don. I think they'll prove it against the Jags in, what I think, turns out to be the game of the day.

The Pick: Donovan 2-1

#7 Toms River South (12-5) at #2 Manalapan (13-2-2)

Some of you may already realize how poor of a prognosticator I am, but in case you don't, consider that I picked TR North and TR East to be the two best teams in Toms River. Meanwhile, Mon Don and TR South are the last two from Toms River standing, and they both deserve it. Outside of a loss to Jackson, Toms River South is playing about as well as anyone can play, going 6-1 in the month of October. The Indians now take on the Braves in a rematch of the 1995 World Series. One game does not have much bearing on the next, but TRS's 4-0 win over Middletown North was telling in that it showed how legit its attack is by scoring four goals against a team that limited Manlapan to none in their last meeting with them. Manalapan, meanwhile can strike just as quickly as TR South and probably even quicker. South defenders Dan Chrashewsky and Kyle Thompson will have their hands full with George Quintano, who was the tournament's top scorer last year and started this year off in similar fashion with two goals against Central. Brandon Russo is an underrated defender and I think he can stay with Ian Martin if he's committed to it. I don't think South can stop Quintano, Adam Rice, and Caner Semen. Having Jake Grinkevich in goal makes it almost unfair that Manalapan has so much talent elsewhere on the field. Both teams have a lot of weapons, but Manalapan has more. Much like the 1995 World Series, I'll take the Braves by the same score.

The Pick: Manalapan 4-2.

TR East-Marlboro

What a way to end the Round of 16. After seven games finished without an upset, Marlboro pulls out an improbable, penalty kick win after playing East to a 2-2 tie. I knew I was going to a night game Saturday and it didn't take me long to decide to go to East-Marlboro, but I'm still glad I didn't spring for the TR South-Midd. North blowout. Here's what went down at TRE:

First off, to the poster who thought I might be teasing to the paper by holding off on the score, please don't fret. I wouldn't do that to you. The game just went as long as possible, I talked to the coaches and some of the kids and I go back to my computer in the press box to write on deadline. I may tease some stuff to the paper, but never the score.

Great win for Marlboro, but as great of a story as that was, it's hard not to feel for Brandon Zeller after this game. He quite literally did it all to get East to within inches of winning on several occasions and the ball just bounced against him. I can't remember seeing a kid play so well and have such bad luck. Here's a recap of his night:

-Scored the game-tying goal 1:30 into the second half after TRE played a very uninspired first half. That goal turned the game around, and East controlled play for the rest of the game until the pks. More on the Marlboro game-tying goal in a bit.

-Controlled the midfield in the second half. Marlboro moved the ball at will in the first half and outshot East 7-3. The final shots were 14-11 thanks to an East defense that turned it up, and it starts with Zeller on both ends.

-Hit the upper-right corner of the goal-post with about 15 minutes left. A couple inches lower and it's 3-1 TRE. That was the first of many bad breaks.

-Got taken down in the box by Alex DeJohn and appeared to hurt his knee pretty badly. But he got up, went to the sideline for a few minutes and came back. He seemed a little off the rest of the way.

-Played goalie in the shootout. He didn't save any shots, but he got a hand on Mario Rangel's attempt. The ball hit his hand, then the right post, then trickled all the way over to the other side of the net and across the line.

-Remeber that right post? It came back to haunt Zeller and East again when the senior captain ripped off the goalie jersey, threw down the gloves, and set up for the final pk. He needed to make it to force a second set of kicks, and he drilled a shot straight off the right post. Only, it didn't bounce across the goal and in, but rather right back towards Zeller.

It was a tough way to watch the game end for a player that played the game he did. I thought he was the best player on the field and to see him catch those breaks was a little hard to watch.

With all that said, the story here is Marlboro. Particularly their sophomore forward who has three SCT goals now and singlehandedly kept his team alive in the SCT. Mario Rangel's desperation boot to the upper 90 with 42 seconds left came out of nowhere. TRE dominated the second half, had some chances to seal it, didn't give Marlboro a great look all half, and all of the sudden, Rangel gets some room, and puts a shot on the money from 25-30 yard out from the left angle.

Credit, also, to the Mustangs for their play in the first half. They were outplayed after, but if not for a first half in which they controlled the game and took a 1-0 lead, Rangel's shot at the end would have been cosmetic, not consequential.

I like them a lot Tuesday against CBA, mostly because of the whole "it's hard to beat CBA three times" thing. One poster already put some picks up, and unfortunately I may need to piggy-back them, because they reflect my initial thoughts on the quarterfinal games.

I'll give you the schedule and picks Monday, in all likelihood, but for now, feast on this poll.

SCT Update

Live from TR East Marlboro

Update: Marlboro wins on kicks 5-4.

Rangel scored his second goal with :42 seconds left to tie it at 2-2 and send it to overtime. He put in a perfect shot from about 25 yards out on the left into the upper right corner of the goal.

Peter Fitzsimmons put in a shot off a rebound in the 52nd to put East up 2-1.

Marlboro led TR East 1-0 at the half, but Brandon Zeller put one in 1:30 into the second half to tie it at 1-1. Marlboro scored on a Mario Rangel goal off a cross from Sam Weinberger in the 23rd.

Scoreboard

#8 Monmouth 2, #9 Brick 1 - (MONM) Mackin 9', Mackin 34', Dutra 2 A; (BRK) Smith 5'.
#1 Howell 3, #16 Manasquan 0 - (HOW) O'Neill 65', Bethel 75', Bethel 77'.
#4 CBA 2, #20 Ocean 1 (OT) - (CBA) LaMura 44', A. Liapis 87'; (OCN) Billick 31'
#6 Monsignor Donovan 4, #11 Freehold Twp. 0 - (MD) Hojnacki 22', Thomsen 50', Thomsen 67', Honecker 74', Milana 7 saves, 11th shutout.
#2 Manalapan 3, #15 Central 1 - (MAN) Semen 2', Quintano 54', Quintano 66'; (CENT) Jones 64'.
#3 Jackson 0, #14 Red Bank 0, Jackson wins on penalty kicks 2-0 - (JM) Weissman and Ventura scored in pks, Morgans 19 saves and one in the pk round; (RBR) Neumann 21 saves.
#7 TR South 4, #10 Midd. North 0.

Saturday Schedule

#11 Freehold Twp. at #6 Monsignor Donovan, 2 p.m.
#9 Brick at #8 Monmouth, 1:30 p.m.
#16 Manasquan at #1 Howell, 2 p.m.
#15 Central at #1 Manalapan, 2 p.m.
#14 Red Bank at #3 Jackson, 2 p.m.
#20 Ocean at #4 CBA, 2 p.m.
#12 Marlboro at #5 Toms River East, 7 p.m.
#10 Middletown North at #7 Toms River South, 7 p.m.

SCT Round of 16

Blogger.com is killing me right now. Errors keep popping up and deleting my work, like the breakdown of the Shore-Freehold Twp. game I did yesterday. I'm losing my patience, so the analysis on each game will be much shorter than it was supposed to be. I'm also trying something new with the polls. Let's get right to it.



#11 Freehold Twp. (9-7-1) at #6 Monsignor Donovan (15-2)

Freehold Twp. looked good in the second half Thursday against Shore. They're going to have to be just as good to knock off the Shore's hottest team. Nick Composto, Bobby Searby, and Connor Egan up fron t will be the x-factors. If they can run around at will and finish, Brenden Noeges and Ryan Clark can get them the ball. Donovan's defense is the second-best in the Shore with 0.47 gapg, but this is the most talented team they've seen so far. It's going out on a limb, but I see this one going to penalty kicks, in which case I'll take Kyle Milana and Mon Don.
The Pick: Donovan 3-2.




#9 Brick (9-6-2) at #8 Monmouth (11-3-2)

If Tiago Dutra (hamstring) can play and play somewhat effectively, I see this as a bad matchup for Brick. The Dragons' strength lies in its skill in the midfield and the back, and Dutra can somewhat neutralize that strength. They are also one of the smaller teams I've seen, and I have a hard time believeing they'll be able to disrupt Eric Mackin.
The Pick: Monmouth 3-1.




# 16 Manasquan (11-3-1) at #1 Howell (14-2-1)

Manasquan has allowed more than one goal in a game just once this year in a 2-1 loss to Red Bank on Sept. 18. They play with four defenders, led by Ben Tumas, and they play a safe brand of soccer. That might keep this game from getting ugly on the scoreboard, but no team has kept Howell off the board this year, and that's what Manasquan is going to have to do to win while still playing their style. Howell won't dominate on the scoreboard, but they will on the field.
The Pick: Howell 2-0




#15 Central (11-3-1) at # 2 Manalapan (12-2-2)

Without Clay Gashlin in its first six games, Central was a scrappy, defensive team. Now with Gashlin back, they are a scrappy defensive team with a lethal scorer. Manalapan, meanwhile, has taken no prisoners over its last five games, outscoring its opponents 21-2 with a scoreless tie against Middletown North mixed in. Gashlin will cause some problems for a Manalapan defense that is just starting to find itself, but the Braves will be ready to start their SCT title defense.
The Pick: Manalapan 4-1.




#14 Red Bank (10-4) at #3 Jackson Memorial (12-3-2)

Red Bank won its first ever division title, but the Bucs' only win outside of A Central this year came against Mater Dei. Their other two games against non-A Central teams were losses to Rumson and Marlboro. Jackson is the best defensive team in the Shore, they have the best goalkeeper in the Shore in Alex Morgans, and they also might be the most athletic. Red Bank has some legitimate skill, but it takes a lot of skill to beat Jackson and Red Bank already had trouble with a big Marlboro team. Jackson struggles to finish sometimes, and they'll have to if Red Bank is to have a chance.
The Pick: Jackson 3-0.




#20 Ocean (6-5-5) at #4 CBA (10-4-1)

This one has the makings of a good game. In CBA's 15 games, 10 were decided by a goal and one ended in a tie. As you can tell by their five ties, the Spartans like close games too. The difference is, CBA has thrived in the close games, whereas Ocean has simply avoided losing. Ocean's win over Rumson in round one was its first in a month. They might have to wait until next year to win another. Close game, but the Colts prevail.
The Pick: CBA 3-2.




#12 Marlboro (10-9) at #5 Toms River East (11-4-1)

Toms River East had a tough time with its only Class A North opponent this year, and that was Colts Neck, who did not make the SCT. Marlboro, meanwhile outlasted Brick Memorial 1-0 in its only meeting with A South. This looks like it's going to be a 1-0 game one way or the other, with some great matchups in between, particularly Hunter Gorskie vs. Brandon Zeller. It's hard to pick against a team as hot as Marlboro, but it's hard to pick against TR East in a big game at home under the lights. This one is a toss-up. I'm going with the home team.
The Pick: TR East 1-0.




#10 Middletown North (8-7-1) at #7 Toms River South (11-5)

The Lions have played well of late, but they have not beaten any of the top nine seeds this year, although they've had chances. On the plus-side, they probably prevented Freehold Township from getting a top-10 seed by beating them twice, and are the only team that has played Manalapan lately without trailing at any point in the game. Middltown North plays mistake free on most days, and Toms River South will test them as much as any team they've played. The Indians have been inconsistent at times, and if they can't keep Midd. North off the board early, they may have trouble getting their attack going against the Lions. I'll ride the Indians for one more round.
The Pick: TR South 2-1.