Defense steals the show at All-Shore Grid Classic

Ocean tops Monmouth on field goals, 6-3

BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

 Above: Matawan High School’s McArthur Underwood (4) tries to outrun Brick Memorial’s Shane Panuska on a return play during the July 14 U.S. Army All-Shore Gridiron Classic held at Toms River North High School. The game, which pitted the top graduated seniors from Monmouth and Ocean counties against each other, went to Ocean County, 6-3. Below: Holmdel High School’s Michael Cantelli (12) of the Monmouth County all-star team tries to elude an Ocean County defender after catching a pass.  PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Above: Matawan High School’s McArthur Underwood (4) tries to outrun Brick Memorial’s Shane Panuska on a return play during the July 14 U.S. Army All-Shore Gridiron Classic held at Toms River North High School. The game, which pitted the top graduated seniors from Monmouth and Ocean counties against each other, went to Ocean County, 6-3. Below: Holmdel High School’s Michael Cantelli (12) of the Monmouth County all-star team tries to elude an Ocean County defender after catching a pass. PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Greg Velasco was hardly surprised that the U.S. Army All-Shore Gridiron Classic turned into a defensive struggle.

And the Keyport High School defensive lineman knew that his Monmouth County teammates would be up for the challenge.

“The defensive line connected well real quick,” he said. “We knew we’d have to come in and take over the game.”

The Monmouth squad did just that, holding Ocean Township to a pair of field goals. But the Ocean County defense was equally immovable, permitting just a 38-yard field goal by Howell’s Ryan Handy as Ocean won the annual battle for county pride among graduated seniors, 6-3. The game was played July 14 at Toms River North High School.

Ocean County’s win snapped Monmouth’s two-game winning streak and narrowed Monmouth’s overall edge in the series to 18-15-1.

Monmouth got on the scoreboard first as Rumson-Fair Haven quarterback Mike Villapiano engineered a 43-yard drive. Villapiano connected with Monmouth Regional tight end Scott Satcher on two first-down passes that kept the drive going.

When the drive stalled, the Rebels’ Handy split the uprights, and Monmouth had the early 3-0 lead.

Ocean responded in the second quarter with a 68-yard drive that reached the Monmouth seven-yard line. A24-yard pass from Lacey quarterback Craig Cicardo to Toms River North receiver Matt Wilkowski for 24 yards was the big play of the drive. Lakewood’s Ahmier Dupree had some key runs as well.

The drive culminated in a 24-yard field goal by Brick Memorial’s Jordan Loiodice.

Both defenses held fast in the third quarter, and the game remained deadlocked at 3- 3.

Ocean, getting key first-down runs by the scrambling Cicardo, was poised to take the lead as it reached the Monmouth oneyard line early in the fourth quarter.

On second down, Cicardo went with a play-action pass and lofted a pass into the end zone that a leaping Kevin Furlong of Raritan was somehow able to reach up and pull down with one hand as if grabbing a rebound.

Monmouth had turned back Ocean once again. But on the next play, Monmouth gave the ball back. Lacey’s Brian Mykoliw intercepted a Villapiano pass over the middle and returned it to the Monmouth three.

Three times Ocean tried to punch it in against the Monmouth defensive line anchored by Velasco, but lost four yards in the process.

Ocean had to settle for the chip shot 21- yard field goal by Loiodice with 7:51 remaining in the game. Monmouth still had a chance to tie or win it. Head coach Shane Fallon from Rumson decided to use the versatility of Freehold quarterback Sterry Codrington, moving him to receiver. He and Villapiano quickly hooked up on an 18-yard pass play that moved the ball out to the Ocean 39. Manalapan’s Josh Firkser then picked up a first down on the run, and Monmouth was out to midfield. A fiveyard run by Villapiano took it down to the Ocean 45. Two incomplete passes put Monmouth in a fourth down. Villapiano found Satcher again over the middle, but the pass was short of the fourth-down marker and Ocean took over with less than 2:00 on the clock.

The Monmouth defense forced a punt, and Ocean’s Joe Clarizio came through with a booming kick. Matawan’s McArthur Underwood had to try to field the kick as it bounced toward the end zone and he fumbled trying to make a play, and Ocean recovered the ball on the Monmouth three. Ocean took a knee and the game ended there, 6-3.

Fallon said that he and the coaches “couldn’t ask for more” from the Monmouth players. “We didn’t make enough plays,” he remarked. Dropped passes were Monmouth’s undoing. Usually sure-handed receivers Mike Clark of Howell and Taylor Rogers of Middletown South couldn’t pull down long passes that would have put Monmouth in scoring position. They were the plays that the team didn’t make, as Fallon noted, that proved to be the difference.

Villapiano was named Monmouth Offensive Most Valuable Player while Velasco was the Defensive MVP.

Villapiano, who agreed with Fallon that Monmouth just didn’t make enough plays in the game, said the highlight for him was “the friendships we made here.”

Cicardo was Ocean’s Offensive MVP, and the Defensive MVP was Clarizio for his punting. Not only did he have that huge kick at the end of the game, late in the first half he had to kick the ball from the back of his own end zone. Monmouth thought it would get great field position and have a chance to take the lead, but Clarizio unloaded a 61-yard bomb that turned the field position against Monmouth

Manalapan’s James DeBlase was the Monmouth County recipient of the Sam Mills SpiritAward, named for the late Long Branch High School star who went to an All-Pro career with the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. He died from intestinal cancer in 2005, and the Shore Football Coaches Foundation created the Sam Mills Spirit Award that goes each year to one Monmouth and one Ocean player who exhibit the spirit and determination of Mills.

DeBlase, who lost his father, Jimmy De- Blase, in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, was one of the mainstays on Monmouth’s defensive line Thursday night.