The Jackson Memorial High School football team has ended a four-year state playoff drought, while New Egypt High School has secured a return trip to post-season play.
Both teams will open the state playoffs at home on Nov. 11. The Jaguars will compete in the Central Jersey Group IV (large schools) bracket and the Warriors will compete in the Central Jersey Group I (small schools) bracket.
“There was a nine-year stretch where we were in the playoffs every year, so to be back in it is great,” said first-year Jackson Memorial head coach Walt Krystopik. “Every kid had his role and did his best to execute every single week.”
Krystopik played his high school football at Jackson Memorial and was an assistant coach during the school’s nine-year playoff run.
He has guided the Jaguars (7-1) to the No. 4 seed in Central Jersey Group IV. Jackson Memorial will host No. 5 seed and defending state sectional champion Sayreville War Memorial High School of Middlesex County on Nov. 11.
“They are the defending state champions, so our players want to prove themselves,” said Krystopik.
“It’s just like all season: we have to work really hard. The linemen have helped out a lot,” said Brandon Winston, who has rushed for 940 yards and 10 touchdowns, including two touchdowns in Jackson Memorial’s last game, a 37-0 victory over Freehold Township on Nov. 4.
The Jaguars left no doubt about securing a state playoff spot as they rolled to a 30-0 halftime lead against the Patriots. Quarterback Jim Celidonio ran 17 yards for a touchdown and threw for another score.
Krystopik said that in their state playoff game against Sayreville, the Jaguars “have to take advantage” of playing on their home field.
“We have a great home crowd,” Winston said. “We haven’t had a playoff game here since 2005. Executing is the key. We have to execute on offense and shut them down defensively.”
Line play was an issue with Jackson Memorial in 2010 when the offensive unit was beset with injuries during the first half of the season. As the linemen returned to action the wins came, but not enough to carry the Jaguars into the state playoffs. Krystopik said the group “has done very well across the front” this season and that could be the key for controlling the tempo of the game against Sayreville. He mentioned Jake Gaboff, Max Mondalbo, center Ben Collins, Mike Lopez, Keith Cornish and Nick Trent among the key figures for that strong push off the snap that could provide the difference.
New Egypt, meanwhile, earned the No. 4 seed in Central Jersey Group I and will host No. 5 seed Point Pleasant Beach High
School on Nov. 11. The teams met in
August in a scrimmage. “That’s ironic,” Warriors running back Jamel Smith said early this week. “But that was way back. That can change.
We have to look at the film and see what they have done. If we play our defense and our offense clicks, we’ll be all right.”
New Egypt (6-2) will enter the playoff game against the Garnet Gulls coming off its second loss of the season, 16-
10, to rival Florence in a non-conference game on Nov. 4.
“That stings a little. Hopefully the guys will come out more focused,” coach Luke Sinkhorn said.
New Egypt struck first against Florence on a touchdown by Smith and then came back to tie the score at 10-10 on a 28-yard field goal by Nick Pritchard.
Can New Egypt bounce back from the defeat and find its playoff legs?
“We definitely can,” Smith said. “Our coach said we can’t have any letdown games. We have to do whatever it takes.”
“Point Beach has a real efficient offense and their defense held a lot of teams to one score,” Sinkhorn said.
Both coach and star player agree that experience for those players back from last season’s run in the playoffs and the home field helps, as well as having played a challenging schedule.
“It will help them a little,” Sinkhorn said.
“I think it’s a different feeling, but [after] going to the semifinals last year, we should be used to it,” Smith said. “Playing at home is a big advantage. We feel more comfortable with the fans and our families there.”
With a 3-2 record at home this season, Sinkhorn believes the key area this week could be the play of the offensive line.
“There is a lot of improving to do there,” Sinkhorn said. “They have to step up. We have to be consistent on offense and move the ball and play solid defense. We can’t make mistakes.”