The high school football season kicks off this weekend for the teams in the Freehold Regional High School District.
Freehold High School, Freehold Township High School, Howell High School and Marlboro High School all get things started in the first week. On Sept. 5, Freehold opens on the road at Middletown High School North at 7 p.m., and Freehold Township hosts Howell at 6:30 p.m. Marlboro will open at home on Sept. 6 against Middletown High School South at 1 p.m.
Manalapan High School and Colts Neck High School wait until the second week to start their 2014 campaigns, and both will be on the road. The Cougars travel to Howell on Sept. 12 at 6:30 p.m., while the Braves will be at Marlboro on Sept. 13 at 1 p.m.
There will be two new faces on the sidelines, with Luke Sinkhorn taking over for Derek Reichenbecher at Howell and veteran Peter Shaw at Colts Neck to replace Greg LaCava.
Also new this fall, Freehold moves up to the Shore Conference A North Division and Colts Neck moved down to B North.
Last fall was historic for the district, with two teams playing for NJSIAA sectional titles in the same season for the first time. Although Manalapan (Central Jersey Group V) and Colts Neck (Central Jersey Group IV) lost their respective championship finals, they played memorable games along the way.
Manalapan posted its second straight perfect regular season and ran its streak of A North Division crowns to four.
Three of the biggest standouts from the 2013 campaign are now in college. Manalapan wide receiver Saeed Blacknall is at Penn State University, while Colts Neck’s recordsetting running back Anthony Garguilo is now at the Naval Academy. Manalapan linebacker Chris Noesges will be making tackles for Assumption College.