Manalapan High School linebacker Joe Mendez, left, and Long Branch High School’s Dave Colbert, right, team up to bring down Ocean County running back Brett Ribellino of Jackson Liberty High School during the U.S. Army All-Shore Gridiron Classic July 16 at Long Branch High School. Mendez and Colbert competed for Monmouth County in the annual all-star game that pits the best graduated seniors from Monmouth and Ocean counties against each other. Ocean earned the bragging rights this year with a 27-7 victory. STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ERIC SUCAR The Ocean County all-stars turned in a dominant performance to win the 38th annual U.S. Army All-Shore Gridiron Classic, 27-7, at Long Branch High School’s Bresett Stadium July 16.
Ocean took the opening kickoff and methodically marched down the field to take a 7-0 lead. A key play came when Brick Township High School quarterback Carmen Sclafani elusively scrambled his way to a 27-yard gain that put the ball inside Monmouth’s 10-yard line. The 13-play drive covered 77 yards and was capped by Jackson Memorial High School’s Matt Castronuova, who caught a pass from Sclafani from the 1-yard line for the touchdown.
It looked as though Monmouth County would answer right back as it alternated giving the ball to Rumson-Fair Haven High School’s Charlie Volker and Long Branch High School’s Dahmiere Willis, who set a Shore Conference single-season rushing record last fall with 2,587 yards. Ocean was able to halt the drive at its own 34, and Monmouth missed a long field-goal try.
Ocean got a field goal of its own by Brick Memorial High School’s Karl Kumm on its second drive and took a 10-0 lead into the intermission and gradually pulled away in the second half. Monmouth put together a late first-half drive that reached Ocean’s 23-yard line before losing the ball on a fumble with time running down.
Ocean took to the air a bit more after the break, as Castronuova scored his second touchdown of the game and Kumm caught another to break the game open.
Kumm added a field goal in the fourth quarter.
Volker scored Monmouth’s only touchdown of the game on a 9-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Despite the loss, Matawan Regional High School’s Jake Weber, who played defensive tackle for the Monmouth squad, said it was still a great experience. “I enjoyed everything about it, even though the result wasn’t what we would have liked,” he said. “Every year, we have to go up against Long Branch, and it’s always a tough game. They’re actually all nice guys. To have an opportunity to play with some of their guys and all the other outstanding players, it was a good way to end my high school career. All of the players were outstanding, and it was a great atmosphere to play in.”
Weber, a three-year starter for the Huskies at various positions on both sides of the line, was a major factor in Matawan bouncing back from a 3-4 start to go on to win the NJSIAA Central Group III title. He will continue his career at Montclair University in the fall.
“The game had an added benefit for me as I get ready for college,” said Weber, who will report to Montclair Aug. 15. “It gave me the chance to get in some good workouts and play a game at a high level. It definitely helped with my conditioning, and I know where I stand there.”
For Willis and Long Branch teammates Hunter Baillie and John Mines, the Classic meant one final game at their home field, Bressett Stadium.
“I was disappointed with the result, but the Ocean team played well,” said Willis, who will play for American University in the fall. “It was still a lot of fun.”
The game was also a final go-round as teammates for a trio of Manalapan High School players. Ben Sieczkowski, Joe Mendez and Pete Williams, who helped Manalapan win the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group V championship, cherished the chance to be together one last time.
“I’ll take any game I can get with them,” said Williams, an offensive lineman.
Sieczkowski and Mendez are linebackers.
Also named to the Monmouth squad were running backs Jarvis Leaks of Howell High School, Mo Omar of Marlboro High School and Abdul Quddus of Colts Neck High School, as well as offensive lineman Jim Purcell of Freehold Township High School.