The 2015 high school football season kicks off this weekend with traditionalrivalry games. That means that Freehold High School and Freehold Township High School will play for bragging rights and the Duke Farrell Trophy in Freehold Borough at 1 p.m. Sept. 12.
Manalapan High School and Marlboro High School play for the Doc Berman Trophy at 7 p.m. Sept. 11 in Manalapan.
The new rivalry, Howell High School vs. Colts Neck High School, is at 1 p.m. Sept. 12 in Colts Neck.
It will be hard to top the 2014 season that saw head coach Ed Gurrieri’s team from Manalapan finally slay the dragon. After three unsuccessful trips to the state sectional finals — a tremendous achievement in its own right — the Braves climbed the mountain last December and beat South Brunswick High School, 21-7, in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group V championship game at Rutgers University.
The win gave validation to what has become one of the state’s premier high school football programs. Along with seeking back-to-back state titles, the Braves are taking aim at a sixth straight Shore Conference A North Division crown. With graduation hitting the Braves hard, Middletown High School South and Middletown High School North will look to dethrone the Braves.
It won’t be easy. The Braves return their offensive line and can be expected to do what they do best by imposing their will on defenses.
Manalapan has not lost a division game since 2009.
Last season was also remembered for the return to relevance of Freehold. The Colonials ripped off seven straight wins to start the season and made the playoffs for the first time since 2010. No one expected much of Freehold when it moved up to A North, but Manalapan and Middletown South were the only teams to best them.
Freehold graduated its offensive standout, Josh Dixon, who rushed for more than 1,400 yards and 19 touchdowns. However, the Colonials have a returning playmaker in quarterback Jake Curry.
Head coach Dave Ellis said the Colonials want to continue to build on what they started last year.
Cory Davies, who led Howell to back-to-back state championship finals and won the Central Jersey Group IV title in 2007, is back on the sidelines in the Freehold Regional High School District coaching Freehold Township. Davies stepped down from Howell after the 2011 season and had been the offensive coordinator at Lacey Township High School the last three years. His son, Conor, was the quarterback. With his son now in college, Davies got the itch to be a head coach again. When Freehold Township’s position opened, he jumped at it. He’ll bring his high-scoring, pass-friendly, “Air Raid” offense to Freehold Township.
There’s a somewhat new face at Colts Neck in ex-NFL player Darian Barnes. He was an assistant coach last year under Pete Shaw, but when Shaw stepped down before the season ended, Barnes took over as the interim coach and led the team to its only win of the season over Hightstown High School in the state consolation game.
In the winter, interim was removed from his title, and he is now heading the Cougars’ program. As someone who made it to the NFL against the odds, Barnes knows that football is as much mental as it is physical, and he has been stressing that to his players.
At Howell, Luke Sinkhorn is working on bringing a tougher, physical brand of football to the program. This is his second year, and all signs point to the Rebels buying into their head coach’s approach.
Marlboro is changing things up. Head coach Jason Dagato has installed a new offense and new defense that he thinks can help turn things around at Marlboro. Foes will see a more aggressive Mustangs team.