Jackson Memorial High School’s football team will face a familiar opponent when it defends its NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV championship against top-seeded Brick Memorial High School Dec. 5 at High Point Solutions Stadium on the campus of Rutgers University.
The Jaguars will pose an unfamiliar challenge for Brick Memorial High School.
Kyle Johnson is the third quarterback to start for Jackson Memorial this season as the No. 7 seed comes into the game with a 7-4 record. Brick Memorial brings a 9-2 mark into the rematch of Shore Conference A South Division rivals.
Early season starter Dan Barker, who played quarterback in the prior game against Brick Memorial, sustained an injury in that game and was replaced for a stretch of games by A.J. Tolmachewich, who guided the team to a pair of victories. But coach Walt Krystopik has opted for the speedy Johnson, who shifted over from wide receiver. Johnson has caught a teamleading 12 passes for 277 yards and five touchdowns.
Johnson, who has shown a knack for throwing the ball as well as he runs it, also is the third baseman for Jackson Memorial’s perennial power baseball team that won the Group IV championship during Johnson’s sophomore season in 2014. So having the ball in his hands as often as possible makes for a good fit at quarterback.
“He’s been a leader on both sides of the ball,” Krystopik said. “He might be the only kid in Jackson history to have competed on state championship football, wrestling and baseball teams. You don’t see that often. He’s used to competing at the highest level.”
Krystopik said he has leaned toward Johnson at quarterback because he gives the team another option in the run game.
“You can’t fall asleep on the back end of plays with him,” the coach said.
Barker was at quarterback when Jackson Memorial lost to Brick Memorial, 28-7, which advanced to the title game by the same score against Allentown High School on Nov. 20.
The Jaguars easily advanced with a semifinal victory, 56-10, Nov. 21 at Steinert High School and have followed the adage of Krystopik, who says the most important thing is how a team ends its season.
“Our power, counter, stretch game is going to give people something to think about,” Krystopik said after the Steinert victory.
Jackson Memorial poured it on after spotting Steinert an early 10-7 lead. Mike Gawlik scored the Jaguars’ first two touchdowns on short runs.
Connor Testa tallied two spectacular touchdowns, a 24-yard dash with a blocked punt and an 87-yard run deep into the second half.
Jared Calhoun ran back an interception — his team-leading fourth this season — for 16 yards for a score. In all, six players notched touchdowns in the Jaguars’ highest scoring game of the season. Steinert came in with a 7-3 record, winning its two prior games and six of its previous seven.
Jackson Memorial has outscored its opponents, 299-118, and Brick Memorial has outscored its foes, 353-134, winning its last four games since a loss to Middletown High School South, 21-3.
Brick Memorial also lost its opener, 36- 6, to Brick Township High School.
Brick Township also beat Jackson Memorial, 2-0, in a driving rainstorm during the season and went on to win the A South Division championship. Jackson Memorial avenged that loss to Brick Township with a 21-7 victory in its playoff opener against the Green Dragons. Gawlik ran for more than 200 yards in that game.
Jackson Memorial beat Middletown South, 21-18, last December for the Central Jersey, Group IV title at Rutgers. Middletown South has since been shifted into North Jersey, Section II ,Group IV, where it is playing Phillipsburg High for that title.
Brody Graham, the heart and soul of that Jackson Memorial championship team on both sides of the ball, has graduated and is off to a college career at the University of Pennsylvania, where he played in five games for the Ivy League champions this fall. But there is a formidable corps that has developed this season on both sides of the ball.
Gawlik again spearheads the offense with his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season. He has 1,295 yards on 170 carries (7.6 yards per carry) and 13 touchdowns. Krystopik has said repeatedly that the foundation for a solid offense is the line, a sentiment echoed by Gawlik during the season, behind the blocking of center Chris Mondello, tackles Mitch Mills and Joe Hurley (with Sean Martin rotating in) and guards Larry Richardson and Austin Ostrander. They have made up for the loss of veteran starting tackle Dylan Smith to a season-ending injury in September. Tyler Towns, who has been a catalyst on the defensive side along with Nick Papandrea at linebacker, have blocked effectively at tight end, where they alternate. Also blocking strongly is fullback Tom Pallaone, backed up by Zach Lubertazzi, another outstanding defensive player who received praise from Krystopik for his defense against Steinert along with Towns and Papandrea.
“I think our pass coverage did a good job against Steinert and our pass rush forced them to put the ball in the air and for us to get quite a few turnovers,” Krystopik said. “Our rush defense has improved.”
That’s important against Brick Memorial’s triple option.
“We have to be able to stop their run,” Krystopik said.
In the prior meeting, Brick Memorial had 263 yards rushing, led by Tim Santiago’s 22 carries for 132 yards. Gawlik was held to 63 yards in that game. Johnson also has been lethal on offense. Although he has completed only 14 of 29 passes for 206 yards, three of his completions are for touchdowns. He also has rushed for 257 yards on 33 carries and scored three touchdowns, while he also ran back a punt for another touchdown. Calhoun chips in with his reliable kicking, having converted 35 extra-point attempts and both field-goal tries.
Calhoun also punts, excels in the defensive backfield and gets some time at wide receiver.
Towns has been a consistent leader on defense along with linebacker Papandrea, who leads Jackson Memorial in tackles with 36, and Lubertazzi also has earned praise from Krystopik.
Krystopik said no significant injuries were sustained against Steinert.