Not many teams rise from the No. 7 seed to win a state football playoff championship. However, Jackson Memorial High School’s football team, which won the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV over Middletown High School South, 21-18, a year ago, looks to add a strong finish to its 7-4 season when it plays top-seeded Brick Memorial High School (9-2) at 4 p.m. Dec. 5 at High Point Solutions Stadium of Rutgers University.
Both compete in Shore Conference A South and met at Rutgers in 2005 for the Central Jersey, Group IV title that Jackson Memorial won.
It’s actually a familiar situation for the players back from last year’s team, which was regarded as the top team in the Shore at the end of the season, and from the coaching staff, some of which played on the 2005 team. It’s familiar to head coach Walt Krystopik, who not only was head coach of last year’s title team but also was on the staff of Jackson Memorial teams that reached the state championship games in 2000, 2001 and 2005.
Known then as Jackson High School, the Jaguars beat Shawnee High School in 2000 and Cherokee High School the following year for South Jersey, Group IV titles before moving to Central Jersey. The Jaguars lost to East Brunswick High School in the 2004 Central Jersey final.
“It’s a tradition that each group has added into that,” Krystopik said. “It’s almost 20 years of football where we’ve been pretty consistent around the top. Our winning percentage is close to 70 percent since 1998 when I first started and we turned around some tough seasons with a 9-2 season. We’ve had 18 1,000-yard rushers in only 20 years and only two years when we didn’t have one.”
Perhaps the least familiar with championship game preparation from the school’s inner football circle is the person on top, Jackson Director of Athletics Rob Paneque, who is in his first season on the new job. But he said it’s not overly difficult to prepare.
“It’s typical of state games, getting familiar with the guidelines and restrictions [at Rutgers],” Paneque said. “Everyone has gotten quality instruction for what their responsibilities are.”
Paneque also credits his assistant at Jackson Memorial, Athletic Coordinator Mike Smith, who was head coach of the 2005 championship team as well as 2004 finalist and served afterward as an assistant. “We know what to expect,” Smith said. “We’re excited about the opportunity to have the fifth team to win a state championship, and we’re familiar with their program.”
Brick Memorial is one of two teams in the division to run the triple option, with Toms River High School South as the other.
Brick Memorial beat Jackson Memorial, 28- 7, Oct. 16. Quarterback Tim Santiago scored two touchdowns and rushed for 132 yards, while the Jaguars were held to 84 yards on the ground.
Jackson Memorial has outscored its opponents, 299-118, and Brick Memorial has outscored its foes, 353-134, and has won its last four games since a 21-3 loss to Middletown South.
This is a different Jackson Memorial team from its first meeting against Brick Memorial. Junior halfback Mike Gawlik, held down by Brick Memorial for one of the few times over his past two seasons as a starter, has picked up the pace late in the season and has rushed for 1,295 yards and 13 touchdowns — his second straight season rushing for more than 1,000 yards.
Krystopik believes solid blocking by the offensive line is a key to making things go. This season, the team relies on center Chris Mondello, tackles Mitch Mills and Joe Hurley, with Sean Martin rotating in, and guards Larry Richardson and Austin Ostrander.
Krystopik said Brick Memorial and Toms River High School North were the two biggest, most physical teams Jackson Memorial played this season.
“That’s the biggest challenge,” he said. “We definitely have to limit our mistakes. to be able to tackle and get off the blocks.”
Their blocking strategies are slightly different these days with Kyle Johnson stepping in as the starting quarterback in the closing weeks of the season. Johnson’s speed and agility keeps the offense even more mobile and needs even more reactive blocking from the linemen on the move.
Krystopik said defense is still the team’s bread and butter.
“Their quarterback and their wing kids can hurt you, and they make big plays on the outside so you can’t focus on one aspect,” he said.
Defensively, Tyler Towns has been reliable in the defensive backfield, while Nick Papandrea and Zach Lubertazzi have come up with big plays of late. They’ll need to turn in many more against one of the most prolific offenses Jackson Memorial is facing this season.