Colts Neck
The Colts Neck High School girls’ soccer team is the champion of the Shore Conference for a second straight season.
Colts Neck successfully defended its Shore Conference Tournament (SCT) title when the Cougars, the fifth seed, defeated the No. 2 seed, Freehold Township High School, 3-0, in the final that was played Oct. 29 at Central Regional High School in Bayville.
And once again, Colts Neck can carry the championship banner thanks to its All-State star, Frankie Tagliaferri.
Tagliaferri connected on two goals — the first breaking a scoreless tie at 49:43. Her other goal iced the game when she scored at 65:20. In between the goals provided buy the Penn State University recruit, Kristi Mikula gave Colts Neck (13-2-1) a 2-0 lead with her goal at 53:22.
Victoria Spieler shined in the goal once again as she pitched the shutout by stopping seven shots. In front of her was a defense that was led by Lauren Feaster and a unit that held Freehold Township (14-2-4) in check.
Colts Neck also knocked off Freehold Township in the 2015 SCT final with a 1-0 result.
In the SCT’s semifinals that were also played at Central Regional Oct. 26, Colts Neck advanced to the finals behind Tagliaferri’s two goals in a 2-1 victory over top-seeded Wall High School. Spieler made six saves to gain the shutout.
Carmen Catena’s third touchdown of the game — a 1-yard run with just under four minutes to play — sent the Colts Neck football team past Monroe Township High School, 28-21, Oct. 29 in Colts Neck.
Catena rushed for 126 yards on 20 carries, while Joey Lombardo connected with Craig Lea on a touchdown pass from 8 yards to provide the other touchdown for Colts Neck, which improved to 2-5. The defeat left Monroe at 0-8.
The Colts Neck gymnastics team edged Howell High School, 110.35-108.525, Oct. 25 in Howell. Charlotte Haaf sparked the victory when she placed first in the uneven bars, second in the balance beam and third all-around.
Freehold
Ashante Worthy was at it again.
The quarterback rung up four touchdown runs, including sprints from 77 and 72 yards, Oct. 28 when he guided the Freehold High School football team past host Edison High School, 31-10.
Worthy was coming off a week when he ripped off six touchdown runs in a 48-32 victory over Marlboro High School Oct. 22. He also had a seven-touchdown explosion Oct. 7 when he sparked Freehold’s 52-27 victory over Monroe.
Since Worthy was inserted at quarterback, Freehold has won four straight and owns a 4-4 record. Edison fell to 2-4-1 with that loss.
Freehold’s field hockey team was ousted from the SCT by rival Freehold Township, 2-1, in the quarterfinals Oct. 24.
The Colonials’ fine scorer, Tori Tiefenthaler, came through, as she scored the lone goal in the loss.
Freehold Township
Once again, it was Colts Neck that stood in the way, as Freehold Township attempted to win the SCT title in girls’ soccer.
Colts Neck (13-2-1), the No. 5 seed, received two goals from All-Stater Frankie Tagliaferri and defeated second-seeded Freehold Township, 3-0, in the tournament final played Oct. 29 at Central Regional in Bayville.
Colts Neck edged Freehold Township, 1-0, in last year’s SCT title game.
Freehold Township, which is 14-2-4, advanced to the championship game when the Patriots eliminated third-seeded Toms River High School North, 1-0, at Central Regional Oct. 26.
Jasmine Colbert provided the game’s only goal, which came at 38:22. Goalie Angela DeCicco collected 10 saves to earn the shutout.
The field hockey team for Freehold Township had advanced to the semifinals of the SCT, but the Patriots were eliminated by Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, 5-0, Oct. 26.
Freehold Township gained a ticket to the semifinals when it knocked out rival Freehold, 2-1, in the quarterfinals Oct. 24. Emma Butrym and Julia Eriksen each scored a goal, and Kaylee Perman stopped seven shots to preserve the victory.
The boys’ soccer team for Freehold Township was denied a berth in the SCT finals when Marlboro dealt the Patriots — a 2-0 loss in the semifinals held at a soggy Central Regional Oct. 27.
Goalie Josh Nastarowicz kept Freehold Township in that semifinal with his 12 saves in goal.
Howell
Quarterback Eddie Morales threw two touchdown passes to Naseim Brantley — going for 23 and 40 yards — Oct. 28, when Howell’s football team fell to visiting New Brunswick High School, 32-20.
Nick Chambers had the other Rebels touchdown in the game on a 24-yard run, as Howell slipped to 4-4 and New Brunswick moved to 3-5.
Howell’s gymnastics team was trimmed by visiting Colts Neck, 110.35-108.525, but the host school received a brilliant effort from Monica Servidio.
Servidio placed first in that meet in the all-around, vault, balance beam and floor exercise.
Manalapan
Manalapan High School’s football team certainly made a point at High Point Solutions Stadium Oct. 29.
It was at Rutgers University in Piscataway this day when Manalapan laid claim to be the favorite to win the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group V state playoff title by beating Piscataway Township High School, 21-10.
Manalapan improved to 8-0. The Braves erased a 10-0 deficit in the third quarter. Luke Corcione connected on a short touchdown pass to back Chris Maksimik and then, following a fumble recovery, Naim Mayfield bolted 8 yards to the end one for a 14-10 Manalapan lead.
The Braves sealed the key victory when Sean Kinniburgh took back an interception 61 yards in the final minute.
Manalapan and Piscataway, which dropped to 5-2, could square off again in the coming weeks in the state sectional playoffs.
The Manalapan boys’ soccer team erupted on offense when the Braves posted a 5-0 victory over Carteret High School on its home turf Oct. 25.
The ringleader of the attack was Justin Goldberg, who connected on two goals. Also contributing to the charge were Adam Brodsky and Rocky Garretson, who each hit for one goal and one assist, and James La Spina, who scored one goal. Alex Gargiullo and Jason Popowitz teamed up in goal to stop five shots to share the shutout.
Marlboro
Cameron Caorsi and Johnny Hellf each ran for two touchdowns to spark Marlboro’s football team to a 42-21 triumph over Toms River High School East Oct. 29 in Toms River. The victory improved Marlboro to 3-5 and left the host team at 0-7.
Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) won the rubber match and with it the SCT championship in boys’ soccer Oct. 29 when the top-seeded Colts defeated second-seeded Marlboro, 2-0, at Central Regional.
CBA (20-1-1) had won the first meeting of the season in September and then Marlboro (17-2-1) came back to draw even in the series this fall Oct. 19 when the Mustangs won the showdown, 3-1.
Marlboro punched a ticket to the SCT championship game when the Mustangs eliminated Freehold Township, 2-0, in the semifinals on a wet evening Oct. 27 at Central Regional.
Steven Karp struck first for Marlboro in the 37th minute and P.J. Ringel’s header into the net at the 72-minute mark iced the victory for Marlboro.
Alex Chapman and Alexandra O’Hare each fired in two goals to steer the Marlboro girls’ soccer team past host school New Egypt High School, 5-0, Oct. 25.
Victoria Tzitzis and Arianna Ramos each put in one goal to contribute to the girls’ soccer victory for Marlboro.