SCOTT FRIEDMAN

Central Jersey Top 10: Notre Dame holds down No. 1 spot despite pressure from other contenders

Notre Dame High School is still the No. 1 football team in the Central Jersey Top 10, but the Shore Conference and Greater Middlesex Conference powers are rising fast in the rankings.
The 6-0 Fighting Irish have won all six of their games by double digits. But New Jersey heavyweight programs such as Rumson-Fair Haven High School, Red Bank Catholic High School and Manalapan High School are starting to punch at their weight after up and down starts to the season.
The latest edition of the Central Jersey Top 10 is below.
(Ranking. Team, Record.)
1. Notre Dame, 6-0: Another week, another dominating victory for the Irish over a Mercer County rival, this time 41-0 over Hightstown High School on Oct. 11 at home.

2. North Brunswick, 5–1: The Raiders’ defense notched its second shutout of the season with a 13-0 road victory over Piscataway High School on Oct. 11.

3. Rumson-Fair Haven, 4-2: The Bulldogs have beaten two really talented opponents, Manalapan and Mater Dei Prep, over the past two weeks.

4. Saint Joseph Regional, 5-1: The Metuchen school has shown a lot of grit this fall, winning three games by single digits.

5. Old Bridge, 5-0: Old Bridge won with offense the last two weeks, but it got back to winning with defense on Oct. 11 at Monroe Township High School, beating the Falcons, 7-6.

6. Red Bank Catholic, 3-2: RBC moved up a spot in the rankings, from No. 7 to No. 6, without even playing this week, though it will enter next week on a two-game winning streak.

7. Mater Dei Prep, 4-2: After two straight close losses, the Seraphs have dropped from No. 1 to No. 7, but they remain a talented and formidable player in the NJSIAA playoff picture.

8. Jackson Memorial, 4-2: Coach Vinny Mistretta wanted his Jaguars to get better as the season went on, and it looks like that’s happening, as the team has won three games in a row.

9. South Brunswick, 4-2: The Vikings bounced back from a loss to Old Bridge last week with a 41-22 home victory over Perth Amboy High School on Oct. 11.

10. Manalapan, 3-2: The Braves reentered the top 10 by ending their two-game losing streak, beating Long Branch High School, 34-19, on Oct. 11 at home.