State playoffs are next stop for Braves, Colonials gridders

By TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

With another overwhelming performance, the Manalapan High School football team wrapped up its fifth consecutive outright Shore Conference A North Division crown.

Manalapan had clinched no worse than a tie for the championship on Nov. 2 when it dismantled previously undefeated Freehold High School, 42-3.

On. Nov. 7, Manalapan made sure it wouldn’t share the title with everyone by beating Howell High School, 35-6, to finish 6-0 in the division for a fifth straight year. The Braves have won 31 straight games within the division since 2009. Manalapan is 8-1 overall.

Imamu Mayfield scored three touchdowns and ran for 92 yards on just 13 carries in the win at home. He now has 1,281 rushing yards on the season and 20 touchdowns.

Quarterback Dan Anerella was an efficient 12-of-18 for 184 yards and a touchdown. He completed passes to seven different receivers including one to Nick Surhoff for a touchdown.

Fullback Ben Sieczkowski also scored a running touchdown for Manalapan.

Joe Mendez led the defense with 11 tackles.

Freehold went to Middletown High School South in a battle for second place in A North and lost a one-sided game for the second straight week, 42-0, to slip to 7-2 overall (3-2 division).

Both Manalapan and Freehold have more to look forward to as they begin their hunt for a state sectional championship this weekend.

Everyone knows that the Braves have advanced to NJSIAA sectional championship games the last three years, and they lost each time. No one needs to remind the Braves of the one missing achievement on their impressive résumé, and they would love to add it this year.

Unlike the last two seasons, Manalapan does not have the weight of a perfect season on its shoulders. Also, the Braves are not the top seed. They Braves are the third seed in Central Jersey Group V behind South Brunswick High School (No. 1) and Hillsborough High School (No. 2).

Manalapan is expected to host the No. 6 seed, Old Bridge High School, on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.

Old Bridge brings a 5-3 record into the playoff-opener.

The semifinals are on Nov. 21, and the finals are on Dec. 5.

Freehold returns to playoffs

Freehold, which won Central Jersey Group III titles in 2008 and 2010, is in the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season. Freehold is the No. 5 seed in Central Jersey Group IV and will play at No. 4-seed Neptune High School on Nov.15 at 1 p.m.

The Scarlet Fliers are 6-2, but they are one of the hottest teams in the Shore Conference. They shut out their last three opponents and won five straight.

Middletown South is the No. 1 seed in the section, and defending champion Brick Township High School is the No. 2 seed.

The Central Jersey Group IV semifinals are on Nov. 21, and the finals are on Dec. 5.

Howell (2-7), Freehold Township High School (3-6), Marlboro High School (0-9) and Colts Neck High School (0-9) will wait to see when and where they will play their consolation games on either Nov. 14 or 15.

Last weekend, Freehold Township lost to Middletown High School North, 35-7; Ocean Township High School bested Colts Neck, 41-22; and Marlboro lost at J.P. Stevens High School, 38-25.

The Cougars were coached by Darian Barnes in their game at Ocean Township. Barnes will coach the team in its NJSIAA consolation game.

Neither Cougars head coach Peter Shaw, Colts Neck principal Daniel Simon or supervisor of extracurricular activities Rick Arnao returned phone calls to comment on why Shaw was not coaching the team.