All Shore Media 11-22-11 Volume III Issue-21

N o v e m b e r 2 2 , 2 0 1 1V o l u m e - I I I - I s s u e - 2 1

www.allshoremedia.com

National Guard

Team of the Week

Page 3

Shore Sends 5

to State Finals

Page 4

Larry Alston III

Feature

Page 8-9

CBA Soccer

Finishes

Undefeated

Page 1 1

Melvin's Review

Page 12

Lacrosse

Preseason Training

Page 14

Stumpy’s Corner

Page 15


National Guard

Team of the Week

Page 3

Shore Sends 5

to State Finals

Page 4

Larry Alston III

Feature

Page 8-9

CBA Soccer

Finishes

Undefeated

Page 1 1

Melvin's Review

Page 12

Lacrosse

Preseason Training

Page 14

Stumpy’s Corner

Page 15


National Guard

Team of the Week

Page 3

Shore Sends 5

to State Finals

Page 4

Larry Alston III

Feature

Page 8-9

CBA Soccer

Finishes

Undefeated

Page 1 1

Melvin's Review

Page 12

Lacrosse

Preseason Training

Page 14

Stumpy’s Corner

Page 15

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school athletics in the Shore Conference in order to highlight

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print or on the Web, All Shore Media is your main source for all

things exciting in the Shore Conference.

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All Shore Media Web Site Features

Log on to www.allshoremedia.com regularly to get video

highlights of all the important games that Shore Conference fans will be

talking about. Catch up on the action you might have missed and watch

video clips of everything from the action early in the event to the big

finish as well as video interviews with various athletes. If you can’t make

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November 22, 2011 I Volume-I I I I Is sue-21

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WEEk-1 WEEk-2Ocean Township Red Bank Catholic

WEEk-3 WEEk-4Jackson Memorial Central Regional

WEEk-5 WEEk-6Southern Regional Pt Pleasant Beach

WEEk-7 WEEk-8Barnegat Manalapan

WEEk-9Rumson

WEEk-10The National Guard

Team of the Week forWeek 10 is Matawan,which went on theroad and knockedoff prevoiuslyunbeaten Carteret,the No. 3 seed, to

advance to the Central Jersey Group IIsemifinals for the third straight year.

Senior running back/safety LarryAlston had 103 yards rushing and three

touchdowns and also had a sack and aninterception on defense to lead the way. Defensiveback Juwaan Bellamy added a pair ofinterceptions, and the Huskies' defense heldCarteret's Jerod Johnson, a 1,600-yard rusher, to37 yards in the win. Sophomore quarterbackKashaun Barnes added a 1-yard touchdown run inthe victory.

Matawan went on to defeat previously unbeatenManasquan, the No. 2 seed, 24-14, to advance to aschool-record third straight Central JerseyGroup II final. The Huskies will nowget a rematch with Rumson-FairHaven, which stunned them 13-7in last year's CJ IIchampionship game, as theyseek their second state title inthe last three seasons.

WEEk-11The National Guard Team of

the Week for Week 11 isNeptune. The Scarlet Fliers (9-1)buried top-seeded Northern

Burlington, 60-27, to advance to their first CentralJersey Group III final since 1999. They will nowface seventh-seeded Steinert on Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. atRutgers Stadium in search of their first state titlesince 1998 and their fourth overall.

In the win over Northern Burlington, the offensiveline paved the way for 555 yards of total offense,including 521 on the ground. The Scarlet Fliersnearly had three 100-yard rushers in the game , assenior David Gutzmore ran for a career-high 203yards and three touchdowns, senior quarterbackJaheem Woods had 109 yards and a touchdown, andsenior fullback Jazzmar Clax finished with 96 yards

and three touchdowns to help Neptune win itseighth straight game. Their 60 points scored

is a school record for a playoff game,eclipsing a 58-13 win over

Middletown South in the 1998 CJIII championship game.

The defense also heldGreyhounds' senior Tosin

Adeyemo, a 1,400-yardrusher, to minus-oneyard rushing on 13carries in the win.

New For This SeasonIn conjunction with All Shore Media, The National Guard will honor

one team a week that showed the character, perseverance and

hard work emblematic of The National Guard during its

performance that weekend. A plaque will be presented to that

team during practice that week in honor of a great showing.

F i v e S h o r e C o n f e r e n c e f o o t b a l l

t e a m s h a v e p u n c h e d t h e i r t i c k e t t o

t h e N J S I A A s t a t e s e c t i o n a l

c h a m p i o n s h i p s , a n d t h e

S h o r e h a s a c h a n c e t o

s w e e p t h e t i t l e s i n a l l

f o u r C e n t r a l J e r s e y

b r a c k e t s .

The conference is

guaranteed to have at

least one champion,

as Rumson-Fair

Haven and Matawan

wil l meet in the

Central Jersey Group

II f inal for the second

straight year. Last

season, Rumson

stunned the unbeaten

Huskies , 13-7, to win i ts

f i rs t s ta te t i t le in school

his tory. This season, the

Bulldogs are the undefeated

top seed, and face a s ixth-

seeded Matawan team that has

won s ix s t ra ight and has gone

through a pair of undefeated teams

to reach the championship game for

a school-record third s t ra ight year.

The Huskies upended Manasquan, 24-

14, to end the Warr iors’ 23-game home

winning s t reak and also el iminate them from

the playoffs for the third s t ra ight season.

Senior running back Larry Alston ran for a

career-high 247 yards and two touchdowns, while

also catching a touchdown pass and regis ter ing an

intercept ion as a safety on defense.

The Huskies are hoping for a reverse of las t year,

when they beat Rumson in the

regular season before losing to the Bulldogs

in the f inal . This year, Rumson beat

Matawan, 21-9, in a Class A Central game in

the regular season. The Bulldogs are coming

off a 35-7 victory over f i f th-seeded Delaware

Valley that put them into their second

straight f inal and fourth in school his tory.

The victory also gave head coach Shane

Fal lon his 99th career win in his 14th

season.

Senior running back Connor

Riley led the way with a rushing

touchdown and an 85-yard punt

return for a score as Rumson

blew out to a 28-0 lead

and never looked

back.

In Central

Jersey Group

IV, second-

seeded Manalapan beat third-seeded

West Windsor South 21-20 in a double

overt ime thr i l ler to reach i ts f i rs t sect ional

f inal s ince 2003 and the second one in

school his tory. Thanks to a gutsy cal l by

head coach Ed Gurr ier i , the Braves wil l

face f i f th-seeded Sayrevi l le on Dec. 3 a t

1 p .m. a t Rutgers Stadium in search of

their f i rs t s ta te t i t le in program his tory.

Sayrevi l le beat Manalapan, 32-20, in

last year ’s semif inals .

The Braves were able to vanquish

the Pirates on Friday night when

Gurr ier i e lected to go for a game-

winning two-point conversion in

the second overt ime. Senior

ta i lback John Sieczkowski , who

ran for 175 yards , had just rushed

for a 21-yard score to br ing

Manalapan within a point .

After a hard count by

Manalapan junior

quarterback

Mike Isabel la

drew the Pirates

offs ides on the

conversion t ry,

Isabel la handed

the bal l to

Sieczkowski ,

who plowed up

the middle for

the two points

to set off the

celebrat ion on

Manalapan.

"We were very

confident , ' '

S ieczkowski

said about

going for two

and the win.

"We have a

great ful lback

(Jesse

McEnery) , a great l ine, and al l I had to do was

fol low them. ' '

" Izzy did a great job with the hard count , they went

off , and once we got to the 1 1/2-yard l ine, I real ly

fel t a t that point in t ime they were done, ' ' Gurr ier i

said. "John was just imposing his wil l . ' '

I sabel la a lso tossed a pair of touchdown passes to

junior wideout Anthony Firkser, including the game-

tying, 5-yard score with 57 seconds lef t in

regulat ion.

In Central Jersey Group III , f i f th-seeded Neptune

earned i ts f i rs t t r ip to a s ta te f inal s ince 1999 in

emphat ic fashion, burying top-seeded Northern

Burl ington, 60-27, thanks to 555 yards of total

offense, including 521 on the ground. The Scarlet

Fl iers near ly had three 100-yard rushers in the game

behind a dominant offensive l ine. Senior David

Football: Shore Sends FiveTeams to the State FinalsB y S c o t t S t u m p – M a n a g i n g E d i t o r

4 / ASM Vo lume- I I I Issue-21 1 1 /22 / 1 1

Rumson WR Nico Giaimo

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATIONContact : Steven Meyer 732-233-4460 smeyer@al lshoremedia. com

Manalapan's John Sieczkowski

C o n t i n u e d o n n e x t p a g e

Gutzmore ran

for a career-

high 203

yards and

three

touchdowns,

senior

quarterback

Jaheem

Woods had

109 yards and

a touchdown,

and senior

ful lback

Jazzmar Clax

finished with

96 yards and

three

touchdowns

as Neptune

won i ts

eighth s t ra ight game.

The defense also held Northern Burl ington

1,400-yard rusher Tosin Adeyemo to minus-one

yard on 13 carr ies .

The Scarlet Fl iers wil l now seek their f i rs t s ta te

t i t le s ince 1998 when they take on a seventh-seeded

Cinderel la squad in Steiner t , which had never won a

state playoff game in i ts his tory before this season

but knocked off second-seeded Wall and third-seeded

Woodbridge in succession. Those two teams wil l

square off a t 4 p .m. a t Rutgers Stadium on Dec.

3. Neptune head coach Mark Ciccotel l i seeks

his third CJ III crown in the las t four seasons

af ter winning two with

Freehold, and Clax, a

Freehold t ransfer, is

looking for his

second s t ra ight

t i t le .

Top-seeded

Asbury Park

routed f i f th-

seeded Point

Beach, 54-6,

for i ts second

win of the

season over the

Garnet Gulls and

i ts fourth t r ip to

the Central

Jersey Group I

f inals in the las t

f ive years . The

Blue Bishops, who

have won 11 s t ra ight

playoff games, wil l t ry

to win their fourth t i t le in

f ive years when they

take on third-seeded

Florence on Dec. 3

at 10 a .m. a t The

College of New

Jersey.

Senior

Armond

Conover

had a

sensat ional a l l -around game against Point Beach,

rushing for 101 yards and a touchdown, catching

three passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns,

throwing a 53-yard touchdown to his twin brother,

Amir, and returning an intercept ion 42 yards for a

score.

Red Bank Cathol ic fe l l just short of i ts f i rs t s ta te

f inal ber th s ince 1980 despi te losing 1,500-yard

rusher John DiStefano to a dis located kneecap in the

f i rs t quarter. The Caseys near ly knocked off second-

seeded Delbar ton in a match-up of unbeaten, top 10

teams in the s ta te in the Non-Publ ic Group III

semif inals . The Green Wave pul led out a 30-23,

double-overt ime when af ter a 5-yard touchdown run

by Jamie Smith and then an intercept ion by Wil l

Reynolds denied RBC a t r ip to i ts f i rs t s ta te f inal

s ince 1980.

Senior quarterback Ryan Spahr threw touchdown

passes to James Taylor and Greg Golden in the loss ,

while sophomore Louis Redael l i ran for 95 yards and

a touchdown on 22 carr ies in DiStefano’s absence.

Golden had a huge game with 8 catches for a career-

high 153 yards and a touchdown in the loss .

P h o t o s b y :

Bi l l Normi lewww.bi l lnormi le.zenfol io.com

C l i f f L a v e l l eww w. c le ar e d g e . ze n fo l i o . co m

N a v e s i n k F i t n e s sww w. n a ve s in kf i t ne s s . ze n fo l i o . co mAsbury QB Robert Barksdale

Neptune QB Jaheem Woods

www.allshoremedia.com ASM / 5

Manasquan, New Jersey - The Atlantic Clubwill offer a special seminar on ACL injuryprevention for teenage girls on Tuesday,November 29th from 7pm-9pm. The workshopwill focus on how to prevent ACL relatedinjuries through various training methods.

Bill Parisi, founder of The Parisi SpeedSchools is an internationally recognized fitnessexpert and speaker and will address the groupabout proven training methods that can helpfemale athletes avoid serious ACL relatedinjuries. Bill along with The Parisi SpeedSchool Team will also be conducting after histalk a 30 minute training session for the athleteswhich will demonstrate skills, conditioningexercises and running techniques for eachathlete and coach to incorporate into their dailypractice routines.

Lori Brown, founder of T3 Lacrosse, a

program that coaches over 1,000 femaleLacrosse athletes per year, will discuss the ever-growing numbers of elite athletes that haveexperienced ACL related injuries and the impactit has had on their lives. Lori will join Bill andthe Parisi Staff in conducting the drills duringthe workshop.

Jimmy Smith, Director of Crest PhysicalTherapy and regarded as One of the BestPhysical Therapists in Monmouth and OceanCounty, will highlight preventative measures aswell as the explain extensive treatment youngfemale athletes experience while recoveringfrom ACL related injuries.

Lastly, Mike Hackett, Head Athletic Trainer atWall High School has experience managinginjury care for 28 high school sports with 57levels. Mike will provide his insight from aHigh School Athletic Trainer perspective.

The workshop is open to the public and isfree of charge. It is requested that our TeenageFemale Athletes in attendance be dressed inappropriate athletic attire with running/athleticshoes to allow them to experience and enjoy acomprehensive 30 minute ACL InjuryPrevention focused workout. It is requestedthat parents stay for a Questions and Answersession from the speakers immediatelyfollowing the workout.

Pre-registration is required. There are threeeasy ways to register:www.parisispeedschool.com/theatlanticclub;facebook.com/tacparisi; call The Fieldhouse atThe Atlantic Club 732-292-4475.

For more information regarding thisimportant event, please contact The ParisiSpeed School Director Cat Mercurio at 732-292-4354.

The Atlantic Club & T3 Lacrosse to Present Seminar

on ACL Injury Prevention for Teenage Girls

Join The

All Shore MediaTeam Today!

Interested in joining our team and think you

have what it takes to be covering sports in the

Shore Conference for All Shore Media? We are

looking for local writers interested in covering

sports like Football, Soccer, Lacrosse,

Basketball, Wrestling, Track, & more as part

of our Bi-weekly newspaper and our website

(www.allshoremedia.com). Grab your chance to

appear regularly in The All Shore Media Bi-

weekly issues & on www.allshoremedia.com

while helping us recognize more athletes and

bring more stories to Shore Conference sports

fans. This is your chance to become a regular

contributor to a growing business on the cutting

edge of covering sports in Monmouth and Ocean

County.

Just contact Managing EditorScott Stump@ [email protected]



Provides one-on-one aggressive but safe rehabilitation,

enabling today's athletes to return to competition

quicker and healthier then ever before.

ACLInjury

PreventionTraining

ELITE

SporTS phySIcaL ThErapy

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"She used to run down the sidelines with me when I was

scoring,'' Alston said. "She loves football, and she loved to

watch me play.''

A senior safety/running back on a Matawan team that will

face Rumson-Fair Haven for the second straight year in the

Central Jersey Group II final on Dec. 3, Larry is Juanicia

"Cotton'' Everett's oldest of four children by 10 years. The two

are so close that Everett calls her son "the blood that flows

through my veins.''

That's why she cried for nearly a month straight last fall

when she had to say the one thing she never wanted to say to

her son: Goodbye.

"It was really tough,'' Alston said. "It still is. I

think about her all the time. When you

venture off by yourself, you've got to grow

up and become a man earlier in life. You

do what you have to.''

"I'm all for him,'' Everett said. "That's

why I'm struggling with it right

now.''

After growing up in

Matawan, Larry moved to

Old Bridge with his father

and attended Carl

Sandburg Middle School

for two years. On the day

after he finished eighth

grade, he moved to

Columbus, Ga., to live

with his mother, who is

originally from Long

Branch. He spent two

years playing football

for Shaw High School in

Columbus, but soon the

financial pressure of raising four

children as a single mother began to

bear down on Everett.

"She was trying to take care of my

sisters and me and had economic

problems, so we figured I would rather

leave than be a burden for her to pay for

all of us,'' Alston said.

Alston was in the middle of his junior

season at Shaw when the decision was made

for him to leave.

"It was very sudden,'' he said. "One morning I

woke up, we talked about it, and the next thing I

know I got a bus ticket to go back to New Jersey.''

"I told him to pack,'' Everett said. "It wasn't even a

conversation.''

Alston was going to move back to Matawan to live with his

godmother, Ruth Robinson, even though it was tearing apart

Everett inside.

"I fe l t l ike a useless mother, l ike Iwas just giving my chi ld away, but hesaid he's a big boy, and he can takecare of himsel f, ' ' Everett said. "Hesaid, 'You did a great job of rais ingme, so you don't have to worry. I' l l be OK.'

"I cried for a month straight after he left.''

Cotton Everett grew up in Long Branch, a girl obsessed

with football in a family that revolved around it. Her brother,

Sasha Everett, was a standout for the Green Wave, and

Cotton nearly joined the team as well. Under head coach Bob

Biasi, Long Branch had previously had a female

kicker, Jasmine Rodriguez, and Everett thought

about seriously trying out for the team.

However, that idea never came to fruition

because she became pregnant with Larry in

1994 in her senior year.

That didn't dim her passion for

football, as she became a fixture at

Larry's Pop Warner games, trading

in her allegiance to the green and

white of Long Branch for the

maroon and silver of

Matawan.

"I still have the Huskies

blanket from back then

and a jacket with my

name on it,'' Everett

said. "I was

definitely the football mom. I never missed a

game.''

She was also a regular at games at Shaw High

School, while Larry struggled to fit into a foreign

place after moving down there with her.

"It was tough at first,'' Alston said. "People

grow up fast down there, and you have to

handle your own. You have to know your

place. It's a lot of, 'Yes, sir, no, sir.' I didn't

know anybody and I didn't have any friends at

first, but I got used to it.''

Alston played wide receiver, and as he began to

blossom into the chiseled 6-foot-3, 225-pound

athlete that he has become, he started to pop up on

the Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A)

recruiting radar. However, he disappeared from

the scene just as quickly when he was handed that

bus ticket, leaving some frustrated friends behind.

"They felt like I betrayed them,'' he said about

his friends in Georgia. "They still talk about it

now. They were saying that we were just getting ready to take

on the world, and I just up and left. It was hard for them, and

for me.''

Alston transferred in late October 2010, missing the

deadline by only a few days that would have at least allowed

him to play in some games at Matawan as a junior.

He sat out the season under transfer rules and

had zero film to send to colleges.

"Nobody knew what he could

do or who he was

because there was no

film on him,'' said

Matawan head

coach Joe

Martucci.

Even

though he

could not

play, Martucci

let him hang around the team to give him a glimpse of

what would come a year later.

"Coach Martucci was very helpful,'' Everett said. "He

let him be around the team. I really appreciated that

because I didn't know what trouble Larry might find if he

didn't have anything to do.''

Unlike his move to Georgia, Alston had existing friends

and family in Matawan when he returned, but that didn't

lessen his apprehension.

"I was very worried about what was going to happen,'' he

said. "I knew I've got a lot of family here, so really I just

took it on. I didn't have a choice.''

He joined the basketball team in the winter, and the

rugged forward averaged a double-double. He became

an instant leader and star player on a Huskies squad

that had one of its best seasons in school history.

That's also when Martucci got an up-close look at the

type of athlete who would be suiting up for him on the

gridiron as a senior.

"You could see he was a person who had the ability to

carry a team on his back,'' Martucci said. "He hadn't

played high school basketball at all, yet he became a

dominant player in the paint. You saw what type of

attitude he had as far as being competitive.''

His size and athleticism were so impressive that

Temple University offered him a football scholarship last

spring after seeing him in person even though he had zero

film from his junior year.

More importantly, while he still missed his mother, he

began to settle in socially and find comfort in his extended

family and friends.

"Coach Martucci has been like a father figure to me, and my

Shore Roots

B y S c o t t S t u m p – M a n a g i n g E d i t o r

Support System

hen Larry Alston III was starr ing in Pop Warner in

Matawan in the early 2000s,one of the only people outrunning him tothe end zone was his mother.

team has been like my brothers,'' he said. "They know my

situation so they make it much easier for me.''

Alston's one and only football season at Matawan has been

a wild ride between highs and lows that he and the Huskies

hope reaches a crescendo with their second Central Jersey

Group II title in the last three seasons. Alston began the

season by sitting out all of the scrimmages because he had a

cyst removed from his forehead that made it painful to wear

a helmet.

He made his presence felt immediately once the

regular season began with two touchdowns and

an interception in a 21-7 victory over Freehold

in the opener. Alston started the year playing

receiver and occasionally lining up in the

shotgun and running the ball in what

Martucci dubbed the "Wild Dog'' formation.

However, his role soon increased

dramatically when standout senior running back

Cassius Williams, one of the

most explosive runners in

the Shore Conference

and Alston's good

friend, suffered a

season-ending torn

ACL on Sept. 24

in a 20-3 victory

over Raritan.

Williams and

Alston are old Pop

Warner teammates,

a tandem dubbed

"Thunder and

Lightning'' by

Everett, so

Williams's loss

could have been

a crippling blow

to the Huskies'

season.

Instead, it

became an

opportunity for

Alston to keep

Matawan's

championship aspirations

alive.

Martucci shifted Alston from

wide receiver to the feature

tailback full time in the Huskies'

pro-style offense in the absence

of Williams. It morphed

Matawan into a smashmouth

running offense based on

Alston, a downhill runner who

challenges the manhood of

any linebacker stepping up in

the hole to face him.

The main adjustments for

Alston were learning the

blocking schemes and

maintaining his strength.

He had never played on

both sides of the ball while

at Shaw, but was now in on

almost every play as a

safety/running back. A

player who was not even on

the team a year ago would

now be the hinge on which

Matawan's entire season would

turn.

"He had some bumps and bruises, which his

body was not used to because he hadn't played

both ways, but he's done a great job for us,''

Martucci said.

"Playing

running back put a lot of

weight on my shoulders

because you've got to build more

stamina,'' Alston said. "I feel very

comfortable at this point. I'm one with my

line, and I thank my line every time I get big

yards. It's a brother-and-brother connection.''

What also initially boosted his spirits after the

loss of Williams was that his mother came to visit him

when Matawan played rival Rumson-Fair Haven on Sept.

30. She witnessed one of only two losses for the Huskies

this season, as the undefeated Bulldogs beat them 21-9 in a

rematch of last year's Central Jersey Group II final in which

Rumson shocked the previously undefeated Huskies, 13-7,

to win its first state title.

Matawan has won six straight since that loss to Rumson,

and Alston has rushed for 950 yards and 9 touchdowns in

four games since being moved to tailback. The journey

hasn't been without some turbulence, however. Only days

before the Huskies' game against Holmdel on Oct. 22, a

fight broke out at the high school that required the presence

of the local police, and Alston was involved in the incident.

He ended up being suspended for the Huskies' 34-7 victory

over the Hornets.

Martucci declined to comment on the specifics of the

incident, and Alston would only say that it was "in the past.''

Multiple sources close to the situation said that Alston was

actually playing the role of peacemaker, trying to break up a

vicious fight between two other students, when the situation

escalated. Maybe the most disappointing part for Alston was

that the Holmdel game was another weekend when his

mother had travelled from Georgia to visit, and he was

forced to sit out.

"Larry didn't do anything wrong,'' Everett said. "He

shouldn't have been suspended. I was in town when it

happened and got eyewitness statements saying Larry had

nothing to do with the fight. The mother of one of the other

boys sent a Facebook message thanking Larry for saving her

son's life because he had his jaw broken, and it could've

been much worse.

"I can't change it, but I don't think he should have to carry

that with him. I always taught him not to let people bully

other people and do what's right. He called me very upset

because he feels like every time he helps someone, it turns

out bad for him. I don't need him to change who he is. In the

long run, he will be a better person because of it.''

When Alston returned to the lineup, the soft-spoken 17-

year-old who still has a hint of a Southern accent played

with fury. Opposing coaches who have either faced

Matawan or scouted the Huskies' films say he put some of

the hardest hits they've seen in years on opposing

ballcarriers.

His transition to running back, combined with a ferocious

Huskies’ defense, has put Matawan one win away from its

second state championship in three years. His signature

game was a 247-yard, 3-touchdown eruption in a 24-14 win

over previously undefeated Manasquan in the CJ II

semifinals. Boston College and Rutgers are now regularly in

contact with Martucci in addition to the Temple offer

that Alston already has in his pocket.

"We're a totally different team without him on the

field, especially after we lost Cassius,'' Martucci said.

"He is the motor that is driving our team.''

Much of the rematch with Rumson in the

championship will revolve around Alston

and whether the Bulldogs can slow him

down on either side of the ball. The kid just

hanging out at practice last year has

become an indispensable player

upon whom Matawan's fortunes

rest.

He is hoping his mother will be able to make the trip from

Georgia to Rutgers Stadium for the big game. If not, Everett

will be sitting by her cell phone that Saturday night, waiting

for the stream of text messages that is essentially a play-by-

play from friends and relatives. It will be a day off from her

job as an administrative supervisor at the Roosevelt Warm

Springs Institute in Warm Springs, Ga., so it will be all about

the big game.

Many times this year, Alston has glanced up at the visiting

fan section and seen plenty of supportive family members,

but not the one he misses the most.

"Sometimes I wish she was over there and she's not, but

sometimes you can't get everything you want,'' Alston said.

"I think this hurts the most because I feel like I have

always been there, and this one matters the most because it's

his last year,'' Everett said. "His response is always, 'Don't

worry about me.'''

If Larry breaks one to daylight at Rutgers, Cotton Everett

will close her eyes nearly 2,000 miles away and imagine

running down the sideline with him one more time. After a

circuitous journey, her son is back where it all started.

Maybe that's the way the story should have ended all along.

"Matawan is where his heart is at,'' she said. "I think it's

fitting that in his last season he goes out with a bang there.''

Photos by

C l i f f L a v e l l eww w. c l ea re dg e. z en fo l i o . c om


The Missing Ingredient

The Future

"It's very strange,'' Alston said.

"All I wanted was to be welcomed to the team and make everybody proud ofme. You never wake up and think you'llbe one of the star players on the team,and we have a lot of other stars. I justwant to make the most of my one year,mostly for my teammates becausethey've been here all along and havebeen yearning for a championship sincelast year.''


Christian Brothers Academy senior Scott Thomsen went to his head

coach, Dan Keane, before the game and told him he could play through a

strained left quadriceps injury, but that the injury would prevent him from

shooting with his dominant left foot.

With a perfect season and a Non-Public A championship on the line

against Delbarton at the College of New Jersey, Thomsen put his left foot

to work.

Thomsen one-timed a well-placed cross from senior forward Zach

Hicks into the net 1:12 into the first overtime period to break a scoreless

tie and give CBA a 1-0 win over a stingy Delbarton squad that posed a

serious threat to CBA's perfect season with each passing minute. In the

end, the Colts prevailed to finish the season 21-0, the first unbeaten and

untied season in the school's history and fifth state championship in 15

appearances in the final.

Thomsen managed a little fewer than 60 minutes on the sore quad and

was thought by Keane to be finished after coming out of the game

midway through the second half, but with the careers of everyone on the

CBA roster winding down, he mustered up enough strength to play up at

the top of the formation in the final minutes of regulation and then find a

crease in the airtight Delbarton defense.

"Big players step up big in big games, and he's a special player and a

special kid," Keane said of Thomsen, who will continue his career at the

University of Virginia. "He's been such a great player in our program, and

it's been really hard for him not

to be

able to play with the injuries. He wasn't at 100 percent today, that was

obvious, but he gave it everything he had and when he had a chance, he

made the most of it.

"It's an unbelievable finish to his career. You couldn't have scripted it

any better."

Chris Thorsheim started the game-winning sequence by taking the ball

up the left side to the corner and leaving a pass back for Hicks, who

surveyed the 18-yard box and sent a cross toward the back post. Thomsen

tracked the ball, and slid in with a shot that he struck just as the ball hit

the ground and just out of the reach of goalkeeper Luke Rossi for the

championship-winning golden goal.

"I had time to take a look at the goal and I saw Scotty at the far post and

just sent the ball over to try and give him a chance," Hicks said. "The ball

got there, and he made a great effort to get to it and finish."

"Zach played a great ball to the far post, and I was able to make a run

and lose my defender," Thomsen said. "I was only two yards out so it was

pretty hard to miss with the ball Zach put in for me."

Like many teams this season, Delbarton played a defensive game that

commonly featured five fullbacks, four midfielders and sophomore

forward Mike Moshier. The Green Wave plugged up

the gaps in the back and used their exceptional size and

athleticism to disrupt balls in the air.

"We're one of the

smallest

teams out there," said senior stopper Alex Lazzaro, who was one of

CBA's most active players, particularly in the first half. "We are never

going to beat anybody with our size, but our skill and our speed and our

effort is what separates us. Delbarton was very tough, we were both

fighting for balls all game long, but we believed the whole time that we

would find a way."

The Colts midfield has been the most lauded group within the CBA

team, but the defense and Donato pitched its 14th shutout of the season.

The defensive unit allowed only seven goals all season.

The win is CBA's second of the season over Delbarton, the seventh

team that the Colts have defeated twice this season. The Colts went to

overtime just one other time this year, a 2-1 win ove Rumson-Fair Haven

in the Shore Conference Tournament in which CBA faced its only deficit

of the season.

"As a senior class, this is something we've been talking about for four

years now, since we first started as freshmen," Thomsen said. "Two years

ago, we had a chance. Chris and I were starters and Zach came off the

bench on that team too, so we definitely talked about that game and how

we didn't want to wonder what could have been. I know for me, it's been a

rough two years, but tonight was all that mattered, and it makes

everything worth it."

In addition to Thomsen's individual place in CBA lore, the goal puts

this senior class in special standing. The all-senior Colts are the second

team in school history to finish unbeaten and first to do so without any

draws. The 1998 team finished 20-0-2 and also capped its season with a

championship win over Delbarton.

After this class completed the perfect season, Keane did not hesitate to

rate the team against the other 32 teams he has coached during his tenure.

"This team is the best, without a doubt," Keane said. "They're the

only team to go unbeaten, untied and win a state championship in

school history and that's what we told them coming in. We said,

"Guys, you have a chance to go down as the best team in CBA

history, but in order to do it, you have to win a state championship

tonight. We had that great team in 1998 that was certainly in that

class, but I'll say this for sure - this is the best senior class we've ever

had at CBA."

Keane, 63, has hinted at retirement for the past few years and strongly

indicated that after seeing this senior class through, he would hang up his

clipboard. After winning his fifth NJSIAA championship in 14 trips to the

final, Keane would not commit to a decision just yet.

"Coach Keane is a legend at CBA and in the Shore Conference,"

Thomsen said. "He's been here 14 times and only won four times before

this year and that seems kind of unfair. We wanted to be a class that gave

him a championship and if this is his last year, it's a great way to go out."

Brotherly Love: CBA Soccer Finishes UndefeatedB y M a t t M a n l e y – S e n i o r S t a f f W r i t e r


Photos & Game Video

H i g h l i g h t s b y :

M a t t M a n l e ywww.al lshoremedia.com

FoR AdVeRtISIng InFoRMAtIonContact : Steven Meyer 732-233-4460 smeyer@al lshoremedia. com

A Pleasant Return forAsbury Park’s Big Man

By Christopher Melvin – Eliterecruits.Com/All Shore Media

If you’ve had the pleasure of attending any of

the Asbury Park football games this season, then

you’ve heard it over and over again, blaring out of the

loudspeaker.

“That was theBIG FELLA, No. 57,Ra’Zahn Howard!”

Whether on the offensive side of the ball opening holes for senior ball-

carriers Armond Conover or Islam Joshua, or pass-blocking so that

sophomore quarterback Robert Barksdale

(over 1,000 yards passing this season) can

unleash a pass to senior receivers Amir

Conover, Tajier Hammary or Thomond

Hammary – you can always count on

stellar play from Howard.

With two games remaining on the season,

Howard has accounted for 70 tackles, 10

sacks, 12 quarterback pressures, 3 forced-

fumbles and 7 pancakes blocks on the

offensive side of the ball.

“Ra’Zahn has come a long way for us

and has become a complete player and

leader for our team,’’ Asbury Park head

coach Matt Ardizzone said. “He never

gives up and plays with a high motor until

the whistle blows. He has never given

myself or any of our coaches any problems

and always seems to want to better himself.

I didn’t get to see him play at his past

school (Winslow Township), but he is a

great addition for us, and I’m so glad that

he is a Blue Bishop.’’

The 6-foot-3, 315-pound Howard played

the past few years at Winslow Township in

South Jersey, where he was an imposing

figure on the defensive front for the Eagles, but wasn’t near as dominating

of a player as he currently is.

“I actually started playing football when I was 11 years old for an

unlimited weight league and played offensive guard and defensive-

tackle,’’ said Howard, who moved to South Jersey from Asbury Park

between his seventh and eighth-grade years.

“Winslow is a Group III school and Asbury Park is a Group I school,’’

he said. “I feel that the way that I am now, I would be the same way at

Winslow if I had the conditioning and preparation that I received here.

Asbury has really ignited my fire and conditioned me to be the player I

am now and it doesn’t matter that we are a Group I school – we have a

Group IV approach at Asbury when we work out and take the field.”

Upon leaving Winslow, a school that has produced the likes of New

York Jets running back Shonn Greene, Howard made a list of goals.

“I wanted to become a better person first and then a better player on the

field,” said Howard. “I had a lot of things on my mind that I had to deal

with and still do, but I’m more focused now and working on getting my

grades on track. When I transferred things became a bit tangled (grades-

wise) so I’ve been dealing with that. I love Asbury Park’s academic

program. If you need help – there is always some there to assist you.’’

“I feel that I could have made

some better decisions. I wish that

I would have taken my academics

a bit more serious. If I did, I

would have scholarship offers on

the table right now.

Howard also had one goal as

far as his performance on the

field.

“My main goal as a player was

to dominate every play, and be

more physical than I was in the

past,” said Howard. “I wanted to

become every offensive

coordinator’s nightmare!”

“Nightmare’’ has been a

suitable noun to describe Howard

for the relentless style of play as

a defensive tackle that has drawn

looks from colleges such as

Rutgers and Minnesota, among

others.

The Shore Conference has a

host of impressive offensive

linemen this season, but the

defensive linemen may be just as

good with players like Howard, Jack Eisenstadt (Rumson Fair Haven),

Joe Coscarelli (Red Bank Catholic), junior Garrett Sickels (Red Bank

Regional), Mike Alonzo (Rumson Fair Haven), Remy Martin (Jackson

Liberty) and junior Josh Klecko (Red Bank Catholic).

“There are some pretty good players around here. The toughest player

I’ve faced so far was Lacey’s Tyrell Smith,” said Howard. “When I faced

him last season in the states he was so dominating - a big, strong

offensive lineman. Last year he outweighed me by like 50 pounds, but we

are around the same weight now. I spoke to him on the computer before

the season and told him that I would manhandle him now. He came back

and told me the same thing.”

Howard feels that he has a few different sides when it comes to figuring

him out.

“As far as me being a player I can come at you with so many different

moves,’’ he said. My favorite move on defense is the head fake and swim

move, and on offense I just love to pancake people.’’

Off the field Howard sees himself as a different person than what he

shows on the field.

“I’m aggressive on the field because I’m a very sensitive person off of

it,’’ he said. “When I’m on the field I transform my sensitivity into

aggression.

“All of the people don’t know or have any idea of the adversity that I

had to deal with and had to overcome. I just want to be able to say that I

defeated the odds. Yes, there are many young men who have dealt with

things I dealt with and have to deal with – but many of them have

succumbed to the negativity that surrounded them. My goal is to make

it.’’

One of the main reasons for Howard’s success is due to the efforts of

Ardizzone, who has coached players such as former USC All-American

receiver and former Carolina Panther Dwayne Jarrett.

“This is a great place to coach, but you have to be more than just a

coach on the field at some places because some young men need that,”

added Ardizzone, who was once an assistant at New Brunswick High

School in Middlesex County.

“Ra’Zahn is a great kid and I would do anything for him. There aren’t

too many coaches around who can coach here and relate.”

“He has been a great influence on me,’’ Howard said about Ardizzone.

“He is more like a father to me than a coach. He understood me from Day

One and has been by my side ever since.

“It goes way beyond the X’s and O’s with coach Ardizzone. He has

continued to urge me to reach my maximum potential and full capabilities

and once again, I’m determined to do just that.”

Asbury Park OL/DL Ra'Zahn Howard

P h o t o s b y :

Bi l l Normi lewww.bi l lnormi le.zenfol io.com



The New Jersey South Chapter of US Lacrosse

recently held their second annual coaches clinic

for all youth and high school boys lacrosse

coaches at GoodSports in Wall.

In addition to a stellar lineup of session

presenters such as Jim Davidson, Head Coach at

Summit High School and NJ Hall of Fame

inductee, Tom Carr, also a NJ HOF member as

an official, Matt Danowski from Warrior/Brine,

a former four-time All-American at Duke and

current Major League Lacrosse professional and

frequent lacrosse commentator on ESPN, the

clinic highlighted Tim Flynn in the last session

of the day.

While Tim is the head coach at Mountain

Lakes High School, one of the perennial powers

in New Jersey lacrosse along with Summit, last

year he was named the head coach of the US

Lacrosse National Men's U19 team that will

compete in Tuurku, Finland, next summer at the

world championships. Coach Flynn was

introduced by New Jersey Lacrosse's

own Reid Jackson, a member of the

1998 U.S. team that defeated Canada

for the championship. Reid is a former

St Joseph-Metuchen standout, a three-

time All-American at Rutgers and

currently is the newly-named head

coach at perennial Shore Conference

power Rumson-Fair Haven.

The presenters worked with the

Brookdale Community College's men's

team for on-field demonstrations

throughout the morning.

Also in attendance were the three

players from New Jersey on the U.S.

National team--Immaculata’s Ralph

D’Agostino, currently playing for Syracuse,

Bridgewater-Raritan’s

Tyler Barbarich, who is

at Delaware, and

St.Augustine Prep’s

Steven Pontrillo, who is

a senior this year.

"We were thrilled to be

able to have such a

terrific lineup of

presenters for this year's

sessions,'' said Dale

Oehler, President of the NJ South Chapter. "These guys are some of the most

respected voices in the game of lacrosse today, not only in our state but nationally as

well. This allows our attending coaches to hear and take notes on a lot of the finer

points of the game they can't get anywhere else in a great facility and a fun

atmosphere. Not only does it improve their ability as

coaches, but they get a chance to make some new

friends within the coaching fraternity, too."

Emcee Bob Sheridan, himself a New Jersey lacrosse

legend, presided over the sessions and gave out raffles

and prizes throughout the morning from the many

sponsors that participated in addition to Warrior/Brine

such as Universal Lacrosse, Power Tek, Boathouse, B

& B Trophy and ArtbyArlene among others.

The clinic was the second in a series of events that

present various aspects of the game by widely

recognized experts and was attended by some 75

coaches from around the state. A portion of the

proceeds from this year's clinic will be donated to the

national team. For more information on the activities

of the NJ South Chapter, which is part of US Lacrosse,

the governing body of the game, contact Dale Oehler

at [email protected]

Duke 4x All American & MLLprofessional Matt Danowski

Matt Danowski demonstrates someshooting techniques

2nd Annual NJ South Lacrosse Chapter’s CoachesClinic & Fund Raiser for Team USA Scores Big

Left, President Dale Ochler &MC Bob Sheridan

Photo by

David Thornewww.davethorne.smugmug.com

Tom Carr with two BCC players talks to thecoaches during one of the clinics

Steve Heller was named the first head coach in Brookdale men’s lacrosse history in 2008. In the program’s inauguralyear, Heller guided the team to an 8-14 record. Prior to coming to Brookdale, Steve was the assistant coach at West

Point Prep School from 1996-2007. He was also a three-time men’s lacrosse all-American at Army, andis a graduate of West Point.

In a 4-part series Steve will highlight key elements that will help with a successful pre-season training program for any level of lacrosse.

There is an old saying that “the best defense is a good offense.”This holds true for lacrosse. You must score goals to win games.Scoring (and feeding) is part art form and part technique. Thereis no doubt that some players have a knack for scoring (those thatdon’t, play defense!!). Let’s go oversome of the mechanics of shooting andfeeding.

Shooting: Proper technique isthe first critical step to being a goodscorer. It all starts with the hands.Start by placing your lower hand(depending on whether you areshooting righty or lefty) at the lowestpoint of the shaft – do not choke up!Your top hand should be no more than12 – 16 inches above your lower hand.If it’s too low, you’ll lose accuracy, andif too high, you’ll lose velocity.

Hold the stick in your fingertips, notthe palms (I see way too many playerswho “palm” the stick). This willtighten your arms and not allow you torelease your wrists - two critical partsof shooting.

When shooting remember this: yourarms have the least amount of impacton the velocity of your shot. Velocitycomes from using your entire body. Think of a power pitcher inbaseball. He does not just stand there and throw only with his

arm. His power comes from using his legs to push off, his torsoto rotate into the pitch, and then his arm follows. The shootingmotion is lacrosse in essentially the same.

Real velocity comes from using yourlegs and torso to generate power and thearms follow. So when shooting, do notstand there and shoot. You need to stepinto your shots. Lastly, keep your handsand arm out and away from your body.Do not shot with your hands in “tight.”This will cause you to lose velocity andaccuracy.

Using the baseball analogy again,think of a power hitter. He likes thepitch to be out and over the plate so hecan extend his arms into the pitch. Healso uses his entire body to generateadditional power (just like the pitcher).This is the same in lacrosse – get yourhands and arms out and away from yourbody when shooting, and you’ll see yourpower/velocity begin to increase (anddon’t forget to use your entire body!).

Feeding: Feeding is muchsimpler. You only need to follow a fewbasic principles, and you can be a veryeffective feeder. The first is your eyes.

You must always be looking up and in when dodging or carryingthe ball. I see many players miss open teammates because they

are looking down or at their defenseman. You must be able to seethe open player or you can’t be a feeder!

Your hand position is no different than when passing the ball toyour teammate. The only difference here is you need to put alittle more velocity on your feeds so your teammate can catch andshoot before the defense can react – do not “float” the feed inthere, “jam” it in there! A harder pass/feed is easier tocatch/shoot.

Lastly, only feed when your hands are “free” (away fromdefensive pressure). Too many players try to make a feed (orpass) when a defenseman is actively checking their hands. Youneed to step away to create some space between you and yourdefenseman. The space you create will allow you to better feedand also help prevent a turnover from a good check.

Practicing: Lastly, when you practice both shootingand feeding, practice based on what you do during the game. Ifyou are a middie, shoot on the run or at distances of 12-15 yards,spots you’ll shot from during a game. If you are an attackman,shoot inside 12-15 yards, from the wings, and from the crease. Isee many players before and after practice taking shots thatthey’ll never see in a game – this is not effective and won’t makeyou a better player. The great players practice what they’ll see ina game so when they do, they will be ready!

Remember This: Practice does NOT make youperfect (when you practice wrong), only PERFECT practicemakes you PERFECT!!

Next Issue: Defense, individual and team principles.

Part 2 of 4

Pre-Season Training: Shooting & FeedingBy Steve Heller – Brookdale Community Col lege lacrosse head coach, Region 19 champions 2010 and 2011

Co-director of Lax Team Six with Reid Jackson, individual and small group lacrosse training. (www.laxteamsix.com).

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATIONContact : Steven Meyer 732-233-4460 smeyer@al lshoremedia. com



Point

Beach

sophomore Sean Struncius has seen the

scrapbooks, watched the old f i lms, looked

at the painted footbal l in the glass case in

the hal lway of the high school and heard

the old s tories .

Now he feels it's time to fill a blank scrapbook, create someother films to watch and have some new stories to tell.

"Everyone always would say great stuff about my dad, buthe doesn't brag about it to me,'' Struncius said. "It does driveme crazy to always hear about his success sometimes becauseI have to try to live up to it.''

First-year head football coach John Wagner may not knowall the history of the Garnet Gulls' program, but the veterancoach who built multiple state championship teams at RosellePark does know one thing when it comes to coaching at PointBeach.

"It seems to definitely be a good thing to have a Strunciusaround when it comes to the playoffs,'' Wagner said beforelaughing.

While Point Beach’s state playoff run came to an abruptend with a 54-6 loss to top-seeded Asbury Park in thesemifinals, the Garnet Gulls’ inspiring turnaround season hasillustrated a bond that has cut across two winning eras ofPoint Beach football. The last, and only, time the GarnetGulls made a trip to the state championship game was whenSean's father, Paul Struncius, was slinging it as a quarterbackfor Point Beach in 1982.

While the elder Struncius is remembered more for the aerialattack he directed as a senior while running the then-cuttingedge West Coast offense, it was actually his junior year on astar-studded, senior-laden team 29 years ago when the GarnetGulls made their only state final. They lost 25-14 toMiddlesex in the Central Jersey Group I championship gameafter a 29-22 win over Green Brook in the semifinals, backwhen the playoff brackets only included four teams.

Point Beach's 34-12 playoff win on the road over fourth-seeded New Egypt in the quarterfinals marked the first timesince the elder Struncius was playing that Point Beach won aplayoff game, and marked just the second playoff win inschool history while also tying the school record for winswith seven.

Just like that, playoffvictories have become aStruncius family tradition andthe one common thread

linking two rareoccurrences at OceanCounty's smallest public

school.

"I'm really excited for Sean,''said Paul, who is the school'sall-time leading passer andplayed collegiately atLafayette. "I try not tooverwhelm him in any waywith historical footballbecause what teenage kidwants to hear about that? He'sseen the scrapbook. I'm justhappy for him and his friendsbecause it's a real solid groupof kids.''

Sean Struncius wasindoctrinated into Point Beachfrom the beginning, serving asa ball boy while the GarnetGulls were coached by JoeFitzsimmons, who led them to their last division title in 1997,and then Nick Giglio, who is now the head coach at RedBank Regional. Paul has been a volunteer assistant for thelast 11 years, so football and Point Beach have been a sharedpassion between the two.

Coming up through the Pop Warner ranks, Sean and hisfriends witnessed a bleak stretch of Garnet Gulls' football.Between 1983 and 2001, Point Beach made only four playoffappearances, and then had a 10-year drought up until thisseason. From 2006-10, Point Beach went a combined 10-40,including a pair of 1-9 seasons, to become an afterthought inthe Shore Conference football scene. Meanwhile, Strunciusand his Pop Warner teammates were churning out onewinning season after another at the youth levels, dreaming ofthe day they could restore the Garnet Gulls to glory.

"Seeing them struggle was tough,'' Sean said. "I alwayswanted to get to high school and show that my generation,the team that I was on, could turn it around for us. I've beenplaying with a lot of these guys since Pop Warner, and we allhad that same goal.''

Following a 20-point win over Keansburg on Oct. 1, theGarnet Gulls beat Keyport, 12-7, under the new lights ontheir home field at the G. Harold Antrim Elementary School a

week later to move to 3-1. Senior quarterback ChristianMartino threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to senior wideoutMark Jurkowski with 1:56 left in the game to vanquish ateam that had bludgeoned Point Beach by a combined scoreof 139-25 in the past three years, including a 55-0 wipeout

last year.

That's when the echoes of1982 started to stir.

After leading Middlesex 14-12at halftime in the statechampionship game 29 yearsago, the injuries began to pile upfor a Garnet Gulls team thatonly had 24 players against atwo-platoon Middlesex teamthat had nearly 60. By the end ofthe 25-14 loss, there were lessthan 11 on the field for thevisitors. Despite losing whatproved to be the only shot at astate championship in theschool's history thus far, PaulStruncius can still remember theaftermath.

"As we walked off theMiddlesex field, their fans andour fans both lined the field andgave a standing ovation to us forfighting so hard,'' Paul said.

That roar dimmed over theyears, but was rekindled in

similar fashion nearly 30 years later after that last-minute winover Keyport.

“The craziest thing was after the Keyport win,'' Sean said."Hearing our crowd just letting out roars and cheers, thatwhole atmosphere was crazy. The whole team was real proudwe could bring them back.''

"I knew the town was excited, but holy smokes, there werehundreds of people applauding after that game,'' Wagner said."That reminded me of Roselle Park years ago.''

With a group of teammates raised on winning and a coachwho has experienced plenty of it in his career, the hope is that"Struncius" may soon be one of many names synonymouswith generations of winning Point Beach football.

"I always wanted to be on the team that would change itall,'' Sean said. "That would allow me to have the samesuccess my dad did, so that one day I could look back and tellmy son about it.''

#58 Center Sean Struncius

P h o t o b y :

B i l l N o r m i l e w w w . b i l l n o r m i l e . z e n f o l i o . c o m

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