Patriots score often in 41-14 win over Piners
Manalapan Braves
in state playoffs,
play Brick Friday night
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

Freehold Township’s football team had two weeks to stew over its 14-12 loss to Manalapan.

The Patriots and Braves had slugged it out in a well-played high school game on Oct. 24, only to have a blocked extra point be the pivotal play of the game.

Saturday, Dominick Lepore’s Patriots took all of their anger and frustration out on the Lakewood Piners, picking up their second win of the season, 41-14, in Lakewood.

J.R. Carlino ran for 113 yards on just 11 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead a Patriot ground attack that pounded out 283 rushing yards. Carlino scored on runs of 1, 9 and 29 yards to cap his outstanding day.

Pete Reilly opened the scoring for the Pats, scoring on a 2-yard run in the first quarter. Reilly had 75 yards himself on 12 carries.

The Patriots didn’t forget the air game, as evidenced by quarterback Tom Poricelli connecting with Chris Dorf on a 29-yard scoring strike. Poricelli was an efficient 7-for-10 for 63 yards.

Colin McCarthy scored the Pats’ final touchdown on a 13-run scamper in the fourth quarter.

The Pats improved to 2-6 on the season and will host Hillsborough on Saturday at 1 p.m. in a NJSIAA Group IV consolation game.

Tom Tarver’s Braves are the only squad from the area that will be in the state playoffs. Manalapan, a 32-26 loser in overtime to Lacey Friday night, earned enough power points in its four victories this season to grab the seventh seed in the eight-team Central Jersey Group IV playoff field. The Braves (4-4) will play at undefeated Brick Township (8-0), which is seeded No. 2, in the first round, Friday night at 7.

Coached by the legendary Warren Wolf, the Green Dragons have been the standard-bearers for high school football in the Shore area. They have won 13 state sectional championships under Wolf, the winningest coach in New Jersey state history (335), and are ranked 17th in the state.

The Braves will be not be happy campers at Brick. They rallied from 12-points down (26-14) at home Friday night in the fourth quarter to force an overtime, only to lose the game in the extra session.

The Braves did get hard-running Chris Hegel back (54 yards on 11 carries) and he came through with a touchdown on an 8-yard run.

Eddie Gurrieri continued his superb running since filling in for Hegel, by gaining 154 yards on 24 carries. His night included touchdown runs of 32 and 6 yards.

The Braves ran for 217 yards on the Lions and picked up 125 more through the air, as quarterback Kyle St. Angelo was 12-for-25 with a touchdown. His touchdown pass was to Bob Plaza and covered 10 yards.

The Manalapan offense has been very balanced in recent weeks with the ground game consistently producing a 100-plus runner, and quarterback St. Angelo’s passing has made defenses play the whole field.

In Brick, the Braves will meet a team that has been steamrolling opponents since the start of the season. The Green Dragon defense has only permitted 18 points in eight games, while scoring 318.

Dan Dornecker has been the Green Dragons’ workhorse at running back, but the team has depth behind him. Receiver Russhon Anderson can make plays downfield, and quarterback Anthony Giratore and Kyle Watson run and throw the ball effectively.

Damian Walcott ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns (3 and 23 yards) in Freehold Borough’s 37-35 game to Keansburg in Freehold, as Keansburg scored on the final play of the game. The two teams picked up 33 of their points (21-12 Keansburg) in the fourth quarter, while Keansburg scored two touchdowns in the final 2:27 to steal the win.

Titan quarterback Dale Valle, who passed for 206 yards and three touchdowns, used his legs to beat the Colonials as time expired. His 8-yard scramble as the clocked showed 0:00 remaining, lifted the Titans to the thrilling victory that left both teams at 3-5.

Like Freehold Township, the Colonials will be playing in the playoff consolation game on Saturday. Borough will host A.L. Johnson in a Group II game at 1 p.m.

Howell (1-7), Marlboro (1-7) and Colts Neck (0-8) were idle last weekend, and return to play in consolation games this weekend. Howell will host Marlboro Friday night at 7 p.m. in a Group IV tilt.

Colts Neck is hosting Rancocas Valley at 1 p.m. Saturday in Group III action.