Braves keep rolling as Presby piles up the yards
Manalapan tops TR South, 21-0
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

CHRIS KELLY staff Freehold Township's Brian Brikowski makes a leaping catch during the Patriots' loss to Jackson on Friday night in Freehold Township.

It was running back by committee for the Manalapan Braves when the football season began.

The Braves had no heir apparent waiting in the wings, and head coach Ed Gurrieri figured the best thing to do was to spread the ball carrying chores among a group of backs running behind an experienced offensive line.

That committee is now a committee of one. David Presby, a junior, with no prior experience running the ball, has not only stepped up to become the team's go-to back, he is the leading rusher in the Shore Conference.

Friday night, Presby turned in the third best performance by a Brave running back in school history, gaining 272 yards on 32 carries and scoring a pair of touchdowns in Manalapan's 21-0 win over visiting Toms River South on Friday night.

Gurrieri thought all along that Presby would become the team's starting tailback.

"He's the strongest, fastest guy on the team," he said.

Presby has rushed for 678 yards in the team's first four games and the curve has been all upward - 164-174-272 in the last three games.

"He's only going to get better," noted Gurrieri. "His instincts are getting better and better. He was just putting his head down and pounding into the line. Now, he's seeing the field better and making people miss."

That's hardly encouraging for upcoming defenses. Presby scored on touchdown runs of 71 and 6 yards Friday night.

What made his game more frightening is that he had two touchdowns called back by penalties - a 53-yard screen pass and 30-yard run.

"He could have had 100 yards in pass receiving, 300 yards rushing and four touchdowns," said Gurrieri.

As it was, it was impressive enough as Manalapan continued to build its momentum and evened its record at 2-2.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Braves were flawless, led by Bill Dokouslis. From a tackle behind the line of scrimmage on the first play of the game, the defensive lineman was dominant. He finished with four quarterback sacks.

"They couldn't block him," Gurrieri said of Dokouslis.

The last thing that winless Middletown North (0-4) needs Friday night is a rejuvenated Manalapan Brave squad coming to town. Kickoff in Middletown is 7 p.m.

When Howell visited Lacey Township Saturday, it was a contrast of styles - the no-huddle, fast-paced passing game of the Rebels and the punishing ground attack of the Lions. But it was a defensive play by Lacey that proved to be the difference in the Lions' 20-14 win. A 56-yard interception return for a touchdown by Mike Mancini in the third quarter put the Lions up 20-7.

Howell played for most of the game without the Shore's leading passer, Sean O'Reilly. But that didn't stop the Rebels from throwing the ball. Howell put the ball in the air 40 times for 222 yards. O'Reilly, before hurting his hip, was 6-for-9 for 43 yards. In his place, Tim Lamirande was 21-for-31 for 179 yards.

The biggest stat in this game, however, was four Howell turnovers that either stopped drives or led to Lion points.

Howell (2-2), is home tonight for Toms River South. It's homecoming with the kickoff at 7 p.m.

Freehold Borough lost a tough game at home to Neptune on Saturday, 20-17.

The Colonials led 10-0 after one quarter on a 47-yard scoring strike from quarterback Brian Prisk to Brandon Brown, and a 23-yard field goal by Gerry Plescia.

But the Scarlet Fliers came back to take a 14-10 lead before the Colonials defense blocked a punt that was recovered in the Neptune end zone by Luis Torres.

That put Freehold Borough back up, 20-17, with just under 6:00 to play in the game.

But the Fliers would have the final say, winning it on Damon Poland's one-yard plunge with just 21 seconds left. Neptune marched 79 yards for the wining score.

Freehold Borough (1-2) will hit the road Friday night for a game with Central (1-3) that starts at 7 p.m.

Colts Neck (2-1) has had more than a week to stew on its 9-7 loss to Toms River East, the last time the Cougars played on Sept. 21. It was the Cougars' first loss of the year. Mike McArthur's club will look to get back to its winning ways Friday night, when the Cougars step out of the Constitution Division and travel to District rival Freehold Township for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

On Friday night, Freehold Township lost at home to Jackson, 13-0. The defense held fast, but the offense was held to just 109 total yards by the swarming Jaguar defense.

It's been that kind of season for the Pats (0-4). When the offense is clicking, they give up too many points, and when the defense holds teams down, the offense doesn't score enough.

Toms River North gets the boo of the week for putting up 67 points on Marlboro in a 67-0 win. The Mariners gained 350 yards rushing on the Mustang defense.

Marlboro quarterbacks Nick Tyson (7-for-17, 75) and Gerard Cicero (7-for-11, 46 yards) combined for 121 passing yards.

Marlboro (0-4) hosts Brick Memorial (2-1) on Saturday. Kickoff in Marlboro country is 2 p.m.