Colts Neck rallies to win thriller in Manalapan
Jackson runs for 265 yards and three TDs
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff Above, Manalapan's Jason Muccino finds some running room during the Braves' loss to Colts Neck on Friday in Manalapan.

First things first: Colts Neck and Manalapan played a great high school football game on Friday night.

The game featured a wave of momentum changes and one big play after another.

When it was all said and done on a cold, windy evening in Manalapan, Colts Neck had scored a 31-28 victory. It was a 37-yard field goal into the wind by Rob Gillette that proved to be the difference.

The victory kept the visiting Cougars in control of their destiny in the Central Jersey Group IV playoff hunt at 4-2, while Manalapan slipped to 3-3, but far from out of the picture. Just three years ago, Manalapan got into the state playoffs at 4-4 and made it to the sectional final.

The biggest playmaker of the evening was Colts Neck's Ashton "Action" Jackson, who showed why he earned the nickname "Action." He broke three long touchdown runs and shredded the Braves defense for a school record 265 yards on 22 carriers.

Below, the Cougars' Ashton Jackson finds a big hole before heading upfield.

It was his 85-yard run early in the fourth quarter that shifted the momentum back to the Cougars for good.

On the play, a sweep, he cut back into the line and appeared to stop, but he was never brought down. He made a cut to the outside and emerged from the crowded line of scrimmage, sprinting down the sidelines. He got a good block outside from Sean Carter, and was off to the races again. He had earlier scored on runs of 76 and 34 yards.

"He keeps his legs moving and has great balance," said Cougar coach Mike McArthur. "As coaches, we'd like to think we can coach that, but we can't."

Braves head coach Ed Gurrieri could only tip his hat to the Cougar junior.

"Jackson had a great game," he said. "He's outstanding."

Jackson alone almost put the Braves away. His 76-yarder put the Cougars up 7-0. That was followed by a 10-yard scoring pass from Kevin Kelly to Chris Leroy.

Jackson's 34-yard run late in the second quarter made it 21-0 Colts Neck. The Cougars were in firm control of the game.

"Coming off our loss to Lacey, I was dissatisfied with our effort," said McArthur. "We had been talking about putting it all together for four quarters. We hadn't done that this year, and to go up 21-0 on Manalapan, which is a good football team, I thought we were doing real well.

"In a matter of 1:14 everything went through the wall," he added.

Down 21-0, the Braves got the ball with just 2:20 in the half. With little to draw on (they had one first-quarter drive that stalled and resulted in a missed field goal), the Braves had to be happy to just run the clock out and get into the locker room. But 1:08 later, it was 21-7. A first-down run by Dave Presby and Jim Gilburn got the drive going before Craig Peterson's 20-yard strike to Gilburn put the Braves on the scoreboard with 1:08 remaining.

Gurrieri then took a gamble and called for an on-sides kick. The ball bounced off a Cougar and Matt Johnson recovered it for the Braves.

Peterson then hit Billy Dokouslis down the middle on a 35-yard pass play, putting the ball on the Colts Neck 22. On the next play, the Braves ran an end around with Joe D'Amadeo getting a pitch from Peterson. But instead of running the ball, he pulled and threw the ball downfield to Jordan Whitehead in the end zone for another Manalapan score. With 42 seconds remaining in the half, a Colts Neck romp was now a game, 21-14.

On the ensuing kickoff, Jackson fumbled the ball, and the Braves' Matt Salerno recovered. But the Braves weren't able to move the ball in the final 42 seconds. Still, momentum had found a new partner.

"Even though we were behind, we felt good at halftime," said Gurrieri.

Gurrieri felt even better in the third quarter when the Braves scored again on a one-yard run by Peterson. A fourth-down pass to Whitehead and a big third-down run by Gilburn kept the drive alive. The extra point was missed, and Colts Neck was clinging to a 21-20 lead as the game moved into the fourth quarter.

On a third down and 21, Peterson connected with Dokouslis on a 76-yard scoring play that put Manalapan up, 26-21. Dokouslis, who made his reputation on the gridiron as a ferocious defensive player, is now someone defenses can no longer afford to overlook. He showed remarkable speed for a defensive end.

Manalapan went for two, and Presby scored on a run to boost the lead to 28-21. Everything was going Manalapan's way.

Then, enter Action Jackson, and momentum changed partners again. In a flash, Jackson broke his run, and with Gillette's extra point, tied the game at 28-28.

Colts Neck got the ball back when Alex Leroy recovered a Presby fumble on the Manalapan 33. The Manalapan defense held, but the Cougars did reach the 20, far enough to try a field goal. When Gillette split the uprights, the Cougars had the final word.

The game was as even on the field as it was on the scoreboard. Manalapan had 360 total yards (172 rushing led by Gilburn's 87 on 11 carries) and 188 passing (Peterson was 8-for-12 for 166), while the Cougars had 348 with 279 on the ground led, of course, by Jackson's school record.

After a month on the road, the Cougars are looking forward to playing at home Saturday. The Cougars will host Marlboro (0-6) at 1 p.m.

Manalapan looks to regroup at home Friday night against an improving Freehold Township at 7 p.m.

"We still have something to play for," said Gurrieri. "I have confidence we'll bounce back. Every time we've taken a hit on the chin, they've responded. I think we'll be fine."

Howell edges Brick, 7-6

Howell's offense has grabbed the majority of the publicity for the Rebels, but Friday night, the defense again shined as Howell (4-3) scored its second 7-6 win of the season.

The Brick Green Dragons rolled up 301 yards rushing, but only dented the Rebels' end zone once, late in the third quarter, when Brick went ahead, 6-0.

Howell has been very opportunistic on defense. It has stayed away from giving up the big play and made teams put together sustained drives that oftentimes self-destruct before hitting pay dirt. The Rebels have also been very opportunistic stopping drives with turnovers. They came up with three Friday night, two fumbles and a pass interception, plus a blocked extra point that provided the margin of victory.

The offense, held in check for the first time this year, came up with the game's big play right after Brick had broken the scoreless tie.

Quarterback Sean O'Reilly (10-for-18, 129 yards) tossed a screen pass to Brian Battaglia, and he did the rest. The senior wide receiver took it 65 yards for a touchdown. Chance Carrick kicked the all-important extra point and Howell had a 7-6 lead.

Brick (2-4) would get two chances to kick a field goal, but both kicks missed, and the Rebels survived and remained very much alive in the playoff chase.

Howell will now take a two-game winning streak into its bye week and wait to see what the other teams in CJ IV do this weekend.

The Rebels return to the gridiron on Nov. 3 when they will host Marlboro (0-6).

Two straight wins for Freehold Township

Freehold Township is feeling good about itself after collecting its second straight win, 14-10, at home against Southern Regional. A four-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jack Lapiertra to sure-handed Brian Brikowski in the third quarter was the difference.

But the Patriots needed a goal-line stand in the final 50 seconds to secure the win. A 39-yard pass from quarterback Todd Kaiser to John Gosser put the ball on the Patriot three. After a run into the line was stuffed, an incomplete pass and a two-yard pass, the ball was resting on the Patriot one on fourth down.

The Rams opted to run for it, and Matt Suppa and Mike Porricelli penetrated the Ram line, forcing a fumble that stalled Southern's last-ditch effort, and had the Freehold Township stands rocking.

"I've haven't seen anything like that in my 15 years of coaching," said Pats coach Dominick Lepore. "A goal-line stand to win the game."

Freehold Township (2-5) will take a two-game winning streak into Manalapan Friday night.

A 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Terence Howard was the highlight for Freehold Borough against undefeated Middletown South.

The visiting Eagles (7-0) captured their 43rd straight win, 34-7.

The Colonials slipped to .500, 3-3, and will travel to Pinelands (1-5) on Saturday looking to climb back over .500 and keep its post-season hopes alive.

In addition to his touchdown, Howard picked up 58 yards rushing on 13 carries for the Colonials.

Marlboro (0-6) was out-classed in Toms River Friday night, falling to the undefeated TR East Raiders (6-0), 49-0.