Colts Neck, Brick playing for playoffs
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
For Colts Neck and Brick Township, the playoffs are starting early. Friday night's game in Brick Township could very well determine which of the two teams will make the eight-team field for the Central Jersey Group IV playoffs.

Mike McArthur's Cougars are 5-2 after beating Marlboro, 33-0, on Saturday afternoon.

Brick improved to 4-3 after besting Toms River South, 20-0.

When play started last weekend, the Cougars and Green Dragons were seventh and eighth in power points, with Colts Neck holding a two-point edge, 34-32. Brick, of course, would jump the Cougars with a win, and then the Cougars would have to wait to see if they had piled up enough points to still qualify for the playoffs.

Naturally, a win would seal a second straight trip to the Central Jersey playoffs for the Cougars.

Both Brick, coached by the legendary Warren Wolf, the winningest high school coach in state history, and Colts Neck have very good defenses that don't surrender points easily. After last weekend's play, the Cougars had allowed only 88 points while the Dragons have given up only 90.

The difference between the teams ends there, however. Colts Neck has the far more explosive offense, led by perhaps the best running back in the Shore, Ashton Jackson. If he's not the best, he's certainly the most explosive, capable of going the distance on any play.

Jackson is approaching 1,000 rushing yards (925) and has scored nine touchdowns.

But the Cougars have tried to balance their offense this year with quarterback Chris Chiarelli making enough downfield throws to stretch defenses out. He hasn't shown any favorites with his passes, as Jeremy Dinkin, Kevin Callelo, Sean Smith and tight end Alex Leroy have taken turns moving the ball via the air.

In Colts Neck's win at Marlboro, the Cougars ran for 184 and passed for 183. Chiarelli was 11-of-13 for 178 yards and two scores.

The trademark for the Green Dragons over the years has been a punishing ground game that relies on perfect execution. The Dragons will still like to pound the ball through inside the tackles like they did for 213 yards in the mud during Friday's win against Toms River in a rainstorm. However, in junior quarterback Jordan Roshala, they have someone who can pass as well as he runs, presenting a dilemma for defenses.

Kickoff in Brick is 7 p.m.

This is the last weekend of the football season for teams to pick up power points. At the end of play, the NJSIAA will announce the eight-team lineup for each section. The playoffs begin Friday and Saturday.

In CJ IV, Howell at 6-1 was the topseed going into last weekend's play. The Rebels, the newly crowned Shore Constitution Division champions, had their bye week. Howell is at Marlboro (0-7) Saturday, having assured itself of a place in the CJ IV field.