Shore American producing parody on gridiron

BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

Above, Marlboro’s Rob Boyce is chased by Brick linebackers during the Mustangs’ home loss on Saturday. At left, Marlboro tailback Joe Levine scores the long TD on the day for the ’Stangs. In the topsy-turvy world of Shore Conference American Division football, anything can happen on a given weekend.

Marlboro’s John Fiore knows that as well as anyone.

His Mustangs beat Tom River North, a team that then went out and beat Brick. But Saturday, the Green Dragons went to Marlboro country and beat the Mustangs, 27-7, in the rain and mud.

PHOTOS BY MIGUEL JUAREZ staff Southern lost to Manalapan, a team that had lost to Howell, but Friday night, Southern handed Howell its first loss of the year.

“This league is so difficult to figure out,” he said. “Except for Jackson, everyone can beat anyone on the schedule.”

While undefeated Jackson stands above the rest, there is an opportunity for someone to separate themselves from the others in the pack and emerge as a state-playoff team. Fiore wanted his Mustangs to be that team, but the loss to Brick was a setback to those plans.

The Mustangs have a coach who is not interested in being competitive, winning a couple of games a year and occasionally having a winning season. He wants the Mustangs to make winning a habit, and for the state playoffs to be a realistic goal every season.

The Mustangs are making progress in that direction on and off the field. The players are beginning to believe in themselves and putting the culture of losing behind them. Despite Saturday’s loss, the team is 2-3, and in the wide-open world of Shore American football, on any given Friday and Saturday, can win.

On the field, the offense is starting to click and putting up points.

“We’re scoring points and moving the ball,” said Fiore. “[Quarterback Rob] Boyce is playing really well and [tackle] Bryan Tisch is playing as well as expected.

“Our running game has struggled a bit,” he added. “We need to be more consistent there.”

Chris Kauffman has continued to pound out the yards despite the running problems. He also continues to catch teams off-guard with the option pass. He has thrown two for touchdowns already this year. Because he is a lefty, Fiore said defensive backs are not accustomed to seeing someone running to his left and throwing the ball deep. On his 60-yard touchdown pass to Perry Plevretes against Central Regional, Plevretes was 30 yards clear of the secondary. They had bought into Kauffman running a sweep.

“Had he been with our program for four years, he would have been the starting quarterback because he’s our best athlete,” said Fiore.

The signs are there for the defense becoming more and more of a force in the second half of the season.

“Our defense has been Jekyll and Hyde,” said Fiore. “We’ve played great in spurts. We need to be more consistent and stop the run a little better.

“They’re starting to come around,” he added. “We’re getting turnovers and giving our offense better field position.”

Cornerback Levine continues to sparkle. A great cover man, he has made teams pay for challenging him picking off four passes.

Linebacker Doug Feller and defensive end Joe Ruskin have been standouts on their units.

The start has the state playoffs a realistic possibility for the Mustangs this fall. But to do so, they have to put Saturday behind them and get back on the winning track this Saturday when they host Southern (3-2).

“The kids are progressing,” said Fiore. “Overall, I feel pretty good about things.”

Howell was looking to go to 4-0 Friday night, but got surprised by the Rams. Four pass interceptions and one fumble contributed to Howell’s 16-6 setback.

Sean O’Reilly was 18-for-38 for 144 yards and scored Howell’s lone touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard scamper.

Howell was coming off its bye week and certainly hopes that Friday night’s game was just a glitch. The Rebels are still in a position to control their state playoff destiny. Howell host’s Toms River North (2-3) Friday night at 7 p.m.

Freehold Township got its first game without injured quarterback Tom Porricelli. The Patriots turned to the ground game and gave the ball to Ahmir Martin 27 times, and he responded with 200 yards and two scored on runs of 15- and 13-yards. But it wasn’t enough in Toms River, as the Mariners rallied from 15-7 down at the half to score a 19-15 win that sent the Patriots to 1-3 on the season.

The Patriots have the unenviable task of playing undefeated Jackson (4-0) on Saturday afternoon in Freehold at 2 p.m.

Freehold Borough hosted undefeated Wall on Saturday and lost 35-0. The 0-5 Colonials will play at winless Red Bank Regional (0-4) on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Manalapan and Colts Neck had their bye weekends and return to action this week. The Braves (2-2) hook up with Brick (2-3), fresh off its win over Marlboro in Brick at 1 p.m. Colts Neck (1-3) hosts Monmouth Regional (2-2) at 1 p.m.