Friday football scores, updates and details from playoff semifinal action in the NJSIAA Tournament.

 



Manalapan welcomes nemesis Sayreville for a huge showdown in the Central Jersey Group V semifinals on Friday night. (Photo by Cliff Lavelle)
Manalapan welcomes nemesis Sayreville for a huge showdown in the Central Jersey Group V semifinals on Friday night. (Photo by Cliff Lavelle)
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NJSIAA Tournament

Semifinal round

Central Jersey Group V

(1) Manalapan 34, (5) Sayreville 7

The Braves (10-0) reached their third straight sectional final by becoming the first Shore Conference team to beat the Bombers (8-3) since 2008 to end their run of three straight state titles and advance to face Hunterdon Central in the sectional final.

Senior tailback Tyler Leonetti had 138 yards rushing and two touchdowns, junior quarterback Dan Anerella threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout Saeed Blacknall, junior tailback Imamu Mayfield added a 7-yard touchdown run, and senior fullback Nelson Rivera had a one-yard touchdown run.

Manalapan's defense held the Bombers to 121 total yards, 52 of which came on a meaningless run inside the final two minutes.

Central Jersey Group IV

(1) Brick 45, (5) Burlington Twp. 24

A 25-yard interception return for a touchdown by Ja'Quez Johnson with 1:55 left in the game gave the Green Dragons (8-3) a 38-24 lead and then junior running back Ray Fattaruso tacked on a 40-yard touchdown run for the exclamation point to send Brick to its first state championship game since 1994 with a win over the Falcons (6-4).

Brick will play the winner of Saturday's Nottingham-Colts Neck game in the championship in search of its first title since 1994.

Senior quarterback Carmen Sclafani went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season in scoring four touchdowns of 4, 51, 31 and 3 yards. Senior kicker Anthony Starego added a 20-yard field goal and went 6-for-6 on extra points.

Central Jersey Group III

(3) Hopewell Valley 30, (2) Ocean 14

The Spartans (9-1) saw their unbeaten season come to an end as the Bulldogs (9-1) outscored them 16-0 in the second half to snap a 14-14 tie on their way to advancing to their first state final in program history.

Andrew Yuska's 5-yard touchdown run in the third quarter broke the tie for Hopewell Valley, which also scored on a 66-yard touchdown pass from Austin Fellows to Drew Wiley and a 23-yard pass from Fellows to Mark Wenner as well as a 24-yard field goal by Bryce Caton to build a 24-14 lead.

Senior Cole Mehr had a one-yard touchdown run and a 75-yard kickoff return for a score in the first half in the loss for Ocean.

Central Jersey Group II

(2) Weequahic 34, (6) Lakewood 0

Alkadair Ports had a pair of touchdown runs and a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown as the Indians (10-0) built a 20-0 first-half lead on their way to blanking the Piners (6-4).

Weequahic will play Rumson, which it beat in the first round of last year's playoffs, in the state championship game.

(1) Rumson-FH 28, (4) Rahway 21

Junior running back Charlie Volker exploded for a school-record 314 yards and four touchdowns on 32 carries, including the game-winning 80-yard touchdown run with only six seconds left in regulation to put the Bulldogs (10-0) into their third sectional final in the last four seasons, where they will face fellow unbeaten Weequahic.

Volker had touchdown runs of 8, 55, 71 and 80 yards in the win. Rahway tied the game on a touchdown pass with 3:15 left before Volker's final heroics. He now has a school-record 1,967 yards rushing, which leads the Shore Conference, and 23 touchdowns this season.

Central Jersey Group I

(1) Shore 15, (5) Asbury Park 6

The Blue Devils (9-1) won their ninth straight game, beating the Blue Bishops (8-3) for the second time this season to reach their second straight Central Jersey Group I final as senior quarterback Matt Muh hit running back Brian Miller for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 6:33 left in the game for a 9-3 lead and a comeback win.

Shore will now play Point Beach at home on Wednesday for the Class B Central title and then will play the Garnet Gulls again in the CJ Group I final in a bid to win its second title in the last four seasons.

Miller added a 2-yard touchdown run with 3:07 left in the game to seal the victory. Jake Monteiro had a 25-yard field goal in the first half.

Asbury Park led 6-3 at the half thanks to a 53-yard fumble return by senior Robert Barksdale.

(3) Point Beach 41, (7) Burlington City 22

Junior fullback Joe Wegrzyniak ran for three touchdowns, and senior Noah Yates had an interception return for a touchdown and a touchdown catch as the Garnet Gulls (9-1) advanced to their first state final since 1982 and the second one in school history by routing the Blue Devils (6-4).

Point Beach will now play Shore on Wednesday for the Class B Central title and then play Shore again in the sectional final in a bid to win the first state title in program history.

Wegrzyniak had a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs and a 9-yard touchdown run, and junior Mike Frauenheim added a 2-yard touchdown run. Yates snared his Shore Conference-leading ninth interception and returned it 25 yards for his third interception return for a touchdown this season. He also had a 27-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Jake Fioretti.

South Jersey Group V

(2) Cherokee 35, (3) Jackson Memorial 14

Jake Powell had a pair of touchdowns as the Chiefs (9-1) built a 35-0 lead on their way to eliminating the Jaguars (7-3).

Senior tailback Khani Glover had a 1-yard touchdown run to get Jackson on the board in the fourth quarter.

South Jersey Group III

(3) Barnegat 28, (2) Northern Burlington 25

The Bengals (9-1) advanced to their first sectional final in program history by edging the Greyhounds (7-3) as Kevin Hoffman scored on a 43-yard touchdown run with 2:25 left in the game for a 28-19 lead and Barnegat held on to close out the win.

They will now play the winner of Saturday's Manasquan-Delsea game in the championship.

Junior quarterback Cinjun Erskine threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Morris and also ran for a 6-yard touchdown in the win. Tyler McGuinness added a 2-yard touchdown run.

Kenyatta Greene had touchdown runs of 43 and 61 yards and a 73-yard punt return for a score in the loss for the Greyhounds.

Regular season

Class B South

Msgr. Donovan 37, Manchester 12


Scores from the  NJSIAA State Tournament games played on Friday (Associated Press)

Group Semifinals

Central, Group I

Point Pleasant Beach 41, Burlington City 22
Shore Regional 15, Asbury Park 6

Central, Group II

Rumson-Fair Haven 28, Rahway 24
Weequahic 34, Lakewood 0

Central, Group III

Hopewell Valley Central 30, Ocean Township 14

Central, Group IV

Brick Township 45, Burlington Township 24

Central, Group V

Hunterdon Central 42, South Brunswick 7
Manalapan 34, Sayreville 7

Non-Public Group II

DePaul Catholic 45, Holy Cross 14
Holy Spirit 38, Bishop Eustace Prep 0

Non-Public Group IV

St. Peter's Prep 34, St. Augustine 0

North I, Group I

Hasbrouck Heights 28, Cedar Grove 26

North I, Group II

Waldwick 39, North Warren 7
Westwood 63, Newton 12

North I, Group III

River Dell 38, Mahwah 13

North I, Group IV

Paramus 17, Old Tappan 16
Pascack Valley 39, Northern Highlands 7

North I, Group V

Ridgewood 31, Passaic Tech 7

North II, Group I

Hoboken 40, New Providence 23
Shabazz 35, Roselle Park 22

North II, Group III

Parsippany Hills 20, West Essex 17

North II, Group IV

Phillipsburg 42, Iselin Kennedy 14

North II, Group V

Ridge 28, Linden 14
Union 47, Piscataway 24

South, Group I

Glassboro 40, Pennsville Memorial 33

South, Group II

Woodstown 14, Bridgeton 9

South, Group III

Barnegat 28, Northern Burlington 25

South, Group IV

Timber Creek 47, Kingsway 13

South, Group V

Cherokee 35, Jackson Memorial 14
Eastern 35, Millville 18

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