By Gridiron New Jersey Staff
Posted: Friday, December 19, 2014 7:40 am
Gridiron New
Jersey will be unveiling our
final Top 20 in three parts, beginning with teams that missed the final
cut, but were under consideration. We'll follow with numbers 20 through 11 on Thursday and numbers 10 through 1 on Friday.
Top 20: Others Getting Consideration
Top 20: Numbers 20-11
Top 20: Numbers 10-1
10. Haddonfield (12-0)
The Bulldawgs put
together another championship season, this time a perfect one that
concluded with a 27-0 throttling of West Deptford. Haddonfield allowed
just 64 points all season, and surrendered double-digit points just
twice—against West Deptford in their regular season matchup and South, Group 1 champ Paulsboro. Their
South, Group 2 title was the program’s 15th—its third of the playoff
era. Senior linebacker Mark Walker piled up 108 tackles on the season.
9. St. Joseph (Mont.) (8-3)
The Green
Knights had an overall successful season, beating DePaul, Don Bosco
Prep, and Paramus Catholic to earn a share of the Big North United
Division title. They did, however, suffer a key setback against Bergen
Catholic and were decisively beated by Ohio power St. Edward.
They were also denied a spot in the Non-Public, Group 3 finals thanks to
a 44-14 loss to Red Bank Catholic. Linebacker Joseph Giles-Harris was
all over the field for Joe’s, picking up 95 tackles and two sacks.
8. Bergen Catholic (8-3)
The Crusaders
bounced back from a 2-7 season in a big way, winning a share of the Big
North United and picking up victories over rivals Don Bosco Prep, St.
Joseph (Mont.) and DePaul. They also went 3-0 against top-tier
out-of-state opposition, but suffered a bit in the rankings from blowout
losses to Paramus Catholic and St. Peter’s Prep (twice), the latter of
whom they fell to in the Non-Public, Group 4 semifinals. Defensive end
Frank Feaster was among the stalwarts of a defense that led BC’s
resurgence, notching 52 tackles. 4.5 sacks, a pick and a fumble
recovery.
7. Paramus Catholic (9-2)
Despite their
loss in the Non-Public, Group 4 final to St. Peter’s Prep, the Paladins
earned a split of the Big North United Division title, while earning
wins over the likes of Don Bosco Prep (twice), Bergen Catholic and
DePaul. PC played perhaps the state’s most ambitious schedule, against
non-public schools in all 11 games. They also went 4-0 against
out-of-state competition. Defensive tackle Rashan Gary was practically
unblockable, tallying 14 sacks and 55 tackles throughout the course of
the year.
6. Shawnee (11-1)
Running back Jake
Parola—a hero all year for the Renegades—exploded for 159 yards and
three touchdowns to lead Shawnee past Timber Creek, 28-7, in the South,
Group 4 final. Despite a slip-up on Thanksgiving against Lenape, the
Renegades were one of the state’s best public school teams all year.
Perhaps their two biggest regular season wins came against WJFL American
rivals Cherokee and Williamstown, giving them the division title.
Parola rushed 206 times for 1,439 yards and 27 touchdowns, and
registered 62 tackles and eight interceptions from the secondary.
5. Montclair (11-1)
Behind quarterback Elijah Robinson, the Mounties reached a fifth straight sectional final and captured a third consecutive North 1, Group 5 championship. The Mounties clinched the crown with a 26-14 win over Passaic County Tech, coming following impressive playoff victories over Livingston and Hackensack. Montclair also captured the Super Essex Conference American Division championship, going a perfect 5-0.
4. Red Bank Catholic (11-1)
With a
high-flying offense and a stiff “D,” the Caseys blew by Bishop Eustace
and—remarkably—St. Joseph (Mont.) before soundly defeating Delbarton in
the Non-Public, Group 3 final. The championship was RBC’s first since
1976, and came along with a Shore Conference Class B-North crown. Save a
streak-snapping loss to Jackson, the Red Bank Catholic defensive unit
was nearly flawless, holding every opponent but the Green Wave (in the
final) to under 20 points.
3. Jackson (11-1)
Jackson won the
Central, Group 4 championship with a 21-18, nail-biting win over
Middletown South, but that was just the finale in a season that had a
host of highs. After dropping an overtime contest to Brick Township on
Oct. 4, the Jaguars finished the season with eight straight wins. Among
them was a landmark 33-27 victory over Red Bank Catholic that shifted
the balance of power in the Shore Conference for 2014. In addition, they
rolled past Middletown North, and won their rematch with Brick Township in the playoffs, and they did it by a
combined score of 89-7. They had two 1,000-yard rushers in Vincent Lee
(1,025 with 15 touchdowns) and Michael Gawlik (1,165 with 25
touchdowns), both of whom return next year.
2. St. Joseph (Hamm.) (11-0)
The Wildcats
rumbled all the way to another Non-Public, Group 1 championship,
dominating St. Anthony, 55-0, in the final. The win gave Joe’s its sixth
sectional title in a row, and marked the ninth time this season that it
scored 42-or-more points. They pulled out a big out-of-state win over
Steubenville (Ohio) back in October, and convincingly beat its top
challenger in the Cape-Atlantic League American Conference, St.
Augustine Prep, on opening day. Running back A’Laam Horne had a monster
year, rushing for 1,180 yards on just 96 carries, and scoring 22
touchdowns. Hard to say how they’d fare against the big school parochial
powers of North Jersey, but you can’t argue with an undefeated season.
1. St. Peter’s Prep (11-1)
The Marauders
made some history this season, winning the program’s first Non-Public,
Group 4 title since 2005 by beating Paramus Catholic, 34-18, in the
sectional final. In addition, St. Peter’s went a perfect 9-0 against New
Jersey opponents, while downing Bergen Catholic and Seton Hall Prep two
times each. Quarterback Brandon Wimbush went 188-of-260 for 3,049 yards
and 37 touchdowns on the season, while rushing for 687 yards and nine
scores, as well.