By Gridiron New Jersey Staff
Posted: Thursday, December 10, 2015 7:20 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 Friday and numbers 10 through 1 on Saturday.
Top 20: Others Getting Consideration
Top 20: Numbers 20-11
Top 20: Numbers 10-1
Others Getting Consideration (in alphabetical order):
Brick Memorial (9-3): The Mustangs were upended by Jackson in the Central, Group 4 final less than two months after beating that same Jaguars team by three touchdowns. You can be sure they’re already planning for opening day 2016 -- when they meet a Brick Township team to who they’ve lost in three-straight season openers.
Camden (9-3): Despite its loss to Delsea in the South, Group 3 final, coach Dwayne Savage has taken a once-lowly program and led it to a 28-5 record over the past three seasons. None of its three defeats -- two to the Crusaders and one to non-public Camden Catholic -- came by more than nine points.
Cedar Creek (10-2): Running back Bo Melton will undoubtedly be seen as one of New Jersey’s top players in 2016 following his monster performance in Cedar Creek’s South, Group 2 title win over West Deptford. After hanging tight with Group 4 Bridgeton and beating the likes of the Eagles and Haddonfield, the Pirates have quickly built themselves into a South Jersey, small-school force.
Jackson (8-4): Running back Mike Gawlik carried the ball 32 times for 208 yards and three touchdowns in the Jags’ Central, Group 4 championship win over Brick Memorial. The defending champs seemed unlikely to repeat after losing three games in a row back in October.
Madison (10-2): P.J. Mulcahy, Dom Luppino and Joe Mobley displayed the depth of the Madison run game in the Dodgers’ North 2, Group 2 finals win over Rutherford. The championship is Madison’s fourth in the last six seasons.
Red Bank (11-1): The Bucs were one of the state’s biggest surprises, winning more games (11) this year than they had won in the three previous seasons combined (10). Among the highlights of Red Bank’s landmark year were winning the Shore Conference Class B-North title, a 24-21 win over Red Bank Catholic on Oct. 16, and a run to the Central, Group 3 sectional finals.
Shawnee (9-3): Behind QB Michael Welsh, the Renegades rebounded from 1-2 start to reach the South, Group 4 finals. Welsh went 148-of-261 passing for 1,975 yards and 23 touchdowns, and rushed for 685 yards and 11 scores, as well.
St. Joseph (Hamm.) (10-2): Quarterback Salaam Horne and running back A’Laam Horne led the Wildcats past Hudson Catholic’s stifling defense and to a seventh-straight state sectional title, putting them just one shy of tying their own state record of eight in a row. The two rushed for a combined 2,350 yards and 34 touchdowns.
Verona (12-0): The Hillbillies have now won consecutive North 1, Group 1 titles, back-to-back Super Essex Conference Colonial Division crowns, posted two straight undefeated seasons and won 23-straight games. Quarterback Zack Zaccone kept improving all year long, and will be back next season looking to guide Verona to a three-peat.
West Deptford (11-1): The Eagles blew a 14-0 halftime lead against Cedar Creek in the South, Group 2 final, but still had a marvelous year and won the Colonial Conference Liberty Division championship. Their success was largely due to a balanced rushing attack, featuring Gio Gismondi (1,091 yards, 11 TD), Nick Diaco (1,013 yards, 14 TD) and Quran Dozier (972 yards, 18 TD).
Williamstown (9-3): Losing running back Joe Early in the second half of the South, Group 5 title game undoubtedly hurt the Braves’ chances against Toms River North’s elite defense. The Braves split the season series (regular and postseason) with two of the three teams to whom they lost (Cherokee, Washington Township).