CARMEN SCLAFANI
School: Brick
Year: Junior
Position: Quarterback
Highlights: Sclafani, whose father, Carmen, was a placekicker for Toms River South and then Rutgers University — transferred from Toms River North last summer. That came after his uncle, Chip LaBarca Jr., the former Toms River North head coach, became the offensive coordinator at Brick. Sclafani, through his leadership and toughness, helped Brick win the NJSIAA Central Group IV championship. It was the program’s first sectional championship since 1994 and seventh overall. In the sectional final against Colts Neck, Sclafani rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 100 yards. He wound up rushing for 1,194 yards and 16 TDs and throwing for 705 yards and five TDs in 9½ games. He missed 2½ games because of a shoulder injury sustained against Toms River North.
CHARLIE VOLKER
School: Rumson-Fair Haven
Year: Junior
Position: Running back
Highlights: The Asbury Park Press Offensive Player of the Year, Volker exploded on to the scene and set numerous Rumson records — yards in a season with 2,108, TDs in a season with 24 and yards in a game with 314. He is the fourth Shore Conference running back since 2010 to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season. The 314-yard game came in the 28-21 win over Rahway in the Central Group II semifinals, when his scintillating 80-yard TD run with 6.8 seconds left won the game. He grinded out 94 tough yards on 30 carries in the 14-6 win over Weequahic in the Central Group II championship game. He was named the Class A Central co-Offensive Player of the Year.
LARRY REDAELLI
School: Red Bank Catholic
Year: Senior
Position: Running back
Highlights: Redaelli, running behind what was probably the Shore Conference’s best offensive line and with his ability to make cuts in the hole, averaged 9.3 yards a carry. He had a Shore Conference-leading and school single-season record 29 TDs. He wound up with 1,660 yards on 179 carries. He had 232 yards and four TDs against Middletown South and 160 yards and three TDs against Rumson-Fair Haven. He was named the Class A Central co-Offensive Player of the Year.
ANTHONY GARGIULO
School: Colts Neck
Year: Senior
Position: Running back
Highlights: Arguably the Shore’s best all-around player. Gargiulo was a standout on both sides of the ball. He ran for 1,666 yards and 26 TDs and led Colts Neck to the NJSIAA Central Group IV championship game and a school record for wins in a season. He had 270 yards and three TDs in the 35-14 win over Neptune in the Central Group IV quarterfinals and 150 yards and three TDs in the 28-19 win over Hamilton North in the Central Group IV semifinals. His 27 total TDs is a school record for a season and the 3.436 yards he had for his career is a school-record.
SAEED BLACKNALL
School: Manalapan
Year: Senior
Position: Wide receiver
Highlights: A Rutgers University recruit, Blacknall was perhaps the Shore Conference’s most feared offensive player because of his ability to be a game-breaker both receiving-wise and in the return game. Teams hardly punted the ball to him because of that. He wound up with 52 receptions for 707 yards and 15 TDs. He had 10 receptions for 67 yards, including one for 12 yards to the 1-yard line with one second left, in Manalapan’s dramatic come-from-behind 14-13 win over Brick Memorial in a Central Group V semifinal.
CHRISTIAN TUTELA
School: Lacey
Year: Senior
Position: Wide receiver
Highlights: Tutela was another of the Shore’s best all-around players. He was capable of being a game-breaker several different ways. He wound up with 54 receptions for 1,053 yards and 14 TDs. He also had 41 rushing attempts for 302 yards and two TDs and threw two TD passes. He had six receptions for 162 yards and a TD against Toms River East and five receptions for 119 yards and two TDs against Brick.
JULANEE PRINCE
School: St. John Vianney
Year: Senior
Position: Wide receiver
Highlights: Prince was one of the Shore’s most consistent receivers throughout the season. He wound up with 50 receptions for 725 yards and 11 TDs. The reception total was a school record for a season. He had five receptions for 144 yards and four TDs in the Lancers’ 47-28 win over Keyport in an NJSIAA consolation game. He also had nine reception for 99 yards and a TD against Rumson-Fair Haven.
QUENTON NELSON
School: Red Bank Catholic
Year: Senior
Position: Offensive line
Highlights: Nelson, who has made a nonbinding, verbal commitment to Notre Dame, could be the best offensive lineman to ever come out of the Shore. He is a dominating, physical blocker who is outstanding at both run and pass blocking. He helped Red Bank Catholic rush for 3,074 yards and average 8.9 yards a rush this season. He was outstanding in the Caseys’ playoff games against both Immaculata and St. Joseph (Montvale).
PETER RIGHI
School: Rumson-Fair Haven
Year: Senior
Position: Offensive line
Highlights: Righi, who has made a nonbinding, verbal commitment to Monmouth University, was one of the reasons Volker had the year he had. He made the move from center to right offensive tackle this season in a seamless way as Rumson also switched to a more power-oriented I-formation alignment.
BRENDAN KELLY
School: Toms River South
Year: Senior
Position: Offensive line
Highlights: Kelly’s play at center was a major reason Toms River South had one of the Shore’s most explosive offenses. The Indians rushed for 2,980 yards and averaged 32.8 points a game. According to Toms River South coach Ron Signorino Jr., Kelly made 48 blocks that led directly to TDs.
RYAN WETZEL
School: Colts Neck
Year: Senior
Position: Offensive line
Highlights: Wetzel’s play at tackle was one of the reasons Gargiulo had the season he had. Colts Neck rushed for 3,274 yards and averaged 8.2 yards a rush. Wetzel has made a nonbinding, verbal commitment to Monmouth University.
ZACH ANDREWS
School: Barnegat
Year: Senior
Position: Offensive line
Highlights: Andrews was the leader of an offensive line that enabled Barnegat to rush for 2,788 yards and 30 TDs and pass for 1,272 yards and 17 TDs. The Bengals, who advanced to a sectional championship game for the first time and set a school record for wins in a season with 10, had three individuals rush for more than 600 yards.
JOHN CHEUNG
School: Manalapan
Year: Junior
Position: Return specialist
Hightlights: With teams not kicking the ball to Blackwell, Cheung became one of the Shore’s best returners. He had three returns for TDs — two on kickoffs and one on a punt. He had a 75-yard kickoff return for a TD against Middletown South, a 95-yard kickoff return for a TD against Colts Neck and a 50-yard punt return for a TD against East Brunswick.
TYMERE BERRY
School: Toms River South
Year: Junior
Position: Utility
Highlights: Berry, who has been Toms River South’s starting quarterback since the fourth game of the 2012 season, is one of the Shore’s most electrifying players. He is a threat both throwing and running the ball. He rushed for 815 yards and 11 TDs on 149 attempts. He was 64-for-131 for 1,090 yards and eight TDs throwing the ball. Those totals were in 10 games. He missed the Thanksgiving Day game against Lakewood because of an ankle injury. He had 205 yards and two TDs against Moorestown in a NJSIAA South Group III quarterfinal. That was Toms River South’s first playoff win in 10 years.
MIKE CREAMER
School: Matawan
Year: Senior
Position: Placekicker
Highlights: Creamer had one of the best seasons a Shore Conference placekicker has ever had. He went 14-for-18 in field goals and 20-for-20 in extra points. His 62 points were 34 percent of Matawan’s total of 182 points. His longest field goal was 46 yards against Neptune. He was 11-for-11 inside 40 yards and 3-for-7 outside 40 yards. Creamer’s three field goals enabled Matawan to defeat Wall, 9-7, and his field goal was the difference in the Huskies’ 10-7 win over Red Bank Regional. He also averaged 37.5 yards a punt with 11 of his 29 punts landing inside the opposition’s 20. Eleven of his 19 kickoffs resulted in touchbacks. His 23 career field goals are believed to be the second most in Shore Conference history behind the 30 Gil Gonzalez of St. John Vianney had in the late 1980s.
