The End Zone/Recruiting Update

You can click here for this week’s “End Zone” column and I excerpted the recruiting update below.

Recruiting Update

Manchester senior lineman Josh Siemanowicz, who is also an excellent student, has received heavy interest from the University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh and Lafayette…Toms River East senior RB Nico Steriti has received an offer from New Hampshire and interest from Maine, James Madison, Villanova, Delaware, and William & Mary and some interest from some Division I-A schools…As reported on the site on Friday night, Barnegat senior tight end/linebacker Jarrett Darmstatter has verbally committed to Boston College. He is the second member of this year’s senior class from Ocean County in the Shore Conference to commit to a Division I-A program along with Central lineman Adam Skidmore, who is headed to Tulane. (Raritan’s Bennett Jackson has also committed to Notre Dame). Manchester senior lineman Jimmy Lawson has verbally committed to Rutgers, but it is for a wrestling scholarship…Neptune junior running back Charles Davis, who already has an offer from Rutgers, returned from a fractured wrist in a win over JFK-Iselin on Saturday…Keyport senior lineman Bryan Thomson will choose between the University of Pennsylvania and Holy Cross…Long Branch senior linebacker/running back Billy George has narrowed his choices to the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, Columbia and Harvard, all for wrestling…The junior class is particularly strong in the Shore Conference as Middletown North tight end Shilique Calhoun, Long Branch quarterback Miles Shuler, Jackson Memorial lineman Dimitrius Smith, Point Boro wide receiver/defensive back Ryan Malleck, Neptune running back Charles Davis, Red Bank Catholic defensive lineman Matt Paolillo and running back/defensive back Andrew Casten, Raritan lineman Shane Mertz, and Barnegat quarterback Nick SanGiacomo have all either already been extended Division I-A scholarship offers or have received legitimate interest from Division I-A programs…Stanford and Rutgers could be the next to offer junior quarterback Miles Shuler, who already has offers from Duke and Northwestern, and Maryland has also shown interest, according to Long Branch coach Dan George. George did not have any updates on the recruitment of standout wideout/defensive backs Ezra Kelly and Devron Clark. Also, former Long Branch star Travis Patterson, who led the Shore Conference in rushing in 2007, is currently flourishing at Hudson Valley Community College in New York and has received interest from Rutgers, according to George.

NJSIAA Playoff Pairings and Schedule/Consolation Game Schedule

The official NJSIAA Pairings and Consolation Game schedules are up. Click here and scroll down to the bottom.

Darmstatter Commits to Boston College

One of the most highly sought-after recruits in the Shore Conference has made his decision, as Barnegat senior tight end Jarrett Darmstatter has made a verbal commitment to Boston College, according to Bengals coach Rob Davis.

Darmstatter, a 6-foot-4, 240-pounder with good hands and speed, had double-digit scholarship offers from Division I-A schools and chose the Eagles, where former Manasquan star Brad Newman is currently a defensive end. Purdue, Rutgers, and Syracuse were other schools in the running for Darmstatter, who becomes the first Division I-A recruit in the young history of Barnegat’s program.

“Jarrett is a great kid and he is going to a nice, established program,” Davis said. “Jarrett deserves everything he has gotten because he has worked hard for it.”

Darmstatter missed 2 1/2 games earlier this season with a dislocated elbow but has returned for the Bengals (2-5), who will play winless Lakewood on Saturday in a nondivisional game. He is currently third on the team with 15 catches for 272 yards and also is a starting linebacker.

Thursday High School Football Show Tonight

Just a reminder that the Thursday High School Football Show will be broadcast live from 6-8 tonight from Boston’s in Toms River. You can listen to it on 1160 WOBM a.m. and Fox Sports 1310 a.m. or stream it over your computer at www.shoresportsnetwork.com.

Lacey head coach Lou Vircillo and standout senior defensive lineman/linebacker Mike Stuppiello will appear on the show from 6:30-6:45 p.m., as the Lions have a big game against Freehold on Saturday, and Wall head coach Chris Barnes and senior linebacker Brad Woszczak will be on from 7:15-7:30 p.m. Regular guest Steve Falk of The Asbury Park Press will also appear, and I will be on the broadcast from 6:45-7:15 p.m., as we’ll be talking about all the big games and playoff scenarios as we approach cut-off weekend.

Football Recruiting Update

In case you missed it in the latest edition of “The End Zone,” here is an update on some of the Shore’s up-and-coming recruits.

Recruiting Update

Long Branch junior quarterback Miles Shuler has been extended scholarship offers by Duke and Northwestern. Also receiving interest from Northwestern has been Raritan junior lineman Shane Mertz, who is 6-foot-6…A contingent from Rutgers is expected to be at Friday’s Long Branch-Manasquan game to take a look at Shuler, Long Branch senior wideout Devron Clark, and some of Manasquan’s top players like wideout/safety Neal Sterling and lineman Rob Forst, the latter of whom is the younger brother of current Scarlet Knights starting offensive lineman Art Forst…Point Boro junior wide receiver Ryan Malleck has received strong interest from Rutgers, Duke, Cincinnati and Maryland, according to head coach Calvin Thompson. They project him as a Garrett Graham-like receiving tight end because he his 6-foot-5 and runs a 4.67 40-yard dash. Point Boro senior linebacker Zach Hayden has also received interest, with Monmouth University, Delaware, Sacred Heart and Lehigh all in the mix…Former Wall standout Billy Lauch, a linebacker who is now at Erie Community College, has received interest from Akron, Temple and Toledo, according to Thompson, who trained Lauch when he was at Wall…Red Bank Catholic junior defensive lineman Matt Paolillo and junior running back/safety Andrew Casten were invited to UConn, where former RBC running back and current Colts rookie Donald Brown was previously a star, for unofficial junior visits this past Saturday.

Live Chat at 8 p.m.

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Thursday Night Football Show/Live Chat Tonight

Don’t forget to tune into the Thursday Night High School football show tonight from 6-8 on WOBM 1160 a.m., Fox Sports 1310 a.m. and streamed on the computer at www.shoresportsnetwork.com.

You can also go check out the show live at Boston’s Restaurant and Sports Bar in Toms River. Appearing live will be Manchester head coach Gerard O’Donnell and senior star Jimmy Lawson from 6:15-6:30 p.m., followed by Steve Falk of the Asbury Park Press from 6:35-6:45 p.m., then my regular spot from 7:05-7:15 p.m., followed by the Manasquan duo of offensive coordinator Rich Read and two-way lineman Rob Forst from 7:15-7:30 p.m., then Matawan head coach Joe Martucci from 7:30-7:38 p.m. and finally the Monmouth University report at 7:40 p.m. with head coach Kevin Callahan.

Also, make sure to visit the blog tonight at 8 for a live chat where we can discuss all of the huge games this weekend.

 

Neptune’s Charles Davis Suffers a Potentially Season-Ending Broken Wrist

The injury woes at Neptune continue to mount, as junior standout running back Charles Davis suffered a potentially season-ending broken wrist in the recent loss to Middletown South and underwent surgery on Tuesday morning. Click here to read more.

Having interviewed Davis multiple times, he’s a good kid with plenty of talent, so I am hoping maybe there’s a shot he can return, but at least the silver lining is that he is only a junior.

Baseball: Todd Smith approved as new head coach at Freehold Twp/Brett Hardie new coach at Barnegat

Former Freehold Township assistant Todd Smith has ascended to the head baseball coaching job, as he was recently approved by the Freehold Regional District Board of Education. He replaces Frank Gualteri, who stepped down earlier this fall after leading the Patriots to the Monmouth County Tournament title in 2009.

Smith, who is also the top assistant on the boys basketball team to Brian Golub, has been a veteran assistant with the Patriots and a key part of their success, so it should be a seamless transition for the Patriots, who lost some top seniors like outfielder Stephen Talbott, but do return a decent nucleus of talent. Congrats to Smith, who was the logical choice for the job.

That now leaves the main opening at St. Rose, where Jim Agnello has stepped down to spend more time with his baseball academy in Staten Island. Another former Freehold Township assistant, Eric Johnson, is the new coach at Howell, replacing Bill Gallacher, and former Raritan coach T.J. O’Donnell has returned for a second stint of coaching the Rockets after replacing Bobby Devlin. Also, Brett Hardie, the former Toms River South star, has been approved as Barnegat’s new head coach after Toms Sutaris stepped down to take a college coaching job.

Craig Sweeney Commits to Monmouth for Baseball

Middletown South senior outfielder Craig Sweeney has verbally committed to play at Monmouth University, choosing the Hawks over St. John’s. He was a Carpenter Cup selection in the spring after an injury-plagued season with the Eagles and returns as one of the Shore Conference’s top outfielders in 2010.

He is one of several Division I players already from this year’s senior class in the Shore, as the Toms River North tandem of pitcher Rudy Ferrentino and pitcher/infielder Brian Gilbert have both verbally committed to Seton Hall and Red Bank outfielder/pitcher Jake Kalish has committed to George Mason. Manasquan pitcher Colin Briant has also verbally committed to continue his career at Army.