Gridiron Classic At Toms River North

When: Thursday at 7 p.m.

Where: Toms River High School North

Tickets: $10 at the door

Radio broadcast: The game will be live on 105.7 "The Hawk" f.m. and also streamed live onshoresportsnetwork.com. 

All-time series: Monmouth leads Ocean, 19-15-1

7-on-7 championship: Freehold Boro will take on Barnegat at 6:15 p.m. before the Gridiron Classic in a match-up of the respective 7-on-7 tournament winners from each county in the fourth annual Gridiron Classic 7-on-7 final.

Shore Football Coaches Foundation Hall of Fame:Southern coach Chuck Donohue Sr., former Matawan coach Joe Martucci, former Shore Conference coaches/broadcasters Bob Strangia, Ron Emmert and George Jeck and long-time local football broadcaster Ken Turp will all be inducted into the Hall of Fame at halftime.

What to Watch For

Monmouth County will be running Colts Neck's pro-I system under Cougars coach Greg LaCava and his staff. Neptune star quarterback Ajee Patterson operated out of the shotgun all season in the Scarlet Fliers' spread, but has done a nice job picking up the Cougars' system from under center this week. Long Branch's Joscil Jackson, the ASM Defensive Player of the Year as a linebacker, will be on offense in this game and looked great all week in practice at running back. Colts Neck quarterback Mike Campbell will sub in for Patterson and has three of his favorite targets in teammates Tim Vangelas, Gio Zefferino and Connor Canonico, so we'll see if that familiarity helps on the big stage. This offense has explosive downfield potential behind the two quarterbacks and will keep Ocean's secondary on its toes. Defensively, keep an eye on Neptune defensive end David Calderon, who has impressed the coaches with his high motor this week.

Ocean County will be running Point Beach's run-based Wing-T under Garnet Gulls coach John Wagner but also has added some passing sets behind Brick Memorial quarterback Ryan Cieplenski, a late addition who impressed enough this week to be named an offensive captain. This team has a deep backfield that has meshed well this week in practice led by starters Kyle Spatz, Grant Klimek and Danny Tighe, the last of whom led the Shore Conference in rushing in Wagner's system at Point Beach. Monmouth County is thin, depth-wise on the defensive line, so look for Ocean to try to pound them at the point of attack, especially on what is supposed to be a scorching hot day. Defensively, keep an eye on Brick defensive end Dan Watson, who led the Shore Conference with 18 sacks and stood out in practice this week with his speed around the end.

Both teams have quality placekickers in Middletown South's Connor Ryan and Point Boro's Brett Blank, so field goals could certainly play a role in the outcome. The main X-factor is the predicted withering heat, which should be in the mid-90s and will most likely be over 100 degrees on the artificial turf at Gernerd Field. 

Starting Lineups

Monmouth County

Head coach: Greg LaCava, Colts Neck

Offense

LT - Evan Sweeney, Wall

LG - Domingo Perez, Asbury Park (captain)

C - Steve Graves, Wall

RG - Harry Warner, Manasquan

RT - Matt Hicks, Ocean Twp.

TE - Connor Canonico, Colts Neck

QB - Ajee Patterson, Neptune

FB - Gio Zefferino, Colts Neck

RB - Joscil Jackson, Long Branch

WR - Tim Vangelas, Colts Neck

WR - Robbie Cantelli, Holmdel

K - Connor Ryan, Middletown South

*Colts Neck QB Mike Campbell was also named a captain

Defense

DE - David Calderon, Neptune

DE - Manny Maragoto, Freehold Twp.

DT - Anthony Howard, Long Branch

DT - Richie Curran, Red Bank Catholic

LB - Brett Lambert, Holmdel

LB - Dom Pedone, Middletown North

LB - Dan Incle, Matawan (captain)

S - Myles Martin, Neptune (captain)

S - Chris Miller, Manasquan

CB - Corey Morris, Long Branch

CB - Nick Pasquenza, Raritan

P - Connor Ryan, Middletown South

Ocean County

Head coach: John Wagner, Point Beach

Offense

LT - Corey Foltzer, Jackson Liberty

LG - Quinn Kusma, Point Beach

C - Tyler Walsh, Lacey (captain)

RG - Sean Conway, Toms River South

RT - Tyler Brochu, Toms River North

TE - Anthony Speziale, Southern

QB - Ryan Cieplenski, Brick Memorial (captain)

RB - Kyle Spatz, Lacey

RB - Danny Tighe, Point Beach

RB - Grant Klimek, Msgr. Donovan

WR - Bill Belford, Lacey

K - Brett Blank, Point Boro

Defense

DE - Dan Watson, Brick

DE - Richie Kuhn, Brick Memorial (captain) 

DT - Andy Ullmann, Msgr. Donovan

DT - Garrett Kroeger, Toms River North

LB - Pat Gallagher, Toms River East

LB - Tommy Farrell, Msgr. Donovan (captain) 

LB - Kurt Van Benschoten, Point Boro

S - Chris Oliphant, Point Boro

S - Pat Moran, Barnegat

CB - Gerard Grimes, Pinelands

CB - Joe Fitzsimmons, Point Boro

P - John Sudol, Manchester