Rumson-Fair Haven Focused On Task At Hand As Freehold Boro Looms

Photo by Tom Smith https://www.tspsportsimages.co...

RUMSON – Fifth-ranked Rumson-Fair Haven (5-2) will meet an explosive 6-and-1 Freehold team – ranked seventh in the Shore - on Saturday which in and of itself will present a challenge. However, you can’t blame the Bulldogs if they have a bad case of "what could've been" as they prepare for their final game of the season.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the regular season was delayed and shortened to six games with no divisions or divisional titles awarded. It was also decided by the NJSIAA governing body that there would be no traditional state playoffs this season with no sectional or bowl champions crowned at any level.

In lieu of the state playoffs and with the intention of giving the student-athletes an opportunity to play for something a little more meaningful, the NJSIAA set up what they are calling the “2020 Post Season Groupings,” a two-week stretch in which teams will play an additional two games.

Teams were placed into four-team pods selected by a committee of the five league presidents and the five conference schedule makers with the groupings based on enrollment, geography and final regular season records within the conferences.

As it turned out, this quasi-postseason format set up an unofficial Shore Conference championship game between No.1 Wall (6-0) and No.2 Donovan Catholic (7-0) – a game Shore Conference football enthusiasts have been clamoring about for decades and a game the Bulldogs can now only dream about.

With the season-long goal of being selected as one of the four teams in the top pod, Rumson went into its October 31 game against No. 5 Mater Dei in good position to be included in that top pod. If that were to be the case, Rumson would’ve most likely gotten another shot at Wall, which beat them 14-13 in last year’s sectional final on a missed extra point.

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Mater Dei pulled a rabbit out of its hat and burned them on a trick play in the final seconds of the game to beat them and drop them into the second pod.

In that game against Mater Dei, the Bulldogs were about to secure the win holding onto a 19-18 lead with 35 seconds left to play and the Seraphs facing a third-and-11 from their own 44-yard line.

Desperate, Mater Dei dusted off their hook-and-lateral play that won them a state championship on the final play of the game in 2016 and miraculously it worked again, this time delivering a devastating 26-19 loss to Rumson.

In the Bulldogs only other loss of the season, 21-14 to Red Bank Catholic, which lost 28-14 in last weekend’s matchup against Donovan Catholic, they shot themselves in the foot by uncharacteristically turning the ball over five times. They outgained the Caseys by more than a 2-to-1 ratio, 268 to 130, with the defense holding RBC to 30-yards rushing on 30 attempts.

To their credit though, the Bulldogs haven’t let the disappointment of not being included in the top pod and possibly another crack at Wall effect their game preparation and focus moving forward.

Two weeks ago they routed Ocean Township 34-7 to finish the regular season at 4-2 before taking on undefeated and sixth-ranked Colts Neck in the first of their two post-season grouping games.

The Bulldogs jumped out to 14-0 and 21-7 leads against Colts Neck before giving up a late score and going into the half up 21-14. After making a few halftime adjustments, Rumson thoroughly dominated the second half shutting out the Cougars the rest of the way for a 28-14 victory.

Rumson’s stout defense held the Shore’s leading rusher, Joe Barsky, to 52 yards and one touchdown on 18 attempts for a 2.9 yards per carry average while Rumson’s own stud running back, John Volker, ran for 110 yards and a score on 26 attempts. Senior quarterback Josh Harmon was an efficient 6-of-7 passing for 91 yards with touchdowns throws of 23 and 11 yards to senior wideout Patrick Jamin – a third-team All-Shore selection a year ago. Junior Geoffrey Schroeder added 40-yards rushing, including a 20-yard touchdown run as the Bulldogs outgained Colts Neck in total yardage by a 243 to 131 margin.

Volker is understandably the focal point of Rumson’s offense.

At 6-foot-0, 210 pounds, Volker – a Princeton University commit – combines brute strength with blazing 4.35 forty speed to run over, through and around defenders. In each of Rumson’s first three games, he scored on 50 plus-yard runs on his first carry of the game to kickstart the Bulldogs. He’s averaging 8.1 yards rushing per attempt and for the season he’s rushed for 1,016 yards with 14 touchdowns along with three receptions for 53 yards.

Schroeder is a reliable backup to Volker who can be counted on to pick up those tough yards on the ground while adding to his value as a receiving threat out of the backfield. He’s chipped in with 212 yards on the ground on 51 attempts with one touchdown and is second on the team in receptions (14) for 83 yards and a touchdown.

Senior quarterback Josh Harmon won the starting job coming out of camp after displaying leadership qualities that have carried over into the season. He has the arm strength to attack downfield and is adept at working the play/action fake to Volker while his athleticism allows him to tuck it in and run when called on. He’s thrown for 685 yards and eight touchdowns with six interceptions completing 55-of-100 passes while rushing for an additional 88 yards and a touchdown on 18 attempts.

Harmon’s main targets are Jamin – a third-team All-Shore selection last season - and senior 6-foot-3, 210 pound tight end Luke Delvin. Jamin leads the team with 19 catches for 273 yards and four touchdowns and is committed to play football and lacrosse at Middlebury College while Delvin had added six receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns.

Volker and Harmon have the luxury of playing behind one of the top offensive lines in the Shore Conference with a couple of road-graders upfront doing the damage.

First-team All-Shore left tackle James Smith anchors an offensive line that is big and nasty. Smith checks in at 6-foot-3.5, 285 pounds and is still weighing his options as to where he’s going to play at the next level. At right tackle is hulking 6-foot-4, 290 pound junior Charles Pearson and next to him at right guard is 6-foot-2, 255 pound junior Christian Smith. Junior George Clough (5-foot-11, 260 pounds) starts at center while 6-foot-2, 230 pound junior Patrick Malpass is at left guard. Griffin Volk, a 6-foot-2, 290 pounder is also in the line rotation.

When you think Rumson-Fair Haven football defense is first thing that comes to mind and this year’s unit is no exception.

The front seven returned three All-Division and one All-Shore selections from a year ago and they’ve all taken their game to the next level. Senior All-Shore defensive tackle Von Factor (5-foot-10, 235 pounds) anchors a defensive line that gets after the quarterback as well as stuffing the run. Factor has a non-stop motor that has helped him record 49 tackles along with four sacks – second on the team.

Junior All-Division defensive end Aiden Moriarty is already one of the top DE/OLB prospects in the state. At 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, Moriarty is a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. He leads the team with five sacks to go with his 45 tackles and one interception. Opposite Moriarty is senior All-Division selection Jack Kelly (30 tackles, two sacks), who gives the Bulldogs a pair of bookend defensive ends that are as good as any in the Shore. Senior Thomas Quadarella (6-foot-1, 260 pounds) mans the other tackle spot and is an immovable object recording 25 tackles along with one sack and an interception.

The linebacking crew is as good as any in the Shore with all three being returning starters from a year ago. After a breakout sophomore campaign, 6-foot-2, 200 pound junior outside linebacker John Lista is back terrorizing opposing quarterbacks with his quickness and shear strength. He leads the team with 57 tackles along with four sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and an interception. Lista has All-Shore written all over him.

Another super-soph from a year ago, junior Ryan McKay, is a 5-foot-11, 225 pound rock of granite at middle linebacker for the Bulldogs. With 50 tackles and one sack on the year, McKay is run stuffing extraordinaire. Senior 6-foot-1, 205 pound Tommy Swain is an athletic outside linebacker that plays sideline to sideline who has 43 tackles and one fumble recovery on the year.

Holy Cross commit Ryan Ruane, a first-team All-Shore selection at safety last season - heads up a secondary that needed to replace two starters from a year ago but has jelled into a cohesive unit that plays off of one another. The athletic 6-foot-1, 195 pound Ruane has been a force in all aspects of the game again this season even returning the opening kickoff 79 yards for a touchdown against Ocean. On the season he’s recorded 40 tackles with two picks and fumble recovery. You can expect All-State honors for Ruane this season.

Senior Angelo Pane is a two-year starter at cornerback who uses his 6-foot-1, 190 pound frame to his advantage in 50/50 balls and is a sure tackler having recorded 27 tackles on the year. First-year starting cornerback Jimmy Kennedy is a tough on-or-off the line cover man that has had a stellar season with two interceptions while chipping in with 11 tackles and a fumble recovery. Another first-year starter that has stepped up admirably for the Bulldogs is 5-foot-10, 180 pound senior Ian Littman, who has one interception on the year with 21 tackles from his free safety spot.

The Bulldogs defense will have their hands full on Friday night defending against Freehold’s high-octane offense that has scored 243 points in seven game while averaging 34.7 points per game. They score 38 points against Southern and 41 against Colts Neck – both top 10 teams at the time.

Senior duel-threat quarterback Sha’kim Shuler may be small in stature but he makes up for it with heart as he continually torches opposing defenses. The 5-foot-6, 150 pound Shuler has eclipsed the 1000-yard mark in both passing and rushing compiling 1,123 yards and eight touchdowns through the air while completing 59-of-96 attempts with five picks. On the ground, he’s rushed for 1,166 yards and 15 touchdowns on 147 carries for a 7.9 yards per attempt average.

Shuler isn’t the only threat the Bulldogs must contend with. The Colonials also boast two explosive players in juniors Yah-Sin Calhoun and Kamore Gill who are both are averaging 10 yards per carry rushing. Calhoun lines up in the backfield rushing for 394 yards and six scores on 40 attempts while Gill, who will lineup at wide receiver, running back and even quarterback in the wildcat formation, has rushed for 416 yards and two touchdowns on 40 carries. They’re both Shuler’s top targets through the air as well with Calhoun leading the team with 25 receptions for 515 yards and three touchdowns and Kamore hauling in 15 balls for 365 yards and three scores. Junior 6-foot-2, 220 pound tight end Tyler Ochojski is a vicious blocker that is a big target for Shuler catching 14 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns.

Ochojski excels at outside linebacker as well leading the team with nine sacks along with 47 tackles and one fumble recovery.

As good as Calhoun has been on offense he’s been just as good on defense at free safety. He leads the team and the Shore in both tackles with an eye-popping 100 tackles and interceptions with six. Senior middle linebacker Matt Grady (55 tackles, two interceptions) and 6-foot-2, 180 pound strong safety Jason Lee (47 tackles, one sack, one interceptions) are standouts on defense as well. Both Gill and Shuler have recorded two picks on the corners for the Colonials while senior Nick Hall anchors both the offensive and defensive lines.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Friday at Borden Stadium in Rumson.

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