Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 51

Asbury Park Press Friday, December 6, 1996 To Report Scholastic Scores Call 1-800-822-9770 Ext. 4422, 4423 For Local Sports Scores Call Pressto (908) 918-1000 Touch 8802 NJS1AA FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS A hiisito Stare teams CIO wm being halted at the South River 10-yard line. Keansburg coach Jon Schultheis was the center for the school's 1976 two-platoon powerhouse of coach Chip LaBarca. It blasted Dunellen 41-0 and downed Highand Park 14-0 Iw-oi I I Mm If. J-Nw Hr-m.

It's history as they played it. When it comes to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs, Keansburg and South River are regular opponents, and there's also a historical tie between Long Branch and Carteret While Middletown North has no previous history with playoff opponent Hillsborough, the Lions have a long, proud playoff tradition. The Lions and Titans have won two state championships and Long Branch one. Keansburg (5-7 overall in the playoffs) visits South River in tomorrow's Central Jer PLAYOFFS PAST LONG BRANCH 1976 Long Branch 41 Manasquan 21 Carteret 29 Long Branch 22 1982 Wall 14 Long Branch 7 1986 Long Branch 45 Princeton 0 Long Branch 30 Ocean 0 1993 Long Branch 42 Hamilton North 17 Ocean 20 Long Branch 12 1996 Long Branch 9 Manasquan 7 I 1 1 LLC K5 fi rrt TO I I 1 ArrefAPT TftDnvlDHT aA I sey Group I game, a rematch of last year's contest won by South River, 20-13. The Titans also played South TONY GRAHAM KEANSBURG 1976 Keansburg 41 Dunellen 0 Keansburg 14 Highland Park 0 1978 Bound Brook 20 Keansburg 16 1979 Dunellen 7 Keansburg 6 1980 Spotswood 40 Keansburg 12 1983 South River 10 Keansburg 0 1991 Dunellen 27 Keansburg 6 1992 Dunellen 39 Keansburg 25 1994 Keansburg 7 South River 0 Keansburg 10 South Hunterdon 0 1995 South River 20 Keansburg 13 1996 Keansburg 44 Shore 12 behind the passing of Ron Hayes and the running of Joey Jimenez.

In 1994 Schultheis had taken over as coach when Keansburg won the title, defeating South Hunterdon in the final, 10-0. That year, Keansburg's defense did not allow a touchdown over the last 16 quarters of the season. "I think this year's team is very, similar to '76 in that we had either the number one or two offense and defense in the Shore," said Schultheis. "The '94 team was a defensive club all the way." Long Branch coach Fred Sprengel also has playoff experience as player and coach. Sprengel was an offensive tackle for Wall High School's 1982 Central Jersey III champions.

He was an assistant coach with the Green Wave in '93 when it lost in the finals to Ocean, 20-12, in a battle of unbeat-ens. The Wave's playoff history spans two generations of the family of Shore Regional athletic director Jack Levy whose son, C.J., is the Long Branch quarterback. Jack was an assistant coach in '76 when Wave quarterback Tim Wilson threw for 148 yards vs. Carteret and future NFL player Sam Mills was at linebacker, but a rally from a 29-8 deficit fell short. CJ.

Levy was a Long Branch ball boy in '86 when Levy was the coach as Malcom Freeman rushed for two touchdowns as undefeated Long Branch pounded out 366 yards on the ground to defeat Ocean, 30-0. "You keep it low-keyed but to think 20 years we were on the bus going up there to Carteret, and now my son is on the bus, and I'll be following it," said Jack Levy. "We're hoping that this team not only makes history, but changes history." Galos was an assistant for current Manasquan coach Vic Kubu on the '83 Lion staff and for Don Ayers in '86. "It's nice to be back in the playoffs," said Galos, whose team practiced at Giants Stadium Wednesday night "That was a great thrill for the kids. River in a first-round game in 1983, losing 10-0, but in 1994 topped the Rams in the first round 7-0 en route to the CJ I title.

Including two regular-season games, tomorrow will mark the fifth meeting of the teams over the last three years with South Riving winning three close contests. Long Branch (5-3 in the playoffs) and Carteret, who play tomorrow at Carteret in the Central Jersey Group II final, are meeting on the 20th anniversary of the 1976 CJ III championship game when Frank Glazier's visit 3 SOUTH WVIR wavsSr 1 VVfrarfarA ing Green Wave fell, 29-22. Middletown North (7-5 in the play-1 offs) is appearing in its 13th playoff contest when it tangles with Hillsborough 7:45 p.m. Sunday at Giants Stadium in the Central Jersey Group IV final. The Lions lost to J.

P. Stevens (remember that name) 35-0 in the 1977 final, to Stevens again in the '82 final 28-19. Then in '83, they finally vanquished Stevens 27-21 in the first round and defeated Trenton in the championship game, 6-0. In 1986, North again met then-arch rival Stevens, winning 27-12 in the final. "Playing them became like a regular game," said ninth-year North head coach Mike Galos.

Galos, who had served as a long-time assistant, is taking his first team to postseason. The recent set of Keansburg-South River clashes have all been decided by no more than one touchdown. Last year, Billy Shea ran for two TDs but the Titans fell just short in their bid to overcome a 20-0 deficit. The game ended with Keansburg MlDDlETOVM WORTH us io swnp TO GAIN TW. C-J.

GRJS CWAMplOHSUlp. MIDDLETOWN NORTH, 1977 Midd. North 28 Watchung Hills 6 J.P. Stevens 35 North 0 1981 Piscataway 16 Middletown North 7 1982 Middletown North 13 Colonia 7 J.P. Stevens 28 North 19 i983 Middletown North 27..

J.P. Stevens 14 Midd. North 6 Hunterdon Central 0 1984 J. P. Stevens 10 North 0 1985 East Brunswick 14 Midd.

North 7 1986 Middletown North 14 Trenton 6 Middletown North 27.. J.P. Stevens 12 1996 Middletown North 27 Manalapan 24 We gave them about 20 minutes just to have fun, and they were rolling on the turf, playing tag and playing touch football." Galos' two sons, Steve and Michael, played for Kubu at Manasquan. The two families live about a block apart, and the coaches often go for early mornin walks together. v.

"Mike has been working on it (a championship) for a long period of time," said Kubu, who won two titles at North and has three at Manasquan. "It's his destiny, it's his time." "Vic's, our mentor," said Galos. "He's the guy that got us started. He made us realize the commitment it takes to coach high school football." The annual Meet the College Football Coaches Night is scheduled for 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Red Bank Catholic High School cafeteria.

PRESSTO will carry updates of all three local high school football playoff games this weekend on category 8802. Tony Graham is an Asbury Park Press staff writer. NJSIAA FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE Tony Graham JoeAdelizzi Last Week: 15-4 Last Week: 16-3 Bob Considine Last Week: 13 6 Season: 140-54-1 Joe Zedalis Last Week: 13-6 Season: 139-55-1 ASBURY PARK PRESS Season: 130-64-1 Season: 138-56-1 EG 'TODAY at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford Parochial II DePaul vs. Pope John XXIII :.4:45 p.m. North Jersey Section 2 Group IV Union vs.

8 p.m. TOMORROW at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford North Jersey Section 1 Group II Len. Valley vs. Ridgefield Park 10 a.m. Parochial III Delbarton vs.

St. Joseph's (Montvale) 1:15 p.m. ParochiallV Holy Cross vs. Bergen Catholic 4:30 p.m. North Jersey Section 1 Group IV Teaneck vs.

Hackensack 7:45 p.m. r3 'A Long Branch at Carteret, 1 p.m. Carteret 14-7 Long Branch 14-13 Long Branch 17-13 Carteret 22-20 Keansburg at South River, 1 p.m. Keansburg 27-20 Keansburg 14-7 Keansburg 14-6 Keansburg 20-13 at College of New Jersey, Ewing Township South Jersey Group IV Shawnee vs. Ocean City .4:15 p.m.

Middletown North vs. Hillsborough, 7:45 p.m. Midd. North 1 4-8 Hillsborough 9-7 Hillsborough 20-14 Hillsborough 21-14 Player punished for sharpened helmet buckle NORTH JERSEY SECTION 2, GROUP II Dover dominates Mendham at higher seeded school North Jersey Section 1 Group I Secaucus at Glen Rock 1 p.m. North Jersey Section 2 Group I New Providence at Butler 1 p.m.

Central Jersey Group II Long Branch at Carteret 1 p.m. Central Jersey Group I South River at Keansburg 1 p.m. South Jersey Group II Moorestown at Hammonton 1 p.m. South Jersey Group I Glassboro at Paulsboro 1 p.m. SUNDAY at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford North Jersey Section 2 Group III Shabazz vs.

Morris Knolls 1 0 a.m. North Jersey Section 1 Group III Hoboken vs. Passaic Valley 1:15 p.m. Central Jersey Group III Franklin vs. Hamilton 4:30 p.m.

Central Jersey Group IV Middletown North vs. Hillsborough 7:45 p.m. at College of New Jersey, Ewing Township Parochial I Marist vs. St. Joseph (Hammonton) 10:30 a.m.

South Jersey Group III Mainland vs. Pennauken 4:15 p.m. 12, 1997. After that date, Cito will be placed on probation, said the New Mexico Activities Association, the governing body for high school sports in the state. Dan Salzwedel, executive director of the NMAA, said the probation period could run from one day -to the remainder of Cito's senior year.

Cito's ban from competition will be in effect regardless of what high school in New Mexico he attends for his senior year, Salzwedel said. Salzwedel said Cito can file an appeal with the NMAA on its THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. A high school football player who wore a razor-sharp helmet buckle that cut several players from an opposing team during a game this season has been banned from competition for a year. Mike Cito, a former student and offensive lineman at St Pius High School, will not be allowed to compete until Oct 12, 1997. Cito, a junior, was expelled from the Albuquerque private school and could face charges as a result of the razor-sharping incident Cito is banned from competition from Oct 12, 1996, through Oct touchdown runs of two and eight yards.

Jennings rushed for 96 yards and Chris Franco added 78 for the Tigers. Matt Wadleigh scored on a 77-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Hermann for Mendham (7-4). The game was moved to Giants Stadium at the behest of New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority chief executive Robert E. Mulcahy, a Mendham native. Mulcahy voiced his displeasure on the day the high school association announced its championships sites, which included 10 games at Giants Stadium.

THE ASSOCJATED PRESS EAST RUTHERFORD Mark Jennings ran for two touchdowns and threw for another and Duray Taylor scored twice as DOVER 37 Dver completed MENDHAM 7 an undefeated BaaaaBHBaaHH season with a 37-7 victory over Mendham in the North Jersey Section 2, Group II final last night at Giant Stadium. Jennings threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Taylor in the first quarter to start the scoring for Dover (11-0). The senior quarterback added.