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Current News
Vote now for 2018 JSZ Soccer Plays of the Year!
Jersey Sports Zone brought our cameras all over the state and captured amazing plays from boys and girls high school soccer. We have nominees for the goal of the year (boys and girls) plus save of the year (boys and girls combined). Our poll will stay open until Wednesday at 9:00 pm. You can watch all the nominees below in our three categories. The winners will receive a plaque and a visit from JSZ cameras. Thank you again to all the great athletes from around the state for giving us so many incredible highlights! Take Our Poll Take Our Poll Take Our Poll
Watch JSZ Sunday 11.18 State Sectional Football Finals Highlights
Check out 11.19 football highlights from Summit's 36-14 win over Rahway, Rumson Fair-Haven's 42-35 victory over Somerville and Ramapo winning a sectional title on Sunday.....Read More »
Watch JSZ Girls Soccer State Finals Highlights from 11.18
Jersey Sports Zone brings you highlights from two girls soccer state championship games held Sunday at Kean University — Eastern vs. Bridgewater-Raritan and Northern Highlands vs. Moorestown. Eastern 1 Bridgewater-Raritan 0 | Group 4 Championship Kelli McGroarty’s header in the 76th minute was the lone goal in Eastern’s riveting win against Bridgewater-Raritan, the consensus No. […].....Read More »
Watch JSZ Boys Soccer State Finals Highlights from 11.17
Jersey Sports Zone has full highlights of two boys soccer state championship matches from Kean University — Holmdel vs. Glen Rock and Ocean vs. Millburn. Stay tuned throughout the night for extensive coverage and check in tomorrow for more highlights from the girls soccer state championships! Holmdel 3 Glen Rock 1 | Boys Soccer Group 2 […].....Read More »
Watch JSZ Saturday 11.17 State Sectional Finals Highlights
Watch playoff football highlights from 11.17 now!.....Read More »
"Plays of the Year" Poll
Vote now for JSZ 2018 “Soccer Plays of the Year”
Game Ball Presentations
Vote now for 2018 JSZ Football Plays of the Year!
THANK YOU to everyone who voted in our 2018 JSZ Plays of the Year. With an overwhelming response, we are happy to announce that we will honor the top two finishers in each category at the JSZ Football Banquet on December 5 in Woodbridge As we gear up for the sectional finals and upcoming state championships and bowl games, JSZ has compiled the best plays captured by our cameras during the 2018 football season. We need your vote in six different categories. The polls are open NOW through Thursday at 9:00 pm. The winners of the polls will be honored at the 2nd annual JSZ Football banquet at the APA Hotel in Woodbridge. Our Top Play winners from the season will also be honored as well as the top players in the state with our JSZ All-State team. Watch all sixty of our nominees in the videos below and cast your vote! Thanks to all the athletes for giving us so many great moments from the 2018 season! Take Our Poll Take Our Poll Take Our Poll Take Our Poll NEW NOMINEE! Thanks for pointing out Tyler Cook’s big hit against Paramus Catholic. It’s now on the poll for voting along with the 10 nominees above Take Our Poll Take Our Poll
Pennington’s Rickey Eng Wins Week 8 Top Play!
Rickey Eng has been one of Pennington’s most reliable weapons in 2018. This season Rickey has racked up 11 touchdowns and 740 receiving yards on 32 receptions. Last week in the Red Raider’s 41-14 win over Point Beach Eng linked up with quarterback Brandon West on a long a touchdown catch. The fans have voted and Rickey Eng is our Week 8 Top play winner. Watch his ceremony below: Take Our Poll
Edison’s Lucas Loffredo Won JSZ’s Week 8 Top Play Belt!
In the mud and pouring rain this past week Lucas Loffredo of Edison High School had an AMAZING touchdown run during the Eagles’ 15-0 victory over Plainfield. This incredible QB keeper was voted JSZ’s Week 8 Top Play. Check out Loffredo’s skills and Top Play Belt Ceremony now: Last Week’s Top Play Winner: Dom Jacob
Kittatinny’s Jacob Mafaro Wins Week 8 North Jersey Game Ball
JSZ presented the Week 8 North Jersey Game Ball to Jacob Mafaro from Kittatinny Regional High School for 30 carries, 326 yards and 6 TDs during the game against Morris Catholic. Coach Joe Coltelli and the Kittatinny football team met on the practice field on Thursday afternoon to watch his ceremony:
Freehold Boro’s Sha’Kim Shuler Wins Week 8 Shore Game Ball
JSZ presented the Week 8 Shore Game Ball to Sha’Kim Shuler from Freehold Boro High School for 4 TD runs and 2 TD passes during the game against Howell on Friday. Coach Dave Ellis and the Boro team gathered before practice on Wednesday afternoon to watch his ceremony:
Hunterdon Central’s RJ Thornton Wins Courtney’s Week 8 Game Ball!
RJ Thornton was nominated for Courtney’s Week 8 Game Ball after rushing for 132 yards and 3 touchdowns in Hunterdon Central 42-14 win over Franklin. Thornton won 56.67% of this week’s Mid-State votes. Check out his Game Ball Ceremony now: Total Votes: 24,930 Take Our Poll Last Week’s Game Ball Winner: Charles Amissah
Feature Stories
Long Snapper and NC State Commit Joe Shimko All-American Jersey Presentation
Wall High School Long Snapper and North Carolina State commit Joe Shimko is ranked 4th in the Rubio Long Snapper Rankings for the Class of 2019, and on Thursday, he was presented with his All-American Bowl jersey. The Top 100 High School Football players are chosen to play in the Bowl, and Shimko is the first Wall football player to receive this honor. A long snapper is a niche player, and Joe has been working on perfecting his craft for two years. Shimko says he wanted to get playing time his sophomore year, and he thought the position as a long snapper would give him that opportunity. Joe’s friends, family and teammates gathered on Thursday morning for his ceremony at Wall High School to share this special moment. JSZ’s Madison Bess has the story: JSZ has been there for each of the New Jersey All-American Bowl jersey presentations so far this week: Penn State commit and Hun School offensive lineman Caedan Wallace, Alabama commit and Colonia defensive end Antonio Alfano and Shimko. Tomorrow JSZ will be at DePaul Catholic for WR/DB Ronnie Hickman’s ceremony. Stay tuned for more great football coverage from Jersey Sports Zone the rest of this season!
Alabama Commit Antonio Alfano’s 2019 All-American Jersey Presentation
Colonia defensive end and University of Alabama commit Antonio Alfano has a long list of achievements and accomplishments throughout his football career and added another to his resume Wednesday afternoon. Alfano was bestowed his 2019 All-American Bowl jersey, marking him as one of the top 100 football players across the country this year. Friends, loved ones and teammates were on hand at Colonia High School to help him celebrate and commemorate this special evening. JSZ’s Jay Cook has the story: The 2019 All-American Bowl will be played on Jan. 5, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas and will be broadcast live on NBC. Alfano is one of four New Jersey football players suiting up for the game. Hun School offensive lineman Caedan Wallace (Penn State), DePaul Catholic wide receiver/defensive back Ronnie Hickman (Ohio State) and Wall High School long snapped Joe Shimko (N.C. State) round out the list. Check back in later this week for more jersey presentation ceremonies from these athletes. Want to know more about Antonio Alfano? Watch JSZ’s exclusive inside look at the weeks leading up to his college decision this past summer.
4-star OL Caedan Wallace Receives his All-American Jersey
Caedan Wallace of the Hun School received his All-American Jersey today during a school assembly, making him an official player in the 2019 All-American Bowl which will be played on January 5, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas. Wallace stands at 6’5″ 307 pounds, and is a 4-star offensive lineman committed to Penn State. Our MMJ Courtney DuPont not only attended Wallace’s presentation, but spoke with him and Head Coach Todd Smith after the ceremony commenced. Check it out now: Sponsor Alert!! Coverage of Hun is brought to you by Princeton Ortho! Thank you Princeton Ortho for the continued support of Hun athletics!
Liva’s Leg: From World Class Soccer Player to JV Kicker
Liva Helt might be the most interesting high school kicker in New Jersey you’ve never heard of. The 16-year-old from Little Silver is soft-spoken yet determined, and that combination inspired her to step out of her comfort zone on the pitch and line up seven yards behind center. As a native of Denmark who bounced around Europe and California before permanently landing in New Jersey, Liva is a world class soccer player. She’s a member of Denmark’s Youth National team and as a junior is already committed to play Division I soccer at Columbia University. But instead of lacing up her cleats for her high school team, she decided to try something new and kick for the football team — the Red Bank Regional Buccaneers. JSZ’s Jay Cook takes us through her decision to try out, a very special varsity moment from this past weekend and how two months of high school football has impacted her life: Sponsor Shoutout! Jersey Sports Zone is built on telling fantastic stories about remarkable student athletes throughout the state, and we could not do that without help from our great sponsors. Thanks to Ryser’s Landscape Supply in Little Silver for supporting coverage of Red Bank Regional athletics throughout the next school year!
For the Love of the Game: A Tribute to Zach & Jude Attianese
In the summer of 2018 the Old Bridge community suffered a huge loss when the lives of Zach and Jude Attianese were tragically taken in an automobile accident. Zach, 20, a rising pitcher in the NCAA and MLB prospect at the University of North Carolina, Jude his father and number one fan. Aside from being New Jersey’s 2014 Gatorade Player of they Year Old Bridge high school, Zach Attianese personified what it was to be a good sport as he worked tirelessly to achieve his dream of being a professional baseball player. The community organized a 10 team softball tournament entitled “For the Love of the Game” with all proceeds to be put in a scholarship for a high school athlete that exemplifies the character of not only being a star athlete, but a caring person like Zach Attinese. JSZ’s Nery Rodriguez has the story:
Carteret School Board & Local Government Collaborate on Walter Overholt Memorial Stadium
Carteret High School received a newly renovated athletic stadium this season, but this field was no ordinary project. The new and improved Walter Overholt Memorial Stadium was made possible though the a collaborative efforts of both the Borough of Carteret School Board and their local government. Courtney DuPont was there with full coverage of opening day. Check it out now: Sponsor Alert!! Coverage of Carteret High school is brought to you by Campozino Restaurant. Carteret location coming soon, but for now take a trip over to South River and thank this awesome sponsor for the coverage!
Recruiting
Patrick School’s Al-Amir Dawes Commits to Clemson
Patrick School four-start point guard Al-Amir Dawes made his college choice official Thursday afternoon, officially choosing to attend Clemson University after his graduation in 2019. Dawes is currently ranked No. 95 nationally by ESPN.com for the Class of 2019 rankings. He scored 11.8 points per game for Patrick School last year en route to a 14-11 record. Watch JSZ’s feature about Dawe’s college decision: Dawes brings speed, tenacity and leadership to a Clemson squad on the rise. The Tigers went 25-10 last year and played into the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet Sixteen round. Clemson also finished third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). He joins an elite class of recruits from the Garden State who’ve committed prior to the start of their senior seasons. Roselle Catholic’s Kahlil Whitney will attend the University of Kentucky, while top-flight Ranney School recruits Bryan Antoine (Villanova) and Scottie Lewis (Florida) have made their decisions. Want to see highlights from Dawes’ junior season? JSZ has them right here:
The Decision is IN: Scottie Lewis to Florida
The Scottie Lewis sweepstakes is over. The five-star, super-athletic Ranney School small forward has given a verbal commitment to play for the Florida Gators upon his graduation in 2019. Lewis had narrowed his college choices down to Kentucky and Florida in the past weeks. He made the decision Tuesday night via his various social media channels. Jersey Sports Zone gives fans across basketball a glimpse of what’s to come in college basketball and beyond with Scottie’s highlight reel captured by our cameras: Lewis and Ranney teammate Bryan Antoine have been two of the most high profile recruits in America over the last four years — Antoine gave his verbal commitment to defending national champion Villanova in September. Antoine and Lewis are respectively ranked the No. 13 and 14 players in the Class of 2019, according to ESPN. In 2015, Lewis and Antoine arrived to the Tinton Falls private school which didn’t have much of a basketball reputation. That quickly changed as Ranney became Shore Conference champions in their junior season and reached the Non-Public “B” state championship game in a matchup against the eventual Tournament of Champions winner, Roselle Catholic. Lewis and Antoine — along with University of Florida commit Alex Klatsky and Division I prospect Ahmadu Sarnor — are considered the favorites to be New Jersey’s top team in high school basketball for the 2018-19 season. Lewis, however, has also made it clear he has aspirations beyond basketball. Before his junior season, Lewis held his first annual Hoops for Homeless fundraiser that helped raise awareness for Lunch Break, a Red Bank-based non-profit organization. Jersey Sports Zone has chronicled the high school careers of Lewis and Antoine over the last three years. Watch some of our videos below to see not only incredible highlights but a glimpse of the high character that Scottie is bringing to Gainesville and the national basketball scene:
Bonnies Bound: Justin Winston commits to St. Bonaventure
Justin Winston, who played his high school basketball at Montclair Immaculate, has made a verbal commitment to play Division I basketball in the Atlantic 10 for Saint Bonaventure University. Winston will play the 2018-19 season at Putnam Academy Science in Connecticut, the winners of the 2018 National Prep School championship. The 6-foot-7 power forward averaged 15.3 points per game for an ICHS team that upset Hudson Catholic and reached the state semifinals in New Jersey’s Non-Public “B” division. Ranked the #47 power forward in the class of 2019, Winston had 11 Division I offers, choosing the Bonnies over UConn, Pitt, and Seton Hall among others. Watch JSZ’s highlight reel of Justin Winston’s junior season: Saint Bonaventure went 26-8 in 2017-18 under head coach Mark Schmidt, beating UCLA in the play-in game of the NCAA Tournament before falling to the Florida Gators. St. Bonaventure has two New Jersey natives on the current roster who went to Putnam Science Academy before arriving in Western New York. Kyle Lofton (Union Catholic) and Osun Osunnyi (Mainland) will begin their college basketball careers this winter. Winston was honored by Jersey Sports Zone at its All-State basketball banquet last March. GO BONNIES!!!🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/jjllG7zUDh — J_DOT35 (@BBM__Justin) September 17, 2018
Alexander Rice commits to Bucknell
Former Mater Dei Prep guard Alexander Rice has committed to play Division I basketball in the Patriot League for the Bucknell Bison. Rice, who began his high school career at St. Anthony’s in Jersey City playing under legendary coach Bob Hurley, moved on to Mater Dei Prep for his junior season after the Jersey City school closed its doors. With the sudden departure of Ben Gamble, Rice elected to transfer to the Patrick School for his senior campaign. Rice will team with to Al-Amir Dawes to form one of the most dynamic backcourt duos in New Jersey high school basketball in 2018-19. Alexander’s father, King Rice, was a star at the University of North Carolina and is the current head coach at Monmouth University. Watch JSZ’s highlight reel of Rice from his junior season at Mater Dei Prep:
Ranney’s Klatsky commits to Florida Gators
Ranney guard Alex Klatsky has made his college choice. The sharpshooting guard will join the Florida Gators basketball program as a preferred walk-on. Klatsky averaged 9.2 points per game for the Panthers and drained 66 three-pointers, good for 2.4 a game. Watch JSZ’s highlight reel of the SEC-bound marksman: Klatsky made his commitment following a visit to Gainesville with Ranney teammate Scottie Lewis. Lewis, one of the top recruits in the nation, has Florida among his finalists and is still mulling his options. Bryan Antoine committed to defending NCAA champ Villanova earlier this month. It’s great to be a Florida Gator 🐊 pic.twitter.com/Ou6aQIRGU5 — Alex Klatsky (@AlexKlatsky4) September 11, 2018
Roselle Catholic’s Pierre-Louis is Vegas bound
Roselle Catholic guard Josh Pierre-Louis has given a verbal commitment to play Division I basketball for the UNLV Runnin Rebels. Watch his JSZ highlight reel from his junior season that saw him run the floor for New Jersey’s Tournament of Champions winner Pierre-Louis averaged 8.8 points and 2 points per game for the Lions playing alongside Naz Reid (LSU), Alanzo Frink (South Carolina), Ithiel Horton (Delaware) and Kahlil Whitney (Kentucky). Whitney and Pierre-Louis are back for their senior season at Roselle Catholic as they look to defend their T of C title. The Roselle Catholic point guard chose UNLV over Georgia and Oklahoma State. Adam Zagoria of Zags Blog was the first to report the commitment: pic.twitter.com/fQjDAllbPo — Josh Pierre-Louis (@mvojet1) September 9, 2018
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