No big surprises in Shore Conference Tourney seeds
Slew of local teams in the mix for conference supremacy
By doug mckenzie
Staff Writer

FARRAH MAFFAI Middletown North’s Jessie Chalmers looks to shoot over Marlboro’s Chakhia Cole during the Lions’ 53-41 loss to the top-ranked Mustangs on Friday in Marlboro.

The blizzard that blanketed the northeastern coast over the weekend may have shut most of the state down over the course of Sunday and into Monday, but nothing stops the Shore Conference Tournament’s seeding committees from completing their tasks.

With both the boys’ and girls’ tournaments slated to start last night, the voting delegates completed their brackets despite the state of emergency, paving the way for the start of the conference tournament on schedule.

There were few surprises on the boys’ side of the bracket, particularly at the top. The Neptune Scarlet Fliers entered this season as the Shore’s top ranked team and they have made that ranking stand up with a brilliant 17-3 campaign, which includes a perfect 12-0 mark in the Shore’s ultra-competitive Class B North. With five teams that have been ranked in the Shore’s top 10 at various points in the season coming out of that division, Neptune is the clear-cut class of the Shore and the favorite to repeat as SCT champs.

But the second-seeded CBA Colts may have something to say about that. Head coach Ed Wicelinski’s 16-5 Colts have been a much better team over the second half of the season, and would like nothing more than to avenge an overtime loss to Neptune last month at the Battle on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park. While CBA is not accustomed to entering the SCT in anything but the favorite’s role, this time around they are the underdog, though few would be surprised to see them reclaim conference supremacy.

Monmouth Regional (14-6) got the third seed on the heels of a recent return to the early-season form that allowed them to beat CBA for the first time ever. However, it was a judgment call picking the Falcons over No. 4 Raritan, a team that beat Monmouth during its 16-5 regular-season run. The Rockets have a number of impressive wins on their résumé this season, and have proved the ability to play with the best the Shore has to offer. Raritan is a certain sleeper pick this season.

Many people feel the same way about Colts Neck, the No. 7 seed, a team that posted an impressive 19-2 mark this year en route to a Class A Central championship. But the naysayers point to the Cougars’ lack of quality competition this year, something that can’t be said about both No. 5 Freehold Township and No. 6 Middletown North.

Both the Patriots (13-4) and the Lions (14-6) played grueling Class A North schedules this season, with North claiming the division title (CBA was not eligible). But the Pats were awarded the higher seed by virtue of their two wins over the Lions this season. Both are explosive offensive teams that could find their way into the latter rounds of the SCT with some hot shooting.

The same could be said about the Red Bank Regional Bucs (14-7), another B North team that is better than its record indicates and is battle-tested.

Manasquan (14-4) is the ninth seed and therefore the last team to get a first-round bye. That spot could have gone to No. 10 Mater Dei, the Parochial B Division-winner, who cruised to an 18-2 mark this year. But the Seraphs faced the same dilemma as Colts Neck, a lack of quality opponents, and had to face No. 23 Wall Township (10-10) in the first round last night. The winner of that game gets Colts Neck tomorrow.

Among the other first-round games set for last night were: No. 11 Manchester vs. No. 22 Freehold (winner gets Middletown North); No. 12 Jackson vs. No. 21 Lacey (winner at Freehold Township); No. 13 Central vs. No. 20 Toms River North (winner at Raritan); No. 14 Point Boro vs. No. 19 TR East (winner at Monmouth); No. 15 Toms River South vs. No. 18 Monsignor Donovan (winner at CBA); and No. 16. St. Rose vs. No. 17 Rumson-Fair Haven (winner at Neptune).

The boys tournament should be an interesting one, with many of the higher seeds having already faced each other throughout the season to varied results. An upset of Neptune is unlikely, but not out of the question, particularly if the Colts make their No. 2 seed stand up.

On the girls’ side, there were even fewer surprises, especially at the top of the bracket. Red Bank Catholic may be undefeated at 18-0, but Marlboro (18-2) is the team to beat in the Shore.

The Mustangs have played a tremendous schedule this year in preparation for the postseason. Marlboro believes that this is their year to collect some hardware, and they will be tough to beat.

RBC is the deserving No. 2 seed, and seems just as likely to make its way to the finals. The Caseys are the Shore’s deepest team, and have shown the knack in the past for pulling off an unlikely upset when the stakes are high.

At. No. 3 is St. John Vianney (14-3), a team that recently lost a close contest to the Caseys, but are more than capable of emerging with another SCT championship.

St. Rose (17-4) is the No. 4 seed, despite losing to sixth-seeded Rumson-Fair Haven two weeks ago at Brookdale. Head coach George Sourlis’ Bulldogs are 15-5 on the season, and have reloaded after the loss of Chrissy Fischer, now at the University of Maryland, and are a certain contender.

Manasquan (13-6) also got the nod ahead of RFH at No. 5 based on its superior divisional record in Class A Central play.

Toms River South (No. 7) and Toms River North (No. 8) are the only other teams to get a first-round bye, and await their opponents tomorrow.

The Class B North-champion Monmouth Regional Falcons got the ninth seed, and faced No. 24 Long Branch last night. The winner will be at Toms River North tomorrow.

The Middletown North Lions got the No. 10 seed at 14-6, but appear to be a better team than that seeding would indicate. They took on Manalapan, seeded No. 23, last night, with the winner getting Toms River South on Friday.

Shore Regional (No. 11) and No. 22 Monsignor Donovan also tipped off last night, with the winner getting Rumson on Friday.

The Holmdel Hornets got the No. 12 seed after going 12-7 this year, and took on No. 21 Pinelands last night in their first-round game. The winner gets Manasquan Friday.

Colts Neck’s girls, another team that has exceeded expectations this year, got the No. 13 seed and played No. 20 Point Beach for the right to face St. Rose on Friday.

A possible sleeper pick sits in the No. 14 slot in Lakewood, an extremely athletic squad with the potential to score a lot of points.

The Piners faced a Middletown South team that is one of the Shore’s hottest teams entering the postseason at 11-9 last night, with the winner advancing to face SJV on Friday.

The Raritan Rockets, a team that has underachieved by most accounts this season, played Southern last night in the 15-18 game.

Raritan has the talent to play with anyone in the Shore, but has failed to capitalize to this point in the year, posting a disappointing 12-8 mark.

But the team overcame some adversity just to get past the .500 mark and is showing signs of returning to the form that led them to the Central Jersey Group II final last year. With a win over Southern, the Rockets would be severely tested against RBC tomorrow.

Jackson (No. 16) and Wall (No. 17) played the other first-round game, with a date with Marlboro on the line.