Small Schools Of GMC Gold Help Keep Pace With Shore
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ–Here is an update on the performance of the Greater Middlesex Conference against teams from the Shore Conference in football this season. Over the first couple weeks of the season, the Shore was 20-12 in 32 games. In week six, the schools of the GMC fared a bit better with two wins in the four games played. For the week, the Shore still outscored their GMC opponents by a margin of 91-43 thanks to a 34-0 victory by Red Bank over J.F. Kennedy, and a 28-0 win by Manasquan over Middlesex. In thirty-six games, the Shore has compiled a record of 22-14 versus their Middlesex County foes. In addition, the GMC has been outscored by the Shore, 836-560 including a 170-71 outscoring in all the games played on September 12th.
Breaking things down by Division, the GMC Red is 4-2 vs. their Shore Conference opponents while the White is 3-4. The Blue Division is now 2-9 after JFK’s loss while the Gold is 5-7 following Dunellen’s win over Mater Dei (35-21) and Cardinal McCarrick’s victory over Point Pleasant Beach (8-0), and Middlesex’s shutout loss. Red Division teams have outscored Shore squads by a combined total of 124-109 while GMC White teams have outscored their Shore counterparts by a 106-89 margin. Despite Bishop Ahr’s manhandling of Monmouth Regional and JFK’s bashing of Holmdel, the GMC Blue has been outscored by the Shore, 372-134 while the conference made of Monmouth and Ocean County schools have outscored GMC Gold opponents by a 258-196 margin. The GMC Red looks to improve their standing against Shore competition with East Brunswick taking on Jackson Memorial while the rest of the teams will be playing against conference foes.
Meanwhile, the breakdown of the Shore’s success by Division goes like this: Shore Federal is 3-0, Shore Patriot is 5-4, Shore National is 3-1, Shore Liberty is 7-3, Shore Constitution is 2-2, and Shore American is 2-4. Howell leads the Shore in success with a 2-0 record versus GMC competition after beating Piscataway (26-14) on opening day, and then rolling past Woodbridge on Thursday night (37-7). Keyport/Henry Hudson is also undefeated against GMC foes with a 42-14 win over Metuchen and a 20-12 victory over Highland Park. South Plainfield is 0-3 against the Shore while New Brunswick, Highland Park, Colonia, and Carteret are 0-2. Perth Amboy has split against Shore teams by defeating Marlboro 38-0, and then losing to Colts Neck 7-0.
Speaking of Marlboro, the Mustangs are 0-2 against the GMC following a defeat on Thursday to J.P. Stevens. Speaking of the Hawks, they are also 1-1 following an opening week loss to Middletown North and their win over Marlboro. Monmouth Regional is 2-1 vs. GMC including a 37-14 loss to Bishop Ahr, a 53-14 win over South Plainfield, and a last minute 23-20 victory over Highland Park. Cardinal McCarrick is 2-1 with wins over Mater Dei and Point Beach while Dunellen is 1-1 with a loss to Red Bank, and a win over Mater Dei. Kennedy is also 1-1 with a win over Holmdel (51-14) and a loss to Red Bank (34-0). Sayreville is 2-0 after beating Freehold Township while Monroe, and Spotswood are 1-0.
Last season in the various state tournament and consolation games, the Shore Conference played the Greater Middlesex Conference 14 times, and went 11-3. The Shore, which went 6-3 in the state tournament meetings, and 5-0 in the consolation game meetings, outscored their GMC opponents by a margin of 348-131. In addition, the Shore won all four Central Jersey sectional championships with Asbury Park becoming the CJ Group I champ, Manasquan winning CJ Group II, Freehold Boro winning in CJ Group III, and Brick Memorial winning in Central Jersey Group IV. Only Piscataway earned a sectional championship for the GMC by winning in North Jersey Section 2 Group IV.