East Brunswick Helps GMC Chip Away At Deficit Against Shore Conference
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 six weeks of the season, the Shore was 22-14 in 36 games. In week seven, the schools of the GMC fared a bit better with a victory in the only game played as East Brunswick defeated Jackson Memorial in overtime (16-13). In thirty-seven games, the Shore has compiled a record of 22-15 versus their Middlesex County foes. In addition, the GMC has been outscored by the Shore, 849-576 including a 170-71 outscoring in all the games played on September 12th.
Breaking things down by Division, the GMC Red is 5-2 vs. their Shore Conference opponents following EB’s victory while the White is 3-4. The Blue Division is 2-9 while the Gold is 5-7. Red Division teams have outscored Shore squads by a combined total of 140-122 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 several games on tap this week including a huge showdown between Sayreville and Howell at SWMHS, Piscataway at Toms River North, Old Bridge at Southern Regional, South Brunswick at Jackson Memorial, St. John Vianney at Middlesex, and Highland Park at Asbury Park.
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 2-5. 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 as well as East Brunswick (defeated Freehold Township and Jackson Memorial) 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.