Monroe Gets One For The GMC With Three Championship Match-Ups To Come
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 ten weeks of the season, the Shore was 39-21 in 60 games. In week eleven, the schools of the GMC won their only playoff game against the Shore Conference. Monroe, the second seed in the Central Jersey Group III State Tournament gained revenge by downing third seeded Ocean Township (30-21) in the semifinals. In 61 games, the Shore has compiled a record of 39-22 versus their Middlesex County foes. In addition, the GMC has been outscored by the Shore, 1507-1015 including a 486-316 outscoring in week 9, and a 170-71 outscoring in all the games played on September 12th.
Breaking things down by Division, the GMC Red is 7-8 vs. their Shore Conference opponents following EB’s victory while the White is 6-6. The Blue Division is 2-13 while the Gold is 7-12. Red Division teams have been outscored by Shore teams 282-257 while GMC White teams have outscored their Shore counterparts by a 258-212 margin. Despite Bishop Ahr’s manhandling of Monmouth Regional and JFK’s bashing of Holmdel, the GMC Blue has been outscored by the Shore, 541-183 while the conference made of Monmouth and Ocean County schools have outscored GMC Gold opponents by a 464-317 margin. There are three matches upcoming between these two conferences on the Saturday of Championship Weekend, December 5th. Highland Park will take in Asbury Park in the CJ Group I Championship, Monroe battles Middletown South in the Central Jersey Group III Championship, and East Brunswick takes on Brick Memorial in the Central Jersey Group IV Championship.
Meanwhile, the breakdown of the Shore’s success by Division goes like this: Shore Federal is 5-0, Shore National is 7-2, Shore Liberty is 9-4, Shore Patriot is 7-5, Shore American is 7-6, and Shore Constitution is 4-5. Raritan leads the Shore in success with a 2-0 mark by a combined margin of 81-6. Matawan is also 2-0 with victories over Bishop Ahr (52-29) and New Brunswick (37-13). Howell has a solid mark against the GMC with a 2-1 record versus GMC competition despite a loss to Sayreville (21-12) with wins over Piscataway (26-14) on opening day, and Woodbridge in week two (37-7). Middletown North is also 2-1 vs. GMC competition with victories over J.P. Stevens (12-7) and South Brunswick (15-8), but lost to Sayreville (21-0). Keyport/Henry Hudson is also undefeated against GMC foes with a 42-14 win over Metuchen and a 20-12 victory over Highland Park. Carteret, Colonia, South Plainfield and Highland Park are 0-3 against the Shore while New Brunswick and Piscataway 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 in week two to J.P. Stevens. Looking at 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 also 2-1 with a loss to Red Bank, wins over Mater Dei and Keansburg. Kennedy is 1-2 with a win over Holmdel (51-14) losses to Red Bank (34-0) and Neptune (48-7). Monroe is now 3-0 after beating Ocean Township. Sayreville is 3-0 after beating Howell, Freehold Township as well as East Brunswick, which is 2-1, is looking to avenge an earlier season loss to Brick Memorial (37-34) while Spotswood is 2-0.
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. This year, the Shore Conference has an opportunity to repeat the feat with five teams playing in sectional championships. The conference is assured the Central Jersey Group II title as Matawan takes on Manasquan for that championship.