Garden State Gamers: Week 4’s Top Defensive Performers
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With the season in full swing, with most teams having played either 4 or 5 games, more and more prospects are hitting their stride and showing out. Here were some of the state’s top defensive performers from week 4. Week…
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Continue ReadingWith the season in full swing, with most teams having played either 4 or 5 games, more and more prospects are hitting their stride and showing out. Here were some of the state’s top defensive performers from week 4.
Week 3’s Top Pass Rushing Performances
Brothers, an end for Bernards, held it down for his football family this week in a 30-0 win over Delaware Valley. Off to a 4-0 start, Brothers easily had his best game of the season. A handful all game long, Brothers made 9 tackles, forced a fumble, made 3 tackles for loss, and recorded 3 sacks in the contest. His play constantly put Delaware Valley behind the chains.
In dramatic fashion, West Deptford earned their first win of the season in a hard-fought, 14-13 win against Paulsboro. Ratcliffe, a senior, has emerged on the field as a breakthrouh defender and pass rusher for the Eagles. There has been no game where he has come up bigger than week 4 as he made 6 tackles (4 solo) and recorded 3 sacks in the contest.
The rabid Michigan Wolverine fanbase is salivating over the prospects of Jersey. After shellacking Rutgers at home, Wafle, the Ann Arbor-bound prospect had a tremendous game in a shellacking of his own. The Hun School defeated St. Thomas Moore (CT) 52-6. In this game Wafle had 7 stops, 5 solos, 4 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks.
A player that I got a solid look at during camp season, Hubbard is having a tremendous campaign through Jackson Memorial’s first four contests. In a tightly fought 20-14 victory against Howell, Hubbard had maybe his best game of the season. He made 6 tackles – 4 of which were solos – and recorded 4 sacks. Those four sacks in the game led the state this week and pushed his season total to 9. Hubbard has also recorded a sack in every game that he has appeared in this season.
Morris Catholic has not had the luck of the draw quite yet this season, but that has not stopped Edelman, a junior, from seizing opportunities. In maybe his most productive game of the season, the standout defender made a total of 17 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, forced a fumble, blocked a kick, and recorded three sacks. His valiant effort was not enough however, has Morris Catholic fell against Verona, 41-7.
Week 3’s Top Pass Defending Performances
In their fourth road game in five games, St. Joseph’s of Hammonton continues to grind their axe week-in and week-out. A standout defender, Reed had his second breakthrough performance of the year. Building off a tremendous week 2 performance against Holy Spirit, the senior made 7 solo tackles and intercepted 2 passes this week against Willingboro.
Highlights
A player that I spoke about in the pre-season with their coaching staff, Woodford had a tremendous game against Fieldston (NY) on behalf of Pingry. Woodford was tied for the state lead in interceptions this week with 3. One of these picks went the other way for 6 points. Additionally, Woodford scored twice on the ground and once through the air. His four scores accounted for 24 of Pingry’s 36 points in an unbelievable individual performance. I think it goes without saying that Woodford did his part in the 36-6 victory.
Another one bites the dust. That has been the tune of 5-0 Roxbury’s season thus far after a 14-7 road win at Warren Hills. In the game Richter came up big yet again with a full stat line. The senior made 12 tackles in the game – 4 of which were solo – two tackles for loss, and intercepted 3 passes. Not only was Richter an enforcer in stopping the run, he single handedly thwarted 3 different drives in a 1 score game where his opponent only scored once. His three interceptions were tied for the state lead this weekend.
The only sophomore to appear on today’s list, Carusone had a very solid game for Princeton. Getting their head back above water at 3-2, Carusone led Princeton to a 24-0 road win at Bishop Eustace. Although the young defensive back made only 3 stops, he was tried at his corner spot throughout the game. He prevailed to the tune of 2 interceptions – one of which went for 6 points the other way. Also the team’s kicker, Carusone made his only field goal attempt of the day, a 35 yarder, and went 3 for 3 in PATs. He single-handedly accounted for 12 of his team’s 24 points.
Schweitzer, only a junior, had a headline-grabbing game in Allentown’s big 47-14 road win at Bordentown. The defensive back only made 4 tackles, but added 1 tackle for loss and two picks in the game. After dropping their first two games, Allentown has rattled off three wins in a row.
Week 3’s Top Run-Stuffing Performances
Lenape has gone on a two game winning streak, defeating Williamstown and Eastern the last two weeks. The play of Grimes, a senior, has been a big part of this streak. The standout linebacker totaled an impressive 16 tackles on the road at Eastern. He also forced a fumble and made 1.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. Nine of his tackles were solo stops.
In yet another stellar performance this week, Spotswood’s Curnal led the Chargers’ to a 30-0 victory on the road against arch nemesis South River. In this game Curnal had 16 stops (6 solo) including 2 tackles for loss and forced 1 fumble. This was Spotswood’s second shutout in a row and third on the season. In five games their defense, led by the senior, has only allowed 22 points.
Despite his senior season not having as much team success as he would like, Altemus is experiencing a tremendous individual season. In defeat on the road at Brearley this week, Altemus made 16 total stops. This total included a tackle for loss. Dayton looks to notch their first victory of the season against Highland Park this week, who is on a 46-game losing streak and has not won a game since November 24, 2016.
Highlights
In what appeared to be his first bit of defensive action this year, Brigliadoro led a stout Ridgewood defense in a 9-3 defeat at the hands of PCTI. In this defensive struggle of a game, the junior linebacker led the team to the tune of 18 tackles and one-half tackle for loss. He looks to build off of this breakout game against Paterson Eastside next week.
Thomas of Manville had a grown-man type game, his finest performance of the year, in his team’s 43-7 loss at South Hunterdon. In the game Thomas made 17 tackles, 8 of which were solo, and 1 tackle for loss. Thomas and company look to turn around their fortunes next week home against Dunellen.