Thanksgiving Plate No. 2: The Superintendent’s Trophy Game

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dear Thanksgiving,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Is there any more of an American holiday than you? One day a year, we are joined by family and friends that are overlayed on top of a backdrop of egregious amounts of hearty food and football. All the while, you synergize each of these elements like the ingredients to Grandmama's secret gravy recipe.- creating fun moments that last a lifetime. Only you, my beloved Thanksgiving, unites four of my favorite, fundamental F-words: family, friends, food, fun, and football.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Celebrating you in the state of New Jersey, you, my sweet Thanksgiving, represents something akin to an appetizer round - a precursor of sorts - to the main dish of NJSIAA State Championship games played in the immediate days after we celebrate you. However, in many cases people enjoy appetizers more than entrée.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Perhaps what makes you so special in some households are what you represent on the gridiron, my dearest Thanksgiving. Bitter rivalries are renewed. Bragging rights are either regained or maintained. Seniors have their last opportunity to leave their inalienable mark on their high school football programs; whereas similarly, underclassman have an opportunity to announce their arrival for the year to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To you, wholesome Thanksgiving, I feature a handful of games this year played on your day that I find absolutely delectable - much like the bountiful feast you offer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With all my love and in all sincerity,</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brendan Mankarious</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Superintendent's Trophy: Manasquan (8-2) at Wall (8-3)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aside from both having 8 wins this season, being fierce rivals, and both being in the Central Group 2 playoff bracket, what do both of these teams have in common? Their respective seasons both concluded, in consecutive weeks, to South II Champion Camden. Looking back the last few years, Manasquan has gone 2-1 on Thanksgiving dating back to 2021.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Players: Wall Crimson Knights</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2004592' first='Brian' last='McKenna'], 2026, QB: </strong>89-138, 1153 yards, 12 TD, 6 Int, 38 carries, 86 yards, 2 TD, 1 reception, 8 yards, 1 tackle</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1453903' first='Dylan' last='Cohen'], 2026, RB: </strong>176 carries, 1083 yards, 15 TD, 12 receptions, 97 yards, 1 TD, 86.5 tackles (52.5 solo, 7 for loss), 6.5 sacks, 1 FR</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1634741' first='Heath' last='Reinhardt'], 2026, WR: </strong>45 receptions, 483 yards, 2 TD, 17 carries, 80 yards, 28 tackles (23 solo, 3 for loss)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1547361' first='Justin' last='Davis'], 2026, LB: </strong>85 tackles (60 solo, 15 for loss), 13 sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR, 17 receptions, 299 yards, 5 TD, 1 carry, 2 yards</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2044295' first='Max' last='Katsouris'], 2027, LB: </strong>75.5 (36.5 solo, 8 for loss), 4.5 sacks, 3 FF, 3 FR, 1 reception, 11 yards, 5 carries, 20 yards</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Players: Manasquan Warriors</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1524395' first='Ace' last='Etienne'], 2026, RB: </strong>145 carries, 1075 yards, 17 TD, 28 tackles (19 solo, 6 for loss), 1 FF, 1 FR, 2 Int</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1021168' first='Justice' last='Morgan'], 2026, RB: </strong>56 carries, 499 yards, 5 TD, 1 reception, 5 yards, 16 tackles (9 solo)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chris Matthaei, 2027, LB: </strong>49 tackles (26 solo, 9 for loss), 1 sack, 1 FF, 2 FR</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1894298' first='Nick' last='Loughrey'], 2027, DL: </strong>46 tackles (22 solo, 14 for loss), 4 sacks, 1 FF</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1903801' first='Luke' last='Barry'], 2027, LB: </strong>52 tackles (23 solo, 4 for loss), 1 FF, 1 FR, 2 Int</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->