The boys from WOBM and Fox Sports Radio are on the Asbury Park bandwagon like a majority of the Shore followers as we head into the 2008 season.
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By Scott Stump - Senior Editor
E-mail: stump@digitalsports.com

     We have climbed the highest peaks of Tibet to speak to wise elders, we have sought the counsel of NASA scientists, we have put several scraps of paper in a hat, and we have been staying up all hours of the night in search of answers.
     That can only mean one thing. It's time to unveil our picks and predictions for the 2008 Shore Conference football season, from divisional races to players of the year and more.
     On Thursday, we will unveil our preseason DigitalSports Top 10.
     As an added bonus, we are giving you the preseason Top 10s and more from a group that follows high school football as well as anyone. The award-winning members of the broadcasting staff from Fox Sports 1310 AM and 1160 WOBM AM - Kevin Williams, Ed Sarluca and Matt Harmon - give you their take on the upcoming season. Make sure to tune into "The Locker Room'' hosted by Kevin Williams every weekday from 3-6 p.m. Kevin sought counsel with one wise source that we failed to contact, Princess, the Football-Picking Camel from the Popcorn Zoo in Forked River, so he may have had an unfair advantage when making his selections.
     You can also check out their radio broadcast schedule for the 2008 season right here, so if you can't make it to the game, you know where to go to listen live. Also, every Thursday will be the Autolenders High School Football Show, in which yours truly and others will be regular guests to talk football every week.
      Now, on to the picks that I will be probably be erasing from the site by about Week Three.



Preseason picks by WOBM and Fox Sports Radio's Kevin Williams


(Top 10)

1.  Toms River North
2.  Asbury Park
3.  Middletown South
4.  Lacey
5.  Neptune
6.  Red Bank Catholic
7.  Southern
8.  Pt. Boro
9.  TR East
10. Brick Memorial

Division winners:
American - TR North
Constitution - Lacey
Federal - Midd. South,
Liberty - Red Bank Catholic
National - Point Boro
Patriot - Asbury Park

Offensive Player of the Year -  Michael Peavy, Neptune
Defensive Player of the Year -  Glenn Carson, Southern

Sleeper Team of the Year - Brick Township

State titles: Lacey, Neptune, Asbury Park, Pt. Boro


Preseason picks by WOBM and Fox Sports Radio's Ed Sarluca
"LUCH" TOP 10 (revised after watching scrimmages)
 
1. Middletown South  (Best program in the Shore.)
2. Toms River North (Until they get beat.)
3. Southern (Have looked really good in preseason.)
4. Neptune (Loads of talent-Make me a believer.)
5. Toms River East (Another Steriti-Mario(frosh)-will probably start on "D.")
6. Asbury Park (Not as good as last year, but very good.)
7. Lacey (Big-time RB in Rickmers.)
8. Long Branch (Finally a home game.)
9. Brick Memorial (2nd year for Curry's "O"-they will score points.)
10. Point Boro (One of top QBs in the Shore)



Offensive Player of the Year- Shane O'Connor, Point Boro
Defensive Player of the Year - Glenn Carson, Southern
 
Division winners:
 American-Brick Memorial (I'm a homer!!)
Constitution-TR East (Must beat Lacey)
Patriot-Asbury Park (Shore Reg. to make a run)
National-Point Boro (Easy)
Liberty-Long Branch (Home at last!; Monmouth will be close)
Federal-Middletown South (As I said-best program in the Shore)
 
Sleeper team-Monmouth Regional
 
State champs-Asbury Park (Central 1)  Back to back-amazing story
                        Middletown South (Central III) Five in 6 years

Preseason picks by WOBM and Fox Sports Radio's Matt Harmon
(TOP 10)
 
1. Middletown South - 8-3 was a disappoinment in 2007 so look for this bunch of Eagles to play with a chip on their shoulder all season.
2. Toms River North - The Shore's best team from 2007 will make another run in 2008.
3. Asbury Park - The best story from last season is back to write another chapter.
4. Long Branch- Hard not to think playing at home this season will help LB be one of the Shore's best.
5. Lacey  - Don't be surprised to look in the stats and see them win a game without throwing the ball once.
6. Red Bank Catholic - Maybe something to prove with a new head coach and some new players.
7. Toms River East - Always have some players who run faster than the speed of light on that turf.
8. Southern - Defense and running the football will win the Rams plenty of games this season.
9. Pt. Boro - If O' Connor stays healthy, then the Panthers will be just fine.
10. Wall - This might be a stretch, but how can you pick against your alma mater?
 
Division winners:
American - Toms River North
Constitution - Lacey
Federal - Midd. South
Liberty - Long Branch
National - Pt. Boro
Patriot - Asbury Park

Offensive Player of Year  - Will Johnson, Asbury Park
Defensive Player of Year - Glenn Carson, Southern
 
State Titles for: Asbury Park, Middletown South, Long Branch, Lacey
 
Sleeper team  - Neptune. They aren't in my top 10, so why not?