By Scott Stump - Senior Editor
Welcome to the 2007 Stumpy Awards, where I recognize the best and brightest from around the Shore to the happiness and chagrin of Shore Conference football followers with an award that should get the players and other winners at least a day off from school to bask in the glow. Well, maybe a free period. OK, a five-minute break from gym class. Anyway, here they are, with categories galore. For stats on the top nominees, check out our Legends of the Fall teams
here. Thanks again for reading and watching all season and follow us as we tackle all of the winter sports.'
Also, click
here to watch out Top 10 Plays of the Year video.
The major categories are hyperlinked, with some quick-hit categories in the middle:
BEST QUARTERBACK
BEST RUNNING BACK
BEST WIDE RECEIVER
Honestly, the combination pass
catching/blocking tight end is seemingly going the way of the dodo bird
with a lot of the offenses that Shore teams now run. Where art thou,
Garrett Graham? (Oh, that's right, he's at Wisconsin making big plays
for the Badgers). Let's just give it to Toms River North's
Austin Kugler,
who was the best blocker on the offensive line for an undefeated team
and was dangerous as a receiver. Honorable mention to Wall's
Billy Lauch, one of his team's top receivers. The tough one here is
Manalapan's Jimmy Gillburn, a wide receiver/running back-type who moved to tight end in Week Four and had a huge statistical season. He deserves mention in the wide receiver and tight end categories. He's only a junior, so maybe he'll just be a no-brainer in this spot next year.
BEST OFFENSIVE LINE
BEST DEFENSIVE LINEMAN
Top 5 trends - 1) Undergo some kind of recent controversy in the last three years involving the coaching staff or your home field and you're on your way to a big season (See: Asbury Park, Long Branch, Toms River North, Holmdel); 2) Go for two and the win (See: Wall-Middletown South, Long Branch-Wall, Ocean-Monmouth); 3) Run the flexbone offense (See: Seemingly half of the Shore Conference); 4) Don't sit your starters on Thanksgiving next year; 5) Don't pencil in Long Branch as a home game any more.
BEST LINEBACKER
BEST DEFENSIVE BACK
Top 10 coaching jobs this season besides Coach of the Year Don Sofilkanich from Asbury Park: 1) Dan George taking the Road Warriors of Long Branch to the CJ III final; 2) Chip LaBarca leading TR North to its first 12-0 season; 3) Cory Davies leading Howell to its first state sectional title; 4) Andy Carlstrom helming the best season in Holmdel history; 5) Shane Fallon leading Rumson its first CJ II final since 1989 and its second straight division title; 5) Chuck Donohue leading Southern to a school-record 8 wins and its first state playoff victory ever; 6) Freehold's Mark Ciccotelli taking the Colonials to the Federal Division title; 7) Keansburg's Brian Kmak taking the Titans to their first division title and state final appearance since 1996; 8) Lacey's Lou Vircillo leading the Lions to their third straight SJ III final appearance; 9) Point Boro's Calvin Thompson taking the Panthers to their third SJ II final in four years; 10) Monsignor Donovan's Dan Duddy leading the Griffins to four wins after an 0-10 season.
BEST KICK RETURNER
BEST KICKER
BIGGEST SURPRISE TEAM
Top five jobs well done by assistant coaches: 1) Dave Oizerwitz, TR North defensive coordinator; 2) Matt Ardizzone, Asbury Park offensive coordinator; 3) Tom O'Keefe, Keansburg offensive coordinator; 4) Nick Tranchina, off./def. line coach, Long Branch; 5) Frank Papalia, Holmdel defensive coordinator.
BEST PLAYER ON A SUB-.500 TEAM
BEST IMPACT NEWCOMER
BEST ALL-AROUND PLAYER
Player fans felt was most snubbed on the Legends of the Fall All-Star team: Richard Esdaile, Sr., LB/RB, St. John Vianney. I wanted to do this by fan voting, but by the response I've gotten from various areas, this is one people are the most unhappy about. I have added Esdaile as the fans' selection as a linebacker on third team.
BIGGEST UPSET
BEST SNACKBAR
ALL-INTERVIEW TEAM
Top 10 teams to watch in 2008 (in no particular order) - a) Middletown South - only loses five senior starters; b) Point Boro - Shane O'Connor returns along with young talent and size; c) Toms River North - Eight starters back on the Shore's No. 1 defense; d) Asbury Park - George Stephens, Derrell Bell and Will Johnson are all back to haunt opponents' nightmares; e) Southern - Carson and Stroffolino will be back at linebacker and the Rams will be in the hunt; f) Neptune - The Scarlet Fliers return almost everyone on offense, including explosive RB Michael Peavy; g) Red Bank Catholic - Some good linemen and a pair of good skill players in David Reeves and Alex Taylor will be back; h) St. John Vianney - With Charles Davis and Chris Mayo back, the Lancers could be a factor; i) Lacey - The juggernaut should keep rolling with Justin Pandorf and Tom Rickmers coming back; j) Manasquan - Lorenzo Venables and other experienced players are back, and there's help on the way from the younger ranks.
BEST ATMOSPHERE
BEST ANKLE-BREAKERS
FRESHMEN/SOPHOMORES TO WATCH
Top 5 "What if'' players, who had injuries slow down big seasons: 1) Justin Laguna, RB/S, Keansburg; 2) Bob Stowe, WR/DB, Point Boro; 3) Bob Fitzpatrick, RB, Barnegat; 4) Chazz Coursey, RB, Manasquan; 5) Erik Smithman, RB/DB, Barnegat.
MY 11 ON A SIDE
If you could only pick 11 players from the Shore on offense and defense along with a kicker, who would it be?
THE ALL-STUMPY TEAM
E-mail: stump@digitalsports.com