FOOTBALL - NIKE NY-NJ ALL-STAR CLASSIC: THE PUNISHERS

By Bob Badders - Senior Writer

    PISCATAWAY -- A game-time temperature of 95 degrees, humidity in the 80 percent range and black game jerseys. Not exactly favorable conditions for a big, powerful lineman to have a dominating day. But even with the sweltering heat doing a number on everyone at Rutgers Stadium on Sunday, Lacey's Justin Rand and Holmdel's Kevin DeMaio were the ones dealing out the punishment.
    The two Shore Conference stars were part of a New Jersey offensive line that took it to New York's defensive unit in a 33-22 victory for the home squad in the New York-New Jersey All-Star Classic. New Jersey ran for 113 yards and three touchdowns behind their relentless rotation of eight players while the line also gave quarterbacks Tim Lamirande of Howell and Mohamed Sanu of South Brunswick time to throw. The QB duo combined to go 11-for-19 for 161 yards and two touchdowns and were sacked just twice.
    "We had about an eight-man rotation and everybody was playing really well so no one got that tired," DeMaio said.
    "No one complained about playing time," Rand said. "We all knew we had to be fresh to win and it was a great group of kids."
    With only a week to install an offense that most players are not familiar with, in this case Howell's spread offense, the success of each team comes down to two things that don't change in any scheme: blocking and tackling. The line was particularly solid on two plays by Sanu, one where he scrambled before eventually finding Winslow Township senior and Rutgers recruit Brandon Jones for a 55-yard bomb on the game's opening drive, and another where he scampered out of the backfield for a 29-yard gain.
    "A lot of the time these all-star games aren't about the score because the offenses can be pretty vanilla," Rand said. "For us it was just about working hard. The linemen dug in and got a push and let the skill kids do what they do best."
    On a roster loaded with Division I-A talent, you would expect players like St. Peter's Prep senior and University of Florida recruit Will Hill, or the flashy Rutgers recruit Jones or even New York's Markell Rice, the younger brother of former Rutgers star and Baltimore Ravens draft pick Ray Rice, to get the loudest ovation and have the biggest fan section. But a glance up to the stands made you realize there was plenty of love for the linemen.
    Rand's section of Lacey supporters had the biggest signs in the whole stadium, ones that read: 'Go NJ, We love #64 Rand' on large white sheets. If you found the sea of red in the middle of the stands, that was DeMaio's loyal fan base. Their red T-shirts read: Kevin DeMaio, All-State, Holmdel, NJ with a football that had his number 56 in the middle. They even had DeMaio's graduation party in the parking lot before the game.
    "My family and friends actually had my graduation party without me," DeMaio laughed. "I didn't even know they would be wearing those shirts until I got out here so that was definitely cool."
    "That's why we're here," Rand said. "Because we have people that support us in all that we do. They were here again today for us."
    Rand, who will play at the University of Pennsylvania this coming fall, and DeMaio, who will suit up for Princeton, both enjoyed their time practicing and playing with some of the best New Jersey has to offer that many will be watching play for big-time programs on Saturdays.
    "It was just a lot of fun playing with all these kids that are going to big-time schools," DeMaio said.
    "Like Kevin said, it's a great experience playing with these kids you hear and read about," Rand added. "And even though they might be going to a bigger D-I school, you realize that we're all kids and we're all working hard. We bonded well this week and made some friends."
    Their final year of high school football for both DeMaio and Rand will be remembered fondly. For DeMaio and his Hornets, they set a school record for wins by going 10-1. They captured the 2007 Shore Conference National Division championship and advanced to the semifinals of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II playoffs. Lacey went 9-3, finishing second to Central Jersey Group IV champion Howell in the Constitution Division and advancing to the South Jersey Group III title game. Rand also has the fond memory of winning a state title as junior when the Lions finished a perfect 12-0. Saturday's game and July 18th's Shore Gridiron Classic will serve as a going-out party for DeMaio, Rand and many of the other superstars in the Shore Conference.
    DeMaio was able to sum up the duo's feelings perfectly as Sunday's event came to a close. They both nodded in agreement before flashing their New Jersey helmets and the No. 1 sign.
    "Really, it's just been cool to represent the Shore Conference."
  
   

E-mail: badders@digitalsports.com