Freshnock Return Helps Midd. North Top Freehold Twp.

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By Jim Hintelmann
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP – It was a big night in two ways for Middletown North’s football team Friday.
First, the Lions defeated Freehold Township, 27-14, in an A North battle to clinch a home field berth in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2 Group IV playoffs for the first time since 1996.
Also, the game marked the return of running back-linebacker Chad Freshnock, who has missed the last five games due to an injury.
Freshnock, who had an outstanding season both ways last year, made a big impact Friday by scoring a pair of touchdowns and rushing for 122 yards.
“It felt great to be back,” said Freshnock, who has made a verbal commitment to Bucknell. “Until tonight I was on the sideline watching the other players out on the field,” said Freshnock. “I feel so happy to be playing again and this was awesome. I felt well and we’re on a roll right now.”

SPORTS-Freehold Twp.-North Football-4-Sean
Bucknell University bound Chad Freshnock of Middletown North scored a pair of touchdowns and rushed for 122 yards during last Friday night’s game against Freehold Township. Photo: Sean Simmons

“It was great to have Freshnock back,” said North coach Steve Bush, “However, Conor Welsh had done a good job in his place.”
It was all Middletown North through most of the first half with the Lions taking a 13-0 halftime lead while its defense, led by Matt Dombrowski, Josh Gomez and Austin Dewise, registered five quarterback sacks.
North scored on its second series of the game with Freshnock scoring on a 1-yard run. A 29-yard pass from quarterback Donald Glenn to Dwight Wilkerson was the big play in the drive.
The Lions made it 13-0 in the second quarter on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Glenn to Wilkerson that capped an eight play, 60-yard drive. Glenn also had a big game by completing 13 passes in 23 attempts for 261 yards.
Freehold Township came close to scoring near the end of the first half when the Patriots reached the North 4, but Demetrius Redway made a good stop to end the threat.
‘‘The defense stepped up and made a lot of good plays,” said Bush, “Freehold Township has a good offense and is better than its record. I thought that they would score. But our kids still did a good job.”
North made it 19-0 early in the third quarter on a 1-yard run by Dewise. A 31-yard pass from Glenn to Wilkerson set it up.
The Patriots finally broke into the scoring column early in the fourth quarter on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Glenn to Nick Galant,
North (6-2), however, answered with a 55-yard drive following the kickoff with Freshnock scoring on a 2-yard run for a 27-6 lead.
The Patriots added their final touchdown late in the game on an 8-yard run by Anthony Notte, and it got the ball back on a turnover, but North’s Brendan Kube intercepted a pass to end the threat.
“Hopefully, we can go far in the states,” said Kube. “We finally have our complete team now.”
North is fourth seed in the playoffs and will be at home to Sayreville Friday night.
Oddly enough, a North win would in all probability set up a second-round game with rival Middletown South. The Eagles are top seed and play West Windsor North in their first round game.
North and South still have their annual Thanksgiving Day game, which would mean only six days between games.