Mater Dei Prep running back Malik Ingram had 302 yards rushing and four touchdowns against Pope John last week.
Photo by Rich Chrampanis
Two rematches everyone in the area was hoping for in the New Jersey high school football playoffs will take place this week.
MATER DEI PREP AT RED BANK CATHOLIC
Non-Public Group 3 Semifinal
Friday 7 p.m.
Last year, the Seraphs and Caseys put Shore Conference football on the ultimate stage as RBC won a state championship in a 14-10 defensive tussle with Mater Dei. This time around the two teams tangle in the state semifinals with the winner advancing to the title game. Red Bank Catholic is in the unique situation of having a full two weeks off heading into this game. Meanwhile, Mater Dei rolled to a 49-14 win over Pope John last Saturday in Middletown.
Malik Ingram was tremendous in a 20-carry, 302-yard performance with four touchdowns. RBC’s defense has been outstanding and will be the ultimate key to their success. Can the Caseys slow down Ingram? They’ll need to do more than slow down just one player. Clarence Lewis, who will team with RBC’s Kevin Bauman at Notre Dame, will try and bust the game open at wide receiver or in the return game in addition to his lockdown play in the secondary. Bauman has been playing as good as any defensive lineman in New Jersey even though he’ll be a tight end in South Bend. Mater Dei has to control its self-destructive penalties, especially on offense.
There’s going to be a lot of talent on the field and get to Count Basie Field early as a capacity crowd is expected.
Photo by Rich Chrampanis
RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN AT WALL
Central Jersey Group 3 Championship
Friday 7 p.m.
You’d be hard pressed to find a more surprising team than the Crimson Knights. The 10-0 Wall team has a large nucleus of sophomores and juniors in its starting lineup. Those players have earned the respect of the entire state when they helped top Rumson-Fair Hav- en 14-3 in Week Two and followed it up with a 14-7 stunner of Mater Dei Prep Oct. 5.
Rumson’s defense was able to contain Wall in round one so the challenge will be for the RFH offense to produce more points in the rematch. Playing for a sectional title is the norm for the Bulldogs and the senior leaders were contributors to last year’s fantastic season. That experience could be an X-factor against a young Wall team that could face some nerves in a championship game. Last year, RFH was the underdog in their sectional title game at Somerville and prevailed. This time won’t be as big an upset, but Rumson will no doubt embrace the underdog role.
