by Mike Pavlichko
The offensive numbers alone would be enough to merit some hardware.
Same goes for the defensive numbers.
But when you put them together, Charlie Barth of New Providence is Central Jersey Sports Radio’s pick for “Two Way Player of the Year” in the Big Central Conference for 2020.
The 5-11, 205 pound junior is a tour de force no matter how you slice it.
He was the only player who came close to Somerville’s Cookie Desiderio statewide in his carries to touchdown ratio, checking in at a touchdown every 7.4 carries. (Desiderio had one every 5.8 touches.)
Now, some guys with that workload might play some snaps on defense. But how many then lead a 57-team conference with 115 tackles?
Nobody else in the Big Central even came close.
The next question is: what does he do for an encore?
Click below to hear what Charlie Barth had to say about his efforts on both sides of the ball this year:
Honorable Mentions for Two-Way Player of the Year included Khan-Yae Stevens of North Plainfield and Sharrod Tedder of Bound Brook, both of whom also are juniors, and will return next season.
Stevens is a wideout/defensive back who caught 21 passes for 481 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2020, but also ran the ball 22 times for 194 yards and a score. He even threw two passes, completing both for touchdowns. On defense, he logged 6 interceptions for 244 return yards, two of which went all the way back for scores, while amassing 34 tackles and 2 TFLs, plus a forced fumble.
Tedder – also a WR/CB – rushed for 40-5 yards and 3 touchdowns on 45 carries for the Crusaders this year, while also hauling in 18 balls for 348 yards receiving, and 7 touchdowns. On defense, he recorded 14 solo tackles, and had 5 interceptions, one of them a pick-six.