Tag: Player of the Week

by Mike Pavlichko

Benitez runs and catches, kicks and picks his way to Week 7 Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week Award

Throwing a pass was about the only thing Alex Benitez didn’t do Friday night for Montgomery. And he’s even done a little of that this season.

But everything else he did helped him pick up Week Seven Bellamy and Son Paving Player of the Week Honors, while helping the Cougars to their second straight victory.

What didn’t Benitz do? He had 16 carries and a rushing touchdown, as well as five catches on offense. He also kicked three PATs. On defense he had not one, but two pick-6s, and he also had a pair of 55-yard punts on special teams.

His two interception returns for touchdowns came on back-to-back possessions defensively, and were part of a four-minute spurt that saw Benitz score three times – the first of the TDs coming on offense – to put the nail in the coffin on Scotch Plains-Fanwood.

And the win has Montgomery – now just 2-4, but winners of two straight – on the cusp of a playoff berth. They moved from 20th to 19th with the win, and have a chance to get to .500 if they can pick up a win this week against JFK, and next week against Cranford. That’s a tall order – even at home – but even a loss might still get them in due to Cranford’s high SI value, currently at 79.51. Montgomery’s OSI is 39.61, meaning even if they lose and get just half of Cranford’s value, that would keep them even.

Click below to hear Alex Benitez talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko about his Week 7 performance:

Honor Roll…

Sayreville’s Zaimer Wright – who won the award in Week Three – gets some “also ran” recognition in Week Seven. He was a workhorse going for 270 yards on 33 carries, scoring four touchdowns and adding a two-point conversion in a critical 29-16 win against South Brunswick that was the Bombers’ fourth straight victory.

Nasir McGlone of North Plainfield ran for even more yards on fewer touches Friday night. He averaged a whopping 21.5 yards per carry in a 42-26 win at Governor Livingston, the Canucks’ third straight win following a three-game skid.

Of his five touchdown runs, only one went for less than 40 yards – a ten-yard spring in the second quarter. The others were 70, 61, 48 and 44 yards. That’s a total of 233 yards on touchdown runs alone.

That’s a game for most good runningbacks.

Continuing the runningback theme, the final honorable mention goes to Ethan MacNair of Somerville, who had 300 rushing yards on 30 carries and three touchdowns in the Saturday Big Central Game of the Week driven by Autoland, a 47-26 win over St. Joseph in Metuchen.

by Mike Pavlichko

Rahway’s Laney excels in all three phases, wins Week 6 Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week Award

When your team scores four touchdowns, wins the game, and you had three of them, that’s not a bad resume for a Player of the Week award.

Rushing for 255 yards, with a long of 87, plus another two catches for 11 yards shows some versatility.

But then add to it ten tackles on defense, six solo, plus an interception.

Then, pile on with a 24-yard punt return, and you have the makings of a definitive Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Player of the Week Award. And that’s just what Rahway senior Zaon Laney got.

In a Week Six win over previously 4-1 Warren Hills, Laney helped the Indians to their second straight win, a 27-7 victory over the Blue Streaks.

READ MORE: Rahway wins second straight, knocking off 4-1 Warren Hills 27-7 with strong second half

Laney says he and his teammates were jacked up for Senior Night, the last home game of their high school careers, as the Indians finish with three straight on the road, including this wekeend against Donovan Catholic.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk with Rahway’s Zaon Laney:

Honor Roll…

Another Big Central player had a versatile performance last week, Montgomery’s Alex Benitez, who has played a both quarterback and runningback for the Cougars, and can help the Cougars wherever he is on the field.

He helped lead Monty to its first win of the year, a 28-13 decision over Franklin. Though his numbers weren’t gaudy, he did it with his arm, feet and hands.

On offense: 22 rushes for 71 yards, five catches for another 71, a 16-yard touchdown. Defensively, he had ten tackles – eight solo – and two TFLs. He also kicked all four of his team’s extra points.

To add to it, Benitez’ ground game put him past the 2,000-yard milestone for his career. Congrats!

South Brunswick’s Brian Rawls also had a nice night in a 47-6 win over JP Stevens. He had 105 yards from scrimmage – 58 rushing, 47 receiving – and also had a pick six on defense. Not a bad night!

And then there’s East Brunswick’s Ben Solimini. The quarterback only threw three times – completing two passes for 14 yards – but he carried ten times for 168 yards and two touchdowns. We love a QB who likes to run the ball.

Solimini has been instrumental in the Bears’ 5-1 start, their best since 2004, when they went 9-1 before a 21-0 Thanksgiving loss to Old Bridge. East Brunswick rebounded with a 17-14 win against Jackson at Rutgers for the Central Jersey Group 4 championship.

by Mike Pavlichko

Summers makes the most of his opportunities on both sides of the ball to nab Week 5 Bellamy & Son Player of the Week honors

He didn’t have a dozen catches and a dozen tackles, or even a dozen of one or the other.

In fact, South Brunswick’s Khiri (pronounced like Kyrie, as in Irving) Summers only had five catches and five tackles in a 40-25 win over Monroe last Friday night.

But he made the most of what he got.

On offense, three of those catches went for touchdowns.

On defense, in addition to those five tackles, he had two interceptions, as part of what head coach John Viotto called the best performance his Vikings have turned in to date this season.

All that earned Summers Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Player of the Week honors for Week Six.

Summers will receive a custom football to mark the accomplishment, and one Player of the Week will be awarded a $500 scholarship.

Click below to listen to Khiri Summers talk with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko about his performance against Monroe:

Honor Roll:

New Providence’s Charlie Barth was back playing defense again after sitting out that side of the ball in a 40-8 home win over Bound Brook heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio two Fridays ago.

And the senior RB/LB didn’t disappoint, with an outstanding two-way performance in a 42-14 win over Brearley: 16 carries for 176 yards and three touchdowns, while recording 12 tackles, a TFL and a QB pressure. Those numbers are what put him at the top of the Big Central leaderboard in tackles last fall, and made him one of the most active defenders in the league.

Few players record four touchdowns in a game; that’s reserved for the elite. But senior Logan Blake turned the trick for Delaware Valley Friday night, recording all four of the Terrier’s touchdowns in a solid 28-14 home win over Bernards. He had 11 catches in the game for 172 yards, with hauls of 13, 4, 26 and 16 yards.

North Plainfield’s Taeshaun Mallard a sophomore wide receiver had a nice four catches for 32 yards and two scores, but it was a trick play that boosted the prominence of his offensive game. It was a pass completion for a 39-yard touchdown to Jordan Bird in the fourth quarter. That have the Canucks enough cushion to hold on for a 28-19 win over Voorhees to move their record to 2-3 on the season and move them up one spot in the latest North 3 UPR rankings; the Canucks are two spots out of the top 16 at the midway point of the season.

And what would an honor roll be without Hillsborough’s Thomas Amankwaa. The senior – who won the award in Week 2 – is running the ball now in addition to catching it. He went for 103 yard and three touchdowns on five rushes while also catching three passes for 68 yards in a 42-14 win at No. 5 Ridge last Friday night.

by Mike Pavlichko

Seven touchdown performance earns Ridge’s Olivo Week Four Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week Award

Ridge head coach Andy West says he doubts it ever happened before, and if he’s not right, he’s probably pretty close to it.

In the “Battle of the Red Devils,” Ridge quarterback Michael Olivo accounted for seven touchdowns Friday night in a 49-20 win over Hunterdon Central, in his team’s home opener.

Olivo was 8-of-13 passing for 190 yards and three touchdowns for No. 5 Ridge, while he ran for four more as part of a 14 carry, 270-yard night.

His TD passes went 19 yards to Tyler McCaffrey and 48 yards to Harry Hagerman in the opening quarter, and 21 yards to Christian Edwards in the third.

On the ground, he scored on TD jaunts of 67 and 18 yards, with a pair of 75 yard scores after halftime – one in the third quarter, and one in the fourth.

His efforts earned him the Week Four Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Player of the Week award. At the end of the season, he’ll receive a custom football, and be eligible for a $500 scholarship from Bellamy & Son Paving, a founding sponsor of Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Click below to hear Mike Olivo talk with Mike Pavlichko about his seven touchdown night:

Honor Roll…

Returning one punt for a touchdown is impressive enough, but two is really special.

St. Joseph-Metuchen sophomore Jeremy Decaro doubled his pleasure, and doubled his fun with TD punt returns of 75 and 55 yards. Overall in the game, he returned four punts for 161 yards, an average of 40.3 per return.

Owen Haughney of No. 7 Old Bridge played a huge role in his team’s win over No. 10 Monroe, handing the Falcons their first loss of the season.

The senior QB went 8-for-13 passing for 172 yards, throwing two touchdowns, and no picks, while he rushed for another two touchdowns, finishing with 15 carries and 186 yards. That’s a 358=yard night from scrimmage. Kudos!

Finally, Linden’s Tequan Thomas – yet another QB – figured prominently in a 20-14 upset of No. 10 and previously unbeaten Westfield.

Just a sophomore, he was a perfect 4-for-4 passing for just 29 yards, but had 14 carries for 190 yards, including all three touchdowns scored by the Tigers: 65, 63, and 15 yard scoring trips.

Add in the importance of doing it against the resurgent Blue Devils, and that makes the feat all the more fantastic.

by Mike Pavlichko

Sayreville’s Zaimer Wright earns Week 3 Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week Honors

With touchdowns of four, five, two and 53 yards, Sayreville sophomore Zaimer Wright not only showed the promise of the future for the Bombers, but also made an impact in the present, helping his team knock off the Number One team in the Big Central.

Wright’s four TD’s against North Brunswick gave his team a 35-22 win – on the road, mind you – and earned him the Week 3 Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week Award.

Wright will receive a custom football at the end of the season, and one of the weekly winners will receive a $500 scholarship courtesy of Bellamy & Son Paving.

Wright’s last touchdown was the longest one, and helped solidify the win for Sayreville, which picked up its first win of the season to move to 1-2 on the year.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Bellamy & Son Paving Week 3 Player of the Week Zaimer Wright of Sayreville:

Honor Roll…

Three other players around the Big Central had notable efforts this week, starting with Old Bridge senior runningback Lawrence Hunter III.

Hunter scored three touchdowns at Mike Elko Field in a 40-11 blowout of South Brunswick in the Big Central Game of the Week, driven by Mark Montenero and his team at the world-famous Autoland, and also earned Player of the Game honors.

READ MORE: No. 5 Old Bridge routs South Brunswick as Hunter, Haughney star

The 7th-ranked Knights (2-1) have a big showdown Friday night at home against No. 10 Monroe (3-0).

Two weeks ago it was Shaun Purcell, this time a different Mustang gets on the board as Manville senior Brandon Flores earns a laurel.

Flores got it done on the ground, through the air and on special teams. He rushed a dozen times for 106 yards and three touchdowns, adding two catches for 42 yards, one for a TD. He also kicks extra points, and was 5-of-6 in that department in a 41-0 home win over Montclair-Kimberley Academy.

With that and a season-opening win over Dunellen, the Mustangs have outscored their first two opponents by a combined 89-6.

Hillsboro’s Jay Mazuera also had a solid game in a blowout win over Franklin; 12-of-19 passing for the senior quarterback for 276 yards and four touchdowns. Mazuera and his teammates will play in the Battle of Route 206 Thursday night when the No. 3 Raiders (3-0) visit Brddgewater-Raritan (2-1) Thursday night at 7 pm in the Big Central Game of the Week driven by Autoland.

by Mike Pavlichko

Union’s Davison Igbinosun named Week One Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Player of the Week

With a big came that spurred a big comeback that gave Union a big win, Farmers senior Davison Igbinosun has been named the inaugural Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Player of the Week for Week One.

Each week, league coaches will be allowed to nominate a player from their team for the award, with this week’s eligible games including Week Zero, in which only a fraction of the Big Central teams played. Players who also received serious consideration will be listed each week on the Honor Roll.

Igbinosun – a Rutgers commit – had a great stat line in a 40-21 road win against St. Joseph-Metuchen (0-1): eight carries for 106 yard and three touchdowns, three catches for 104 yards and another score, as well as nine tackles on defense, two TFLs and an interception.

But, it was how and when those scores happened that clinched the award for Igbinosun. Two of his rushing touchdowns came in the third quarter, giving Union a 21-14 lead after trailing 14-6 at the half.

The Farmers are now 1-1.

Every Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Player of the Week will receive a custom football at the end of the season, and one will be chosen for a $500 scholarship.

Click below to hear Dom Savino’s interview with Union’s Davison Igbinosun:

Honor Roll…

Three other players made this week’s Big Central Honor Roll:

Senior runningback Quinn Lonergan of Brearley rushed for 113 yards and four touchdowns on just 15 carries as the Bears started the season with a win, blanking Johnson 36-0 at home. Lonergan matched his junior campaign’s touchdown output, where he scored four TDs on 44 carries, rushing for nearly 300 yards behind thousand-yard rusher Derek Graichen.

Monroe’s Benjamin Bussiere had a big game in a 52-20 season-opening home win over Franklin. The junior receiver had seven catches for 113 yards and three touchdowns, and amassed 145 kick return yards, including a 96-yard kickoff return in the third quarter, the first of four straight scores that helped the Falcons pull away, after leading only by 11 at halftime. On defense, Bussiere also recorded eight solo tackles.

Also making the Honor Roll was North Brunswick’s Tamir Jenkins. The junior linebacker was a defensive force against arch-rival South Brunswick in a 56-21 season-opening victory. Jenkins had 9 tackles and a TFL, but also forced and recovered two fumbles, one of them a 74-yard scoop-and-score. He also had a rushing touchdown on offense, the first of his scholastic career.