Football: Brick Prepares to Defend State Title

(PHOTO: Brick’s Ray Fattaruso carries the ball against Toms River North. Credit: Karen Wall)

The Brick Dragons open defense of their sectional football title with by hosting the Princeton High School Little Tigers, according to the official NJSIAA pairings, listed on NJ.com.

The game is set for 7 p.m. Friday at Brick.

Brick won its first sectional title in 19 years last fall when the Dragons defeated Colts Neck, 26-15, in the Central Jersey Group IV final at the College of New Jersey. A repeat would be the first since Brick won three straight sectional titles from 1981-83.

Brick (8-1), the second seed in the bracket, lost only a nondivisional Shore Conference matchup to Wall as the Dragons secured their first outright divisional crown since 2003. They will be facing a Princeton team that also has just one loss, a 48-29 setback at the hands of Winslow on Oct. 17.

The Little Tigers, who play in the West Jersey Football League, turned the ball over seven times in that game. Winslow intercepted junior quarterback Dave Beamer five times in that game, including one returned for a touchdown, nearly half of the 12 interceptions he’s thrown all season. He also has thrown for 1,339 yards and 17 touchdowns. Junior running back Rory Helstrom has racked up 1,136 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns for Princeton.

If the Dragons beat Princeton on Friday night, it potentially sets up a rematch with Jackson Memorial, which Brick beat in overtime, 30-24, on Oct. 4. The Jaguars, seeded third, have 6-2 Middletown North on Friday night, and are coming off a stunning 33-27 upset of Red Bank Catholic that snapped the Caseys’ 40-game Shore Conference winning streak.