Shore Regional Wins Season Opener With Focus on 'Finishing the Job'

Photo: Shore Regional’s 2010 state championship team

WEST LONG BRANCH – The Blues Devils (1-0) got off to a good start in their pursuit of the Central Jersey Group I title that eluded them last season by the slimmest of margins, defeating Class B Central foe Keyport 21-6 in their season opener Saturday, at the Red Raiders home field.

Shore came up five-points short, 12-7, in last season’s state final against division rival Point Pleasant Beach – after losing in two overtimes, 23-17, in the 2012 final to Florence - so the Blue Devils have adopted a rallying cry for this year’s team; ‘finish the job.’

“We talk about it all the time,” Shore head coach Mark Costantino said. “Every day we do something extra – find one more touchdown, do one more rep in the weight room, five more minutes of extra practice…… every day I work a little harder in practice; something extra. We’re just trying to find that extra inch to ‘finish the job.’”

Shore’s defense looks to be the strength of the team again this season after limiting opponents to a conference low 6.5 points a game last season. Six starters are back on defense, including All-Class B Central Division linebackers senior James Bedell and junior Doug Goldsmith. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Bedell , who led the team in tackles last season with 97, was at it again Saturday recording a sack and forcing a fumble in the win.

The defense overcame two lost fumbles and an interception by the offense on Saturday by not allowing Keyport to capitalize on the miscues. They held Keyport to one first down in the first half, under 130 total yards and only 40-yards rushing - with most of the yardage coming on one play. Keyport’s quarterback eluded a sack and hit Chase Bright for a 65-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter after the coverage broke down when the quarterback pressure disrupted the route.

“We preach defense and this year’s no different,” Costantino said. “Our defense dominated the game and we could’ve had a shutout. We don’t want to just win we want to shut you out; that’s always our goal. James is one of our captains and is an unbelievable player. He was all over the field Saturday making plays – he had to have had 13-15 tackles. He’s a tremendous player who also plays guard for us. When he and Doug (Goldsmith) are in together, there’s not a better inside linebacker tandem in the Shore.”

6-foot, 189-pound senior Jake Monteiro – part of that linebacking crew and probably the top placekicker in the Shore Conference – had an excellent game as well from the outside.

Unfortunately, Goldsmith - who had 95 tackles and rushed for 736 yards (7.3 average) and five touchdowns last season - was injured earlier in the week in practice and was out for the game. 5-foot-10, 180-pound defensive end Mitchell Candido - who led the team in sacks a year ago - slid into Goldsmith’s linebacker spot in his absence. The time table for Goldsmith’s return is the fourth game of the season against Dunellen.

“Mitchell is as good anybody but with his speed we want him on the outside,” Costantino said. “He just wreaks havoc, he’s just so fast, he was in the quarterbacks face the whole game; he’s tremendous.”

Junior Devin McLaughlin filled in for Goldsmith at fullback and ran for a pair of touchdowns in his first extended action of his career after contributing on special teams last season. The 5-foot-11, 193-pound fullback had the bulk of the carries in the Blue Devils Wing-T running attack carrying the ball 16 times for 79 yards with a long run of 11 yards.

“Devin’s played football his whole life and is a big, tough kid,” Costantino said. He’s in the linebacker mix as well.”

Costantino said they were playing without four starters Saturday, “Jack Britton - who started for us last year and plays both ways - had knee surgery and was cleared to play but injured the knee again in practice; he may be lost for the season and Kyle Masica - who has been cleared to play in this week’s game against Spotswood - hurt his knee in the first scrimmage and was out of the starting backfield. Then our starting defensive end Jeremy Redaelli - a 5-foot-10, 230-pound transfer from Red Bank Catholic – is being force to sit out the first 30 days after only playing a couple of downs last season as a sophomore - he’s an outstanding player. That’s like losing seven positions because most these kids play both ways. It’s like a game of chess, shuffling the deck.”

Senior quarterback/outside linebacker Ryan Campi, who steps in for graduated quarterback Matt Muh –now at Bucknell – had a solid game behind center and returned an interception for an 11-yard touchdown in the third quarter to push the lead to 21-0, essentially ending Keyport’s chances.

“Ryan’s your classic Wing-T roll-out option passer and our starting outside linebacker,” Costantino said. “He’s done a great job for us on both sides of the ball and we’re very happy with him.”

6-foot, 170-pound junior running back Tyreek Mccain also stepped up gaining 59 yards on the ground including a nifty 17-yard pickup.

“We controlled the game which is another goal of ours,” Costantino said. “I’m happy with the win, we were a little sloppy but for the first game I think we did a good job.”

Shore must clear a number of division hurdles this season as well as a rough non-conference schedule. Looming is their long-time nemesis Point Pleasant Beach, a much improved Mater Dei team that looks capable of beating anyone in the division but still needs to prove it can win a big game within the divison and Asbury Park, who lost a heartbreaker to Point Pleasant in the opener for both teams, 15-12, and field’s one of its most complete squads in years.

Friday night the Blue Devils host Spotswood - a 28-14 winner over Dunellen in their opener - in West Long Branch with a 7:00 p.m. start.

Follow @getmready