Game Preview: Middletown North Hopes to Contain Ocean's Tyler Thompson

Photo above: Lions Troy Thompson

MIDDLETOWN – If the Middletown North Lions (2-2,1-2) expect to win Friday night’s non-division game against Ocean Township on the Spartans home field they must begin by stopping 2013 second-team All-Shore running back Tyler Thompson.

Last season Thompson picked up his second straight 1000-yard season racking up 1,481 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns as a sophomore. He drives the bus for the Spartans (1-2, 1-1) and as he goes the Spartans go. So far this season Thompson has picked up 300 yards on the ground with one touchdown but has yet to have a huge breakout game this season and that’s what scares Lions head coach Steve Bush.

“Thompson’s an outstanding back that can score at anytime from anywhere on the field,” Bush said. “We need to contain him and keep him under wraps the best we can. He hasn’t had that real big game yet this season and that’s what worries me.”

Senior captain Troy Thompson - a 2013 Coaches’ All-Division selection - will be counted on heavily to help slow down Ocean’s Thompson. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Thompson plays a hybrid outside linebacker/safety/ rover back position which allows him to roam the field from sideline-to-sideline and utilize his athleticism in all facets of the game. Thompson is second on the team in tackles (31) and tackles for a loss (3).

“Troy’s a really solid player for us and a leader on both sides of the ball,” Bush said. “We’ll need a big effort from him if we expect to win this game.”

The Lions linebacking crew is solid and will be tested mightily on Friday. Sophomore outside linebacker Nick Kish leads the team with 41 tackles and an interception, while senior captain and outside linebacker Dylan Hallard is third on the team with 26 tackles (two for a loss), a caused fumble and one recovery. Senior Anthony Pianoforte has registered 25 tackles with three tackles for a loss in the middle while splitting time with star running back Chad Freshnock who leads the team with two sacks and four quarterback hurries.

On the defensive line, ends Matthew Dombrowski, a junior and senior Parker Anderson along with senior tackle and captain Vincent Pianoforte will be challenged to establish control of the line of scrimmage. Dombrowski has four tackles for a loss with a sack while Anderson has accounted for 19 tackles, four for a loss and a sack. Pianoforte leads the defensive line with 20 tackles and two quarterback hurries.

Senior safety and captain Jordan Pitts - one of the many Lions that play both ways - is a ball hawk and is not afraid to come up and apply the hit as his 17 tackles and one interception will attest, and along with senior Aaron Borrero (one interception, sack, 13 tackles) and sophomore Dwight Wilkerson (19 tackles – one for a loss – and an interception) they will have their work cut out for them.

Ocean is by no means a one dimensional team that relies solely on the legs of Thompson but also features a lethal quarterback – receiver combination in sophomore quarterback Kenny Pickett and senior wideout Marcus Blackman. Pickett has thrown for 421 yards on 35-of-59 passing with five touchdowns and only two interceptions while his favorite target, Blackman, has three touchdowns on only five receptions for 145 yards.

“Aside from the Manalapan loss our defense has been playing pretty well,” Bush said. “In our two wins they didn’t allow a point and in our loss to Freehold they only allowed five first downs but gave up three big plays.”

Offensively the Lions are averaging 35.5 points a game this season and possess the weapons to put up big numbers in any given game.

Freshnock has picked up where he left off last season when he was named third-team All-Shore after rushing for 1056 yards and 11 touchdowns averaging six yards a carry. Already this season he’s carried the ball 68 times for 597 yards and nine touchdowns averaging 8.8 yards a touch.

Sophomore quarterback Donald Glenn is quietly having another solid season after turning in one of the best freshman quarterback performances in Shore Conference history last season when he passed for 1557 yards and 15 touchdowns. This season he’s 42-of-87 for 496 yards and six touchdowns.

Glenn’s main targets have been Pitts, Thompson and Freshnock with Pitts leading the trio catching 17 balls for 200 yards and two touchdowns while also carrying the ball 10 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Thompson has morphed into a big-play receiver from his tight end position averaging 27.2 yards per catch for 163 yards and three touchdowns on only six receptions.

This is a big game for both teams as we’re already entering the fifth week of the season with the state playoff qualification date rapidly approaching.

“To win this game we have to eliminate the big plays and contain their running back,” Bush said. “We’ll also need to execute on offense and protect our quarterback from their blitzes, which they like to do. This is a big game for us and we’re going to get after it; we got to keep number eight (Thompson) in check.”

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