Muh completes 6-8, Shore seeded at #1

By Jim Hintelmann

KEYPORT — Because its runs out of a Delaware Wing T, Shore Regional has not been known as a passing football team, but there are exceptions and this year is one of them. Junior quarterback Matt Muh, a transfer from Holmdel, threw only eight passes in Saturday’s B Central game against Keyport, but he completed six of them for 141 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-14 rout of the Red Raiders.

The win set up a big showdown against unbeaten Point Pleasant Beach for the division title. The game is tentatively schedule for Thanksgiving Day at Shore but, since both teams are in the state playoffs, that game may be moved. It was the first game for both teams in two weeks due to Hurricane Sandy  on Oct. 29, and many of the players on both teams suffered losses from the storm. Despite this, Shore looked  solid in every phase of the game. “Most of the kids had lost some things,” Shore coach Mark Costantino admitted, “but we had a good week of practice and the kids put it together.” In addition to Muh’s passing performance, Shore didn’t abandon its running game with the Blue Devils, led by senior running back Mark Costantino Jr., the coach’s son, rolling up 336 yards on the ground with Costantino scoring three touchdowns on runs of 16 and 66 yards along with catching a 56-yard scoring pass from Muh. Overall, he rushed for 173 yards on just five carries. “We didn’t expect this type of game, “said Costantino.” Muh had a good day passing and has improved greatly.” Shore  looked sharp from the start with the Blue Devils building up a 35-0 halftime Costantino got it started with a 17-yard touchdown run after setting it up with a 50-yard run. Shore then erupted with four touchdowns in the second period. Muh threw three touchdown passes in the quarter, two of them to Tyler Vivian and the other to Costantino.  Kevin Masica added the other touchdown  with a 22-yard run. Keyport quarterback Alex Thompson had a good day completing 15 of 25 passes for 202 yards throwing for both Keyport touchdowns despite a fierce rush from the Shore defense. “We felt that he could do it by himself if he got hot,” said Costantino “We had to get to him.” The win gave Shore the No. 1 seed in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group I playoffs, and it will play host to a familiar division opponent, Keansburg, Friday. Shore defeated Keansburg in a regular season game, 35-18 last month.