Freehold twp steamrolls rival boro to reclaim duke trophy
Stadium night lights over football field during sunset

Freehold Twp steamrolls rival Boro to reclaim Duke Trophy

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1 min read
October 12, 2025

FREEHOLD, NJ – Freehold Township stormed through its crosstown showdown Saturday afternoon, crushing Freehold Borough 42-7 to reclaim the coveted Duke Trophy and even its record above .500.

The Patriots exploded for 28 points in the second quarter, putting the game out of reach before halftime.

Freehold Borough managed its lone score late in the fourth quarter after the outcome had long been decided.

Quarterback Johnathan Kokotis led the way for Freehold Township with 126 passing yards, connecting on a 45-yard touchdown strike to receiver Jake Schultzel. Running back Jake Rattiner added 75 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground, providing the offensive spark that powered the Patriots’ early surge.

Defensively, Township was relentless. Linebacker Dominick Fiore anchored the unit with seven tackles and a sack, while Jumar Irvin’s fumble recovery in the end zone highlighted a defensive front that swarmed all afternoon.

Second-quarter surge seals it
After Rattiner’s opening touchdown run in the first quarter, Freehold Township broke the game wide open with four straight scores in the second. Irvin’s fumble recovery for a touchdown and Kokotis’s deep strike to Schultzel punctuated a dominant stretch that left Borough trailing 35-0 at halftime.

The Patriots defense didn’t let up, forcing multiple turnovers and scoring again off a third-quarter fumble recovery in the end zone.

Boro struggles to find rhythm
Freehold Borough’s offense failed to gain traction until the final minutes, when a short touchdown run put the Colonials on the board. It was little consolation in a game controlled from start to finish by their rivals across town.

Freehold Township, now 4-3 overall and 0-3 in Shore Conference B North play, will look to carry its momentum into next week’s matchup. Freehold Borough dropped to 1-6 and remains winless in D North.

The Patriots left no doubt who owns the Duke Trophy this year.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

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