In a Friday night thriller, Manchester Township managed to edge out Asbury Park with a 27-22 win. The showdown saw both teams battle it out fiercely for the Shore Conference victory. Manchester Township’s record improves to 6-2, maintaining their strong position in the Shore Conference. Asbury Park, on the other hand, continues to struggle, falling to 0-6 this season.
The game started with some fireworks in the opening quarters as both teams found the end zone. Manchester Township took the lead early with an 11-yard pass from quarterback Aidan Lunn to Ny’Zyr Battle. Ian Spicer’s successful kick gave them a 7-0 lead. Asbury Park quickly responded with a 6-yard run, though they failed to complete the extra pass, making it 7-6. The second quarter saw more of the same, with Josh Love of Manchester Township scoring on a 6-yard run, and Asbury Park countering with a 48-yard run to tie the game at 14-14.
The third quarter was a defensive struggle, with neither team able to put points on the board. The defenses tightened up, and scoring opportunities were scarce, leaving the score tied at 14-14 heading into the final quarter.
Manchester Township running back Josh Love was the star of the fourth quarter, scoring twice on runs of 8 and 23 yards, giving his team a 27-14 lead. Asbury Park managed to claw back with a 41-yard pass for a touchdown and a successful running play for the extra points, closing the gap to 27-22. Despite their late rally, Asbury Park couldn’t pull off the upset, sealing the win for Manchester Township.
Several key players contributed to Manchester Township’s victory. Aidan Lunn threw for a total of 185 yards, while Josh Love rushed for an impressive 254 yards. Marquis Goins Jr. led in receiving yardage with 79 yards. On the defensive end, Matthias Payton recorded a sack, and Dante Mortellite led with 8 total tackles. The statistics underscore the well-rounded team effort that led to Manchester Township’s hard-fought victory.