With fall practices quickly approaching, the identities of the Shore's top football teams will be cemented through hard work in the dog days of summer. Those preseason camps will provide more clarity, but there is also room for an early look at where each of the Shore Conference's 43 teams stand as they near the starting line of the 2024 season.

The summer recess period ends Monday, Aug. 12 - the date when full contact (players are being tackled to the ground) or thud contact (players are not being tackled) is permissible at preseason practices.

More: Shore Conference football 2024 scrimmage schedule

More: Shore Conference football 2024 week by week schedule

Take a look below at the APP's seven tiers of Shore football in an early ranking of the top teams along with analysis of some key players to watch. We'll come back with a final Shore Super 25 preseason ranking right before the season kicks off.

TIER 1: PERENNIAL CONTENDERS

1. Red Bank Catholic (10-1 last season)

The difference between the Shore's two state champions from last season is like splitting hairs, but last season that split broke in the Caseys' favor and they retain the edge heading into 2024. RBC will have to replace a multitude of key starters from last year's team, but they return a star at the most important position: quarterback Frankie Williams.

The Caseys continue to be a fascinating blend of high level athletes and gritty natural football players. Sophomore tight end/defensive end Lorenzo Tartamella is a candidate to be the state's top recruit for the class of 2027, holding offers from ACC programs Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Duke. They have experienced seniors like Jamie Gutridge, Matthew Lonczak and James Forsyth returning along with more astonishing depth on defense. Expect a few breakout stars with two candidates being Blake Caruso and Daniel Zabora.

With recent realignment the Caseys and Mariners will no longer face off as they've split off into A-North and A-South, respectively. RBC opens the season against Middletown (Delaware) on August 29.

2. Toms River North (12-2)

Objectively speaking, the Mariners have the most well-rounded team in the Shore and probably the most talented group of seniors. Despite being a first-year starter, quarterback T.J. Valerio is one of the most talented passers in the Shore. He is surrounded by elite talent with receivers Nasir Jackson and Camryn Thomas. Star left tackle Jaelyne Matthews will be paving the way for running back Mordecai Ford.

Defensively, Blaise Boland and Eddie Slosky lead a talented group of defenders from their positions on the front line, where life for opposing offenses is sure to be miserable. In addition to the aforementioned receivers that will also play in the defensive backfield, sophomore Jael Hester is another player to watch as he steps into a starting role at safety. The Mariners will also open the year against an out-of-state opponent, facing Pennsylvania's Downington East on August 30.

3. Rumson-Fair Haven (8-5)

After narrowly falling to Westwood in the state final, it feels like this could be the year for the Bulldogs. They return experienced field general Owen O'Toole and the quarterback is surrounded with weapons like Nick Thomas, Jordan Angstreich and Kellen Murray. The offensive line is led by seniors Jack Mauthe and Matthew Smith.

The defense has a few more losses to contend with, but that unit is led by talented returning seniors Austin Kiernan, Cole Pangborn and Jacob Tobias. This team has the experience and talent to breakthrough and take home the state title. They will open up the season against fellow Group 2 power Point Boro on September 6.

4. Donovan Catholic (9-3)

The Griffins have a compelling case for one of the top spots considering they beat the Mariners last year and return the Shore's best skill player in Michael Thomas. They also have arguably the state's top prospect in the class of 2026 in junior offensive tackle Kai Pritchard.

But Donovan will have to replace quarterback Todd Lambertson after he graduated and running back Najee Calhoun, who transferred to Bergen Catholic. The Griffins' top-end talent means they can compete with anyone, but there are some key contributors that will have to be replaced. Donovan Catholic will open the season against St. Augustine on August 30.

TIER 2: KNOCKING ON THE DOOR

5. Point Pleasant Borough (9-2)

Point Boro has a very interesting identity in contrast with other top Shore programs. The front seven of this group is staggering, as they return Colin Obser, Dylan Reitmeyer, Paul Hagemeyer, Tanner Hynes, Nick Jankovich and added transfer Louis DiBiase from Donovan Catholic. Hagemeyer and DiBiase will also pave the way for running back Jake Clayton, who could emerge as a star in his second year of high school football.

Although the Panthers must replace last year's athletic quarterback Matt Oliphant, senior Michael Ollendorf appears up to the task. This team could surprise people with their classic hard-nosed brand of football.

6. Brick Memorial (10-1)

The stunning upset to Long Branch in last year's playoffs should serve as motivation for this talented group that returns several key pieces. Linebacker Trey Tallmadge was the division's defensive player of the year, and should only get better as a junior. The offense also returns two very dangerous running backs in Kevin Andrews and Nazeer Whittaker.

While the team loses Connor Dietz at quarterback, junior Jason Lajara is polished and capable of stepping in right away to guide this offense. The Mustangs should once again be a top contender in the conference

7. Holmdel (9-1)

The Hornets were in a similar situation as the Mustangs, riding the momentum of an undefeated season before a surprising home loss in the playoffs. But the Hornets have the pieces to replicate that success under new head coach Noel Kavanagh. Quarterback Jack Cannon is poised to take another major step forward as a junior, and he has the type of skillset to lead this team to a deep postseason run.

Running back Matt Iulo is a great compliment in the running game and on defense alongside staples like Alex Reyes and Cipriano Bodnar. As good as they were last year, Holmdel could be even better in 2024.

8. Jackson Memorial (7-2)

The Jaguars lost several key seniors from last year's team, and that depth and experience will be hard to replace. But they also return a multitude of explosive playmakers. Jonah Glenn might be the best running back in the Shore Conference after his impressive sophomore campaign, and Eric Zebrowski is one of the league's most dynamic athletes.

The team also returns quality lineman Harold Mee and Ishmal Thompson, so they have stability upfront. They have great pieces and are certainly capable of another strong season this fall.

TIER 3: ALWAYS TOUGH TO BEAT

9. Matawan (4-6)

The Huskies were under .500 last year, but it seems incomprehensible that a team with this much talent wouldn't be among the best in the Shore. Rutgers-commit Jayden Elijah is an elite offensive lineman and Welman Crooms is one of the conference's top recruits in the class of 2026. Amir Martinez returns to lead the offense at quarterback.

Matawan was an interesting team considering the losses came against quality foes like Rumson, Holmdel and Brick Memorial. If Huskies can play with more consistency across the board, then they are capable of having a breakthrough season.

10. Manalapan (4-5)

The Braves are a deep team that's led by a talented class of motivated seniors. Quarterback Ryan Dougherty has plenty of weapons, but Jackson Pfister is undoubtedly the top returning target of this offense. Ahsere Woolfolk is an electric playmaker in the running game. There are simply so many options on this team and they have real camaraderie as a group.

Nick Monteleone and Reggie Bennett are leaders on the offensive and defensive lines. And Vinny Difilippo is a terrific linebacker. This team seems to have quality players from top to bottom, and that is a recipe for a good season.

11. Freehold Township (7-4)

The Patriots have an accomplished senior quarterback in Nick Cardone that will once again be one of the top signal callers in the Shore. Although they lost three excellent receivers, the team still has great depth at the receiver position with numerous players that have honed their route running abilities and don't drop passes.

It's fair to wonder if this team has enough stability on the offensive line to support the prolific passing offense. And defensively, the team has to replace several key seniors from last year. Regardless, this offensive juggernaut will be difficult for opposing defenses to contain.

12. Middletown North (6-5)

The Lions lost productive quarterback offense Luke Sheehan, but the team hasn't appeared to miss a beat this summer. The passing offense looks strong with Owen Robson at the helm and Midd North has the size and physicality upfront with players like Brody Tooker and Joe Grasso on the defensive line.

13. Middletown South (5-5)

The Eagles are in a tricky spot after losing a lot of key pieces from last year's senior-heavy team. New head coach Marc Tomo takes the reins and will surely have this team ready to compete under the existing culture that makes Midd South a perennial contender. It will be challenging to replace the number of key seniors from last season, but Brendan Silva, Giuseppi Massagli and Liam Curley are three key returners to build around.

TIER 4: GOOD AND GETTING BETTER

14. Long Branch (7-5)

The Green Wave put together an incredible string of postseason upsets to end last season, beating Jackson Memorial and Brick Memorial on the road. But Long Branch lost quarterback Earnest Reeves and running back Davon Craft in addition to losing head coach Chad King, who takes over at Ocean this fall. But the collection of talent is still great for new head coach Ben Woolley with Quinton Fisher at quarterback and weapons like Aulander Daniels and Nehemiah Lambert in the passing game.

15. Toms River South (6-3)

Toms River South returns a lot of key players from last year's division title team. Jake Henehan is the backbone of the offense after rushing for 834 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. They also return top receiving target Danny Pierson and defensive standouts Damir Nelson and Olaoluwa Akinlou. They are undoubtedly the division favorite in Class B South.

16. Wall (4-7)

After competing in the Shore's most competitive division, Wall is now in Class C North competing with Holmdel, Manalapan and rival Manasquan. It's a better fit for the Crimson Knights, who are a bit of sleeper breakout candidate. Mason Adam leads the team as an electric presence on both sides of the ball, and the passing game looked very good early in the summer at the Monmouth 7-on-7 tournament.

17. Manchester (8-3)

The Hawks fit the profile of a team on the verge of peaking at the right time. Senior quarterback Aidan Lunn is one of the Shore's top returning passers and has two great weapons in M.J. Goins and Nyzyr Battle. The front seven is loaded with capable playmakers like Dante Mortellite, Anthony D'Antonio and Kurtis Mayer. And Malik Pharmes takes over at running back for Josh Love and has the athleticism to keep defense off balance.

18. Pinelands (5-5)

There are a lot of sleeper teams in Class C South this fall, and Pinelands is a team poised for a breakthrough. It all starts up front with massive senior offensive linemen Jayden Hadzovic and Brady Fence, but senior quarterback Ty Kline also has great command of the offense. Jaimin Parkinson is the premier threat in the running game. And the defense has a lot of solid pieces in the defensive backfield and at linebacker with Eric Kobilnyk. A big question is how the team replaces All-Shore receiver Mike Frawley.

19. Central Regional (4-6)

Central Regional quietly has the most impressive collection of athletic talent of any team outside the top ten. Royalty Riley and fellow track standout Nnaemeka Amaechina are explosive talents. Ashton Harris and Elijah Reeder are two fascinating players with length on the defensive side. The Golden Eagles have a chance to make some noise in the Class B South division.

TIER 5: GOOD PROGRAMS FACING KEY LOSSES

20. Marlboro (8-3)

The Mustangs were excellent last year, but they were buoyed by a deep class of seniors like Matt Cassidy and Mike Consolazio. With those standouts now graduated, replicating the success of 2023 will be difficult. Luke Houston is really talented two-way performer that was one of the team's best receiving options as a junior in addition to being an all-division defensive back, but there's no denying that Marlboro will need a lot of players to step up into bigger roles to again be a contender.

21. Shore Regional (6-4)

Returning second team all-division quarterback Josh Moeller will be the key for the Blue Devils, and Xavier Moro is a foundational piece on the offensive and defensive lines. But two-way star Jackson Whitacre, who is now a tight end with Delaware, will be tough to replace. The good news: reorganization of the Shore Conference means this team is the clear favorite to win the division.

22. Manasquan (5-5)

The Warriors have terrific pieces like D-I offensive line prospect Adam Murphy and tremendous junior Jack O'Reilly leads a deep receiver group. Ace Etienne could take a step forward to lead the running game, but 'Squan will have to replace quarterback Frank Furfaro and defensive stalwart Jack Mead. And the newly-formed Class C North is shaping up to be a very competitive division.

23. Howell (3-6)

The Rebels lost last year's quarterback Egan Nelms and standout tight end Declan Flaherty, and are now moving into the Shore's tough-as-nailes division with Brick Memorial, Donovan Catholic, Toms River North, Point Boro and Jackson Memorial in A South. That's an uphill battle, but they do return two key playmakers in Juan Dejesus and Quincy Shaw.

24. Brick Township (6-5)

The losses of quarterback Ryan Bontorno and two-way star Jake Toye present a challenge for one of the Shore's historic football powers, but the Dragons have a lot of intriguing talent across the roster under new head coach Jay Graber. Justice Morgan, Jayden Johnson, Germaine Rice and Gavin Maffei are all very athletic skill players that will be impact guys for Brick this fall.

25. Colts Neck (6-4)

Arguably no team in the Shore must contend with more key losses than Colts Neck. All-time great rusher Chris Scully is gone along with quarterback Dom Beninato and top targets Tesio Carabello and Eric Loureiro, all of whom have moved on to the college level. The next iteration of Cougars, led by juniors like Aiden Bain and Bryson Royal, will have big shoes to fill.

TIER 6: TALENTED ENOUGH TO MAKE A LEAP

26. St. John Vianney (3-7)

The Lancers and new head coach Bobby Acosta have certainly shaken things up this offseason with their key additions. Former Donovan Catholic quarterback Zach Labarca flashed his explosiveness in spot duty with the Griffins, and he'll form a dangerous backfield duo alongside top class of 2027 recruit Abdul Turay. Rob Yakovchuk is a foundational piece on the offensive line, joining SJV from Brick Township. The arrow is pointing up for this squad.

27. Barnegat (2-8)

The Bengals experienced a baptism by fire last fall, but they return all the key pieces from that team with more experience and plenty of motivation to turn things around this year. Colgate-commit Cole Toddings is a stud on offense and defense. Quarterback Jack Haviland is surrounded by weapons like Toddings, David Gonzalez and Stephen Griffin. And Barnegat has a talented backfield duo of Johnnel Johnson and Myquan Rush-Esdaile.

28. Southern (3-7)

Elite track star Cole Cramer is gonna be one of the most fun players to watch this fall on the gridiron, but the Rams' most important piece is returning standout running back and defensive back Justin Silva. Given the program's tremendous pipeline of talent, never doubt the potential for Southern to suddenly emerge as a surprise contender.

29. Keyport (8-2)

No player meant more to their team last year than Nazir Treadwell, who has now moved on to the D-I level with Holy Cross. But Mekai Henderson could be next in line as the explosive engine of this offense, and the team also returns leading receiver Andrei Matthews.

30. Toms River East (4-6)

The good news is the Raiders return a lot of key contributors like running back Christian Valeo. And although B-South does present a slight step up in competition, it's not insurmountable. This team gained a lot of experience last year and has the pieces to potentially put it all together this fall.

TIER 7: SOMETHING TO PROVE

(Listed alphabetically)

Asbury Park (2-7)

Asbury lost several really talented players from last year's group as they were somewhat outmatched in the former Constitution Division. Now that the team is in D-South, they'll have a chance to make strides given the impressive athletic talent that the team always seems to have. But again, the progress must be proven on the gridiron.

Freehold Borough (2-7)

The Colonials are in a tough spot. They lost key seniors like quarterback Spencer Rushton and elsewhere across the roster. They appear outmatched in a really tough B-North division, but this is a school that always seems to exceed expectations in athletics. There's a lot to prove this fall.

Jackson Liberty (2-8)

The Lions notched a couple nice victories over Keansburg and Lakewood in addition to returning a lot of experienced contributors like Tucker Pazinko and Mason Ciccariello. But they're also in a relatively difficult C-South division that is going to make Liberty earn every one of their victories.

Keansburg (4-6)

Keansburg provided a taste of what they could be this fall at the Shore Conference 7-on-7 tournament, winning their group and competing closely against Manalapan. That doesn't instantly translate to success in the fall, but it was an impressive showing and could foreshadow major improvement for this team.

Lacey (3-7)

Lacey lost a lot of key pieces from last year's team including star receiver Trevor Santucci. Joey Davis could be a cornerstone of this team for the next few years after a great freshman season, but there are still question marks. Although the division realignment is favorable for the Lions, there is also still a lot of tough competition in B-South.

Lakewood (3-7)

The Piners have one of the state's most productive rushers coming back in Rahmel Anderson. They also have a multitude of underclassmen that received second team all-division honors last fall, meaning this squad could be primed for a breakout season this fall.

Monmouth (6-4)

Frankly, Monmouth has to prove that they can sustain success after a graduating a great class of seniors last year with players like Dom O'Grady, Kaiden Stafford, Nasir Watson and Dan Kikta. Ahmir Wiggins is a very talented returning starter to build around, and the Falcons will face manageable competition in the Class D North division.

Neptune (2-7)

Neptune has the capability to emerge as one of the conference's top sleepers, but they'll have to prove it on the field. Daaron Lynch is a really fascinating athletic quarterback who showed flashes as a freshman. They also have key defensive pieces in Jairaya Jean and Michael MacLennan.

New Egypt (3-9)

New Egypt joins the Shore Conference this fall, and the first season could be an adjustment period to a higher level of competition. One point of comparison is that the Warriors suffered two sizable losses against Keyport and Lakewood late in the season. The good news is Caleb Kowaleski is a very capable senior quarterback that returns to lead the team this fall.

Ocean Township (4-6)

New head coach Chad King did a terrific job at Long Branch, but Ocean will present a different type of challenge. The Spartans are capable of producing high level talent and have solid pieces in seniors Ray Sexton and James Sobieski. But the Class B North division is loaded and it will be tough to keep pace.

Point Pleasant Beach (2-9)

The Garnet Gulls will go as far as stud running back Liam Brosnan takes them, but there are also signs of promise after a lot of key underclassmen contributors got experience last year. Point Beach will have to prove that they've made progress with victories this fall.

Raritan (2-7)

The Rockets showed what they were capable of in their two victories over Manalapan and Red Bank, but there's still a lot of building to do for this program. The bright spot is Raritan's abilities to have depth in the trenches, which continues this year with Christian Torino and John Linane. And John Jeleniewski is a skill player that could have a breakout season. But C-North will be a challenging division top to bottom.

Red Bank Regional (3-7)

The Bucs face an uphill battle. They lost great players in Gunnar Eckerstrom, Jahcire Jones and Griffin Egan. Alex Costic is a key returning piece, but this team will once again be in a tough division in B-North with Freehold Township, Midd North and Matawan.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Ranking all 43 Shore football teams heading toward pads, helmets, full contact practices