Byers, Barrios, Melton & Manning among CAL scoring leaders

By TOM WILLIAMS

Despite his team’s first loss on Saturday, St. Joseph senior Jada Byers ran for one touchdown and caught a pass for another to maintain his scoring lead among football players at Cape-Atlantic League schools.

Byers has scored 54 points in three games for the Wildcats, six points more than Mainland freshman Ja’Briel Mace and 12 points ahead of Cedar Creek’s Max Menton and Patrick Smith of Holy Spirit.

Byers now has 488 career points, the second highest total in CAL history. Former Ocean City star Kevin Sinclair is the record-holder with 532 points.

Cedar Creek and Ocean City are currently dominating the passing stats. Creek’s senior quarterback Lou Barrios has 14 TD passes in their four games, five of them to senior Max Melton. The OCHS combo of junior Joe Repetti (8 TD passes) and junior Jake Schneider (3 TD catches) in their three games is second.

Cedar Creek’s Taylor Manning leads all kickers with 21 points, including a 20-yard field goal. Ocean City kicker Brendan McGonigle is second with 15 kicking points.

In other highlights, Pleasantville’s Keon Henry has two return TDs; Ocean City has four defensive touchdowns; and both Mainland and Ocean City have not allowed a rushing TD. In fact, Ocean City is one of four teams in the state that is unscored-upon and has outscored its first three opponents, 126-0, the best in New Jersey.

Check out the complete scoring stats of the CAL schools here.