Two times during the course of the season, Red Bank Catholic was ranked No. 1 in the Asbury Park Press Top 10 and neither time could the Caseys hang on to the top ranking for any length of time. However, the third and final time is the charm for the Caseys who finished ranked No. 1 in the Shore for the second time in four seasons and sixth time since 2008. Red Bank Catholic, which had been ranked No. 2 since a 28-7 loss to Donovan Catholic on Oct. 29 in the final regular season game, earned the top ranking after it won the NJSIAA Non-Public B championship with a 13-8 win over DePaul, which was ranked No. 3 in the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey Top 25, on Nov. 26 at MetLife Stadium. During the season, the Caseys were ranked No. 1 after Week 1 for one week and after Week 7 for two weeks. Red Bank Catholic was one of four teams to be ranked No. 1 during the season. Wall was the preseason No. 1. Rumson-Fair Haven was ranked No. 1 for five weeks and Donovan Catholic had the top ranking the previous four rankings. 1. Red Bank Catholic (11-1): Last ranking: No. 2. The Caseys won the NJSIAA Non-Public B championship with a 13-8 win over DePaul as senior quarterback Alex Brown scored the winning TD on a 2-yard run late in the third quarter and threw a 33-yard TD pass to Najih Rahman in the first quarter. Red Bank Catholic's defense, led by linebacker Davin Brewton (18 tackles) and end Alex Bauman (13 tackles) was outstanding. It was the Caseys' third NJSIAA championship since 2014 and fourth overall. Red Bank Catholic also won the outright Shore Conference Constitution Division championship. ...

Indianapolis, Ind. – December 2 -- Daria Smetannikov (RBC, Class of '22) won a United States Tennis Association top title at the Super-National Tennis Tournament in Indianapolis, Ind., over the Thanksgiving weekend. This clinched a gold ball and the Nation’s #2 ranking as a female G18 junior tennis player. In her final year as a junior USTA league player, 17-year-old Smetannikov displayed her trademark aggressive playing style against Gayathri Krishnan, who played nearly a perfect game on a hard court. Smetannikov adapted well to the slower midwestern court surface and longer sets, keeping the ball in play and artfully closing out her games with trademark winners and crushing backhand. The final match became a contest of wills that culminated in a second set tiebreak, which Smetannikov won, then capitalizing on it and dominating in the third set, ultimately winning the tournament gold, with the score of 5-7, 7-6(2), 6-1. “The Indianapolis super-national tournament, a showcase of the best American junior tennis players, is a symbolic win for Daria, as she finishes her junior tennis career before representing Texas A&M tennis team,” says Edgar Arzamasov, Smetannikov’s lead coach of International Approach Tennis Academy of Little Silver, NJ. “Powering through 100-mile-per-hour serves in one of her earlier matches, adapting to somewhat slower surfaces while thinking quickly on her feet is just another chapter in a very bright and determined career for Daria, with first national title won at the age of 12.” The gold ball win, along with a doubles silver ball won in the same tournament, secured Smetannikov’s spot as one of the strongest tennis players in the nation in her age group. The updated ranking that came out December 1st gives Smetannikov her junior career best, ranking her second best in the nation in her age group. It is worth noting that Smetannikov combines a full-time tennis career with full-time in person studies at Red Bank Catholic High School. “I am very grateful for RBC for supporting my tennis ambitions while helping me to continue my academic studies. It would have been very hard to achieve my tennis objectives if my school didn’t stand behind me with all my heavy daily training requirements and tournament travel, and their support to help me learn and carry on with my classes without missing out on learning,” said Smetannikov. Smetannikov is looking forward to continuing her tennis and academic career post-graduation as a Texas A&M recruit, having committed to the school’s team. “Daria winning the nationals is quite an accomplishment to say the least. Not many people can say they won a gold ball. Daria is one of the top American recruits which we knew already and winning this event makes that even more obvious that she is one of the nation’s elite players and we are truly delighted in having her join the Texas A&M tennis team, “ said Mark Weaver, Texas A&M women’s head coach. After graduating RBC and starting her studies in College Station, Texas, Smetannikov plans to keep training and working on her tennis skills while taking part in several tournaments, and to compete for another USTA national title in the summer. ...

The University of South Carolina women's soccer program had three players selected to the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region team, as announced on Monday night (Nov. 29). Defender Jyllissa Harris was named to the first team.  Jyllissa was a 2018 graduate of Red Bank Catholic and standout soccer player in each of her years as a Casey. It's the second All-Region honor for Harris, who was named to the second team last season. Earlier this year she was named to the All-SEC First Team for the second time in her career. She was also named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week. She finished the season third on the team with four goals, three assists, and 11 points. She started every match on the backline for the Gamecocks, playing every minute in 19 of 22 matches. Go Caseys! ...

Of all the things that went into Red Bank Catholic’s 13-8 victory at MetLife Stadium — and there were a slew of them — none was more important than creativity....

Cate DeSousa has spent the last three years working towards a gold medal finish in the Non-Public A girls cross country championship race, and on Tuesday at Holmdel Park, she reached that goal....

Alex Brown took the field with a heavy heart on Friday night. Just one day after the death of his mother Michelle, who he called “biggest inspiration in my life,” from breast cancer, Brown had the game of his life....