Acupuncture in Middletown, NJ

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — It's that magical time of year again! Here's Patch's annual round-up of the best holiday light displays in Middletown, and surrounding towns.

If we missed a home, please email it to carly.baldwin@patch.com

Matawan/Aberdeen area:

13 Kathleen Place in South Amboy

329 Silzer Street in Perth Amboy

"7 Middlesex Road in Matawan has the best Christmas display in town. Hands down."

120 Main Street in Keyport. Shows are Sunday-Thursday 6-9 p.m., Fri-Sat 6-10 p.m.

42 First Street in Keyport

195 Main Street in Keyport

5 and 7 Donnelly Street, Union Beach

14 Johnson Avenue in Union Beach

221 Poole Avenue in Union Beach

Middletown:

533 Palmer Avenue in Keansburg

9 Hudson Avenue in Keansburg

11 Hudson Avenue in Keansburg

7-10 River Street in Keansburg

129 Wesley Ave, Atlantic Highlands

189 Lynch Road Middletown, NJ

9 Lawrence Circle Middletown, NJ

31 Acker Drive Middletown, NJ

12 Phillips Mill Drive Middletown, NJ

12 Snyder Drive Middletown, NJ

1 and 2 Ward Place Middletown, NJ

5 Warren Place Middletown, NJ

Liam's Spectacular Christmas Display 13 Garrett Place Middletown, NJ

12 Phillips Mills Drive, North Middletown

12 Hauser Street Middletown, NJ 07748

100 Kings Road in Little Silver

Marlin's Christmas Wonderland ️on Laurel Avenue in Sea Girt. Show and lights run 5-10:30 p.m. nightly, tune your radio to 88.9

Middletown Township published this 2023 Google map of all the decorated homes in town: https://www.google.com/maps/d/...

Itaska Place in Oceanport

70 Silvercrest Drive, Tinton Falls - Olivadoti Christmas. More than 65,000 lights synchronized to music, plus more than 100 figurines

Holmdel/Hazlet:

3 Bauer Avenue in Hazlet - Johnny's Hazlet Holiday Light Extravaganza

73 Third Street in Hazlet - Powers Family Christmas Lights

11 Hudson Avenue in Hazlet - The Martin's Christmas Corner The light show runs: Monday-Thursday 6-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 6-11 p.m. and Sunday 5-10 p.m. All shows are weather permitting.

21 Meredith Way Hazlet Lights on Meredith The light show plays every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, at 6 p.m. and again at 8 p.m. The show is weather permitting. The lights without the special show are on from 5 to 10 p.m. the rest of the week.

40 Buttonwood Place in Hazlet

5 Kingsbridge Court in Hazlet

4 Boxwood Terrace, off Laurel Avenue in Holmdel. This home synchronizes their lights to music; when you drive by, tune your car FM radio to 88.1 and hear the music synchronized to the lights. They play 20 different songs each night and the light show runs from 5-9 p.m. nightly.

8 Hidden Hollow Terrace in Holmdel - "Christmas in Holmdel"

Ava Trezza came into the 2025 season with high expectations and a renewed sense of urgency.

Last season, Trezza came up just short of winning a state championship as a freshman, finishing as the runner-up all-around.

“I was really proud to finish second in the all-around last year but I knew this year I could do even better,” Trezza said. “I worked on getting better and consistent.”

As a sophomore -- and already one of the top gymnasts in the state -- Trezza not only avenged the loss from last year but did it in record-breaking fashion.

Trezza has been named the 2025 NJ.com Gymnast of the year after finishing an incredible season by winning the all-around state title while also bringing home gold on beam and floor.

Trezza tied the all-around record during the State Individual Championships with a score of 38.875. She also broke the all-time beam record at the meet with a 9.85 and won her second consecutive state title on floor with a 9.6.

“I was really excited,” Trezza said. “I didn’t know about the records until after the meet but it was a great feeling. Winning the all-around title was such a special moment for me but being part of my team placing this in the state championships, winning the Division, and the sectional title was such a great accomplishment for us as a team.”

It did not take long for Trezza to find a passion for gymnastics. She began training at Head Over Heels Gymnastics at a young age and quickly developed a love for the sport. It also grew by watching gymnastics on television, specifically Katelyn Ohashi of UCLA.

“When I was younger, I would watch college gymnastics with my family,” Trezza said. “I saw how much fun they were having and I wanted to be able to do what they were doing. It motivated me.”

As Trezza entered middle school, she began watching the Middletown South program. She had relationships with some of the girls on the team and would prepare to eventually help one of the top programs in the state.

“I went to watch some of the meets in middle school because I knew some of the girls on the team,” Trezza said.

The year before Trezza arrived, the Eagles finished unbeaten during the regular season and would go onto finish fourth in the state. Despite being an underclassman, Trezza became one of the top competitors on the team and a leader on and off the mat.

Trezza helped Middletown South finish as the runner-up in the Shore Conference before winning a sectional title. The team would go onto finish third in the state for the second consecutive year.

“Being apart of this team has been really special,” Trezza said. “We really grew together over the last two years and it meant a lot to me how we supported each other.”

Individually, Trezza performed better during the most important time of the year. She did not log an all-around score under 37 all season long and during the postseason, did not go under 38.

Trezza won the all-around title in the Shore Conference with a score of 38.85 while winning the floor title with a 9.85. She also logged the highest score during the Section C meet with a 38.75.

“All my teammates showed up to support me and that gave me extra confidence knowing that they were there cheering me on,” Trezza said.

The gymnastics season looked different this season as changes were made in terms of qualifying for states. More was asked of gymnasts but Trezza knew how to balance out the season and keep herself healthy.

“I train five days a week, which is a lot, but both my coaches work together and made sure I was able to stay healthy and ready for the meets,” Trezza said.

Middletown South has been one of the top orograms in the state in recent years and is set up well moving forward. Trezza is one of eight sophomores on the team this season and 10 underclassmen total.

Trezza has just finished her second season at Middletown South and has already catapulted herself to the top of the state.

“The last two years that I have been a part of, the seniors set a great example for the underclassmen,” Trezza said. “There is a lot of team bonding in and out of the gym, which is so important and helps motivate us each year. We have big shoes to fill with our senior captains graduating but I know the underclassmen will step up.”

Data from the software can result in lower flood-insurance premiums for Middletown homeowners, said Mayor Tony Perry.

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — On Monday, Monmouth County highlighted a shared-services agreement it has with Middletown regarding flooding, specifically software the county shares with Middletown to track and monitor which parts of Middletown will flood in storms.

Middletown Mayor Tony Perry said data from the software can result in lower flood-insurance premiums for homeowners.

"One of our biggest successes has been the Community Rating System partnership, which helps lower flood-insurance premiums for residents through coordinated planning and compliance," said Perry. "Middletown’s partnerships with Monmouth County on programs ranging from public health to emergency communications to the Community Rating System enable us to expand services while reducing administrative costs and avoiding duplication — without adding unnecessary costs for residents."

Through the Community Rating System (CRS) Agreement, the county provides participating towns with access to the web-based CRS/Floodplain Management System, which collects, aggregates and delivers flood-hazard information and data.

This partnership streamlines administrative processes, reduces software-related operating costs, standardizes documentation and ensures compliance with federal FEMA requirements.

“Software like the CRS/Floodplain Management System can be costly for municipalities, and Monmouth County is proud to offer access to programs like this at a significant savings to our municipal partners,” said Commissioner Director Tom Arnone. “Middletown Township is our largest municipality, and their continued participation in the shared services program demonstrates that these agreements can benefit all our towns, big or small.”

In addition to the CRS/Floodplain Agreement, Middletown works with the county on a Commodity Resale Program, iTaxMap, Municipal Assistance Agreement, OPRS-RIM, Public Safety Answering Point, and Tax Board MOD IV.

The Monmouth County Office of Shared Services facilitates partnerships with local government entities, providing services, equipment, and resources to help reduce costs and increase efficiency. For more information on Agreements, contact the Office of Shared Services by calling 732-577-2925 or emailing sharedservices@co.monmouth.nj.us.

Middletown North stalled in the red zone all morning.

Despite multiple trips in scoring position, the Lions were kept off the scoreboard into the fourth quarter. The offense needed a big play, and it came from two senior leaders.

Owen Robson scanned the defense at the line of scrimmage and changed the play call. He delivered a strike on a fade route to Ryan Clark for a 20-yard touchdown to put his team ahead.

“We had a different play called pre-snap,” Clark said. “Owen read the coverage and called a fade. I couldn’t have asked for a better throw from him.”

After a missed field goal by Middletown South, the Lions were able to get one first down and end the game in victory formation and take home the Middletown Cup, securing a 7-6 win over the crosstown rival Eagles at Middletown North.

Middletown South (4-7) leads the all-time series 37-13-1. This victory for the Lions (6-5) snaps a seven-game losing streak on Thanksgiving Day. Middletown North now has two victories over its rival this year with the first coming on Halloween in the quarterfinal round of the Central, Group 4 tournament.

“It’s really special for us and North,” Clark said. “The whole offseason we knew we wanted to get better and get a win for the community. It’s really big.”

After falling behind for the first time in the game, Middletown South put together a drive into Lions’ territory.

A pass-interference call on fourth down extended the drive before Luca Donofrio gained eight yards on third-and-10 down to North’s six-yard line.

The Eagles opted to attempt a field goal with the wind at their backs rather than chancing it on fourth down. The Mike Marinich kick sailed wide left, and Middletown North took over.

“It’s a one-point game and you have to take the points there,” Middletown South head coach Marc Tomo said. “I trusted our defense and didn’t think they would have a chance to score, especially going into the wind. It just didn’t go in.”

South began the game with a touchdown drive that took over four minutes off the clock. Justin Rosato punched it in from one yard out to put the Eagles ahead, 6-0, following a missed two-point conversion.

This would be the score going into halftime but it was not without action. South fumbled twice in the first half while North had two field goals blocked.

Heading into the break, both sides needed to regroup in an emotional matchup.

“We told the kids to not make it bigger than it is,” Middletown North head coach Steve Bush said. “Relax and be in the moment. Don’t get caught up in the emotions, just play. And they did that for us.”

Both defenses came in with priorities and executed perfectly. For South, it was to slow down Matt Belenko, who rushed for 76 yards.

“It was a priority in the first game but we had some misalignments,” Tomo said. “He’s a kid you game plan for. Our kids did a good job of shoring that up and they played tough.”

North’s defense was able to keep the team in the game despite miscues in the red zone.

“They were fighting all the way through,” Bush said. “We kept getting stopped in the red zone and coming away with nothing. The defense took over and got the stops when we needed them.”

Kade Little was named Defensive MVP. Clark, who was named Offensive MVP, finished with four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown that came in the most important time.

“At halftime, we talked about how we had to come together,” Clark said. “The offense knew we had to finish in the red zone and that’s what happened.”

The rivalry matchup between North and South wrote another chapter in front of a packed crowd once again. With many Thanksgiving Day games in question in recent years, the Battle for Middletown is one tradition that will continue.

“It’s huge in this community,” Bush said. “They’re never letting go of this. It’s a great environment to play in and there’s a lot of big fans of this rivalry.”

When: Friday, 6

Last year’s final: Millville 48, Brick Memorial 7

Head coach: Steve Bush (146-114-1, 14th season)

Finals appearances: 7

Sectional titles: 3 (1983, 1986, 1996)

Last time in final: 2016, 41-14 loss to Sayreville

Regular season: Shore Conference Class A North, tied for fourth

Road to the final

Key stat

North’s running man: Junior running back Matt Belenko has made the jump to featured back status. He has 834 more yards than he had last season. In his last six games, the 5-foot-10, 185-pounder has been on a touchdown binge. In those six games, he has scored nine touchdowns -- one every 14 carries. He has also run for 710 of his 1,149 yards and has averaged 5.7 yards per tote. Belenko had a 235-yard game in the season-opener versus Howell. He has had five other 100-yard games. North is 4-2 in games Belenko has run for 100 or more yards. Against a versatile and explosive Brick Memorial team, Belenko’s success will be a key to Middletown North limiting Brick Memorial’s offensive possessions.

Offensive stars

Defensive stars

At a glance

The Middletown North defense has done just enough the last two weeks. The Lions reached the sectional final despite giving up 386 yards versus Middletown South and 338 against Manalapan. Friday night, the Middletown North defense knows it needs to be better against one of the most balanced and high-scoring teams anywhere in New Jersey. While the task borders on impossible, North gave Brick Memorial fits two seasons ago. Heavy underdogs then like they are Friday, the Lions gave the Mustangs all they could handle before succumbing, 21-17. Brick Memorial’s quick-strike capabilities are enormous. The Lions need to give up yards grudgingly and not in chunks. The North offense can’t give Brick Memorial short fields. The Lion defense needs to force Memorial to go on long scoring drives and see if it can do it without a mistake. North needs a big game from its edge players, who will be assigned the gargantuan task of keeping Brick Memorial’s play-making QB Jason Lajara from getting around its flanks. Look for Middletown North to attempt to take away Memorial’s most dangerous receiver in Nyzier Matthews and force Lajara to find his second and third options. North needs to be cautiously aggressive, pursue like crazy and tackle better than it has in any game this fall.

Head coach: Walt Currie (114-85, 19th season)

Finals appearances: 9

Sectional titles: 2 (2003, 2008)

Last time in final: 2024, 40-7 loss to Millville in S.J. Group 4

Regular season: Shore Conference Class A South, co-champions with Donovan Catholic

Road to the final

Key stat

Just imagine: If you don’t remember, Brick Memorial QB Jason Lajara missed the first two games of the regular season with an illness. What would his numbers look like had he played in those two games? He averages 226 passing yards per game. If you add the 452 yards, he would have 2,266 yards, which would be eighth in New Jersey. Lajara averages a smidge under three TDs passes per game and would have six more scoring passes, giving him 31, which would be No. 4 in the state. He averages nearly 70 yards rushing per game. An additional 140 yards would give him 762 rushing yards and 13 TDs on the ground. Add the projected numbers together and Lajara would have 3,028 total yards and 43 touchdowns. Lajara had a streak of 16-straight games with a TD pass ended last week when he went without a scoring stike against Steinert. And there is the chance, Brick Memorial is 10-1 instead of 9-2. Lajara missed one of Brick Memorial’s losses -- a 35-7 defeat to Rumson-Fair Haven.

Offensive stars

Defensive stars

What coach is thinking

“To win, we will have to play our best game. Middletown North has plenty of good players and are well-coached. We will be challenged to be at our very best in every phase of the game.” -- Walt Currie

At a glance

This group of Brick Memorial seniors has done a lot of winning in its three seasons as varsity contributors. The senior class has a combined record of 28-6 and won two division titles — the best three-year stretch for a Mustang team since going 25-11 between 2008-2011. Memorial reached the South, Group 4 final a season ago where it was smoked by Millville, 48-7. Friday night, Brick Memorial’s senior class goes for the program’s first sectional title since 2008. The Mustangs have won six-straight games, they’ve scored 40 or more points in five of them and allowed 14 or fewer points in all of but one. The key for Brick Memorial? It simply needs to do exactly what it’s been doing since Oct. 3. The Memorial offense is one of the best in Shore. It has 4,351 total offensive yards, 54 touchdowns, averages 6.6 yards per carry and 17 yards per completion. Mustang QB Jason Lajara is No. 17 in the state in passing yards with 2,036 yards and eighth in New Jersey with 25 TD passes. He has 622 yards as a runner with another 12 TDs. However, he is best on the move with his eyes up and arm in throwing position. Lajara, a senior, is a distributor. He can make all the throws. His favorite target is record-setting classmate Nyzier Matthews, who can get deep and burn a defense after the catch. In the backfield, Nazeer Whittaker and Lajara have over 1,500 rushing yards between them. While the Memorial offense gets the majority of the notoriety, the Mustang defense has been a force. Since opponents are more often than not playing from behind and forced to throw, the Memorial secondary has 14 interceptions.

The pick

Brick Memorial over Middletown North