Advanced Knee Pain Treatment in Keyport, NJ

Charlie Marsh thought he was ready to become a high school football head coach after spending two decades as an assistant under successful skippers.

Last season, his first at the helm, was a rude awakening as Keyport finished 1-9.

“The thing I learned is you’ve got to be yourself,” Marsh said. “I was too soft last ear. Without question, I was too soft. I was trying to be Father Flanagan instead of Charlie Marsh. Now I’m like their crazy uncle at the barbecue.”

That crazy uncle came to realize that coaching at a Group 1 program, the drop-off in terms of depth if precipitous.

“I have a newfound respect for Group 1 football – Group 1 football is iron-man football,” he said. “We played Neptune (which is Group 3) in Week 2 last year, and by the second quarter I had three starters go down. When a starter goes down for us, that’s offense, defense and at least three special teams (units). When I turned around and looked at the bench, I’ve got (assistants) yelling in my headset, ‘We’ve got to put somebody in.’ And I’m like, ‘Who? Can’t just throw a ninth grader in there; he’s not ready.”

This was all new to Marsh. He played football at Matawan High School and served as an assistant coach at Matawan, Monmouth Regional and Holmdel.

“Last time I played football - where 11 guys played both ways and didn’t come out of the game - was Pop Warner,” he said. “In Group 1 football, you don’t get a break.”

For example: standout senior Mekai Henderson is on the field for every play – offense, defense and special teams.

“This guy (Henderson) is taking his helmet of trying to get water and I’m like, ‘Get your helmet on, you’ve go kick the kickoff. We don’t have another kicker,’” Marsh said. “At Matawan, when you’re one (a starter) goes down you have a two (a backup) who is almost a one. In Group 1, when your one goes down, the next guy is a freshman or sophomore with no experience. So helping kids build confidence that a 15-year-old can go out there and hold his own with an 18-year-old, that’s the key and that’s a lesson I learned last year.”

The first sign of Marsh’s course correction was the preseason practice times.

“We moved practices from early AM to beat the heat to the middle AM, so we’re right smack in the middle of the heat,” he said. “We can’t turn the clock back to the 90s or the 80s, but we can make it as uncomfortable as possible, so when you get into the game and things get real, they’re not uncomfortable being uncomfortable.”

Keyport football at a glance

Coach: Charlie Marsh, 2^nd season (1-9).

Offense: Delaware Wing-T

Defense: 4-2-5

Team record last 5 years:

2024: 1-9

2023: 8-2

2022: 6-3

2021: 6-3

2020: 2-4

Division: D North

NJSIAA Group Classification: South Group 1

Key returnees: Mekai Henderson (Sr., RB, LB); Emmanuel Kay-Flagg (Sr., WR, DB); Jermaine Bardon (Sr., RB, DB); Matteo Mosca (Sr., OL, DL); Marshall Colangelo (Jr., QB, DB); Jacob Roomey (So., OL, DL); John Dane (Jr., WR, DB); Jermain Finch (Jr., RB, LB); Chris Hererra (Jr., RB, LB).

Key newcomers: Justin Mingo (Fr., OL, DL); Noah Megna (Jr., TE, LB); Justin Way (So., RB, DB); Liam Mytnick (So., RB, LB); Valley Auvea (Fr., OL, DL).

Mekai Henderson’s turn to step up

Keyport’s rebuild revolves around two key returning players – running back Mekai Henderson and quarterback Marshall Colangelo.

Henderson said he’s modeling his game on Naz Treadwell, who is now playing college football at Holy Cross after leading Keyport to Shore Conference division titles in 2022 and 2023.

“Goals wise I want 1,000-plus (rushing) yards,” he said. “Naz did that his senior year so I’m looking to do the same, even better. I know I need to push myself to that limit.”

In that spirit, Henderson said he’s embraced Marsh’s crazy uncle tactics.

“He doesn’t want a repeat of what happened last year, how people were,” Henderson said. “Last year, it was so many individuals. This year, we’re trying to play as a team.”

During last week’s scorching weather, Keyport was on the football field from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The week before, they were out there from 1-4 p.m. – in the mid-afternoon heat.

“All season so far we’ve been in the heat, because we understand it’s going to be hot our first couple of games,” Henderson said.

As much as possible, the senior said, he’s been echoing Marsh’s call for toughness.

“Everybody has to be pushing each other,” Henderson said. “It can’t be just him.”

'Don’t want to tap out’

Keyport football is a co-op with Henry Hudson Regional High School, which doesn’t have its own squad. All told, the program draws students from four towns – Keyport, Union Beach, Highlands and Atlantic Highlands. A total of 52 athletes turned out for this season, with 40-plus showing up daily.

It’s not Group 4 numbers or even Group 2 numbers, but it’s a contingent Marsh can work with if the attitude is right.

“I’ve got to get my guys to where they don’t want to tap out – and when they do want to tap out, you’ve got to call them out on it,” he said.

It’s all part of his new approach after some hard lessons learned.

“I was trying too hard to be my mentors instead of just being me and letting it go where it flies,” Marsh said. “I’ve been a different person this season than I was last season, and it’s probably more real, and I think the kids appreciate it.”

Keyport 2025 schedule

Aug. 30 vs. Manville, noon

Sept. 6 at Lakewood, noon

Sept. 13 vs. Monmouth, noon

Sept. 20 at Keansburg, noon

Sept. 27 vs. Point Pleasant Beach, noon

Oct. 4 vs. Asbury Park, noon

Oct. 10 at New Egypt, 6 p.m.

Oct. 18 vs. Freehold Boro, noon

Oct. 24 at Barnegat, 6:30 p.m.

NJSIAA playoffs begin Oct. 31

Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com