5 stars from Toms River North-Union City, Group 5 state football final

And the beat goes on.
The king of Group 5 football in New Jersey, Toms River North completed a perfect 14-0 season Friday with a 41-14 victory over Union City in the state final at MetLife Stadium.
The Mariners were dominant in winning their third straight state championship and completing their second unbeaten season in the last three years. They held a 20-0 halftime lead.
There were a host of big plays in the contest, which was the second of four state finals slated at the home of the NFL’s Giants and Jets.
Follow below for five stars of the game.
T.J. Valerio, Toms River North, Sr., QB
Valerio was rock solid once again, completing 13-of-18 passes for 159 yards and four touchdowns. He connected on his first five passes. His TD passes covered 5, 25, 8 and 16 yards. Valerio also added 54 yards on 21 carries. He finished his final season with 3,105 passing yards and 30 touchdowns.
Cole Garrison, Toms River North, So., RB/WR
Garrison did a little bit of everything, rushing for a team-leading 83 yards on six carries. He scored on runs of 1 and 57 yards – the first TD of the game and the last. Garrison also caught a pass for seven yards.
Mordecai Ford, Toms River North, Sr., RB/DB
Ford was the main target of North’s aerial attack, pulling in three touchdown passes. He scored on receptions of 5, 8 and 16 yards. He also connected with quarterback TJ Valerio on a two-point conversion. Ford also had six carries for 11 yards.
Jack Baker, Toms River North, So., LB
Baker was around the ball all game, collecting 11 tackles – including nine solo stops. The sophomore finished his sophomore season with 103 tackles, including 69 solos, to go along with 20 tackles for loss and 4 1/2 sacks.
Mark Boyd, Union City, Sr., RB/DB
On a day where yards were tough to come by, Boyd rushed for 60 yards on 16 carries. He scored the team’s first touchdown on an 11-yard run in the third quarter. Boyd closed out his career with 1,515 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground this season. He also had seven tackles on defense.
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Kevin Minnick covers the West Jersey Football League. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @kminnicksports