Jersey Sporting News Shore Conference Football Preseason Top 10

JERSEY SPORTING NEWS SHORE CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON TOP 10

By Mike Ready

1) WALL (12-1) – The Crimson Knights enter the season where they left off a year ago – as the top-ranked team in the Shore Conference. They’re also the sixth-ranked team in the state in the NJ.com preseason Top 20 poll after finishing ranked eighth last season. Wall set a school single-season record for wins and won the Central Jersey Group III championship for the programs fifth sectional title before they were edged out, 12-7, by offensive juggernaut Woodrow Wilson in the NJSIAA South-Central Group III Bowl Game. The Knights played that game without returning first-team All-State selection Casey Larkin, a jack of all trades, who was forced out of the game with lingering effects of a Thanksgiving Day game concussion. Larkin, who has verbally committed to the United States Military Academy, will primarily lineup in the backfield but will be counted on in the slot as well, where started in the Knights win over Rumson in the sectional final and recorded three game-changing catches, two of them for touchdowns and another that essentially iced the game. He’s also one of the top cornerbacks in the state blessed with blazing speed to compliment his intimidating physical play. In all, Wall has eight returning starters on offense, including Larkin, All-Shore guard Grant Puharic and All-Shore quarterback/safety Logan Peters, who is a three-year starter at quarterback and a physical ball hawking safety, who led the team with four interceptions. Including Puharic, Wall’s offensive line has three, three-year starters returning with junior center Brian Byrne and senior right tackle Eddie Van Woudenberg both back along with junior Max Oakley, who worked his way into the starting lineup last season. Junior wideout Matt Dollive returns as a starter as is junior All-Division tight end Blake Rezk, who is also a returning starter at defensive end. On the defensive side of the ball Wall played its best game of the season in its loss to Woodrow Wilson, a team that boasted a number of FBS recruits on offense and scored 508 points (46.18 pts/gm) in 11 games prior to scoring just 12 against the Crimson Knights defense. In comparison, Wall allowed a total of just 124 points in 13 games for a 9.53 points per game average – second in the Shore. And the good news is Wall returns six starters from that unit led by first team All-Shore junior inside linebacker Charlie Sasso, who racked up 127 tackles (73 solo), 3 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, 1 forced fumble and 3 fumble recoveries. Another three-year starter and a second team All-Shore selection, junior Connor Riley (69 tackles, 11 sacks, 7 tackles for loss), is back on the inside next to Sasso giving Wall the most formidable inside linebacker tandem in the Shore Conference. Rezk and Puharic give the Knights two experienced and physical defensive ends with Byrne clogging up the middle at nose tackles playing on both sides of the ball this season. Larkin and Peters head up the secondary which will have two new starters at one corner and strong safety that will benefit from the leadership and skill-set of the two aforementioned stalwarts. Blessed with tons of returning talent and an endless pipeline of up-and-coming players ready to step in, don’t be surprised - barring injury - if Wall restakes its claim as the No.1 team in the Shore.

2) MATER DEI (8-4) – Since winning the NJSIAA Non-Public Group II championship in 2016 on a miracle play in the closing seconds, Mater Dei has been to three straight state sectional finals only to come up short all three times - so much for the “three times a charm” theory. The last two loses have come by a combined six points making the defeats even harder to swallow. And to boot, three of its loses last season were by a combined 14 points. This season, however, Mater Dei appears on paper to have the manpower to reverse its fortunes. Its opener against Red Bank Catholic, which beat them in the final two years ago, will be a good measuring stick to see where both these teams stand. The Seraphs return three NCAA FBS (D1 A) recruits in 6-foot-4, 250 pound three-star Michigan commit Dom Giudice (60 tackles, 17.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, 26 quarterback pressures) at defensive end, 6-foot-4, 280 pound Temple three-star commit Rakim Cooper at offensive/defensive tackle and 6-foot-2, 180 pound Kent State commit Naran Buntin (19-320-4 receiving, 7-209-3 rushing) at wide receiver. The Seraphs return 14 starters in all, including eight on offense and six on defense. Quarterback Alex Brown returns after a breakout sophomore campaign which saw him throw for 1,722 yards and 15 touchdowns against just six interceptions while completing 65 percent of his passes. He also ran for 252 yards and one touchdown on 40 carries for a 6.0 yard per carry average. He’ll have Buntin and returning starter junior Kyree Drake (16-225-2 receiving, 13-169-1 rushing) back to throw too. Both are explosive players that can take it to the house on any given play. Starting running back Ra’Jahn Cooper averaged 10 yards per carry backing up All-State selection Malik Ingram last season and is poised for a breakout year. Expect promising sophomore running back Jaijon Cross to get carries as well. Underrated junior tight end Tafari Thompson returns and is proficient at both blocking and catching the ball. Up front on the offensive side of the ball, the Seraphs return four of five starters and they’re all big and mean. Giudice will be a center and Cooper at left tackle while junior Anthony Perez (6-foot-5, 285 pounds) returns at right tackle as does junior Vincent Ciulla (6-foot-1, 250 pounds) at right guard. Defensively, Giudice and Cooper are back at defensive end and tackle respectively while senior Elijah Wilson (6-foot-2, 270 pounds) returns at the tackle spot. Ra’Jahn Cooper and senior jahqual Talmadge return at outside linebacker with senior Khalil Elamin stepping into a starting role at middle linebacker after seeing extensive action there last season. Senior returning starting cornerback Elijah Johnston heads up a revamp secondary that will feature three new starters. That’s the biggest question mark entering the season for the Seraphs but they have a knack of replacing one incredibly athletic player with another one without missing a beat and that should be the case here. Look for Mater Dei to compete for the top spot in the final rankings.

3) RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN (6-5) – Since 2010, Rumson has won six NJSIAA state sectional titles and reached a total of nine sectional finals while averaging nine wins a season during that 10-year span. However, none of that matters to this year’s team. What matters is that they lost to Wall by one point, 14-13, on a missed extra point that would’ve tied the game in last year’s NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III final. And with the bulk of last year’s team back for another go around, you can rest assured they haven’t forgotten. Eight starters return on both sides of the ball giving the Bulldogs one of the most experienced roster in the Shore. Replacing All-Division quarterback Colin Coles, a two-year starter now playing at St. Anselm College, is the most glaring hole to fill for the Bulldogs. Senior Josh Harmon, who saw action at wide receiver a year ago, and junior Collin Kennedy are battling it out for the starting spot with the strong armed, athletic Harmon appearing to have the edge. Whoever wins the job will have a couple of veteran receivers to throw to, including senior third team All-Shore Patrick Jamin – a three-year starter – and returning senior starter David Livingston. Rumson has always been known for its power running and defense and this year will be no different. Princeton commit, John Volker, returns for his senior season after rushing for 717 yards and six touchdowns along with 292 yards receiving and three touchdowns in an injury plagued year. Volker runs a sub 4.40 forty and has had added muscle to his already chiseled frame so if he can stay healthy expect him to have a monster year. In Volker’s absence last year, junior Jeff Schroeder emerged as a more than capable backup rushing for 269 yards and two scores, including a 113-yard game versus Toms River North. You can expect to see both Volker and Schroeder in the same backfield often this season. The offensive line is big, tough and experienced. First team All-Shore selection, senior James Smith, anchors the line at left tackle with junior returning starters Christian Smith and Charlie Pearson at right guard and right tackle respectively. A year ago, the Bulldogs ranked 11th in the Shore allowing 15.6 points per game and feel they can improve on that number this season. Of the eight returning starters on defense, three are All-Shore selections, including junior defensive end Aiden Moriarty (70 tackles, 13.5 sacks), senior defensive tackle Von Factor (79 tackles, 3 sacks) and first team strong safety Ryan Ruane, a Holy Cross University commit, who recorded 93 tackles with four interceptions. Ruane plays the whole field and is a vicious tackler in the run game as well as a ball-hawker in coverage. Senior Agnello Payne returns at cornerback with a ton of experience after a solid 2019 season. Junior Jack Kelly is the third returning starter on the defensive line after a breakout sophomore season which saw him record 72 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions from his defensive tackle spot. Both John Lista (87 tackles, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions) and Ryan McKay (61 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery) had breakout sophomore seasons at linebacker for the Bulldogs and big things are expected from them this season. McKay moves to the middle this season with some big shoes to fill replacing first team All-Shore performer Gordon Forsyth. If Harmon can manage the game properly and keep the defense from keying on Volker with a downfield passing game the Bulldogs will challenge for the No. 1 spot in the final Shore Conference rankings.

4) TOMS RIVER NORTH (9-2) – The Mariners rebuild from a one win, nine loss 2017 season will reach its zenith this season with 16 of their 22 starters being seniors, including eight returning senior starters on offense and six on defenses. Tom River North went 9-2 last season and won the division title playing in arguably the toughest division, American, in Shore Conference history. However, it was their disappointing, turnover filled 19-14 loss to Kingsway in the NJSIAA semifinals that sticks in their minds. Bent on redeeming themselves, the Mariners boast one of the top offenses in the state built around strong-armed 6-foot-3, 215 pound senior quarterback Jake Kazanowsky, who was the 2019 SSN Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 2,144 yards and 23 touchdowns. According to head coach Dave Oizerowitz, Kazanowsky’s football IQ is off the charts and he knows the offense inside and out as well as any coach. His superior vision allows him to see the whole field giving him the ability to go through multiple progressions before finding an open receiver. Kazanowsky will have two first team All-Shore wide receivers at his disposal again this season in Rutgers commit Zach Goodale (21 receptions for 587 yards averaging 28 yards per catch with seven touchdowns) and Zac Browne (34 receptions for 552 yards and five touchdowns). Senior running back Jordan Grey had multiple starts a year ago filling in for injured starter Jarrod Pruitt and the job is all his this season. Grey has big-play potential written all over him as his 14 carry, 106 yards, one touchdown performance in the Mariners 42-40 win over Manalapan last season will attest. Toms River North is known for its road graders up front and this year’s group fits the bill. Three mammoth starters return, including left tackle Jaden Schlosser (6-foot-4, 305 pounds), right tackle John O’Donnell (6-foot-4, 285 pounds) and left guard Jamie Hans (6-foot-1, 265 pounds). For the Mariners to take its game to next level the defense needs to step up after allowing 21.6 points per game last year, which in the lower third of Shore Conference defenses. In the Mariners 3-4 defense, O’Donnell (70 tackles, 7 sacks) moves from outside linebacker to defensive end to anchor the line. Senior Jake Szigeti returns as the starting nose tackle giving the defense two studs up front. Linebacker was probably the deepest position grouping last season but with three new starters stepping in there are some question marks. Senior C.J. Felton is the lone starter returning so it will be up to him to lead the unit. The secondary is in good hands with Goodale back at free safety (78 tackles) and Grey returning at one of the corner spots. Browne will play on both sides of the ball this season and takes over at cornerback opposite Grey. With an offense that should be able to light up the scoreboard on any defense in the state, Toms River North’s fortunes this season rest solely on the shoulders of its defense.

5) RED BANK CATHOLIC (5-4) – Head coach Frank Edgerly has moved on to Howell following a rocky 2019 season and defensive coordinator Mike Lang takes over the reins ushering in a new era of Caseys football. Gone are a couple of big-ticket items like LB/TE Charlie Gordinier (Boston College) and DE/TE Kevin Bauman (Notre Dame) but so are the remnants of their 5-4 season from a year ago – definitely not up to RBC standards. The Caseys bring back a good nucleus of core players, a couple of plug-in transfers and as usual a host of talented and hungry newcomers eager to make a name for themselves. The defense returns seven starters to a unit that allowed just 12.9 points a game and held five of its nine opponents to 10 or less points. The offense brings back five starters plus Red Bank Regional junior transfer Vince Carpenter, a 6-foot-6, 285 pound offensive tackle who will start on the left side for the Caseys. First team senior All-Shore selection Jake Louro – a three-year starter – is back to anchor both lines at right guard and defensive tackle. Louro (6-foot-2, 285 pounds) is a beast and can take over games single-handedly with his brute strength and overwhelming presence. He recorded 57 tackles, four sacks and a remarkable 24 tackles for loss. On offense, he clears out intimidated defensive linemen like a snowplow. Senior and three-year starter Luke Guidetti (6-foot-2, 245 pounds) is back at left guard giving the Caseys three returning standouts on the offensive line. Another road grader, 6-foot-4, 270 pound senior John Obrien, moves into the starting right tackle spot and junior Mike Connely slides into the starting center position. Senior quarterback Anthony Borriello was a part-time starter a year ago and got better as the year went on. Now that the job is all his, expect him to make a huge jump in his level of play this season. He’s a tremendous athlete and was an All-Shore selection at safety pulling down a team high four interceptions along with 51 tackles, three tackles for loss and one forced fumble. As a dual-threat quarterback Borriello can get the job done with his legs as well as his arm – and don’t sleep on his arm strength, he’s going to surprise some people with it. In limited action a year ago he ran for 241 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 151 yards and a score. The Caseys are switching to a spread offense to take advantage of his athleticism. Borriello will have a pair of returning starters, senior Lenny Loria and junior Joe Diorio to throw to along with St. Joe’s (Montvale) transfer Najih Rahman – a 5-foot-11, 190 pound rising sophomore that Rutgers already has on its radar. The Caseys will be breaking in a new running back in senior Dan Brewton, who is relatively unknown but made a name for himself on special teams saw extensive action on defense last season. He also wrestled for the Caseys last season and is tough as nails. Junior Alex Bauman (6-foot-4, 230 pounds) takes over for his brother Kevin at tight end and should be a good one. He’s already rated as a three-star recruit at defensive end by 247 sports after a breakout sophomore campaign. Senior J.J. Lodato returns at defensive tackle in the Caseys 4-3 scheme giving them three quality starters back on the defensive line. The linebacker corps may be a little thin with senior outside linebacker Scott Ungemah the only returning starter. However, Guidetti will take over at middle linebacker and has all the tools to be a force there and watch out for sophomore outside linebacker Sabino Portella who was the Region XI wrestling champion at 160 pounds as a freshman. Boriello leads a group of three returnees in the secondary including both Loria and Diorio back at the two cornerback spots. If things fall into place, this year could be the start of something special at RBC as the Mike Lang era takes hold.

6) DONOVAN CATHOLIC (9-2) – From 2014 through 2016 the Griffins combined record was 4-26, including 0-10 records in both 2014 and 2016 – enter Dan Curcione. Curcione. He took over the reins in 2017 and has methodically transformed Donovan Catholic into one of the top programs in the Shore Conference. Last season, behind four-year starting quarterback Ryan Clark, who was a first team All-Shore selection after passing and running for over 1,000 yards and may be the greatest player in program history, the Griffins posted one of the best seasons in program history but fell short of its ultimate goal – a state championship – falling to Depaul, 35-21, in the NJSIAA Non-Public Group III semifinal. Although Clark and a few others have moved on - Clark earning a scholarship to play quarterback at Bryant University – Donovan Catholic is loaded with talent up-and-down the roster. Senior Evyn Menta and Neptune transfer Jailin Butler Jr. are battling it out for the starting quarterback spot but Menta has the upper hand with Butler Jr. required to sit out two games following his transfer. Whoever does eventually win the job will have no shortage of ultra-talented skill players to throw to with returning senior wideouts James Bivins, a first-team All-Division selection, Trevor Pruitt and Long Branch transfer Jayon Farrar, who was a first-team All-Shore selection last season and is one of the premier deep threats in the Shore, if not the state, at his disposal. Second-team All-Division running back senior Jahdir Loftland is back after averaging 7.8 yards per carry on 49 rushing attempts with six touchdowns and senior fullbacks Quamire Green and Dominick Nocero, both bruising, punishing runners and blockers, return and will split time opening holes and getting the tough yardage. Cam McNair (6-foot-5, 325 pounds) is a three-year starter at left tackle and one of the most highly recruited lineman in the state. His brother, junior Caron McNair (6-foot-4, 270 pounds), is a two-year starter beside him at left guard and they’ll anchor the offensive line. Cam and Caron return at defensive end and tackle respectively and they’ll be joined on the line by two-year starters Ethan Capone, and Nico Ippolito (6-foot-2, 340 pounds) at defensive and end and tackle respectively. Capone – a 6-foot-3, 230 pound senior – is also a four-year starting tight end earning third-team All-Shore after catching 17 passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns this past year and is a fierce blocker. Ippolito will play on both sides of the ball this season starting at right tackle giving the Griffins a mammoth offensive line. In all, Donovan Catholic returns 15 starters on offense and defense combined. First-team All-Shore defensive tackle Dominick Brogna transferred to Bergen Catholic this fall but the Griffins have plenty of beef on the line to make up for Brogna’s defection. The linebacker corps are in good hands with three-year returning starters at inside linebacker in Green and Nocero. Green (5-foot-11, 220 pounds) was a first-team All-Shore selection after recording 102 tackles, four sacks and eight tackles for loss. Nocero garnered first-team All-Division honors recording 78 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and five sacks. The secondary returns all four starters and adds Farrar at corner to the already strong position group. Bivens and junior Mysun Rush-Esdaile return at cornerback while Lofton is back at strong safety and Pruitt at free safety. Donovan Catholic has as much talent as any team in the Shore and should be in the thick of things in the battle for the No. 1 spot in the final rankings.

7) MIDDLETOWN SOUTH (5-5) - The Eagles .500 record from a year ago is a little deceiving as they were a much better team than its record indicated. They competed in the American Division which has been labeled the toughest division - top-to-bottom – in Shore Conference history. Within the division they beat Rumson-Fair Haven and Red Bank Catholic and lost to Toms River North by five points – all three top 10 teams in the Shore - when their last minute comeback fell just short. They advanced to the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV semifinal losing to eventual champion Hammonton (10-3) by three points, 32-29 - all the while battling key injuries throughout the season. As a program all Middletown South does is win year-after-year and this season will be no different despite fielding a team of “no names” as head coach Steve Antonucci likes to put it. Both the defensive and offensive lines look to be the strength of the team this season. Defensively, Middletown South’s 3-4 scheme has all three lineman back and all are three-year starters. Second-team All-Division Brendan Bigos (6-foot-3, 235 pounds) and Joe Stanzione (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) are back at defensive end and Ian Rahil returns at nose tackle. On the offensive line, three starters are back, including center Jake Williamson (6-2, 250 pounds), right guard Alex Higgins and Bigos at right tackle. Stanzione returns at tight end where he was a second-team All-Division selection a year ago. Senior Luke Albrecht is a three-year starter at wide receiver and look for sophomore Logan Colleran to make some noise at the wide receiver position as well. Junior Tom Schork gets the nod at the starting quarterback spot after earning All-Division honors last season as a wide receiver. Antonucci has been impressed with Schork’s arm as well as his athleticism and speed as a runner in the run-pass option attack. Sophomore speedster Matt Mauro steps into the starting running back role and is blessed with breakaway speed with freshman Donovan Summey vying for playing time. Senior inside linebacker Liam Murphy, who earned first-team All-Division in the elite American Division will be counted on to lead a group of first-year starters, including juniors Mark Tardy and Jack Willi and senior Nick Trezza. The secondary is another strong position group for the Eagles with three returning starters in the lineup. Matt Grab and Schork are at cornerback and senior Tom Mauro returns at strong safety. Albrecht and senior Tom DeMarco will split time at the free safety spot. If you like blue collar football this is what you get with Middletown South. It’s their own version of smash-mouth, grinded it out, in your face football – not for the week of heart.

8) JACKSON MEMORIAL (8-3) – A year ago the Jaguars posted their best record since the 2014 season when that squad went 11-1. Last year’s team took a seven-game winning streak into the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV championship game that was eventually won by top-seeded Hammonton 28-12. To get to that level again this season Jackson most overcome the loss of some key pieces from last year’s team, but with 13 starters back, including seven on offense and six on defense, and a strong group of hungry newcomers itching for playing time, Jackson appears capable of being one of the top teams in the Shore again this season. There’s no divisions or state playoffs in this Covid-19 shortened season so the ultimate goal of each team will be getting to the top of the heap in the final Shore Conference rankings. Jackson has a formula to achieve such goals and it starts with its power running game which will again be the strength of the team with Wake Forest commit and first-team All-Shore running back Will Towns back as its centerpiece. Towns, a 5-foot-11, 190 pounder with a three-star rating, is a punishing, yards-after-contact runner who has the speed (10.9 in 100 meters) and shiftiness to outrun defenders once he bursts through the line. He rushed for 1,372 yards and 12 touchdowns and had another 11 receptions for 99 yards and two touchdowns as a target out of the backfield. The Jags will have three returning starters up front blocking for Towns, including senior left tackle Matt Milone (6-foot-3, 280 pounds), senior right tackles Drew Trust (6-foot-1, 250 pounds) and senior right guard Sebi Marc (6-foot-2, 265 pounds). Junior Devin Foderaro and sophomore Tai Mann are competing for the starting quarterback job. Each has a different skill set with Foderaro more of a pocket passer with a strong arm and Mann more of an overall athlete so don’t be surprised if you see the two splitting time. Whoever it is behind center it will be their job to manage the game and get the ball to Towns. The Jaguars graduated their top two receivers but return three-year starter Wally Doman and senior Jabari Lofton, who had a couple of starts a year ago. Also in the mix is Kai Blair – a starting cornerback - who according to head coach Vinny Mistretta, has the potential to be one of the better receivers in the Shore. Senior Jaden Persichilli (6-foot-3, 305 pounds), a three-year starting outside linebacker, is back at tight end where he’s a vicious blocker and capable receiver when called on. Defensively, in Jackson’s 4-3 scheme Persichilli returns at defensive and will be asked to anchor the line that will have three newcomers. Persichilli recorded 51 tackles, two sacks and 11 tackles for loss last season playing second fiddle to New Jersey Defensive Player of the Year Colin McCarthy – now at the University of Connecticut - but it’s his show this season so expect a monster year out of him. Senior Angle Cesepes (6-foot-2, 315 pounds) saw limited action last season and he’ll slot in at defensive tackle. Junior Eric Ibe (6-foot-1, 230 pounds) and Jared Cadavero (6-foot-1, 220) at tackle and end respectively give the Jaguars a lot of beef up front with a ton of potential. Three-year starter Tyron Blackwell (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) returns and will lead a linebacker unit that lost two All-Division players to graduation. The senior second-team All-Division outside linebacker posted 50 tackles, 19 tackles for loss – second behind McCarthy – eight sacks, 12 pressures and two forced fumbles and along with Persichilli will lead the defense. Senior outside linebacker Damien Henderson has starting experience and now that the job is all his expect him to put up some big numbers. The secondary returns three starters and has the potential to be one of the best units in the Shore. Doman is a three-year returning starter at strong safety with Lofton and Blair back at cornerback. Junior Rob Paneque gets the nod at starting free safety after seeing limited action as a sophomore. As Will Towns goes, so does Jackson. Keep Towns healthy and the skies the limit.

9) SOUTHERN (7-3) – The Rams posted its first winning season since 2012 dating back to when current Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki led them to the South Jersey Group IV sectional final. They also captured its first division championship since 2011 but suffered a horrendous loss in the South Jersey Group V first round. Leading 21-0 with 5:07 remaining in the third quarter Vineland scored with 48 seconds remaining in the game to cap off a 24-0 run to beat the Rams. With eight starters on offense and six on defense back this season you can be assured that game still weighs heavily on their minds and is a big motivational factor heading into the start of the season. The Rams relied heavily on a punishing running attack last season and with second-team All-Shore running back Jaiden Brown back for his junior year that will be the game plan again this season, especially with an unproven quarterback under center. Senior Taylor Munt and Luke Bruther and junior Nolan Schubiger are competing for the starting quarterback spot replacing graduated Cole Robinson. Brown rushed for 1,242 yards and 14 touchdowns on 212 attempts for a 5.9 yards per carry average. He had seven 100-yard games and caught an additional eight passes for 96 yards and a touchdown out of the backfield. Second-team All-Division junior fullback Nate Committee returns to the backfield as does senior running back J.P. Ricciardi, who had 30 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown in relief of Brown last season. Southern brings back three starters along the offensive line, including senior left tackle Pat Fulginiti (6-foot-4, 270 pounds), senior center Conor Clineman (5-foot-11, 215 pounds) and junior right tackle Logan Doherty (6-foot-2, 240 pounds). Junior transfer David Casas (6-foot-3, 250 pounds) - a starter at Toms River East last season – takes over right guard and 6-foot-3, 245 pound junior Sean Rowland moves into a starting role left guard. Senior slot receiver Xavier Hendricks averaged 20.8 yards on 13 receptions for 271 yards last season with two touchdowns. Senior Alex Rainone has starting experience at wide receiver and 6-foot-5 senior Jay Silva is back as starting tight end. Defensively, Southern was one of the best units in the Shore last season but lost some key pieces that need to be replaced. Committee is the lone returning starter along the defensive front in the Rams 4-4 alignment but Silva will play both ways this season moving to defensive end adding size and physicality as a bookend to Committee. The Rams will employ a heavy rotation at the tackle spots with Fulginiti, Doherty, Clineman, Casas and Rowland all in the mix. The second level of defense has all four starters back, including Brown and senior Steve Langton returning at inside linebacker and Ricciardi and senior Hank Gallacher back on the outside. Hendricks is a returning starter at cornerback while either Bruther or junior Nick Devane getting the start at the other corner spot. Rainone and host of other players are competing for the starting safety spot. Brown’s one the most dynamic running backs in the Shore and should only get better. Southern’s fortunes lie squarely on the back of Brown and putting a quarterback in place to efficiently manage the game.

10) LACY (7-4) – The Lions have gone 25-16 over the last four seasons, including recording seven wins a year ago while fielding a team made up of mostly underclassmen and a few standout seniors. That team advanced to the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III semifinal pushing No. 1 ranked Wall to the limit before succumbing to the Crimson Knights, 35-18. With the return of seven starters on offense and eight on defense Lacy appears on paper capable of positioning itself as one of the top teams in the Shore. Back to lead the offense is junior signal caller Noah Brunatti – a second-team All-Division selection in his breakout sophomore campaign. The 5-foot-9, 170 pound Brunetti plays bigger than his size and has a deceptively strong, accurate arm that produced 1,361 yards passing and 11 touchdowns completing 109 of 165 attempts for an impressive 66 percent completion rate while averaging 12.5 yards per completion. He’ll have a strong stable of running backs to complement the passing attack led by first-team All-Division fullback Scott Stevens, a bruising 6-foot-1, 228 pounder, who can run over, around or through defenders and is a vicious blocker, who was credited with 20 pancake blocks a year ago. Stevens – a junior – is an all-around athlete who also wrestles and plays lacrosse and is nimble enough to circle out of the backfield and catch passes (7 catches for 92 yards) when called on. Stevens is making the move to middle linebacker this season after posting 50 tackles and leading the team in sacks (3) and tackles for a loss (14) last season as a defensive end. You can expect Stevens to emerge as one of the top players in the Shore Conference this season. Joining him in the backfield will be returning starter Tynan Jensen, who was second on the team in rushing last season gaining 303 yards on 72 carries and three touchdowns. Oft injured Chase Grant is healthy and appears ready to live up to his potential adding valuable depth to the backfield. The receiving corps needs to be rebuilt after losing its top three receivers to graduation, including All-Shore selection, Bobby Evans. Junior Andrew Tobia, who has starting experience in the secondary, heads the list of candidates to start at wide receiver. Junior John Dodero (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) returns as starting tight end where he showed his skills as a blocker and receiver last season. The offensive line brings back three starters, including 6-foot-3, 305 pound first-team All-Division right guard Nick Povia. Junior Padraic Banfield returns at left tackle and senior Nick Christina at left guard. Returning starting defensive tackle Damian O’Loughlin (5-foot-9, 225 pounds) slides into the center position while newcomer Joe Kudlacik takes over at right tackle. Defensively, the line returns three starters and another with starting experience. Povia will anchor the line at one end spot with senior returning starter Austin Chadwick manning the opposite end spot with Christina in the end rotation as well. O’Loughlin starts nose tackle with junior newcomer Dakota Schwab vying for playing time. Stevens heads up the linebacker crew that has Jensen (19 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 interception) and Dodero (27 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries) back on the outside linebacker spots with newcomers Christian Boos and Dominic Tarricone competing for the start next to Stevens on the inside. Senior Liam Stanger returns at free safety after a solid junior campaign in which he recorded 30 tackles with three pass defensed and a forced fumble. Tobia returns at one cornerback spot with newcomer Zach Stroin getting the starting nod opposite Tobia. Senior Dylan Hilshiemer is back at strong safety after rising up the ranks last season. Legendary coach Lou Vircillo enters his 40th season on the Lacy sidelines and shows no signs of letting up. He needs six wins to reach the 300-win plateau this season which should be achievable even with the season shortened to six game plus two postseason games to be called “Football Post-Season Groupings.” Lacy was handed a very favorable schedule (one opponent with a .500 record and a combined 16-41 record for the rest) so they realistically could go 6-0 before the finding out who they’ll be grouped with in the post season.

TEAMS TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Manalapan, Neptune, Central, Colts Neck, Manasquan, Toms River South, Matawan and Freehold Boro

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