Constitution Division............... Pages

HEAD COACH: Matt Ahearn, 5th season

CAREER RECORD: 24-14 ASSISTANT COACHES:

Matt Norman (Defensive Coordinator/LB/RB); Dom Polifrone (Special Teams Coordinator/OL/DL); Doug Zockoll (TE/DE); Mike Campbell (QB/DB); Ryan Byrne (QB/LB); Peter Ficorelli (RB/DB); Tim Vangelas (WR/DB); Shawn Scully (WR/DB); Brendan Wei (WR/DB); Jimmy Portela (assistant); Mike Spirito (Freshman Head Coach); Joe Conaghan (Freshmen Defensive Coordinator); Joe Pipoli (Freshmen asst.); Jamie Hand (Athletic Trainer)

2021: 6-4 2020: 7-1 2019: 8-2 2018: 3-7 2017: 2-8

Player To Watch:

Chris Scully, Jr., RB Scully played his way into the RB1 role last season and had a very good sophomore year with 805 yards rushing and nine touchdowns. He has the potential to be one of the Shore Conference's top running backs over the next two years. Player Under the Radar:

Will Surdez, Sr., LB/WR Surdez posted 77 tackles as a sophomore a season ago. Now, the 6foot-3 linebacker and wide receiver aims to be the leader of the defense and contribute in the passing game.

Dom Beninato, Jr., QB and Tesio Carabello, Jr., QB Whichever player ends up as the starting quarterback will be taking over for Tommy Fallon, who was a four-year starter and an All-Shore player during his career on Five Points Road. Rivalry Game:

Oct. 8 vs. Howell Among the Freehold Regional rivalries, Colts Neck vs. Howell always has a certain degree of intensity and familiarity because of how district lines are drawn. On the field, this is shaping up to be an important lateseason game.

Projected Offensive Starters:

(RS=returning starter, 3RS=3rd-year returning starter) Returning Starters: 5

By: Bob Badders

SSN Managing Editor SATURDAY 9/3 ST. JOHN VIANNEY SATURDAY 9/10 @FREEHOLD FRIDAY 9/16 @JACKSON MEMORIAL

The word "rebuilding" often comes with a negative connotation, an assumption that a team won't be successful due to whatever reasons fall under the "rebuilding" umbrella. The reality of high school football is that every year features some degree of a roster makeover. Players graduate and a new group must step up and fill their shoes.

(L-R) SAL MARINELLO (42), EOIN FITZPATRICK (9), MATT CELLI (8), WILL SURDEZ (32) & JACK TORMEY (7)

Some years the task is greater than others. A big senior class often leads to success, but when those players matriculate out of the program there are going to be some question marks the following year. That is the situation Colts Neck is in entering the 2022 season. Gone are stalwarts like four-year starting quarterback Tommy Fallon, linebackers Anthony Bonanno and John Manos, wide receiver/cornerback John Runfolo, and two-way linemen Dan Volpe and Ryan Whelan. Those players were instrumental to the Cougars' success over the past three seasons as they went 21-7 and turned the program back around after a string of five straight losing seasons. Just a handful of starters remain, however, as Colts Neck enters year five under head coach Matt Ahearn.

Colts Neck runs a multiple, pro-style offense and returns a total of five starters. A point of strength is in the backfield where junior running back Chris Scully (5-10, 205) returns after a strong sophomore season that saw him rush for a team-high 805 yards and nine touchdowns. Joining Scully in the running back room are junior John Sherrod and sophomore Jack Lefkowitz. The wide receiver group features two returning starters with 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior Matt Celli and junior Aiden Diaz along with seniors Will Surdez (6-3, 210), Sal Marinello, and Jack Tormey and junior Logan Bresnahan. The tight ends are junior Eric Loureiro (6-2, 230), who is a returning starter, and junior Aidan Manasso.

The offensive line took a big hit with four of five starters graduating. Junior Matt Liggio is the lone holdover and will line up at right guard. Junior Charlie Whalen (6-6, 260) is at left tackle and junior JJ Cifelli is the left guard. The center position has juniors Shea Bresnahan and Dean Collier battling it out while the spot at right tackle is between junior Cooper Pearlman and sophomore Albert Yodakis.

After four years of knowing exactly who was going to be under center, Colts Neck will enter a new era at quarterback following Fallon. Competing for the starting quarterback position are juniors

Dom Beninato and Tesio Carabello. Just two starters return on the defensive side of the ball in Colts Neck's 4-3 base alignment.

Surdez leads the way from his spot at middle linebacker after posting 77 tackles as a junior.

Along the defensive line, Loureiro is back as a starting defensive end. The rest of the defensive line has junior Sam

Surdez at the other defensive end sport and

Collier and junior Anthony Lombardi as the defensive tackles. Flanking Surdez at outside linebacker will be senior Eoin Fitzpatrick and sophomore James Bertan (6-3, 205). Backing up

Surdez in the middle is Carabello. The secondary is all new and is almost entirely comprised of underclassmen. Junior

Dave Fichtenbaum will be at one cornerback spot while the other cornerback position is up for grabs with Tormey, Diaz, junior Ahston Ellis, and sophomore Sebastian Failla competing. Junior Devin Donnelly is listed as the strong safety with junior Ethan Sloane at free safety.

An underrated part of Colts Neck's team the last two years was its special teams. Christian Monteforte was one of the Shore's top kickers and Fallon was a reliable punter. Some combination of Manasso, Failla, and sophomore Xander Rosario will handle the kicking and punting duties.

The lack of experience on the roster means there are legitimate question marks surrounding the Cougars, but balancing that out is a schedule that is not as daunting as last season when they competed in the American Division with Rumson-Fair Haven, Wall, Donovan Catholic, and Toms River North. This season, Colts Neck is in the Colonial Division with Freehold Regional High School District rivals Howell, Marlboro, Freehold Boro, and Freehold Township, plus Jackson Memorial.

SATURDAY 9/24 FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP FRIDAY 9/30 @LACEY SATURDAY 10/8 HOWELL FRIDAY 10/14 @WALL

SATURDAY 10/22 MARLBORO

Projected Defensive Starters:

Returning Starters: 2

Projected Special Team Starters:

HEAD COACH: Bill Hill,2nd season

Bill Hill Jr. (Def. Coordinator/WR), Tom Bradley (Def. Run Game/OL), Ken Bradley (RB/LB), Adam Sacco (DL), Zach Zulli (QB/DB), Angelo Furmato (Team Manager), Larry Peslak (Freshman), Nick Farrara (Freshman Assistant), Amy Ghione (Howell)

By: Matt Manley

SSN Senior Staff Editor THURSDAY 9/1 CENTRAL FRIDAY 9/9 JACKSON MEMORIAL

Only 10 teams in the Shore Conference and no other team in the Independence Division scored more points than Howell did last season, but only three in the entire conference gave up more points than the Rebels did. The result was an 2-8 record with six losses by five points or fewer.

FRIDAY 9/16 @FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP 6:30PM FRIDAY 9/23 MARLBORO 6:30PM FRIDAY 9/30 @WALL 7PM SATURDAY 10/8 @COLTS NECK 12PM FRIDAY 10/14 SOUTHERN 6:30PM SATURDAY 10/22 @FREEHOLD 12PM

2021: 2-8 2020: 2-4 2019: 1-9 2018: 1-9 2017: 9-2

Player To Watch:

Jack Gartenstein, Sr., QB At first glance, replacing the Shore’s leading passer by total yardage will be a daunting task for Howell this season, but Gartenstein taking over at quarterback will give the Rebels an additional dimension despite losing Jardim to graduation. Gartenstein is one of the best athletes on the team and he can also hit the open man, so while the passing numbers may not be as robust as the 2,200-plus yards Jardim threw for in 2021, the Rebels should again have no problem moving the ball with Gartenstein calling the shots. The other benefit to having Gartenstein back is if one of the younger quarterback candidates emerges, Howell can turn its quarterback back into a No. 1 receiver.

Player Under the Radar:

Kevin Maloney, Jr., WR/CB While Gartenstein was a multi-faceted threat, Jardim did the quarterbacking and Vecchiarelli was the top two-way player, Maloney may have gotten lost in the shuffle. That really should not be the case considering he was one of the three Howell receivers in the Shore’s top 15 in receiving yardage. Moloney finished second on the team with 573 receiving yards on 34 catches, with the yardage total placing him sixth in the entire Shore Conference. Maloney will also be a key cog in the Howell secondary, which is looking to tighten up its coverage after giving up at least three touchdowns in eight of its 10 games last year.

Top Position Groups:

Receivers Howell remains loaded with receivers, which means no one should expect the passing numbers to fall off all that much with the graduation of Jardim and Vecchiarelli. The Rebels are stocked enough at the position to move a proven talent like Gartenstein to quarterback and still have plenty of weapons for him to target. In addition to Maloney, Matt Iandoli and Dom Marino will figure into the passing attack and tight ends Damien Padilla and Declan Flaherty will be dangerous as well.

X-Factor:

Defensive Line The passing game will again be the calling card of the Rebels, but the defensive line could also be a positive this season with a pair of three-year starters returning in defensive tackle Rich Diab and defensive end Seven Miller. Juniors Alex Lorenzo and Dan Bailey will round out the projected starting four up front and with some quality athletes like Flaherty and Padilla poised to rush the passer from the outside linebacker spots, Howell could be able to get a little more pressure on opposing quarterbacks this season. (L-R) DAMIEN PADILLA (9), KEVIN MALONEY (1), JACK GARTENSTEIN (18), SEVEN MILLER (7), SAM MELE (5) & DECLAN FLAHERTY (86)

While that close-loss problem is one Howell is focused on turning around in 2022, it is also a problem that has lingered for several years. In 2020, the Rebels went 2-4 with two losses by one score and back in 2019, a whopping seven of their nine losses came by seven points or fewer. Over the past three seasons, Howell is 5-21 with a record of 2-15 in games decided by one score.

For second-year Howell head coach Bill Hill, performance in close games was a focus for him and his staff heading into the 2021 season, and while the results did not turn around the way the Rebels hoped, they have a new weapon on their side for 2022: the weight room.

“We weren’t allowed in the weight room last summer and that was after we couldn’t get in there the previous summer, when COVID first hit,” Hill said. “That really put us behind and when we got on the field, you could see the difference in size and strength and endurance. This year, pretty much every guy in our lineup added 20 pounds and in some cases more like 40, 50 pounds of muscle.”

The result of the focus on strength in the offseason is a bigger roster that can now contend with teams that try to overpower Howell while also giving the Rebels a different dimension to what was a run-and-gun style that too often ended with Howell on the wrong side of the scoreboard.

With that being said, the run-and-gun element isn’t going anywhere. Despite graduating the Shore’s leading passer in quarterback Stephen Jardim and the conference’s second-leading receiver in Nick Vecchiarelli, the Rebels bring back two key receivers from last year, one of whom will be shifting to quarterback.

With some depth on defense, some upcoming sophomore talent ready to break through and those extra pounds in the front seven on defense, Howell may be able to find the missing ingredients from the past several years.

Howell Continued Page 16

Newcomer to Watch:

Brandon Wright, Jr., RB One thing Hill would like to see more of this season is balance in the offense with Wright getting more carries on the ground. Howell can help its defense out by controlling the ball for longer possessions and Wright – while also a potential home-run hitter – can extend drives with his running ability. A dangerous allaround back will also make the Rebels even harder to defend.

Sept. 16 at Freehold Twp. A 35-33 loss to Freehold Township was among the many close losses for Freehold Township and it might have been the most gut-wrenching of them all. The Rebels will get their rematch with the neighbor Patriots in their third game of the season.

SR. QB J ACK G ARTENSTEIN

(RS=returning starter, 3RS=3rd-year returning starter) Returning Starters: 7

Projected Defensive Starters:

Returning Starters: 5

Projected Special Team Starters:

HEAD COACH: Dave Ellis, 12th season

CAREER RECORD: 51-59 ASSISTANT COACHES:

Mike D’Antonio (WR/LB), Zac Cooper (DL/OL), Jeremy Mercer (TE/LB), Nick Tyson (QB/DB), Matt Whalen (RB/DB), John Kinzel (OL/DL), Joe Laferlita (Freshman), Matt Meleo (Freshman), Scott Royer (Athletic Trainer) Team Record Last Five Years:

2021: 5-5 2020: 6-2 2019: 2-7 2018: 5-4 2017: 8-4

Player To Watch:

Spencer Rushton, Jr., QB One of the perks of having a dual-threat player like Gill was there were plays and packages that called for Gill to go out into a pass pattern and those plays – as well as a midseason injury to Gill – gave Rushton a chance to get some live reps at quarterback. With a taste of the position, Rushton has completely taken on the challenge of being the starter this season and, in his coach’s estimation, is ready for the fulltime job in 2022. “In the offseason, (Rushton) did a nice job in the weight room, doing stuff in the summer, learning our schemes,” Ellis said. “He’s got the best quarterback coach around in coach (Nick) Tyson. He is as good as it gets and Spencer has been absorbing his coaching. He is working on the little things and I’m really excited about what he can do. We just have to get everybody else going.”

Player Under the Radar:

Alex D’Antonio, Sr., OLB Good Freehold Boro teams have always been about the athletes on the outside and in the backfield, but the Colonials have featured some tough, capable defenders as well. D’Antonio fits that description as an outside linebacker who chased down five sacks as a junior in 2021. Along with fellow returnee and senior Matt Giuffrida, Freehold Boro will have some experience and proven ability at the linebacker level of the defense. Top Position Group:

Skill Positions Despite graduating some major numbers from the ranks of the quarterback, running back, receiver and tight end positions, Freehold Boro’s strength in 2022 is still likely to be its playmakers on offense. With Rushton showing a capacity to get the ball to his weapons, players like Jordan Hamilin-Woolford, Asir Smith, Aidan Aidan-Hamlin-Woolford and Gavyn Golub could be different-makers catching the ball in the passing game. Jordan Hamlin-Woolford, in particular, appears poised to be a primary target as a receiver, not to mention a valuable defender as a cornerback. Cameron Crooms and Giuffrida will spearhead the running game, with Crooms playing a more conventional role at running back after Freehold Boro went on a run of run-heavy quarterbacks over the last half-decade or so. After Gill led the team in rushing a year ago, expect Crooms to take that title this season.

By: Matt Manley

SSN Senior Editor FRIDAY 9/2 @RED BANK CATHOLIC SATURDAY 9/10 COLTS NECK SATURDAY 9/17 @MARLBORO 12PM

FRIDAY 9/23 @JACKSON MEMORIAL 7PM

It started with an unprecedented two-year stretch from Ashante Worthy in 2016 and 2017 and last season, Kamore Gill added his name to the list of dynamic dual-threat signal-callers.

Gill graduated off a senior season in which he both passed for more than 1,000 yards and ran for 1,000 yards, totaling 23 touchdowns (16 rushing, five passing and two receiving). He was even the thirdleading receiver on the team, which makes his all-around season even more unique.

Replacing that kind of player seems nearly impossible but Freehold Boro under coach Dave Ellis has done a shockingly-good job producing another star time and time again. This year’s subject is

SATURDAY 10/1 MANALAPAN 2PM FRIDAY 10/7 @FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP 6:30PM

ISATURDAY 10/15 RUMSON-FAIR HAVEN 12PM t hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the Freehold Boro football team over the last six SATURDAY 10/22 HOWELL 12PM years, but the Colonials have enjoyed plenty of success during that stretch and their unique ability to produce and deploy dual-threat quarterbacks has been at the center of that success. junior Spencer Rushton, who is not likely to be the explosive runner that Gill, Worthy or Sha’Kim Shuler were, but his legs will be part of the offense. “Spencer played two games at quarterback when Gill was hurt and got a really good feel for what it’s going to be like,” Ellis said. “Now, he is the full-time guy and he has really grown up a lot.” The biggest challenge for Rushton is the lack of experience around the field, with Freehold Boro returning (L-R) JORDIAN WOOLFOLK (6), CARTER STOKES (54), SPENCER RYSHTON (5), ALEX D’ANTONIO (9) & JOHN RUSSO (50) just six total players with any starting experience on either side of the ball and less than that if you are looking for players who started for the majority of the 2021 season. Cameron Crooms will be an important safety net for the offense as a more traditional running back, but the rest of the group remains rather green. “I think we have some talent, I think we have some guys on the line and the skill spots who can step up,” Ellis said. “We really only have two or three starters back. We have four on both sides who started some games, but only two or three were regular starters. Other guys have experience, but there is a lot of teaching and a lot of molding going on right now.”

Projected Offensive Starters:

(RS=returning starter, 3RS=3rd-year returning starter) Returning Starters: 5

Projected Defensive Starters:

Returning Starters: 6

Projected Special Team Starters:

X-Factor:

The Schedule With an inexperienced roster, Freehold Boro will be facing a daunting schedule. It starts on the road with Shore Conference powerhouse Red Bank Catholic, with stops along the way against Colts Neck, Marlboro, Manalapan and Rumson-Fair Haven. Every team on the Colonials’ schedule is classified as a Group IV or V program except for RBC and Rumson – two of the best teams in the conference on a year-to-year basis. “I’m raising my hand to play a tougher schedule, I added three strong opponents (Red Bank Catholic, Manalapan and Freehold Township) and I was hoping to get a break from the Shore Conference. Then they stuck us with Rumson. It is what it is. We’re going to have to grow up fast. It’s going to be a grind.”

Friday, Oct. 7 at Freehold Twp. Freehold Boro’s best chances at victory this season figure to come against the other schools within the Freehold Regional district – all of which (Colts Neck, Marlboro, Manalapan, Freehold Township and Howell) are on the schedule. While all are rivalry-type environments, none will be as intense as the all-Freehold showdown, which will pit crosstown rivals against one another. Freehold Boro has won the last three meetings, so extending the streak will be high on the to-do list of this young, inexperienced Colonials group.

HEAD COACH: Cory Davies, 8th season

CAREER RECORD: 32-33 (137-157 OVERALL) ASSISTANT COACHES:

Matt Hardison (DC/LB); Todd Smith (WR); Bill Dague (DL); Jake White (OL); Anthony Lotti (DB); Vince Tesi (DL); Jesse Heubel (Freshmen HC); Matt Ferguson (Freshmen asst.); Ryan Davies (Offensive Analyst); Derek Reichenbecher (Defensive Analyst); Jeff Scenna (Athletic Trainer)

2021: 4-6 2020: 2-3 2019: 2-8 2018: 5-5 2017: 8-3

Player To Watch:

Mark Augello, Jr., QB Augello burst onto the scene last season to finish sixth in the Shore in passing yards (1,488) and set school single-game records for completions, passing yards, and touchdown passes. In Freehold Township's Air Raid offense he has the chance to put up some huge numbers and lead the Patriots back to the postseason.

Player Under the Radar:

Shawn Corchado, Jr., WR The Shore Conference had a lot of very good wide receivers last season and Corchado was one of them as a Shore Sports Network Third Team All-Shore selection, catching 38 passes for 497 yards and six touchdowns.

Impact Newcomer:

Chase Enlow, So., RB/CB Enlow will get a chance to be a two-way contributor as a sophomore and could be the Patriots' lead running back in addition to seeing time in the defensive backfield at cornerback.

Rivalry Game:

Oct. 7 vs. Freehold Boro Rivalry games are great. Rivalry games with a trophy and a great name are even better. During Week 6, Freehold Township and Freehold Boro will clash for "The Duke" and the Patriots will try to snap a three-game skid against the rival Colonials.

By: Bob Badders

SSN Managing Editor

Last season, Freehold Township found itself a quarterback. In fact, it found two.

FRIDAY 8/26 MANALAPAN THURSDAY 9/1 BARNEGAT SATURDAY 9/10 @MARLBORO FRIDAY 9/16 HOWELL SATURDAY 9/24 @COLTS NECK FRIDAY 9/30 @BRICK MEMORIAL FRIDAY 10/7 FREEHOLD FRIDAY 10/14 @MANCHESTER FRIDAY 10/21 JACKSON MEMORIAL

(L-R) NICK CARNEVALE (13), MARK AUGELLO (10), ANTHONY LONG (3) & NICK BENJAMINO (2)

As a sophomore, Mark Augello had a breakout season that saw him finish sixth in the Shore Conference with 1,488 yards passing and 14 touchdowns. That was despite missing the final three games of the season with an injury. Through the previous seven games, he was able to set school single-game records for completions, passing yards, and touchdown passes.

When an injury ended Augello's season with three games remaining, Freehold Township turned to freshman Nick Cardone, and the ninth-grader was unfazed by the varsity level. He completed 40 of 59 passes for 409 yards and two touchdowns and led the Patriots to victories over Manchester and Toms River East.

The quarterback is everything in head coach Cory Davies' Air Raid offense, and entering the 2022 season the Patriots are in a great spot with Augello returning as the starter and Cardone as his backup. A healthy Augello and a pair of experienced receivers in senior Anthony Long and junior Shawn Corchado will try to lead Freehold Township back to the playoffs after a 4-6 finish in 2021.

Corchado was the team's leading receiver and a Third Team All-Shore selection last season when he hauled in 38 passes for 497 yards and six touchdowns, while Long caught 32 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns. Augello, Long, and Corchado were all Second Team AllDivision selections last season and form the core of Freehold Township's offense. Cardone, junior Nick Carnevale, seniors Mikey Izzo and Zach Goldbetter, junior Trevor Tansey, and sophomore Jaylen GillAnderson complete the group of wide receivers. In the backfield, sophomore Chase Enlow, juniors Nick Whisten and Sebastian Andujar, and senior Chris Nasso are the running backs. Davies' Air Raid offense is obviously pass-first and pass-heavy, but the running backs play an important role out of the backfield and have traditionally put up high catch numbers.

Freehold Township's offensive line was all seniors last year so the Patriots will be breaking in an entirely new group in the trenches. This year they are all juniors - Adam Deinhardt, Ethan Rifkin, Jack Horan, Landon Szymanski, and Carl Nasso. Senior defensive lineman Alex Fallon will also fill in as needed.

On the other side of the ball, the Patriots' defense returns seven players who started at least one game. Senior Kyle Lucash is the only returning starter up front with Fallon, junior Nick Manfre, and senior Jayden Holmes-Cotter rounding out the front four. Freehold Township's defense is listed as multiple but in recent years has played some variation of a 42-5 set with hybrid outside linebackers/strong safeties patrolling the field. The traditional linebackers are both returning starters in seniors Nick

Benjamino and Jake Nastarowicz. Benjamino made 82 tackles and was a Second Team All-Division selection last year. Sophomores Tyler Muranelli and

Braden Larkin are also in line to see considerable playing time. Andujar (63) tackles and Whisten are returning starters at outside linebacker with junior

Cameron Greenberg also in the mix.

The secondary features Carnevale as the returning starter at safety. He picked off three passes and was a Second Team All-Division selection last year. Junior Iziah Young is the backup. The cornerbacks are Long, juniors Bobby Goff and GianPaul Cortes, and Cardone, Enlow, and Gill-Anderson.

Freehold Township has had a great run of kickers over the past several seasons and enters this fall with one of the Shore's best in senior Cody Wohlrab. He was a Third Team All-Shore selection last season when he converted 15 of 17 extra points, kicked a conferenceleading seven field goals with a long of 35, and averaged 35.5 yards per punt with six downed inside the 20-yard line.

After competing in the Liberty Division last year with Central Regional, Marlboro, Matawan, and Neptune, the Patriots will now play in the Constitution Division with Jackson Memorial and fellow Freehold Regional High School District schools Marlboro, Freehold Boro, Colts Neck, and Howell.

Projected Offensive Starters:

(RS=returning starter, 3RS=3rd-year returning starter) Returning Starters: 4

Projected Defensive Starters:

Returning Starters: 6

Projected Special Team Starters:

HEAD COACH: Vin Mistretta, 6th season

CAREER RECORD: 27-22 ASSISTANT COACHES:

Keith Anderson (Offensive Coordinator/RB); Mike Smith (QB); Pat Kilmurray (OL); Eric Rado (WR); Matt Castronuova (WR); Chris Rash (DL/Special Teams Coordinator); Arnell Cozart (LB); Mike McCarthy (DL); Sal Giglio (LB); TJ Tkac (DB); Khani Glover (DB); Sal Mistretta (Quality Control); Nicolle Figaro (Athletic Trainer)

2021: 3-6 2020: 4-4 2019: 8-3 2018: 6-4 2017: 6-5

Player To Watch:

Tai Mann, Sr., QB/CB Mann combined for 1,190 yards and 12 touchdowns last season and the coaching staff believes he can have a big year as a senior. He has the athleticism and experience to make it happen. Mann is also a threeyear starter at cornerback.

Player Under the Radar:

Aidan Sweeney, Sr., RB/OLB Being a tailback in Jackson's offense is often a golden ticket to stardom. Sweeney ran for 573 yards and five touchdowns as a junior and is aiming to hit the 1,000-yard mark and help the Jaguars' offense get back to its punishing ways.

Impact Newcomer:

Harold Mee, So., RT Mee (6-foot-1, 230 pounds) is the only sophomore currently scheduled to start and will line up at right tackle.

Rivalry Game:

Sept. 30 at Jackson Liberty The Jaguars have owned the all-time series since Liberty opened in 2006 with Memorial winning every game but one. This game has been more competitive in recent years, although the Jags have won by shutout each of the past two seasons. Rivalry games are dangerous, however, and this game carries a lot of juice regardless of each team's record.

By: Bob Badders

SSN Managing Editor

Last year, Jackson Memorial entered the season with plans to rebound from a .500 record and return to its usual position of contending for division and state sectional championships.

THURSDAY 9/1 BRICK MEMORIAL 6PM

FRIDAY 9/9 @HOWELL FRIDAY 9/16 COLTS NECK FRIDAY 9/23 FREEHOLD FRIDAY 9/30 @JACKSON LIBERTY SATURDAY 10/8 @MARLBORO

12PM FRIDAY 10/14 DONOVAN CATHOLIC 7PM FRIDAY 10/21 @FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP 6:30PM

(L-R) ANGELO NICOSIA (11), AIDAN SWEENEY (5), TAI MANN (1), MICHAEL CIPRIANO (14) & RYAN FISCHER (73)

Instead, injuries and ineffectiveness led to the Jaguars going 3-6, missing the playoffs, having an offense ranked near the bottom of the Shore Conference, and a defense that was only in the middle of the pack.

To say this has the returning team members a little ticked off would be putting it mildly. "We aren't having another season like last year, that's just a fact," said senior two-way lineman Ryan Fischer. "We're working hard and we're ready to hit people."

With veterans returning on both sides of the ball, the Jaguars are aiming for a redemptive season this fall. Eight starters return on both sides of the ball, giving the Jags talent and experience to go along with an ornery mindset heading into their season-opener vs. Brick Memorial on Sept. 1.

Returning for his third year as the team's starting quarterback in their multiple-I offense is senior Tai Mann. An athletic, dual-threat QB, Mann is coming off a season in which he threw for 684 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 506 yards a n d

e i g h t touchdowns. Joining him in the backfield is senior running back Aidan Sweeney, who ran for 573 yards and five touchdowns a season ago. With junior fullback Brandon Bigelow also back, the Jaguars are excited about the 1-2 punch of Mann and Sweeney wreaking havoc on the ground. Jackson's top two wide receivers are a pair SR. QB TAI M ANN

of junior returning starters in Albert D'Alessandro and Jaiden Hernandez with fellow junior Ryan Jagodzinski rounding out the trio.

The offensive line has two returning starters - three if you count junior Shaun Hubbard as a returning starter at tight end. The left side of the line features returning starters Fischer (6-3, 270) at left guard and senior Lucas Stahlnecker (62, 235) at left tackle. The center is senior Dylan Kronseder (6-0, 250), the right guard is junior Austin Comire (6-2, 250), and the right tackle is sophomore Harold Mee (61, 230).

Jackson's defense is usually among the stingiest and most physical in the Shore, and this year's group is eager to regain their swagger after a down year.

The defensive line is shaping up to be a strong unit with three of four starters back. Hubbard and senior Angelo Nicosia are the defensive ends while Fischer is a returning starter at defensive tackle. Junior Zach Elfashny has earned the starting job as the other defensive tackle. At linebacker, senior Mike Cipriano is back as the middle linebacker after recording a team-high 84 tackles last season. He will be flanked by Bigelow and Sweeney on the outside.

The defensive backfield has three returning starters with Mann at cornerback for the third straight year, Hernandez at strong safety, and D'Alessandro at free safety. The newcomer is junior Frank Castellano at the other cornerback spot opposite Mann.

On special teams, senior Alexey Tselichtchev is back as the kicker while Nicosia will handle the punting duties.

After competing in the Colonial Division last season with Middletown South, Southern, Manalapan, and Holmdel, the Jaguars will now play in the Constitution Division with Howell, Marlboro, Colts Neck, Freehold Township, and Freehold Boro. It's a wide-open division on paper and one the Jaguars could certainly find themselves on top of if all goes according to plan.

Projected Offensive Starters:

(RS=returning starter, 3RS=3rd-year returning starter)

Projected Defensive Starters:

Projected Special Team Starters:

JR. WR ALBERT D’ALESSANDRO

HEAD COACH: Jason Dagato, 10th season

CAREER RECORD: 24-63 ASSISTANT COACHES:

Reid Stapp (Def. Coordinator/RB/LB), Jim Papalia (Special Teams/WR/DL), Tom Caporale (QB/DB), Bill Cook (OL/DL), Ryan Cassidy (RB/LB), Chris Juliano (WR/DB), Cory Varrial (Freshman), Mike Warnock (Freshman), Mike Luzio (Freshman), Anais Mixson (Athletic Trainer)

2021: 7-3. 2020: 1-6. 2019: 3-7 2018: 4-6 2017: 3-7

Player To Watch:

A.J. Schwartz, Sr., QB In his first year as the starting quarterback at Marlboro, Schwartz proved to be both effective and efficient. He produced a completion percentage of better than 60 percent (62-for-103) while throwing for 834 yards and connected on 14 touchdowns while throwing only two interceptions. He will also have his favorite target, classmate Zach Mendes, back in the passing game and three starters on the offensive line, so the table is set for Schwartz to feast in 2022. Player Under the Radar:

Corey Shanin, Sr., LT/DE Marlboro’s strength is in its experience at the skill positions, but Shanin is a critical player to what the Mustangs are trying to accomplish this season. Shanin is a third-year starter on the offensive line, manning the left tackle spot while center Pete Budveit and guard Hunter Boilen play on the interior. Shanin will also be a key cog on the defensive line, which is the least experience aspect of this year’s Marlboro squad, but a source of optimism thanks to quality depth. “Defensively, we have to replace our defensive line, so that’s one of our bigger projects during the preseason and early in the season,” Dagato said. “We have some young guys who got to play in some rotational roles and got some exposure and experience, but that’s really the spot where we’re going to have to put our work in. We feel like that’s going well. There is great competition, to the point where if we can stay healthy, we’re looking at being potentially two-deep an every spot on the defensive line.” Top Position Groups:

Receivers Ryan Mendes was Schwartz’s go-to receiver a year ago, with the 6foot-2 target hauling in 27 catches for 426 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior. He will be a focus for both Schwartz and opposing defenses this year, while classmate Lucas McEvoy returns at tight end. Alex Frank is the newcomer to watch among the receiving corps and fellow senior Jake Houston will also see action as well, with Marlboro looking for additional options to take the pressure off Mendes and Schwartz

By: Matt Manlet

SSN Senior Editor THURSDAY 9/1 @BRICK SATURDAY 9/10 FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP SATURDAY 9/17 FREEHOLD FRIDAY 9/23 @HOWELL SATURDAY 10/1 ST. JOHN VIANNEY

SATURDAY 10/8 JACKSON MEMORIAL FRIDAY 10/14 @MANALAPAN SATURDAY 10/22 @COLTS NECK

Jason Dagato took the Marlboro head coaching job 10 years ago knowing that it would be a long haul trying to get a downtrodden program back to the NJSIAA Playoffs for the first time since 1999 and with a 5-2 record in late October a season ago, that long haul appeared to be just about complete.

(L-R) RYAN MENDES (7), AJ SCHWARTZ (4), MATT CASSIDY (22) & C ORY SHANIN (74)

With a win over Jackson Memorial, the Mustangs would lock up their first state playoff berth in 22 years and even with a loss, Dagato and his team were hopeful a 5-3 record in the Shore Conference would produce enough power points to sneak in.

Marlboro lost a 19-14 heartbreaker to the Jaguars and fell out of the playoff picture in Group V, extending the drought to 23 years and leaving the fire burning for the group of returnees heading into 2022.

“The initial feeling when we found out we weren’t going to be in the playoffs was definitely frustration,” Dagato said. “At the same time, we got together as coaches, players and staff and said ‘We’re 5-3, let’s play the rest of the season like it’s the playoffs. Let’s send a message and set the tone going into the offseason,’ and to their credit, our guys totally bought in, they won their last two games and I think they really proved to themselves that they really do know how to win.” With an impressive collection of playmakers back on offense and some developing depth on defense, Marlboro once again has designs on ending is now-23-year state playoff drought and after getting so close a year ago, there is optimism that this is the year the Mustangs kick in the door.

“It’s hard not to be excited after last year,” Dagato said. “We feel really good about last year, but we’re taking that humble and hungry approach. Last year is last year and it has to stay last year. We can’t let that define this year, because if you do that, you’re not really setting yourself up for success.”

The challenge for this year’s group

Matt Cassidy, Jr., RB/SS

Sept. 23 at Howell

will be adjusting to a more challenging schedule, which no longer contains any Group III schools and is instead filled with Group V, Group IV and non-public opponents. Two of Marlboro’s wins last year were against Group III programs with losing records.

The benefit to the upgraded schedule is Marlboro will now have an opportunity to bank enough power points to comfortably qualify for the NJSIAA Playoffs. The obvious caveat is the Mustangs will have to be able to beat most of the quality opponents on their schedule and with the success of last year’s team coupled with the talent returning, the team expects to do just that.

“We’ve got a lot of guys back: three offensive linemen back, a tight end back, a fullback who is moving to tailback, quarterback and a receiver. That’s a lot of guys back, so we definitely feel like we can build on last year. Offense usually takes time to get rolling, so I expect us to be ahead of schedule with all that experience coming back.”

Projected Offensive Starters:

(RS=returning starter, 3RS=3rd-year returning starter) Returning Starters: 7

Projected Defensive Starters:

Returning Starters: 6

Projected Special Team Starters: