Post 1,094 – Team Preview 2023: Passaic Tech Bulldogs

Passaic Tech Bulldogs 

July 14, 2023 

2022: 

  • 11-3 
  • Lost to Toms River North in the New Jersey Group 5 final 
  • Won the North Jersey Group 5 regional championship by beating West Orange 
  • Won the North Jersey Section 1 Group 5 championship by beating Union City in the finals, Clifton in the semifinals, and Morristown in the quarterfinals 
  • Scored 235 points for an 18.08 average 
  • Allowed 114 points for an 8.77 average 

Graduation:

  • DB Eric Jackson – Central Connecticut State 
  • WR Mike Kiritsis – Montclair State 
  • DL Jayden Capers – William Paterson 
  • C Omar Kahok – FDU (Florham Park) 
  • DL Quaymar Ascue – Monroe JC (NY) 
  • OL Jahmir Rogers – Monroe JC (NY) 
  • QB RaySun Belton – Monroe JC (NY) 
  • LB William Yi – lacrosse 

Offense: 

  • Formation: Multiple 
  • Returning Starters: 8  

Quarterback: 

  • Ma’Kao Taylor, Senior, 5-10, 170 – returning starter: not all games, but he started entire playoff run 

Running Back: 

  • Trashon Dye, Senior, 6-0, 200 – 4-year starter; rushed for 1,276 yards per nj.com  
  • Cashmere Jones, Senior, 5-6, 140 – situational back; started on defense; rushed for 496 yards per nj.com  

H-Back: 

  • Travon Dye, Senior, 6-1, 215 – 4-year starter 

Wide Receiver: 

  • Jovan Tyrell, Senior, 6-1, 180 – returning starter 
  • Owen Juskiewicz, Senior, 6-1, 190 – projected starter 
  • Devon Ortiz, Senior, 5-11, 165 – part of the rotation 
  • Joel Perez, Junior, 5-11, 170 – part of the rotation 
  • Mikael Simon, Junior, 6-2, 170 – part of the rotation 

Tight End: 

  • Kaiden Rex, Senior, 6-2, 195 – 3-year starter 

Offensive Line: 

  • Owen Wescott, senior, 6-0, 220 – returning starter at left tackle, moving from the right side 
  • LaDainian Pless, Senior, 6-3, 315 – projected starter at left guard; played often 
  • Jacob Blount, Senior, 6-0, 240 – returning starter at center, moving from guard 
  • Nathan Elony, Senior, 6-2, 270 – returning starter at right guard 
  • Zamir Robinson-Johnson, Junior, 5-11, 240 – projected starter at right tackle 
  • Abraham Ballesteros, Junior, 5-11, 205 – provides depth 
  • Jahmir Joyner, Junior, 6-0, 210 – provides depth 
  • Anthony DeFeo, Junior, 6-1, 270 – provides depth 
  • Alex Arrington, Junior, 6-2, 275 – provides depth 
  • Savion Gillyard, Junior, 5-10, 200 – provides depth 

Defense: 

  • Formation: Multiple 4-3 
  • Returning Starters: 6 

Defensive Line: 

  • Travon Dye, Senior, 6-1, 215 – 4-year starter at end 
  • Kaiden Rex, Senior, 6-2, 195 – 3-year starter at end 
  • LaDainian Pless, Senior, 6-3, 315 – projected starter at tackle 
  • Nathan Elony, Senior, 6-2, 270 – projected starter at tackle 
  • Nehemiah Vasquez, Junior, 6-2, 240 – part of the rotation at tackle and end 
  • Justice Anderson, Junior, 5-11, 230 – part of the rotation at tackle and end 
  • Aarom Mendoza, Junior, 6-2, 215 – part of the rotation at tackle and end 

Linebacker: 

  • Trashon Dye, Senior, 6-0, 200 – 4-year starter on the weak side 
  • Jordan Alston, Senior, 5-8, 175 – returning starter in the middle 
  • Ahmire Foster, Senior, 5-9, 170 – projected starter on the strong side; started half the season 
  • Victor Echevarria, Senior, 5-7, 150 – part of the rotation on the outside 
  • Jose Echevarria, Junior, 5-11, 200 – part of the rotation on the inside 
  • Jaden Johnson, Junior, 5-8, 170 – part of the rotation on the inside 
  • Javier Vargas, Senior, 5-8, 155 – part of the rotation on the inside 

Secondary: 

  • Jovan Tyrell, Senior, 6-1, 180 – returning starter at cornerback 
  • Joel Perez, Junior, 5-11, 170 – projected starter at cornerback 
  • Jayden Brackett, Senior, 5-9, 160 – provides depth at cornerback 
  • Cole Rufolo, Junior, 5-9, 165 – provides depth at cornerback 
  • Cashmere Jones, Senior, 5-6, 140 – returning starter at safety 
  • Damian Rosario, Senior, 5-8, 165 – projected starter at safety 
  • Owen Juskiewicz, Senior, 6-1, 190 – part of the rotation at safety 
  • Devon Ortiz, Senior, 5-11, 165 – part of the rotation at safety 

Special Teams: 

  • Junior Luca Aliano returns at punter, while senior Efrain Sanchez is back at kicker 
  • Jones, Rosario, and Tyrrell are the return men 

Schedule: 

  • Friday, 8/25, at Lenape 
  • Saturday, 9/2, Union City at Hinchliffe Stadium (Paterson) 
  • Friday, 9/8, Passaic at home 
  • Thursday, 9/14, West Orange at home 
  • Friday, 9/22, at Ridgewood 
  • Friday, 9/29, Columbia at home 
  • Friday, 10/6, Clifton at home 
  • Friday, 10/13, East Orange at home 
  • Thursday, 10/19, at Eastside 

Concerns: 

  • Will they be able to replace the seniors they lost? 

Recruiting: 

  • Both Dye brothers verballed to Syracuse
  • Rex and Tyrrell are 1-AA/D2 with good grades 
  • Jones will play somewhere and is very electric 
  • Wescott and Blount will play at high-academic schools 
  • Elony and Pless are D2/D3 prospects 
  • Alston will be at a high-academic D3 
  • Underclassmen: 
  • There are good underclassmen in the system, but it is too early 

Coach’s Comments: 

“We’re excited for the football season. Last year was an exciting time, but that was last year. We are starting over and have a tough schedule that is very physical. It’s easy to think we will roll, but it is not easy and it will be competitive.” – Head Coach Matt Demarest

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