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