Elizabeth Minutemen 

June 21,2024

2023: 

• 3-8 
• Beat Paterson Eastside and Hackensack in the Group 5 consolation 
• The other win was against Union 
• Losses were against Watchung Hills, Linden, Plainfield, Westfield, Hunterdon Central, St. Joe’s (Metuchen), Somerville, and Bridgewater-Raritan 
• Losses were by a combined 37 points with no loss being more than seven points
• Scored 232 points for a 21.09 average 
• Allowed 226 points for a 20.54 average 

Graduation: 

• WR/DB Ibn McDaniels – Syracuse 
• OL/DL Barthelemy Bozieux – Morgan State 
• DB Isaiah DeRosa – Kean 
• OL/DL Alex Ramirez – William Paterson 
• C Josue Blanco – William Paterson 
• LB Shawn Roberts – William Paterson 
• OL Marcellus Millington – William Paterson 
• WR Alexander Coles – Fairleigh Dickinson (Florham) 
• TE Lucas Martinez – Alvernia (Pa.) 
• DE Jaquy’ri Williams – Albright (Pa.) 
• DL Terrence Dove – Sussex County Community College 
• RB/DB Nireese McDougald – East Coast Prep (Mass.) 
• WR/DB Imad Canty – Monroe College (NY JUCO) 
• WR Orlando Awkward – Lincoln (Pa.) for track 

Offense: 

• Formation: Multiple Spread 
• Returning Starters: 6 

Quarterback: 

• Arique Flemming, Sophomore, 6-2, 207 – returning starter; passed for 1,663 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushed for 286 yards and two touchdowns per nj.com 

Running Back: 

• Jamad Lyles, Senior, 5-9, 190 – returning starter 
• Jalais Mendoza, Senior, 5-9, 170 – will get carries 
• Junior Desir, Senior, 5-10, 175 – will get carries 

Wide Receiver: 

• Nahjae Smith, Sophomore, 5-11, 180 – returning starter on the outside; 26 receptions per nj.com 
• Kyshawn DeCarteret, Senior, 5-9, 170 – projected starter in the slot 
• Antoine Blount, Senior, 5-8, 165 – projected starter on the outside 
• Qua-Yon Williams, Sophomore, 5-8, 140 – projected starter in the slot 
• John Fiore Jr., Sophomore, 5-11, 155 – will see action at all four receiver positions 

Tight End: 

• Luis “Nasir” Cuero, Senior, 6-5, 220 – projected starter at tight end 

Offensive Line: 

• Ethan Abreu, Senior, 6-2, 240 – returning starter at center 
• Joel Lopez, Senior, 6-1, 255 – returning starter at guard 
• Bryan Palamar, Junior, 6-3, 280 – returning starter at left tackle 
• Josh Cardenas, Junior, 6-2, 198 – projected starter at right tackle 
• The other guard has several players competing 

Defense: 

• Formation: 4-4 
• Returning Starters: 4 

Defensive Line: 

• Elian Salazar, Senior, 6-2, 225 – competing and will be part of the rotation at the end 
• Josh Cardenas, Junior, 6-2, 198 – competing and will be part of the rotation at the end 
• Luis “Nasir” Cuero, Senior, 6-5, 220 – competing and will be part of the rotation at the end 
• Bryce Cabbell, Senior, 6-6, 220 – competing and will be part of the rotation at the end 
• Maximiliano Olivera, Senior, 5-9, 235 – returning starter who will be part of the rotation at tackle 
• Joel Lopez, Senior, 6-1, 255 – part of the rotation at tackle 
• Bryan Palamar, Junior, 6-3, 280 – part of the rotation at tackle 
• Young players will be competing at tackle 

Linebacker: 

• Ezekiel Penick, Junior, 5-10, 200 – returning starter on the inside 
• Jayden DeRosa, Senior, 6-2, 190 – returning starter on the inside 
• TJ Hawkins, Senior, 5-11, 185 – will play and saw action last year 
• Edwin Mirando-Roja, Sophomore, 6-0, 205 – will see time  
• Quameen Williams, Junior, 6-1, 165 – returning starter on the outside 
• Nahjae Smith, Sophomore, 5-11, 180 – projected starter on the outside and saw action 

Secondary: 

• Antoine Blount, Senior, 5-8, 165 – projected starter at free safety 
• Kyshawn DeCarteret, Senior, 5-9, 170 – provides depth 
• John Fiore Jr., Sophomore, 5-11, 155 – projected nickel back 
• Quasim Reid, Junior, 6-0, 165 – competing at cornerback 
• Charles Prezzy, Junior,5-9, 160 – competing at cornerback 
• Cristian Hernandez, Junior, 5-9, 150 – competing at cornerback 

Special Teams:  

• Sophomore Arique Flemming will punt and the kicker is between junior David Lazo and senior Nelson Alfonso 
• Fiore and Nahjae Smith will be the return men 

Schedule: 

• Friday, 8/30, Linden at home 
• Friday, 9/6, at Bayonne 
• Saturday, 9/14, at Westfield 
• Friday, 9/20, St. Joe’s (Metuchen) at home 
• Friday, 9/27, St. Thomas Aquinas at home 
• Friday, 10/4, Bridgewater-Raritan at home 
• Friday, 10/11, at Morristown 
• Friday, 10/18, Watchung Hills at home 
• Friday, 10/25, at Union 

Concerns: 

• Replacing much of the defense 

Recruiting: 

• DeCarteret may go to an Ivy League school 
• Cuero has a chance to be 1-AA 
• Lyles is D2/D3/JUCO 
• Cabbell is a D2/D3 candidate 
• Blount, Abreu, Hawkins, and Salazar may go D3 
• Underclassmen: 
• Quameen Williams is a 1-A candidate  
• Palamar is 1-A/1-AA 
• Cardenas will go the Ivy/NESCAC route 
• Lopez is a D3 prospect due to his height 
• In the sophomore class, Nahjae Smith has offers from Syracuse, Boston College, Maryland, Temple, and UMass 
• Flemming has Bryant and Temple offers 
• Fiore is a prospect for the Ivy and Patriot Leagues 
• Qua-Yon Williams has 1-A potential 
• The freshman class has two players in OL/DL/TE Joshua Hood (6-2, 220) and OL/DT Eli Smith (6-4, 280) 

Coach’s Comments: 

“We have a bright future. We started two freshmen and 4-5 sophomores last year. We will have to replace a lot of players on defense and our defensive coordinator, Jamie Bittner, retired and his replacement is Henry Wilson, who is doing a great job.” – Head Coach John Fiore