Don Bosco Ironmen 

August 9, 2024 

2023: 

• 5-6 
• Lost to Delbarton in the Non-Public A quarterfinals and beat Pope John in the first round 
• Wins included Seton Hall Prep, Paramus Catholic, St. Peter’s Prep, and Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn) 
• Losses were to Bergen Catholic, St. Joe’s (Montvale), DePaul, Archbishop Spalding (Md.), and St. Joe’s Prep (Philadelphia) 
• Scored 224 points for a 20.36 average 
• Allowed 207 points for an 18.82 average 

Graduation: 

• DL Jordan Thomas – Georgia 
• LB Jayden Brown – Syracuse 
• WR Bobby Mays – Buffalo 
• DL Lamont Lester – Monmouth  
• RB Logan Bush – Bucknell 
• OL Kevin Garcia – Stony Brook (NY) 
• OL Amori Francis – Delaware State 
• DL Aidan Horodnik – Stonehill (Mass.) 
• DB Vincent Bertone – Wagner (NY) 
• DL Andrew Lynch – Marist (NY) 
• DB Conor Cosgrove – Ithaca (NY) 
• DB Quinn McHugh – Rochester 

Offense: 

• Formation: Multiple Spread 
• Returning Starters: 8   

Quarterback: 

• Deven Sisler, Senior, 6-1, 200 – returning starter; passed for 1,378 yards per nj.com 
• Dylan Wroda, Sophomore, 6-0, 180 – competing 

Running Back: 

• Dante DeLuca, Junior, 5-10, 220 – projected starter; rushed for 347 yards in limited action per nj.com 
• Colin Brennan, Junior, 5-9, 185 – will spell DeLuca 

Wide Receiver:

• Julian Zimmermann, Senior, 6-0, 180 – returning starter 
• Jeremiah Alvarez, Junior, 5-11, 180 – returning starter; 10 receptions 
• Zakai Murphy, Sophomore, 5-11, 175 – projected starter 
• Isaiah Alvarez, Sophomore, 6-1, 170 – projected starter 
• Jan Siek, Junior, 6-1, 175 – part of the rotation 
• Michael Lupkovich, Senior, 6-0, 185 – part of the rotation 
• Renick Dorilas, Senior, 6-0, 175 – part of the rotation 

Tight End: 

• Hunter DiTrano, Senior, 6-2, 215 – 3-year starter; 12 receptions per nj.com 
• JT Geraci, Sophomore, 6-5, 215 – will see action 

Offensive Line: 

• Matt Maietti, Senior, 6-4, 255 – returning starter at left tackle, moving from tight end/h-back 
• Rhett Morris, Junior, 6-3, 295 – returning starter at left guard 
• Burke Poulin, Senior, 6-0, 265 – returning starter at center 
• Daniel Zenzer, Junior, 6-2, 265 – competing at right guard 
• Tyler Puleo, Sophomore, 6-5, 275 – competing at right guard 
• Joe Russo, Junior, 6-3, 260 – competing at right guard 
• Pedro Valdes, Senior, 6-1, 275 – returning starter at right tackle, moving from center and guard 
• Noah Shippie, Junior, 6-2, 265 – competing and coming off an impressive preseason 
• Alex Helou, Senior, 5-10, 280 – Started some games and is coming off an injury and will miss the season 

Defense: 

• Formation: 4-3 
• Returning Starters: 5 

Defensive Line: 

• Robert Ekins, Junior, 6-2, 255 – returning starter 
• Aidan Ekins, Sophomore, 6-1, 230 – competing at end 
• Ben Linder, Senior, 6-2, 210 – competing at end 
• Zorian Leslie, Senior, 6-0, 220 – competing at end 
• Jayden Drakeford, Senior, 6-1, 295 – projected starter at tackle 
• Aidan O’Neill, Sophomore, 6-5, 260 – projected starter at tackle 
• Danny Maye, Sophomore, 5-10, 240 – part of the tackle rotation 

Linebacker: 

• Matt Occhipinti, Junior, 6-2, 225 – returning starter in the middle 
• Kyle Ramos, Senior, 5-10, 205 – returning starter on the outside 
• Gino Greco, Junior, 5-9, 200 – projected starter on the outside 
• Jack Hinspeter, Sophomore, 6-0, 200 – provides depth in the middle  
• Mike LaManna, Senior, 5-9, 210 – provides depth on the outside  

Secondary: 

• Renick Dorilas, Senior, 6-0, 175 – projected starter at cornerback 
• Jack DeMenna, Junior, 5-10, 180 – returning starter at cornerback 
• Joaquin Phillips, Sophomore, 6-0, 175 – part of the cornerback rotation 
• Phoenix Evans, Freshman, 5-9, 160 – competing at cornerback 
• Brandon Checo, Junior, 5-9, 170 – provides depth 
• Mikahi Allen, Sophomore, 6-2, 225 – returning starter at safety 
• Tim Norum, Senior, 5-10, 180 – competing at safety 
• Anthony Casale, Senior, 5-11, 190 – competing at safety 

Special Teams:  

• Senior Jack Donnelly is a 4-year starter at kicker and a 2-year starter at punter 
• Dorilas, Allen, the Alvarez brothers, and Murphy are the return men 

Schedule: 

• Friday, 8/30, at Archbishop Hoban (Oh.) 
• Friday, 9/6, at Red Bank Catholic 
• Friday, 9/13, St. Anthony’s (NY) at home 
• 9/20-21, Bye Week 
• Saturday, 9/28, at Bergen Catholic 
• Friday, 10/4, DePaul at home 
• Friday, 10/11, St. Joe’s (Montvale) at home 
• Friday, 10/18, at Paramus Catholic 
• Friday, 10/25, Seton Hall Prep at home 
• Friday, 11/1, at St. Peter’s Prep 

Concerns: 

• Depth on the defensive line after losing some outstanding players 
• Making a strong emphasis on special  teams, which was a strength last year 
• Ball security, taking care of the football consistently after backbreaking turnovers hurt them last year 

Recruiting: 

• Dorilas verballed to Rutgers 
• Maietti verballed to Army 
• Ramos verballed to Navy 
• Helou verballed to Franklin & Marshall 
• Poulin has offers from Williams, Gettysburg, Trinity, and others 
• Valdes has offers from Saint Anselm, Franklin & Marshall, and Muhlenberg 
• Zimmerman has interest from Monmouth, Albany, and Marist 
• Sisler has interest from 1-AA and Group of 5 1-A’s 
• DiTrano has Ivy/Patriot/NESCAC interest 
• Others can play somewhere with a good year 
• Underclassmen: 
• Morris, Occhipinti, and Ekins have offers 
• Talented underclassmen have good opportunities to compete against top competition 

Coach’s Comments: 

“We have a tight group that had a good offseason both on and off the field and that brought us closer together. Good chemistry will help the team. We graduated more on defense and we will have young guys there. We have the talent to compete with anybody.” – Head Coach Dan Sabella