Union City Soaring Eagles
August 23, 2023
2022:
- 9-2
- Lost to Passaic Tech in the North Jersey Section 1 Group 5 finals, beat Westfield in the semifinals, and Union in the quarterfinals
- Wins included Irvington, Clifton, Lincoln, and Montclair
- Their other loss was to Passaic Tech
- Scored 349 points for a 31.73 average
- Allowed 103 points for a 9.86 average
Graduation:
- OL/DL JaSire Peterson – Rutgers
- LB Oumar Berrete – LIU
- FB/LB Damon Pallotto – Kean
- TE Luis Hechavarria – Kean
- OL/DL Julian Guerra – Springfield College (Mass.)
Offense:
- Formation: Spread WIng T
- Returning Starters: 5
Quarterback:
- Denzel Chavis, Senior, 6-1, 170 – returning starter
Running Back:
- Mark Boyd, Junior, 5-8, 160 – returning starter at halfback; rushed for 973 yards per nj.com
- Tyler Koffa, Senior, 5-11, 175 – 3-year starter at fullback; will platoon; rushed for 884 yards per nj.com
- Elijah Rose, Senior, 5-11, 190 – returning starter at fullback: will platoon
- JaZaire Aurelus, Junior, 5-10, 180 – projected starter at halfback
- Jahsiah Espinal, Junior, 5-9, 165 – will spell the halfbacks
Wide Receiver:
- Kareem Hector, Junior, 5-1, 170 – projected starter
- Jey Rosario, Senior, 5-11, 170 – part of the rotation
- Daniel Vargas, Senior, 6-1, 185 – part of the rotation
Tight End:
- Damian Rosario, Senior, 5-11, 210 – will platoon
- Manny Cantillo, Senior, 6-3, 220 – will platoon
Offensive Line:
- Anthony Crawford, Senior, 6-6, 300 – returning starter at left tackle
- Kevin Rosario, Junior, 6-3, 205 – projected starter at left guard
- Moises Diaz, Junior, 5-9, 240 – competing at center
- Adrian Villalta, Sophomore, 5-11, 235 – competing at center
- Reynaldo Mercedes, Junior, 6-2, 265 – projected starter at right guard
- Justin Sevilla, Junior, 6-3, 285 – projected starter at right tackle
- Omar Tillman, Junior, 6-3, 205 – provides depth at guard and tackle
- Samuel Garcia, Senior, 5-11, 200 – provides depth on the interior
Defense:
- Formation: 4-3
- Returning Starters: 7
Defensive Line:
- Omar Tillman, Junior, 6-3, 205 – projected starter at end; started four games
- Manny Cantillo, Senior, 6-3, 220 – projected starter at end
- Kevin Rosario, Junior, 6-3, 205 – part of rotation at end; returning starter
- Samuel Garcia, Senior, 5-11, 200 – part of rotation at end
- Reynaldo Mercedes, Junior, 6-2, 265 – returning starter at tackle
- Anthony Crawford, Senior, 6-6, 300 – projected starter at tackle
- Justin Sevilla, Junior, 6-3, 285 – part of the rotation at tackle
- Adrian Villalta, Sophomore, 5-11, 235 – part of the rotation at tackle
- Moises Diaz, Junior, 5-9, 240 – part of the rotation at tackle
Linebacker:
- Elijah Rose, Senior, 5-11, 190 – returning starter on the strong side
- JaZaire Aurelus, Junior, 5-10, 180 – projected starter at the weak side
- Jeremiah Hayes, Junior, 5-11, 210 – frontrunner in the middle
- Damian Rosario, Senior, 5-11, 210 – competing in the middle
Secondary:
- Daniel Vargas, Senior, 6-1, 185 – returning starter at cornerback
- Denzel Chavis, Senior, 6-1, 170 – returning starter at cornerback
- Tyler Koffa, Senior, 5-11, 175 – returning starter at safety
- Jey Rosario, Senior, 5-11, 170 – returning starter at safety
- Kareem Hector, Junior, 5-10, 170 – provides depth at cornerback
- Mark Boyd, Junior, 5-8, 160 – provides depth at safety
- Jahsiah Espinal, Junior, 5-9, 165 – provides depth at safety
Special Teams:
- Senior Daniel Vargas returns at kicker, while punter has not been decided
- Chavis, Rosario, Koffa, Boyd, and Rose will handle returns
Schedule:
- Saturday, 9/2, Passaic Tech at Hinchliffe Stadium (Paterson)
- Friday, 9/8, at Livingston
- Friday, 9/15, Montclair at home
- Friday, 9/22, Bayonne at home
- Saturday, 9/30, at Irvington
- Saturday, 10/7, at Lincoln
- Friday, 10/13, Columbia at home
- Friday, 10/20, at Clifton
Concerns:
- Remaining hungry and consistent – not letting last year get to their heads
- Depth
Recruiting:
- Chavis verballed to Temple
- Rose and Koffa verballed to Morgan State
- Vargas verballed to Sacred Heart
- Rosario and Crawford have offers from Cornell and LIU
- Cantillo has interest from Stony Brook, LIU, and Sacred Heart
- Others are D3 types
- Underclassmen:
- While it is still early, Mercedes, Tillman, Boyd, and Hector have ability to play at the next level
Coach’s Comments:
“We have a good nucleus returning and good senior leadership. Expectations are high. We feel we have to improve our passing game, finish more games, and develop depth.” – Head Coach Wil Valdez