Union City Soaring Eagles
2018 in Review:
- 9-2 record
- Lost to Piscataway in the North Jersey Section 2 Group 5 final
- Beat Union in semi-finals and Westfield in first round
- Scored 304 points – 30.4 average – based on ten games, not including forfeit win
- Allowed 131 points – 13.1 average – based on ten games, not including forfeit win
- Wins Included: Irvington, Bayonne, Shawnee, North Bergen
- Losses: St. Peter’s Prep
Departing Seniors:
- MLB Neurys Ortiz – American International
- RB/LB Jean Alvarez – Nassau Community College
- TE/DE Jaime Rodriguez – Montclair State
- DB John McCray – Montclair State
- C Zavien Guitian – RPI
- OL Ariel Higuera – William Paterson
- CB Elijah Sparkman – ASA JC (Brooklyn, NY)
- QB Alain Diaz – Hudson Valley JC (Troy, NY)
- RB/DB Joel Jimenez – Hudson Valley JC (Troy, NY)
- FB/DE Charles Gaston – Hudson Valley JC (Troy, NY)
- OL/DL Eddy Coronado – Hudson Valley JC (Troy, NY)
- DB Tyheem Black – Hudson Valley JC (Troy, NY)
*The bold print below is a returning starter. This includes one who had playing time and one who started on the other side of the ball only in 2018, with explanation included after their name.
Offense:
Formation: Multiple Wing-T
Returning Starters: 4
Quarterback:
- Joshua Negron, Senior, 5-10, 190
Running Backs:
- FB – Devin Gonzalez, Senior, 5-7, 190 – 3-year starter
- HB – Zahir Abdus-Salaam, Junior, 5-10, 180 – will start
- HB – Glaser Arias, Junior, 5-10, 190 – will start
- Reserves:
- Henry Villomar, Senior, 5-8, 170 – will see action at halfback and started on defense
- Abdiel Ramos, Senior, 5-7, 210 – will see action at fullback
Split End:
- Yerandi Berroa, Senior, 6-1, 170 – returning starter
- Jarred Montoya, Senior, 5-8, 160 – will see action
- Corey Fitch, Senior, 6-2, 180 – will see action
Tight End:
- Luis Avalos, Junior, 6-1, 230 – will start
- Corey Fitch, Senior – will also see action in two-TE situations
Offensive Line:
- LT – Steven Ferreira, Junior, 6-2, 250 – will start
- LG – Jalen Genao, Senior, 6-1, 295 – 3-year starter
- C – Adrian Drew,Junior, 5-10, 240 – will start
- RG – Eneurys Rosario, Senior, 6-1, 280 – returning starter
- RT – Joseph Alfonso, Junior, 6-2, 325 – will start
- Key Reserves who are pushing for time:
- Hugo Romero, Junior, 5-7, 260
- Marc Rivera, Senior, 6-1, 285
- Nelson Monegro, Sophomore, 6-6, 240
Defense:
- Formation: 4-3
- Returning Starters: 1
End:
- Luis Avalos, Junior – will start
- Corey Fitch, Senior – will start
- Daham Subeabbu, Sophomore, 5-11, 225 – will rotate
Tackle:
- Jalen Genao, Senior – will start
- Eneurys Rosario, Senior, will start
- Adrian Drew, Junior – will rotate
- Marc Rivera, Senior – will rotate
- Joseph Alfonso, Junior – will rotate
Linebacker:
- OLB – Gerardo Rovelo, Senior, 5-7, 195 – started three games and will start on strong side (SAM)
- MLB – Abdiel Ramos, Senior – will start in the middle (MIKE)
- OLB – Johan Polanco, Junior, 5-10, 195 – will start on the weak side (WILL)
- Key Reserves:
- Devin Gonzalez, Senior – inside and outside
- Dennis Garcia, Sophomore, 6-0, 210 – inside
- Fernando Jimenez, Senior, 5-11, 180 – hybrid outside linebacker/strong safety
Cornerback:
- Henry Villomar, Senior – returning starter
- Antonio Hernandez, Senior, 5-7, 160 – in 3-way competition at other corner
- Yernadi Berroa, Senior – in 3-way competition at other corner
- Jarred Montoya, Senior – in 3-way competition at other corner
Safety:
- Zahir Abdus-Salaam, Junior – will start
- Glaser Arias, Junior – will start
- Fernando Jimenez, Senior, 5-11, 180 – reserve
- Aaron LaRusso, Senior, 5-11, 180 – reserve
Special Teams:
- Roy Martinez, a senior, will be the kicker and punter
- Abdus-Salaam, Villomar, Montoya, and Berroa are the return men
Schedule:
- Friday, 9/6, at Passaic
- Friday, 9/13, Irvington at home
- Thursday, 9/19, Memorial at home
- Friday, 9/27, at St. Peter’s Prep
- Friday, 10/4, at Bayonne
- Friday, 10/11, Old Tappan at home
- Friday, 10/18, Shawnee at home
- Friday, 10/25, at North Bergen
- Friday, 11/1, Dickinson at home
Concerns:
- Health
- Gain as much pre-season experience as possible
- Tough schedule (St. Peter’s Prep, Old Tappan, Shawnee, Irvington, Bayonne, and North Bergen) and they must come to play every week
Recruiting:
- Berroa, Genao, Rosario, and Vilomar range from 1-AA to D3
- Juniors Arias and Abdus-Salaam have interest from 1-AA to D3
- Monegro is a sophomore who has a William & Mary offer
Coach’s Comments:
“We’re taking our inexperience as a positive; we don’t return many starters. The kids have worked hard, bought into being a team, and improve daily. Our goal remains the same: be a great team, get to the playoffs, and make a run at a state championship.” – Head Coach Wil Valdez