Post 301 – HS Football Preview 2019: Manalapan

Manalapan Braves   

2018 in Review:  

  • 6-4 record
  • Lost to Sayreville in Central Jersey Group 5 semi-finals
  • Beat Hunterdon Central in first round
  • Scored 254 points – 25.4 average
  • Allowed 182 points – 18.2 average
  • Wins Included: Freehold Township, Brick Memorial, Lacey, Central Regional
  • Losses: Long Branch, Toms River North, Middletown South    

Departing Seniors:    

  • RB/LB Dale Sieczkowski – Monmouth
  • LB Tommy Pearce – LIU (moving to 1-AA) 
  • TE/DE Alan Presler – LIU (moving up to 1-AA) 
  • DE Da-Shon Taylor – Wesley 
  • TE/LB Alex Claro – Salve Regina 
  • WR Kyle Spilsbury – Salve Regina 
  • OL Mike Holowach – Rowan
  • K/P Jack DeMatteo – Rowan
  • DB Nick Marzo – Rochester    

*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-I
Returning Starters: 8   

Quarterback:  

  • Sean Kehley, Senior, 6-1, 193 – returning starter
  • Mike Mulea, Senior, 6-1, 200 – Msgr. Farrell transfer (Staten Island)  

Tailback:  

  • Nico Santorelli, Senior, 5-11, 190 – returning starter – averaged 10 yards-per-carry, gaining 900 yards 
  • Andre Johnson, Senior, 5-8, 170 – will spell Santorelli   

Fullback:  

  • Jake Freedman, Senior, 5-9, 200 – will split duties 
  • Andrew Gritsiuk, Senior, 5-9, 200 –  will split duties   

Wide Receiver:  

  • Justin Reilly, Senior, 6-1, 195 – returning starter
  • Anthony Matrone, Junior, 5-8, 180 – returning starter
  • Chris Marzo, Junior, 6-0, 170 – third wide receiver      

Tight End:  

  • Gavin Claro, Junior, 6-0, 190 – started on defense and is competing at tight end
  • Matt Benedetti, Senior, 6-1, 195 – started on defense and competing at tight end 
  • Justin Nyers, Junior, 6-0, 190 – competing  

Offensive Line:    

  • LT – Mateusz Zielinski, Senior, 6-6, 275 – returning starter
  • LG – Charlie Paulucci, Senior, 5-10, 220 – returning starter
  • C – Nick Cavallaro, Senior, 6-0, 295 – returning starter
  • RG/RT – Matt Kovacs, Senior, 5-11, 240 – returning starter at right guard and could move to right tackle, depending on two players competing below: 
  • RG – Mike Maksimik, Junior, 6-0, 260 – competing at right guard
  • RT – Victor Berrios, Junior, 6-2, 240 – competing at right tackle  

Defense:  

  • Formation: 3-4
  • Returning Starters: 6 

End:  

  • Gavin Claro, Junior – returning starter  
  • Robert Murray, Senior, 6-1, 225 – returning starter   

Nose Guard:  

  • Joe Berry, Senior, 5-8, 250 – returning starter    

Outside Linebacker:  

  • Matt Benedetti, Senior – returning starter
  • Hayden Hess, Senior, 6-0, 180 – started three games  

Inside Linebacker:    

  • Charlie Paulucci, Senior – moving from nose guard, where he played in nickel packages
  • Jake Freedman, Senior – competing at other inside linebacker 
  • Andrew Gritsiuk, Senior – competing at other inside linebacker
  • Matt Sadler, Junior, 5-9, 190 – competing at other inside linebacker  

Cornerback: 

  • Andre Johnson, Senior – will start at one corner
  • Chris Marzo, Junior – battling at other corner 
  • Nick DiGiora, Senior, 5-9, 170 – battling at other corner 
  • Frantz Paulin, Senior, 6-1, 175 – battling at other corner   

Safety:  

  • Justin Reilly, Senior – returning starter
  • Anthony Matrone, Junior – returning starter   

Special Teams: 

  • Vincent Rea, a junior, will do the kicking and punting
  • Return men will be Santorelli, Reilly, Johnson, and junior Jorge Arriaga (5-7, 157)  

Schedule: 

  • Friday, 9/6, at Middletown South  
  • Friday, 9/13, Howell at home 
  • Friday, 9/20, at Toms River North 
  • Bye Week 
  • Friday, 10/4, Rumson-Fair Haven at home 
  • Friday, 10/11, Long Branch at home
  • Friday, 10/18, Red Bank Catholic at home 
  • Friday, 10/25, at Freehold Township 
  • Saturday, 11/2, at Mater Dei   

Concerns:  

  • The two most important needs on offense are replacing the fullback and tight end
  • Defensively, getting a pass rush to replace Da-Shon Taylor’s production 

Recruiting:   

  • Santorelli, Reilly, and Zielinski will go Ivy or Patriot League, each possessing a 4.0 GPA
  • Johnson is receiving interest from the Northeast Conference
  • Kehley is a 1-AA/D2 candidate, receiving interest from Bryant 
  • Kovacs, Paulucci, Berry, Freedman, and Gritsiuk will be NESCAC-type candidates
  • Other seniors would be D3 candidates
  • Mulea is an interesting candidate who will play somewhere  
  • Juniors: 
  • Matrone, Marzo, Sadler, Claro, Maksimik, and Berrios are all good football players who will play in college
  • There is also a very good sophomore class coming in that was undefeated as freshmen  

Coach’s Comments: 

“The kids have a great attitude. They are not satisfied with losing in the semi-finals, have a chip on their shoulders, and want to go further than they did last year. They are a good group to coach, both on and off the field; there are no absences, nobody shows up late, and they don’t have any excuses. This is also a good group, academically. They’re a fun group to be around.” – Head Coach Eddie Gurrieri 

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