Newton Braves  

2020: 

• 6-0 
• 235 points scored; 39.17 average 
• 48 points allowed; 8.0 average 
• Wins: Lenape Valley, Mountain Lakes, Kittatinny, High Point, Hoatcong, Chatham 

Graduation:  

• HB/DB Aaron Fantasia – Marist 
• FB/LB Peyton Nolan – St. John Fisher 
• OL/DL Jabari Oxley – St. John Fisher 
• TE/DE Dylan Bailey – St. John Fisher 

2021 Captains:  

• Jack Young returns as a captain and others will be named in camp

Offense:  

• Formation: Wing-T Spread with Gun 
• Returning Starters: 6 

Quarterback: 

• Jack Young, Senior, 5-11, 170 – 3-year starter 

Running Back: 

• Brayden Nolan, Junior, 5-8, 170 – returning starter at halfback 
• Takeo Sibblies, Senior, 5-4, 160 – part of fullback rotation 
• Thaylor Sibblies, Junior, 5-7, 160 – part of fullback rotation 
• Darrell Mims, Senior, 5-9, 150 – part of halfback rotation 
• Matt May, Junior, 6-0, 190 – part of halfback rotation 

Receivers: 

• Pasquale Festa, Junior, 5-10, 175 – part of split end rotation 
• Dom Ferdenzi, Junior, 5-10, 150 – part of split end rotation 
• Melkart Abou Jaoude, Senior, 6-4, 200 – returning starter at tight end, moving from tackle 

Offensive Line: 

• Matt McLean, Junior, 5-10, 180 – returning starter at center 
• Rylan Ivaldi, Junior, 6-0, 210 – 3-year starter at right guard 
• Matt Iatesta, Senior, 6-0, 240 – returning starter at right tackle 
• Joey Szatkiewicz, Senior, 5-10, 215 – competing at left tackle 
• Peter Weissensee, Senior, 6-0, 210 – competing at left tackle; opted out of last season 
• Michael Melillo, Junior, 5-7, 160 – competing at left guard 
• Dom Boscia, Junior, 5-5, 150 – competing at left guard 

Defense:  

• Formation: 5-2 
• Returning Starters: 6 

Defensive Line: 

• Melkart Abou Jaoude, Senior, 6-4, 200 – returning starter at end 
• Matt May, Junior, 6-0, 190 – competing at end 
• Donato Bevacqua, Senior, 5-11, 180 – competing at end 
• Several of the offensive linemen will rotate at the tackles 
• Brody Guerra, Junior, 5-6, 200 – returning starter at nose guard 

Linebacker: 

• Brayden Nolan, Junior, 5-8, 170 – 3-year starter 
• Takeo Sibblies, Senior, 5-4, 160 – projected starter 
• Dylan Cotter, Sophomore, 6-0, 205 – will provide depth 

Secondary: 

• Jack Young, Senior, 5-11, 170 – 3-year starter at safety
• Thaylor Sibblies, Junior, 5-7, 160 – competing at other safety 
• Maison Ham, Senior, 5-6, 145 – competing at other safety 
• Darrell Mims, Senior, 5-9, 150 – returning starter at cornerback 
• Heath Lestz, Senior, 5-7, 145 – returning starter at cornerback 

Special Teams: 

• Junior Robert McCullough returns at kicker 
• Young or McCullough will be the punter, with Young doing it last year  

Schedule: 

• Friday, 9/3, at Sparta 
• Friday, 9/10, Vernon at home 
• Saturday, 9/18, at Sussex Tech 
• Friday, 9/14, Jefferson at home 
• Friday, 10/1, Kittatinny at home 
• Friday, 10/8, at Hackettstown 
• Friday, 10/15, at High Point 
• Friday, 10/22, Lenape Valley at home 
• Friday, 10/29, at Lakeland 

Concerns:  

• Staying healthy and building depth 

Recruiting:  

• • Young has D3 interest 
  • Abou Jaoude has interest from TCNJ plus schools from the NESCAC and Centennial Conference 
  • Mims may play basketball 
  • Others may play D3 
  • Underclassmen:
  • Nolan will be a D3 candidate 
  • Others are unproven 

Coach’s Comments:  

“We’re very excited for the season. We have a competitive schedule, playing four Group 3 schools. We have a mix of returnees and new kids; we’ll see how the young kids gel and survive an early baptism-by-fire against Sparta in the first game.” – Head Coach Matt Parzero