Post 665 – Team Preview 2021: Rahway Indians

Rahway Indians 

2020: 

  • 5-1 
  • 175 points scored; 29.17 average 
  • 118 points allowed; 19.67 average 
  • Wins: Watchung Hills, St. Joe’s (Metuchen), Sayreville, Summit, Plainfield 
  • Losses: Somerville 

Graduation:  

  • QB/DB Nasir Arribas – Monroe College (NY JUCO) 
  • WR/DB Mekhi McFadden – Temple as a walk-on 
  • RB/DB Rashon Bradford – Bentley 
  • OL Tyler Phillips – Franklin Pierce 
  • WR/DB Zaire Crutchfield – Caldwell sprint football 
  • DE Donnell Doster – Caldwell sprint football 
  • LB Amajuwan Murray – Caldwell sprint football 
  • OL Brannon Middleton – JUCO 

2021 Captains:  

  • Kyle Hall, Zaon Lacey 

Offense:  

  • Formation: Multiple 
  • Returning Starters: 1 

Quarterback: 

  • Amir Wilks, Junior, 5-9, 145 – competing 
  • Amir Robinson, Junior, 5-11, 170 – competing 

Running Back: 

  • Zaon Laney, Senior, 5-8, 170 – projected starter 

H-back: 

  • Dominic Innocent, Senior, 5-10, 220 – returning starter, but recently injured 
  • Hunter Piersall, Junior, 6-1, 230 – competing 
  • Rakhiem Shepherd, Sophomore, 5-11, 205 – competing 
  • Daniel Blake, Junior, 5-10, 180 – competing 
  • Matt Guinta, Senior, 5-9 205 – competing 

Wide Receiver: 

  • Kyle Hall, Junior, 6-1, 180 – returning starter  
  • Khadir Love, Junior, 5-10, 160 – competing 
  • Savion Gallemore, Senior, 5-9, 150 – competing 
  • Josh Tilton, Junior, 5-11, 160 – competing 
  • Jonathan Melo, Junior, 5-11, 160 – competing 

Tight End: 

  • Austin Tilton, Junior, 6-1, 185 – projected starter 

Offensive Line: 

  • Marc Osias, Junior, 6-2, 375 – projected starter at tackle  
  • Eric Vazquez, Junior, 5-11, 290 – projected starter at center
  • Raymond Giacobbe, Sophomore, 6-4, 240 – projected starter at tackle 
  • Rakhiem Shepherd, Sophomore, 5-11, 205 – competing at guard if he does not play h-back 
  • Jaylin Dort, Junior, 5-9, 245 – competing at guard 
  • Jaylin Barnes, Junior, 6-3, 250 – competing at guard 

Defense:  

  • Formation: 4-3 base 
  • Returning Starters: 1 

Defensive Line: 

  • Hunter Piersall, Junior, 6-1, 230 – competing at end 
  • Austin Tilton, Junior, 6-1, 185 – competing at end 
  • Rakhiem Shepherd, Sophomore, 5-11, 205 – competing at end 
  • Marc Osias, Junior, 6-2, 375 – competing 
  • Jaylin Barnes, Junior, 6-3, 250 – competing and started several games 
  • Jaylin Dort, Junior, 5-9, 245 – competing 
  • Messiah McGatt, Sophomore, 5-11, 250 – competing 

Linebacker: 

  • Kyle Hall, Junior, 6-1, 180 – returning starter; moving from the secondary 
  • Josh Tilton, Junior, 5-11, 160 – competing 
  • Trevon Delapara, Sophomore, 5-10, 180 – competing 
  • Daniel Blake, Junior, 5-10, 180 – competing 
  • Destine Vincent, Junior, 5-8, 165 – competing 
  • Jerry Derilus, Junior, 5-8, 165 –  competing 

Secondary: 

  • Zaon Laney, Senior, 5-8, 170 – projected starter at cornerback  
  • The opposite corner has not been decided 
  • Amir Wilks, Junior, 5-9, 145 – competing at safety 
  • Khadir Love, Junior, 5-10, 160 – competing at safety 
  • Savion Gallemore, Senior, 5-9, 150 – competing at safety 

Special Teams: 

  • Senior Roberto Jimenez returns as the punter 
  • Laney is projected to be the punter 
  • The return men will be decided in camp 

Schedule: 

  • Friday, 9/3, New Brunswick at home 
  • Friday, 9/10, Summit at home 
  • Friday, 9/17, Somerville at home 
  • Friday, 9/24, at Carteret 
  • 10/1-2, Bye Week 
  • Friday, 10/8, Warren Hills at home 
  • Friday, 10/15, at Donovan Catholic 
  • Friday, 10/22, at South Plainfield 
  • Saturday, 10/30, at Hillside 

Concerns:  

  • Inexperience, transfers, and injuries 
  • Talent in junior and sophomore class, but there was no freshman team last year with COVID – there is one this year 

Recruiting:  

  • Laney is a 1-AA possibility, a high academic school 
  • Underclassmen: 
  • Hall and Barnes are 1-A/Power-5 possibilities 
  • Piersall is talented, but raw 
  • Osias has size on his side at 6-2, 375 and that is not a misprint 

Coach’s Comments:  

“We’re very young this year with only five seniors. Losing Dominic Innocent to injury is a big loss to us, but we have a good junior class. We also had a couple of kids transfer out, but we’ve dealt with it before and we’ll deal with it again, and we’ll still win with kids who want to be here. – Head Coach Brian Russo 

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