Pope John Lions 

2020: 

• 3-4 
• 82 points scored; 11.71 average 
• 113 points allowed; 16.14 average 
• Three shutouts 
• Wins: Irvington, Passaic Tech, Paramus Catholic 
• Losses: DePaul, Bergen Catholic, Delbarton, Seton Hall Prep 

Graduation:  

• LB Tyler Ruscher – Marist 
• LB Luke Ruscher – Saint Anselm 
• DE Arthur Belile – Wagner 
• DB Keenan Stockling – New Haven 
• DB Trace Healy – Wesleyan 
• WR Alex Campanella – WPI 
• DE Charlie Lauzon – Bentley 
• DB Billy Gould – Assumption 
• WR Warren Lynch – Norwich 
• WR/DB Sean Brennan – Rutgers for lacrosse  
• DE Nick Lodato – wrestling 

2021 Captains:  

• Not named 

Offense:  

• Formation: Multiple Spread 
• Returning Starters: 2 

Quarterback: 

• Zac Cusick, Sophomore, 5-10, 175 – projected starter 

Running Back: 

• Terrance Sumter, Sophomore, 5-6, 160 – share position as a committee 
• Christian Rodriguez, Sophomore, 5-11, 160 – share position as a committee 
• Brycen Mafaro, Senior, 5-11, 200 – share position as a committee 

Wide Receiver: 

• Braden Coffey, Senior, 6-4, 190 – part of rotation 
• Charlie Mulligan, Sophomore, 5-11, 175 – part of rotation 
• Chase McCoy, Sophomore, 5-10, 170 – part of rotation 
• Jihide Lesaine, Sophomore, 6-4, 220 – part of rotation 
• Danny Platt, Sophomore, 6-0, 170 – part of rotation 

Tight End: 

• Billy Guthrie, Senior, 6-1, 225 – projected starter; saw action; started onh defense 

Offensive Line: 

• Brady Anderson, Senior, 6-1, 280 – 3-year starter 
• Jacob Rubin, Senior, 6-2, 275 – 3-year starter at guard 
• Alex Harby, Senior, 5-11, 275 – projected starter along the line 
• Jacob Brennan, Senior, 6-2, 270 – projected starter along the line 
• Justin Platt, Sophomore, 6-4, 255 – projected starter along the line 

Defense:  

• Formation: Multiple 3-and-4-man fronts 
• Returning Starters: 4 

Defensive Line: 

• Billy Guthrie, Senior, 6-1, 225 – returning starter at end; moving from linebacker 
• Jihide Lesaine, Sophomore, 6-4, 220 – projected starter at end 
• Jacob Brennan, Senior, 6-2, 270 – 3-year starter at tackle 
• Jacob Rubin, Senior, 6-2, 275 – projected starter at tackle 
• Cardin Madry, Junior, 6-1, 220 – part of rotation at end 

Linebacker: 

• Jack Stoll, Senior, 6-1, 225 – 3-year starter on inside 
• Sean Line, Junior, returning starter on inside 
• Sir Paris Jones, Sophomore, 5-11, 210 – competing on outside 
• Nick Castorina, Junior, 6-1, 220 – competing on outside 
• Brycen Mafaro, Senior, 5-11, 200 – competing on outside 

Secondary: 

• Amari Gaines, Freshman, 6-1, 175 – part of cornerback rotation 
• Chase McCoy, Sophomore, 5-10, 170 – part of cornerback rotation 
• Charlie Mulligan, Sophomore, 5-11, 175 – part of cornerback rotation 
• Justin Fontana, Junior, 5-11, 185 – projected starter at safety; played in nickel situations 
• Nate Pluviose, Junior, 5-11, 175 – projected starter at safety 
• Tommy Walton, Sophomore, 5-11, 185 – part of safety rotation 
• Braden Coffey, Senior, 6-4, 190 – part of safety rotation 

Special Teams: 

• Kicker and punter is a competition among sophomore Jack Morgese, Line, and Jones 
• The return game will be settled in camp 

Schedule: 

• Saturday, 8/28, at Seton Hall Prep 
• Saturday, 9/4, Delbarton at home 
• Saturday, 9/11, Paramus Catholic at home 
• Friday, 9/17, at DePaul 
• Saturday, 9/25, St. Joe’s (Montvale) at home 
• Saturday, 10/2, at Bergen Catholic 
• 10/8-9, Bye Week 
• Saturday, 10/16, East Orange at home 
• Saturday, 10/23, St. Peter’s Prep at home 
• Friday, 10/29, at Hudson Catholic 

Concerns:  

• Being very young and sticking together 

Recruiting:  

• Stoll is receiving 1-AA looks 
• Anderson can go anywhere from Patriot League to the NESCAC/Centennial 
• Brennan is D2/D3 who is good enough for 1-AA, but has height issue 
• Coffey is D2 or 1-AA 
• Rubin, Guthrie, and Harby are NESCAC/Centennial  candidates  
• Underclassmen: 
• Line could be 1-AA or higher: it depends on his junior year 
• McCoy and Lesaine are sophomores with promise 
• Gaines is a freshman with offers from Temple, Ole Miss, Syracuse, and Boston College 

Coach’s Comments:  

“We’re young, good, and strong. We graduated 23 seniors and the team is heavy on sophomores and freshmen. This is a team that is young with first-time experience.” – Head Coach Dominique Gaston