Cedar Creek Pirates 

2020: 

• 3-5 
• 172 points scored;21.5 average 
• 214 points allowed; 26.75 average 
• Wins: Buena, Absegami, Oakcrest 
• Losses: Holy Spirit, St. Joe’s (Hammonton), Ocean City, Hammonton, Pleasantville 

Graduation:  

• RB Frank Hofman – Montclair State 

2021 Captains:  

• Not Named 

Offense:  

• Formation: Multiple Spread 
• Returning Starters: 8 

Quarterback: 

• JC Landicini, Senior, 5-10, 170 – returning co-starter 

Running Back: 

• Shaheed Thomas, Senior, 5-11, 185 – competing 
• Mekhi Harvey, Junior, 5-10, 175 – competing 

Wide Receiver: 

• Jojo Bermudez, Senior, 5-10, 170 – 3-year starter 
• Elijah Smalls, Senior, 6-4, 205 – returning starter 
• Zac Ricci, Senior, 5-11, 170 – returning starter 
• Jaylen Wilson, Senior, 5-7, 150 – projected starter; saw action 
• Alim Parks, Sophomore, 5-10, 170 – part of rotation 

Tight End: 

• Kevin Dougherty, Senior, 6-2, 220 – 3-year starter; moving from tackle 

Offensive Line: 

• Juan Acevedo, Senior, 6-1, 235 – projected starter at left tackle 
• Perry Parker, Senior, 5-11, 250 – 3-year starter at left guard 
• Mike Sears, Junior, 6-0, 230 – returning starter at center 
• Connor Laughlin Senior, 6-0, 210 – returning starter at right guard 
• Malik Moore-Summers, Junior, 6-2, 245 – competing at right tackle 
• Jaeden Sarao, Senior, 6-2, 240 – competing at right tackle 

Defense:  

• Formation: 3-4 
• Returning Starters: 9 

Defensive Line: 

• Malik Moore-Summers, Junior, 6-2, 245 – projected starter at end 
• Kevin Dougherty, Senior, 6-2, 220 – returning starter at end 
• DJ Martinez, Senior, 6-3, 245 – part of rotation at end 
• Mike Sears, Junior, 6-0, 230 – part of rotation at end 
• Jayden Torres, Senior, 5-11, 245 – returning starter at nose guard 
• Khamir Cooper-Brown, Junior, 5-10, 210 – part of rotation at nose guard 

Linebacker: 

• CJ Resto, Senior, 6-1, 185 – 3-year starter on inside 
• Elijah Usher, Senior, 5-11, 210 – 3-year starter on inside 
• Jamal Chapman, Senior, 6-0, 215 – 3-year starter on outside 
• DeJuan Palmer, Junior, 5-10, 185 – competing on outside 
• Alim Parks, Sophomore, 5-10, 170 – competing on outside 

Secondary: 

• Jojo Bermudez, Senior, 5-10, 170 – 3-year starter at cornerback 
• Zac Ricci, Senior, 5-11, 170 – 3-year starter at cornerback 
• Shaheed Thomas, Senior, 5-11, 185 – 3-year starter at safety 
• Zaire Pilgrim, Junior, 5-10, 170 – returning starter at safety 
• Mekhi Harvey, Junior, 5-10, 175 – will see action as the nickel back 

Special Teams: 

• Kicker and punter are open for competition 
• Bermudez and Parks are the return men 

Schedule: 

• Sunday, 8/29, Scotch Plains-Fanwood at Ocean City 
• Saturday, 9/4, Willingboro at Rutgers 
• Saturday, 9/11, Pleasantville at home 
• Friday, 9/17, at Absegami 
• Saturday, 9/25, at Woodrow Wilson 
• Friday, 10/1, at Holy Spirit 
• Saturday, 10/9, Oakcrest at home 
• Friday, 10/15, at Winslow 
• Saturday, 10/23, Camden at home 
• 10/29-30, Bye Week 

Concerns:  

• Tough schedule 
• Inexperience and depth on the lines 

Recruiting:  

• Bermudez verballed to Rutgers 
• Thomas, Ricci, Chapman, and Dougherty have Patriot and Ivy interest 
• Smalls and Resto are 1-AA/D2 prospects, with Smalls a sleeper with very good ball skills 
• Usher is a D2/D3 prospect and Landocini is drawing D3 interest 
• Underclassmen: 
• Parks is a 1-AA/1-A candidate 
• Moore-Summers and Pilgrim are receiving looks from schools 

Coach’s Comments:  

“We feel very good with a lot of returning starters with several of them being 3-year starters. We’ve had a great offseason and we’re in a better position than last year when we had the COVID and it was my first year as head coach.” – Head Coach James Melody