Hackensack Comets 

2021: 

• 4-6 
• Lost to Clifton in the North Jersey Section 2 group 5 playoffs 
• Scored 175 points: 17.50 average 
• Allowed 17 points: 17.70 average 
• Wins included Old Tappan, Passaic, and Teaneck 
• Losses were to Clifton, Eastside, Ridgewood, Northern Highlands, and Passaic Tech 

Graduation: 

• RB/DB Curtis Whiting – Sacred Heart 
• OL Shalik Hubbard – Monmouth 
• WR/DE Walter King, Jr. – Assumption 
• TE/LB Hassan Bailey – Stonehill 
• TE/DE Michael Grant – American International 
• DT Winfried Dzanda-Hedidor – U of New England 
• DE Terrence Hicks – ASA Junior College (Brooklyn) 
• QB John Farrington – Rutgers-Newark for baseball 

Offense: 

• Formation: Multiple Spread 
• Returning Starters: 5 

Quarterback: 

• Matt Pallouras, Senior, 5-11, 180 – returning starter 

Running Back: 

• Ayden Jones, Junior, 5-10, 175 – projected starter 
• Jake Borchard, Senior, 5-10, 197 – will spell Jones 
• Joe Farrington, Junior, 5-10, 180 – will spell Jones 

Wide Receiver: 

• Adrian King, Junior, 5-11, 175 – returning starter 
• Eric Afrifah, Senior, 6-2, 180 – returning starter 
• Victor Deoleo, Senior, 6-0, 170 – part of rotation 
• Gio Blake, Senior, 5-11, 165 – part of rotation
• Shawn Sowah, Junior, 5-10, 165 – part of rotation
• Anthony LaFace, Senior, 5-6, 155 – part of rotation, playing in the slot 

H-Back (Situational): 

• Gene Petrella, Senior, 5-11, 185 – will share duties 
• Jake Borchard, Senior, 5-10, 197 – will share duties 

Offensive Line: 

• Emanuel Nazy, Junior, 6-4, 270 – 3-year starter at tackle 
• Jermaine Frost, Senior, 5-11, 285 – returning starter at guard 
• Garrett D’Elia, Senior, 6-4, 210 – competing at tackle and guard 
• Matt Lugo, Senior, 6-0, 260 – competing at tackle and guard 
• Chris Herrera, Senior, 5-11, 230 – competing at center and guard 
• Ashraf Salem, Senior, 5-10, 205 – competing at center and guard 
• Kwadro Yeboah, Junior, 6-0, 220 – competing at guard 

Defense: 

• Formation: 4-2-5/4-4 
• Returning Starters: 4 

Defensive Line: 

• Jermaine Frost, Senior, 5-11, 285 – returning starter at end 
• Garrett D’Elia, Senior, 6-4, 210 – competing at end 
• Emanuel Nazy, Junior, 6-4, 270 – competing at end 
• Tahj Figures, Senior, 5-11, 270 – projected starter at tackle; part of last year’s rotation 
• Matt Lugo, Senior, 6-0, 260 – competing at tackle 
• Nadir Miller, Sophomore, 6-3, 235 – competing at tackle 

Linebacker: 

• Aidan Riccardi, Senior, 5-10, 175 – competing on the inside 
• Joe Farrington, Junior, 5-10, 180 – competing on the inside 
• AJ Della Sala, Junior, 5-9, 180 – competing on the inside 
• Gene Petrella, Senior, 5-11, 185 – competing on the inside 
• Ayden Jones, Junior, 5-10, 175 – returning starter on the outside/rover 
• Jason Zambrano, Senior, 5-11, 175 – competing on the outside 
• Jovanny Mora, Sophomore, 5-11, 175 – competing on the outside  
• Malachi Thomas, Sophomore, 5-11, 170 – competing on the outside 
• Gio Blake, Senior, 5-11, 165 – competing on the outside 

Secondary: 

• Eric Afrifah, Senior, 6-2, 180 – returning starter 
• Shawn Sowah, Junior, 5-10, 165 – returning starter 
• Adrian King, Junior, 5-11, 175 – competing 
• Anthony LaFace, Senior, 5-6, 155 – competing 

Special Teams: 

• Senior Eric Afrifah returns at punter and Joey Lopes has experience at kicker 
• Jones, King, Afrifah, and Sowah are the return men 

Schedule: 

• Friday, 9/2, at Ridgewood 
• Friday, 9/9, at Kennedy 
• Friday, 9/16, Belleville at home 
• Friday, 9/23, Ramapo at home 
• Friday, 9/30, Wayne Hills at home 
• Friday, 10/7, at Northern Highlands 
• Friday, 10/14, at Eastside 
• Friday, 10/21, Passaic at home 
• Thursday, 11/23, at Teaneck 

Concerns: 

• Inexperience up front on both sides of the ball 
• Inexperience at linebacker 

Recruiting: 

• Afrifah has 1-AA interest 
• D’Elia is a sleeper who can go D2/D3 
• Others could be D3 with a good season 
• Underclassmen: 
• King is a 1-AA and possibly a 1-A prospect 
• Nagy is a 1-A/1-AA prospect who also wrestles 
• Sowah and  Jones are good athletes 

Coach’s Comments: 

“We have a good number of players back at the skill positions, but we need to replace guys up front. Games are won and lost by how quickly guys can step up and compete, along with how quickly our leadership develops and how they hold one another accountable.” – Head Coach Brett Ressler