Post 876 – Team Preview 2022: Somerville Pioneers

Somerville Pioneers 

2021: 

  • 8-3 
  • Lost to Cedar Creek in the South Jersey Group 3 semifinals after beating Rahway in the first round 
  • Scored 353 points: 35.30 average – not including forfeit 
  • Allowed 148 points: 14.80 average, including three shutouts – not including forfeit  
  • Wins included Rahway, Summit, St. Joe’s (Metuchen), and Warren Hills 
  • Losses were to Northern Highlands and Phillipsburg by forfeit 

Graduation: 

  • RB/LB Ethan MacNair – Towson 
  • WR/DB Jaimen Bryant – Shippensburg 
  • OL/DL Salvatore Longo – Milford Academy (NY) – prep 
  • DL John Furino – Hartford for lacrosse 

Offense: 

  • Formation: Spread 
  • Returning Starters: 5 

Quarterback: 

  • Mike Miller, Senior, 6-3, 190 – 3-year starter 
  • Brenden Pacheco, Sophomore, 6-3, 200 – provides depth 

Running Back: 

  • Hashym Hobbs-Harris, Senior, 6-0, 185 – returning starter, moving from wide receiver; will line up all over 
  • Max Nuzzi, Sophomore, 5-10, 180 – will play 
  • Terrell Mitchell, Sophomore, 5-9, 185 – will play 

Wide Receiver: 

  • Wes Hack, Senior, 5-10, 185 – projected starter; saw action and started on defense 
  • Quinn Carran, Junior, 6-2, 180 – projected starter and started on defense 
  • Julian Finger, Senior, 5-11, 190 – projected starter; saw action 
  • Chase Insabella, Junior, 6-2-½, 185 – part of rotation 
  • Caleb Smith, Senior, 5-10, 160 – part of rotation 
  • Jacy Westfield, Senior, 6-2, 165 – part of rotation 

Tight End: 

  • Julian Finger, Senior, 5-11, 190 – part of platoon when not playing wide receiver 
  • Andrew DeAngelis, Junior, 6-2, 210 – part of platoon  
  • DJ Jenkins, Junior, 6-2, 208 – part of platoon 

Offensive Line: 

  • Ramin Farzaie, Junior, 6-3, 250 – returning starter at tackle 
  • Jaylen Esannason, Senior, 6-2, 275 – projected starter at tackle 
  • Jonathan LoStocco, Sophomore, 6-2-½, 295 – returning starter at guard 
  • Michael Furino, Junior, 6-3, 225 – rotate at other guard; injured in 2021 
  • Braeden Kaye, Junior, 6-1-1/2., 225 – rotate at other guard; injured in 2021 
  • TJ Bayles, Senior, 5-10, 235 – returning starter at center 
  • Tyler Scofield, Junior, 6-0, 235 – depth at guard and center 
  • Jaime Cote, Junior, 6-2, 250 – depth along the line 

Defense: 

  • Formation: Multiple 3-and-4-man fronts 
  • Returning Starters: 5 

Defensive Line: 

  • Ramin Farzaie, Junior, 6-3, 250 – returning starter at tackle; may also play end 
  • Jonathan LoStocco, Sophomore, 6-2-½, 295 – part of rotation at tackle 
  • Jaylen Esannason, Senior, 6-2, 275 – part of rotation at tackle 
  • Michael Furino, Junior, 6-3, 225 – part of rotation at end 
  • DJ Jenkins, Junior, 6-2, 208 – part of platoon at end 
  • Braeden Kaye, Junior, 6-1-1/2., 225 – part of rotation at end 

Linebacker: 

  • Kyle Giacobello, Senior, 5-10, 185 – returning starter 
  • Julian Finger, Senior, 5-11, 190 – projected starter; saw action 
  • Dagan Jack, Junior, 5-10, 165 – part of rotation 
  • Nick Irvine, Junior, 5-10, 180 – part of rotation 
  • Andrew DeAngelis, Junior, 6-2, 210 – part of rotation 
  • Max Nuzzi, Sophomore, 5-10, 180 – part of rotation 

Secondary: 

  • Hashym Hobbs-Harris, Senior, 6-0, 185 – returning starter at safety 
  • Quinn Carran, Junior, 6-2, 180 – returning starter at safety 
  • Wes Hack, Senior, 5-10, 185 – returning starter at cornerback 
  • Terrell Mitchell, Sophomore, 5-9, 185 – projected starter at cornerback 
  • Caleb Smith, Senior, 5-10, 160 – competing at cornerback and may be part of rotation 
  • Jacy Westfield, Senior, 6-2, 165 – part of rotation at safety 
  • Jack Brand, Junior, 5-11, 165 – part of rotation at safety 
  • Evan Halperin, Junior, 5-10, 150 – part of rotation at cornerback 

Special Teams: 

  • Sophomore Spencer Carran returns at kicker and punter 
  • Carran and Miller are competing at punter 
  • Hobbs-Harris and Mitchell are the return men 

Schedule: 

  • Saturday, 8/27, Mastery Charter (Camden) at home 
  • Friday, 9/2, at Old Bridge 
  • Friday, 9/9, St. Joe’s (Metuchen) at home 
  • Friday, 9/16, at Montgomery 
  • Friday, 9/23, Union at home 
  • Friday, 9/30, at Elizabeth 
  • Friday, 10/7, Westfield at home 
  • Friday, 10/14, Hillsborough at home 
  • Friday, 10/21, at South Brunswick 

Concerns: 

  • Schedule 
  • Staying healthy 
  • Continue to develop depth 

Recruiting: 

  • Miller has mostly 1-AA interest
  • Hobbs-Harris has interest from Wagner, LIU, and Sacred Heart 
  • Esannason has interest from Monmouth and Stonehill, but needs more game tape 
  • Hack has Patriot and Ivy League interest 
  • Finger is a 1-AA/D2 prospect 
  • Others can play D3, depending on their senior seasons
  • Underclassmen:
  • Farzaie is a High 1-AA/low 1-A prospect 
  • Carran will attend a high-academic school in 1-AA 
  • In the sophomore class, LoStocco can go 1-AA or Power-5, depending on his height 

Coach’s Comments: 

“I really like the team we have and the direction we’re going. They have a workmanlike, blue collar attitude. They show up every day and like being coached hard. We’e focusing on what needs to be done today: one day at a time. We have to keep getting better throughout the season.” – Head Coach Ian Pace

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