Mountain Lakes Herd 

2021: 

• 8-3 
• Lost to Cedar Grove in the North Jersey Section 2 Group 1 finals, beat Weequahic in the semifinals, and Butler in the first round 
• Scored 298 points: 27.09 average
• Allowed 191 points: 17.36 average 
• Wins included Hanover Park, Morris Catholic, Madison, Verona, and Lenape Valley 
• Losses were to Caldwell and Weequahic  

Graduation: 

• QB/LB Tim Christ – Stevenson 
• NG Peter Brantner – Delaware Valley 
• WR/DB Ryan McLaughlin – Penn for lacrosse 
• DB Cade Schuckman – Williams for lacrosse 
• RB/LB Ben Busby – McGill (Canada) for lacrosse 
• TE/LB John Lane – Washington & Lee for lacrosse 
• DB Cullen Fagan for lacrosse 

Offense: 

• Formation: Wing T 
• Returning Starters: 3  

Quarterback: 

• Ben Miniter, Junior, 5-11, 175 – projected starter 

Running Back: 

• Nico Dunn, Senior, 6-0, 195 – returning starter at fullback from late in the season 
• Jimmy Elliott, Senior, 6-1, 180 – returning starter at halfback 
• Jordan Hernando, Junior, 5-6, 155 – projected starter at halfback 
• Ethan Merritt, Senior, 5-8, 175 – part of rotation at halfback 
• Dominic Signorile, Senior, 5-9, 170 – part of rotation at halfback  

Wide Receiver: 

• Kevin Gillespie, Senior, 6-1, 165 – projected starter 
• Matt Sentowski, Senior 6-1, 180 – in the mix 

Tight End: 

• Gavin Ananian, Senior, 6-0, 205 – projected co-starter; stared on defense 
• Marco Dzamba, Junior, 6-1, 200 – projected co-starter; started on defense 

Offensive Line: 

• Dylan Brown, Senior, 6-3, 300 – returning starter ta left tackle 
• Daniel Clemo, Senior, 6-1, 190 – part of 3-man rotation at the guards 
• Will Tate, Junior, 6-2, 190 – part of 3-man rotation at the guards 
• Michael Mucci, Junior, 5-10, 175 – part of 3-man rotation at the guards 
• Chris Dowling, Junior, 6-1, 210 – projected starter at center 
• Cosmo Fusco, Junior, 6-4, 235 – projected starter at right tackle 

Defense: 

• Formation: 3-3/3-5 
• Returning Starters: 3  

Defensive Line: 

• Dylan Brown, Senior, 6-3, 300 – projected starter at nose guard 
• Cosmo Fusco, Junior, 6-4, 235 – projected starter at end 
• Daniel Clemo, Senior, 6-1, 190 – projected starter at end 
• Troy Schneider, Sophomore, 5-11, 230 – part of rotation 

Linebacker: 

• Marco Dzamba, Junior, 6-1, 200 – returning starter on outside 
• Nico Dunn, Senior, 6-0, 195 – returning starter on outside 
• Giacomo Bevacqua, Junior, 5-11, 180 – projected starter on inside 
• Dominic Signorile, Senior, 5-9, 170 – projected starter on outside 
• Aidan Malnati, Junior, 5-9, 160 – projected starter on inside 

Secondary: 

• Gavin Ananian, Senior, 6-0, 205 – returning starter at cornerback 
• Alex Maniatis, Senior, 5-9, 170 – projected starter at cornerback 
• Jimmy Elliott, Senior, 6-1, 180 – projected starter at safety 
• Ethan Merritt, Senior, 5-8, 175 – projected starter at safety 
• Ian Redzepagic, Junior, 5-7, 165 – in the mix at safety 
• Joe Sluck, Senior, 5-10, 170 – key reserve at cornerback and safety 

Special Teams: 

• Senior Nick Shuhet will kick off and junior Matthew Shertzer will kick extra points 
• Senior Jimmy Elliott will be the rugby punter 
• Elliott, Bavacqua, and Redzepagic are the return men 

Schedule: 

• Friday, 9/2, at Lenape Valley 
• Friday, 9/9, Morris Catholic at home 
• Saturday, 9/17, at Madison 
• Friday, 9/23, Hanover park at home 
• Friday, 9/30, Verona at home 
• Friday, 10/7, at Whippany Park 
• Friday, 10/14, at Boonton 
• Friday, 10/21, Caldwell at home 

Concerns: 

• Physicality and depth 
• Tough schedule 

Recruiting: 

• Ananian verballed to Lafayette for lacrosse 
• Elliott verballed to UMass for lacrosse 
• Sentowski verballed to Salisbury for lacrosse 
• Gillespie verballed to Gettysburg for lacrosse 
• Dylan Brown will play football somewhere 
• Dunn, Shuhet, and Miniatis will play baseball 
• Underclassmen: 
• Dzamba will play football or lacrosse 
• Bevacqua and Hernando will play lacrosse 
• Fusco will probably play football  

Coach’s Comments: 

“Any time you lose in a state final, it stings, but it also motivates you. We have a smaller senior class and young kids will play. How we hold up on the lines will tell us how far we go, along with the depth.” – Head Coach Darrell Fusco