N.J. Football preview, 2024: A look at Shore Conference Class D

There hasn’t been a Class D in the Shore Conference in decades. There is one now, because the Shore Conference identified its most at-risk programs, those that needed scheduled relief, a chance to rebuild, and opportunity stabilize and energize with competitive games. Class D does all of those things. The division features long-time, small-school big shots Keyport and Shore. Both have new coaches this fall. The team to keep an eye on, however, is Neptune. Under second-year head coach Mike Seber, the Shore Conference rumor mill is saying Neptune is showing serious progress after going 2-7 last year. Neptune is the only, non-Group 1 team, in Class D. Neptune appears to be moving forward. Can it keep from taking a step back in 2024?

Predicted order of finish

1-Shore; 2-Keyport; 3-Neptune; 4-Point Pleasant Beach; 5-New Egypt; 6-Asbury Park; 7-Keansburg.

Players to watch

Asbury Park: Keion Franks, OL, Sr.; Jorge Castellon, OL, Sr.; Nicholas Chathaunt, RB, Sr.; Amiere Massie, RB, Jr.; Jason Whitaker, WR, Sr.; Prince Gee, DL, Sr.; Ah’mari Mitchell, LB, So.; Kingston Dunkley, DB, Jr.; Zamir Robinson, DB, Jr.

Keansburg: James Valle, QB/DB, Sr.; Milan Mraz, RB/LB, Jr.; Zion Cooper, WR/DB, Sr.; Nick Pisano, WR/DB, Sr.; A’son Young, WR/DB, Jr.; Ja’zier Wynn, TE/LB, Sr.; Matt Rock, RB/LB, Sr.; Jayden Johnson, DL/LB, Sr.; Shaborn Allen, DL/LB, Jr.; Fabian Baird, OL/DL, Sr.; Shawn Retta, OL/DL, Jr.; Jasere Carter, TE/LB, Sr.; Ishon Young, QB/WR/DB, Jr.; Riley Hutchinson, OL/DL, Jr.; D’Anthony, Martinez, OL/DL, Jr.; Michael Lewis-Williams, RB/DB, Jr.; Ayden Alt, OL/DL, So.; Ni’em Abdullah, LB/DL, So. Josh Sanchez, RB/DB, So.

Keyport: Darius Applewhite, RB, Jr.; German Finch, RB, So.; Andrei Matthews, RB, Jr.; Damian Purnell, RB, Jr.; Mike Ford, WR, Sr.; Max Fredericks, OL/DL, Sr.; Marshall Collangelo, PK, So.; Anthony Leon, OL/DL, Sr.; Love-Deep Singh, TE/LB, Sr.; Jermain Bardon, WR/DB, Jr.; Chris Herrera, TE/LB, So.; John Reyes, OL/DL, Sr.

Neptune: Jeramy Jean, OL, Jr.; Maliki Marson, OL, Jr.; Mike McLennon, OL/DL, Jr.; Keon Johnson, OL/DL, Jr.; Cameron Stokes, WR, Sr.; Jason Peavy, RB, Sr.; Jeremiah Montgomery, WR, Jr.; Zeke Demillo, WR, Jr.; Will Holland, WR, Jr.; Zy’air Robinson, WR, So.

New Egypt: Lucas Burgos, WR/RB, Jr.; Clyde Ferris, WR, Jr; Eddie Novakowski RB, Jr. Caleb Kowaleski, QB, Sr.; Stephen Meleg, LB, Sr.; Aidan Healy, LB, Sr.; Toby Chao, DB, Jr.; Hudson Knaup, OL, Sr.; Eli Berkowski, OL, Jr.; Justin Kramer DB/WR, Jr.; Evan Goldberg, TE, Jr.; Tommy Merlucci, LB/DE/TE, Sr.; Brayden Nelson, LB/FB, Sr.; Liam Truszkowski, RB, Fr.; Jake Kowaleski, RB, Fr.; Thomas Marabuto, QB, Fr.; Joseph Snyder, WR/DB, Fr.; Darren Pomykala, LB, Fr.; Ryan Pomykala, LB, Fr.

Point Pleasant Beach: Matt Rossi, QB, Jr.; Liam Brosnan, RB/LB, Sr.; Ryan Scannell, WB/LB, Sr.; Danny Neal, WB/LB So.; Danny Cavanaugh, WR/DB/P., So.; Jake Salerno, QB, Sr.; Elijah Ives, RB/DB, Jr.; Justin Tierney, WR/DB, Jr.; Ben Marzarella, TE/PK, Jr.; Jerry Santiago, OL/DL, Sr.; Ronnie Thorn, OL, Sr.; Dennis Giampietro, OL, Sr.; Erick Sanchez, OL/DL, Sr.; Maxton Perrone, OL, Sr.; Ronnie Thorn, DL, Sr.; Michael Marzarella, DL, Jr.; Blaise Sholander, DB, Fr.

Shore: Josh Moeller, QB, Sr.; Brendan O’Brien, RB, Sr.; Atticus Taboada, RB, Jr.; Jack Madalone, WR, So.; Xavier Moro, OL/DL, Jr.; Charlie McQuillan, WR, Sr.; Breadan Miller, TE/DL, Sr.; Cole Torres, LB, Sr.; Michael Marotta, LB., Jr.; Tommy Schroeder, LB, Sr.; John Mazzacco, LB, Jr..

Team-by-team previews

Asbury Park

• Playoff section: South 1
• Coach: Will Johnson, 1st season (0-0)
• Last year: 2-7
• Last three years: 2-7, 5-3, 5-5
• What to watch for: Johnson, a former Asbury Park quarterback and defensive back on its 2007 championship team, looks to stabilize a program that has a new coach in each of the last five seasons. After spending last season in a division with significantly larger schools, Asbury Park is back among the smaller schools in the Shore Conference and, hopefully, on a more level playing field. Johnson has moved sophomore Jason Whittaker from wide receiver to quarterback. Johnson will also be counting on A’meire Massie, a junior, who missed most of last season with an injury. Johnson knows first hand Asbury Park always has athletes and speed. It’s success nearly always comes down to good health, discipline and turnovers on both sides o the ball.

Keansburg

• Playoff section: South 1
• Coach: James Reid
• Last year: 4-6
• Last three years: 4-6, 2-6, 5-4
• What to watch for: The Titans averaged 17.3 points per game last season, but should be better in 2024. James Valle is an athletic quarterback with a veteran, Milan Mara with him in the backfield. The offensive line figures to be improved and so does the defense. Keansburg returns three linebackers and plenty of experience in the secondary.

Keyport

• Playoff section: South 1
• Coach: Charile Marsh, 1st season (0-0).
• Last year: 4-6
• Last three years: 4-6, 2-6, 5-4
• What to watch for: The Red Raiders, the two-time, defending divisional champ, has a new head coach, Charlie Marsh. Marsh replaces Jason Glezman, who is now an assistant at Middletown North. Last season, Glezman installed its sensation RB, Nazir Treadwell, at a handle-the-ball-on-every snap. He ran and passed. Marsh, however, will not do the same thing with returning 886-yard rusher, junior Mekai Henderson. Henderson, a three-sport star with power and speed, will stay at running back. Instead, Darius Applewhite will step in at quarterback. Applewhite will have one of the top wide receivers in the Shore Conference, senior Andrei Matthews (40 catches, 605) to throw to.

Neptune

• Playoff section: South 3
• Coach: Mike Seber, 2nd season (2-7)
• Last year: 2-7
• Last three years: 2-7, 2-7, 4-5
• What to watch for: Seber’s patience may pay dividends. Out of necessity, Seber used young players all over the field in 2024. The inexperience, which was a shortcoming last season appears to have transitioned into a strength this fall. Last season, Neptune opened the season with a victory and then lost seven of its last eight games. The offensive line should be improved and should help Neptune improve offensively. The Fliers scored 26 points in their first game and then only 46 the rest of the way.

New Egypt

• Playoff section: South 1
• Coach: Steve Fence, 10th season (35.52)
• Last year: 3-9
• Last three years: 3-9, 1-9, 8-3

What to watch for: The Warriors make their debut in the Shore Conference in 2024 and arrive with the talent and experience to earn its first winning season since New Egypt went 8-3. The Warriors return 13, full- or part-time starters. Offensively, New Egypt returns two offensive line regulars, its quarterback, a running back and multiple wide receivers. The New Egypt offense struggled late in 2023 when it was outscored, 172-28, in its final five games. One of New Egypt’s victories last season came in the season opener over new division rival, Point Pleasant Beach. New Egypt returns its leading passer, Caleb Kowalski, who threw for 533 yards and No. 1 rusher, Lucas Burgo (490 yards.)

Shore

• Playoff section: South 1
• Coach: Don Klein, 18th season (93-75-1)
• Last year: 6-4
• Last three years: 6-4, 6-4, 7-4

What to watch for: For the first time in 32 years, Shore will not line up in a Wing-T when it has the ball. When Mark Costantino stepped away after 210 wins, four sectional titles and 10 division championships, the run first offense went with him. Klein, a former Shore player, is expected to bring the multiple spread offense he used effectively at Ocean Township. Klein coached 17 years at Ocean and won 93 games. Even with a new head coach and what has to be a foreign offense for the Shore players, the Blue Devils still get the nod as the preseason favorite. Incumbent QB Josh Moeller completed 53 of 103 passes last season for 695 yards. He threw seven TDs and was intercepted five times.

Point Pleasant Beach

• Playoff section: South 1
• Coach: Joe Zaccone, 6th season (15-32)
• Last year: 2-9
• Last three years: 3-9, 3-6, 3-6

What to watch for: The Garnet Gulls appear to have enough returning talent to be a contender in the division. Point Beach is looking to put up its first winning season since in went 7-3 in 2019. Point Beach’s Wing-T offense will center around senior RB Liam Brosnan, one of the top, two-way players in the Shore Conference. Bronsan ran for 1,081 yards last season. Matt Rossi saw limited time as a sophomore in 2024, completing 5 of 15 passes for 101 yards. What provides even more optimism is the return of five offensive linemen with experience. Beach is hoping it can improve an offense that finished near the bottom of the Shore Conference in scoring with a 13.6 points per game average. On the defensive side, the Gulls finished last in points allowed, allowing 31.4 points per game.

NJ.com football writers Luis Torres, Ryan Patti, Bill Evans, Mike Kinney and Kevin Minnick contributed to this post.

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Joe Zedalis covers Shore Conference football for NJ.com. He can be reached at [email protected].

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