Scoreboards exploded all over Sussex County this fall – and many of the reasons for that offensive output can be found on Big State Sports’ All-Sussex County football team.
Sparta (6-4), which scored over 34 points six times (and eclipsed 42 or more three times) was led by rifle-armed quarterback Shane Hoover (170 for 244 for 2,491 yards and 27 touchdowns, just 3 INTs this year).
The last two years, Hoover has shown himself to be one of the best QBs ever at a school that has produced an assembly line’s worth of great ones.
During his brilliant two-plus years running Sparta’s attack (he took over the position midway during his sophomore year), Hoover has completed 417 passes in 612 attempts for 5,902 yards and 69 TDs (just 18 INTs).
Incredibly, Hoover puts on the pads as a hobby. He will pitch for Seton Hall University next year.
Sparta receiver Christian Brevig, meanwhile, caught 69 passes for 959 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was good last year (25 for 375, 6 TDs) but blossomed into great in 2025 not only at catching the ball but rolling up yardage after the catch.
High Point (8-2) went over 34 points eight times, including the final seven weeks of the year. The ringleader was running back Jerron Martress, who rushed 233 times for 1,153 yards and 19 touchdowns. Martress is arguably the best running back in school history after having run up 3,184 yards and 47 touchdowns, including 26 TDs last year.
Newton (5-4) ran the ball beautifully out of the Wing-T and went over 33 points five times thanks in part to the running ability of Nick Kurilko, who rushed for 1,205 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Kittatinny (8-3) was led by stellar two-way quarterback Jack Brex, who led the team to the second round of the state playoffs. Brex was 100 for 171 passing for 1,285 yards and 15 touchdowns and was also 117 for 718 rushing.
Warren County’s Warren Hills (5-5) received a big season out of quarterback Cohl Stevens, who threw for 2,141 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed 105 times for 816 yards.
The big head-turner on the All-Sussex defense was Vernon DE Gavin Wilczewski, who set the school record for sacks (15) and also had seven tackles for loss, an interception, a defensive touchdown, and forced two fumbles.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Big State Sports’ 2025 Sussex Player of the Year is Martress, who was gameplanned for all week long, every week, and still managed to churn out big yardage week after week.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Kittatinny’s Joe Coltelli’s team was the lone Sussex club to advance in the state playoffs. The Cougars defeated Wallkill Valley (12-7) for the second time this year in the first round of North 1, Group I.
TEAM OF THE YEAR: The best Sussex team was Sparta, which didn’t lose to a Sussex team this year. Coach Frank Marchiano’s club beat Vernon (34-20), which beat High Point (35-28). The best team in the entire area (including the Warren schools in the Super Football Conference) may well have been Warren Hills, which walloped Vernon in its opener (38-7), gave mighty West Morris a game before losing (28-27), and suffered a fourth-quarter loss at formidable Summit in the first round of the state playoffs (24-21).
ALL-SUSSEX
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB-Shane Hoover (Sparta)
SKILL-Jack Brex (Kittatinny)
SKILL-Jeron Martress (High Point)
SKILL-Nick Kurilko (Newton)
SKILL-Cohl Stevens (Warren Hills)
OL-Alex Conway (High Point)
OL-Sean Dietz (Newton)
OL-Seth Gary (Sparta)
OL-Quinn DiGiovanni (Vernon)
OL-Evan Kennedy (Pope John)
WR-Christian Brevig (Sparta)
WR-Mekhi Garrett (Warren Hills)
PK-Jacob Woods (High Point)
RET-Zayne Carswell (Pope John)
FIRST TEAM
DEFENSE
DL-Gavin Wilczewski (Vernon)
DL-Max Faye (Newton)
DL-Matt Akerman (Lenape Valley)
DL-Waylon Harper (Kittatinny)
DL-Nick Reiss (Warren Hills)
LB-Matt Tyburczy (Hackettstown)
LB-Gavin Mericle (Sussex Tech)
LB-Stone Herbison (Sparta)
LB-Sam Conetta (Pope John)
LB-Rocco Restel (Wallkill Valley)
DB-Brendon Lehman (High Point)
DB-Niko Martinez (Kittatinny)
DB-Davey Rhinehart (Warren Hills)
DB-Scottie Weiss (Wallkill Valley)
DB-Michael Certo (Hopatcong)
P-Seamus Corcoran (Pope John)
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
SKILL-Zachary Paseler (North Warren)
SKILL-Nate Kimkowski (Vernon)
SKILL-Prince Joshua (Pope John)
SKILL-Brady Shagawat (Sparta)
OL-Nicolas Hamarcak (Wallkill Valley)
OL-Brandon Anema (Warren Hills)
OL-Sebastian Chiong (Sparta)
OL-Chase Grant (Lenape Valley)
OL-Hayden Hines (High Point)
WR-Connor Hoebee (Wallkill Valley)
WR-Kolton Maney (Hackettstown)
PK-Jacob Woods (High Point)
RET-Gavin Bruno (Vernon)
SECOND TEAM
DEFENSE
DL-Shawn Baumann (Pope John)
DL-Thadeus Lanfrank (Warren Hills)
DL-Jack Carr (Wallkill Valley)
DL-Josef Zoltak (Sussex Tech)
LB-Akei Griffin (Pope John)
LB-Evan Cotter (Newton)
LB-Roman Volpe (Kittatinny)
LB-Slade Muller (High Point)
LB-Michael Soricelli (North Warren)
DB-Yazir Register (Pope John)
DB-Anthony Settembre (Sparta)
DB-Ethan Alfonso (Wallkill Valley)
DB-Mike Strong (Kittatinny)
P-Matt Ellsworth (Newton)
