Joe Hofmann
Some people see West Morris’ Tommy Borgia as a wrestler in college.
Not Dave McCarthy.
The author of the highly acclaimed McCarthy Report sees the junior taking down quarterbacks, not opposing wrestlers.
McCarthy rates the 6-2, 240-pound two-way lineman as the best recruit among underclassmen in the Morris-Sussex area.
“He is a much-decorated two-way stud who should be a premier pass rusher on the next level,” McCarthy said. “He screams off the edge and has to be accounted for on every play. He has 15 sacks and 32 QB pressures already in his high school career.”
The McCarthy Report, is a must-get for college recruiters and coaches all across the United States.
He is the son of the late Dennis McCarthy, who founded the McCarthy Report and died in 2017.
Here are the 20 best underclass recruits in Morris-Sussex, according to McCarthy.
2. CHRIS DADAS DL 6-3 310 DELBARTON
Dadas is the latest in a long line of stellar big men for the Green Wave.
“He is a widebody with good feet who is a physical presence and can be tough to move in the middle of the defense,” McCarthy said. “He played a big role in Delbarton’s smothering defense last season.”
3. JACKSON MAGLEY QB 6-1 185 RANDOLPH
Magley follows in a long line of standout quarterbacks for the Rams.
“He is a rifle-armed pocket passer who transferred over from St. Joe’s Regional last season and showed a lot of promise,” McCarthy said.
4. JAMES GIAMMANCO OL/DL 6-4 260 MT OLIVE
Giammanco was often confused on film with former Marauders standout Aidan Lynch, now at Virginia Tech.
“He is a returning two-way starter in the trenches and is athletic for his size,” McCarthy said. “He can play tackle or guard and will get after his man. At defensive tackle, he gets a good jump off the snap and can pressure the QB.”
5. JASIAH BROWN SLOT/DB 5-9 165 MORRISTOWN
The swift and shifty Brown must be accounted for at all times because of his big-play ability.
“He Is a big play waiting to happen on both sides of the ball,” McCarthy said. “He already has a TD reception of 80 yards, a kick return of 90 yards and has three picks at cornerback.”
6. PRINCE JOSHUA, REC/DB (5-10 165) POPE JOHN
7. MICHAEL SCLAFANI, OLB (6-1 190) DELBARTON
8. EMMET CAUGHEY, EDGE (6-4 200) DELBARTON
9. LUKE IRWIN, QB (6-0 200) POPE JOHN
10. AKEI GRIFFIN, DB (5-10 175) POPE JOHN
11. CHAZ CUSIMANO, DB (6-0 155) DELBARTON
12. SAM CONETTA, OLB (6-1 190) POPE JOHN
13. SHAWN BAUMANN, LB (5-11 220) POPE JOHN
14. CARSON FITCH, RB (5-10 190) MOUNTAIN LAKES
15. JAMES DZIKOWSKI, LB/QB (6-0 195) MORRISTOWN
16. JERRON MARTRESS, RB/LB (6-0 195) HIGH POINT
17. KOBE IRBY-MASON, RB (6-1 185) DELBARTON
18. NICK KURILKO, ATH. (6-1 190) NEWTON
19. RAYNELL DERRICK, RB/OLB (5-9 185) MT OLIVE
20. JUZZIAH SHEPPARD, WR/DB (6-2 185) SUSSEX TECH
Cusimano and Sheppard, it should be pointed out, are both freshmen.
For more information, contact McCarthy at:
The McCarthy Report
David McCarthy/Dennis McCarthy (In Memoriam 1942-2017)
P.O. Box 782
Lyndhurst, N.J. 07071
201-933-3009/877-40-SCOUT
Cell: 347-707-0924
Social Media links:
Down Memory Lane
Memories came flooding back when researching my story about local high school football dynasties for Big State Sports in the past few week’s notes columns.
To wit:
1. Back in 1998, the IHC-Iron was especially strong and that was put on display at Giants Stadium at the state finals. In the morning, John Quinn’s Roxbury team beat Plainfield (6-0) before John Porcelli’s Morristown club routed Westfield (37-14).
A short time later, a “gotcha” news side reporter at the Daily Record wrote an article about Quinn, claiming that Quinn thought he was underpaid at Roxbury. I didn’t write it but it appeared in my paper, so Quinn held me responsible. That ruined our relationship for a time. A year or two went by and Quinn and I patched things up. I love it when news side writes things unfavorable (and unnecessary) about a coach and then the football beat writer (me) has to go and patch things up. Quinn said he loved working with me, but had no use for the Daily Record!
The paper did the same thing with John Bauer, Jr., at Randolph. And who did he take it out on? Me!
2. In 2010, Morristown and Randolph won back-to-back state titles at MetLife. The Colonials beat Nutley and the Rams upended Montclair. It was easy to root for both local coaches – both of whom were much-maligned on an old Star-Ledger fan page where a few anonymous losers ripped Morristown coach Chris Hull and Randolph coach Joe Lusardi all year long (a few ripped yours truly anonymously, but that is a story for another time). Hull and Lusardi were great coaches and great people. It was nice to see them win state championships.
3. I’ve written this many times over the years but it bears repeating: Thank God the NJSIAA has placed sectional championship games at high school fields. Back in the day, finals were at Giants Stadium (or Kean, or Rutgers). It was a thrill for the athletes, I guess, but the huge stadiums were mostly empty and totally lacking any juice.
But now, high school stands are jam-packed and fans surround the fence around the field, creating an electric atmosphere. The Roxbury-Mount Olive sectional final last year drew 7,500 and it was the place to be. If that game was held in East Rutherford, the stands would have been empty in comparison. No juice!
Sometimes, decisions regarding where the games were played boarded on absurdity. In 2001, host West Morris beat Mendham in the sectional finals when Keith Allan went in for the two-point conversion in the final seconds and that led to a 15-14 Wolfpack win. Cars were parked seemingly miles away for that one between the two sister schools.
They played again in the sectional finals in 2004 … at Rutgers, which seemed completely dead in comparison – other than the obnoxiously loud music Rutgers PA system blared between each and every play!
4. Hopatcong won two sectional titles under Paul Reduzzi and both were thrillers but with completely different atmospheres.
In 2001, the Chiefs and quarterback Jerry Venturino battled back from a 28-7 deficit and beat Mahwah, 36-35, on Dan McNamara’s 35-yard field goal in the closing seconds. About 5,000 fans turned out for that game at Hopatcong and the place was absolutely buzzing. Ironically enough, the game was supposed to be played at Kean that Saturday morning but the coaches – Reduzzi and Mahwah coach Jeff Remo – had the option of moving it and they settled on Hopatcong (which had the higher seed).
In the sectional final four years later, Hopatcong beat Sparta in overtime, 20-14. The game between two SCIL rivals at … ugh, Rutgers. Compared to a high school site, the neutral site is awful, awful, awful.
5. When Kinnelon won its only sectional title at Kean in 2012, the Colts got off to a 26-0 start … but it was only early in the second quarter. I remember Kinnelon coach Kevin White saying he loved having the monstrous lead but hated having to wait out almost three more quarters. He said it was the longest three quarters of his life.
White was a Wing T guy until that year, when he noticed a lot of weapons and a quarterback in Sean Robbins who could throw it and run it. So White went to the Spread that year and the school, which had only won three playoffs games before that year, won it all.
Not all coaches change their style of play, but White did. He was a deserving Coach of the Year for me for the Daily Record. For that story, I remember asking him if he’d figured it out when it came to coaching football.
His response: “It’s not the X’s and the O’s, it’s the Johnnies and the Joes!” He meant that Kinnelon’s cupboard would be bare the following year. It was.
6. Later that night at Kean, Cosmo Lorusso’s Roxbury team beat heralded (and massively overrated) Pascack Valley, 14-6. The Gaels recovered a Pascack fumble at the Gaels 1 with just under 8 minutes left in the game, strung together five straight first downs running the ball, and ran out the clock. That Gaels team rarely, if ever, passed that year. I remember Roxbury’s O-Line being especially pumped up with pride at game’s end. What a cool way for unheralded linemen to end their football-playing careers.
7. One of the best state championship teams in Morris County history was 1990 Hanover Park. They are certainly one of the most unheralded. The Hornets swept through the season undefeated and walloped a strong Roselle team in the playoffs. So, why didn’t Hanover get its due? It chose the wrong year to be dominant. The 1990 season is when Randolph was in the midst of a state-record winning streak and needed a miracle to beat Montclair for the state championship in North 2, Group IV. Oh, and the Rams legendary coach passed away late in the regular season. If Hanover had had that team in any other year, it would have probably gone down as an all-time great.
Look back at September
A few thoughts and observations from the month of September.
Best three minutes of September – On the night of Sept. 6, the finish to two amazing games took place about three minutes apart on YouTube (Big State Sports). Randolph completed a two-point conversion pass to beat Morristown (23-22). No less than three minutes later, on another channel, Morris Knolls stopped West Morris’ two-point conversion in a Golden Eagles victory (27-26).
Best emotional recovery – Morris Knolls’ Jaylin Jones, who intercepted a West Morris two-point conversion pass on the game’s final play that sealed the Golden Eagles victory. One week earlier, Jones’ house burned down.
Best quarterback – Shane Hoover (Sparta). Hoover made a throw from one hashmark of the field all the way across the field to complete a pass the other day. With most other HS quarterbacks, that’s a floater across the field and a Pick 6. Not Hoover. The kid has a gun. He is going to Seton Hall University to pitch but could probably run a D1 offense if that were the route he chose.
Best running back – Anthony Feaster (Montville). Feaster has electric moves and does what great players tend to do in other sports: He makes those around him better. Defenses must tend to him and that leaves others with one-on-one coverage. He is every bit as good running the ball as he is coming out of the backfield to catch a pass. Lehigh is getting a great one.
Best team (Non-Public) – Delbarton. The Green Wave appear capable of making another deep run in the state playoffs.
Best team (Public) – Great question. Right now, it is Morris Knolls, thanks to its come-from-behind, one-point win at West Morris. Would it surprise anyone if those two met again in the postseason?
Dumbest poll – Any poll that combines Public and Catholic schools. They draw athletes from completely different sources, so why are they combined in a poll? Morris schools such as Mount Olive, Morris Knolls, West Morris, etc. are crowded out of a Top 20 by about 10 Catholic schools who draw their kids from all over. A Catholic school Top 10 or 20 and a Public School Top 20 is the way to go. I don’t understand why other news agencies don’t see it this way.
Biggest head-scratching poll – Writers for the statewide newspaper usually have their heads on right but I’m wondering what on earth was going on when they voted this week. How does a team (Millville) get absolutely drilled (losing 35-7) by another public school (Winslow) and drop ONE SPOT from 7 to 8? Getting blown out by a Catholic school is one thing, but losing by 28 POINTS to another public school should get you ousted from the poll!
Best O-Line – It’s hard to go against Delbarton, which has a pipeline to 1AA and Ivy League schools down through the years and this year should be no different.
Best D-Line – I’m going with West Morris, which put on a clinic (5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss) in a 34-0 win over Randolph. In the summer, new Rams coach Dave Albano told me the O-Line would be solid. That’s how imposing West Morris D-Line has become.
Biggest rise – Did anyone see Chatham’s emergence? No one did. I spoke with many folks over the summer, not one had the Cougars even as a team to watch. But here they are.
Biggest drop – Mount Olive’s surprising loss to Chatham (not an upset) dropped the Marauders from a Top 10 spot among the public schools in New Jersey (justifiably so) to No. 6 in Morris County (behind Delbarton, Morris Knolls, West Morris, Montville, and Chatham, in that order).
Biggest sleeper – Mount Olive. Is anyone out there dumb enough to forget about the Marauders? They will now get a lower seed in the playoffs, but they are as good as anyone in North Group 4 and should not be ruled out.
Best divisional race I – Mount Olive losing to Chatham has thrown the Liberty White wide open with the Marauders, Morris Knolls and West Morris all in the hunt. Should be a fascinating round-robin later this month.
Best divisional race II – Chatham is suddenly a player in the Liberty Blue, although the Cougars have a 34-13 loss to Montville on their resume. Chatham still has Mendham (one of Morris County’s best teams). And the Minutemen have Montville. I’m giving the Mustangs the edge, but the Liberty Blue should be an interesting race.
Best divisional race III – There is a logjam at the top, with High Point, Newton, Sussex Tech, and Kittatinny. Don’t forget about Lenape Valley just yet. High Point seemed to be in the driver’s seat until its wild home loss to Newton.
Best two-team race – The American White will come down to Pequannock and Hanover Park. They are a cut above the rest in the league.
Best two-team race II – The same can be said of the Patriot Red, although I think Sparta will find a way to beat out West Milford for the league crown.
Best move: The NJSIAA saw the ridiculousness of having Shabazz and Weequahic in Group I and acted accordingly, moving Shabazz up to Group II and Weequahic up to Group III.
Most forgotten team – Butler. The Bulldogs are very good this year and could well win the NJIC. So why are they forgotten? They are the lone Morris County school in the NJIC, which is comprised of Bergen and Passaic schools. So the Bulldogs sometimes tend to slip through the cracks. Butler and Cedar Grove appear to be the class of North, Group I this year. It seems crazy to call two-time defending sectional champion Mountain Lakes a sleeper team, but it would be silly to forget about the Herd.
Here and there
1. Mountain Lakes seems to have hit on the right formula. The Herd offense dominated the game on the way to a 42-23 victory over Boonton Friday night. Lakes had started out 0-3 with losses to Weequahic, Pequannock and Hanover Park.
“We had a shorter preseason,” coach Darrell Fusco said. “One less week makes a big difference. People think we just show up and win but winning is hard at this level.
“We played hard and tough against Weequahic. As a coach, we had five false starts. We usually don’t have those in a year.
“The second week, we were a little better. We were right there against Pequannock, but they were better. They’re at a higher level.
“The third game, we had seven starters not play. We were scrambling, but Hanover was better than us.”
Mountain Lakes beat Lenape to get back on the winning track.
“A lot of times in football, there is a mindset, Kids begin to think, ‘We can win these games.’” Fusco said. “When kids get success it feeds the other kids.”
2. Mendham continues running the ball beautifully and has won four straight. The Minutemen are a senior-dominated group and enjoy being around one another. They are a team to reckon with in a very deep North Group III.
“Winning is fun, that’s a big part of it,” running back Cole Capuzzi said. “We have been saying all summer that the senior class is so tight-knit. It is no obligation to come to practice. We want to be there. It is a big program shift that has grown with Coach (Ethan) Jeros. A lot of guys want to be at practice and want success for those around them rather than just themselves. It is not about, ‘How many yards did I have?’ It is all about the team winning and us moving forward.”
3. In grammar school, Randolph QB Jackson Magley gave West Morris fits and won two championship games over the Long Valley Raiders. That is why the Wolfpack stressed rushing the passer all of last week. The gameplan was effective: West Morris won a 34-0 victory with five sacks and seven tackles for loss. Tom Borgia had two of the sacks and two tackles for loss.
“Coach (Henry) Frayne and (Kevin) Hennelly focused on great technique,” Borgia said. “‘Beat the hands, beat the man.’ They said that all week. We worked on hand swipes, swim moves, and a rips move. Those were the main focus in practice. We became good at a few moves. Hennelly said you always have to have two moves in the bag and we focused on that.”
