New Jersey HS Football Players to Watch: Big Central Division 5

Prep Redzone looks at a few players that we think you should monitor in Division 5 of the Big Central. <h2><span style="font-size: 24pt;"><strong>DIVISION 5A</strong></span></h2> <strong>COLONIA</strong> Jake Ciencin/WR/2022 Jermaine Ellis/DL/2022 Jonathon Diaz/DL/2022 Masini Rivituso/OL/2022 Josh Prophete/RB-LB/2022 Josh Olumeri/S/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="172832" first="Jaeden" last="Jones"]/DB/2024 Colonia has a promising rushing attack coming back for the 2021 season. [player_tooltip player_id="172832" first="Jaeden" last="Jones"], Josh Olumeri, and Josh Prophete all rushed for over 380 yards. <strong>CRANFORD</strong> Kevin Shriner/OL-DL/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="115062" first="Matt" last="Fries"]/OL-DL/2022 Shane Van Dam/QB/2022 Shane Van Dam split time with a senior who has since graduated. Van Dam completed 29-out-of 63 passes for 455 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. <strong>ISELIN KENNEDY</strong> Isaiah Cherry/WR-DB/2022 Jeffrey Rodriguez/WR-DB/2022 Justin Suero/WR-DB <strong>LINDEN</strong> Ibn Yusef-Nadir/DE/2022 Jahaad Halsey/LB/2022 Adrian Cuervo/LB/2022 Ibn Nadir led the team in sacks with four and was second in total tackles with 42 (24 solo). Adrian Cuervo led the team with 50 total tackles (24 solo). Jahaad Halsey was fourth on the team in total tackles with 39 (18 solo). <strong>SCOTCH PLAINS-FANWOOD</strong> Isaiah Allen/WR-DB/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="215737" first="Anthony" last="Robinson"]/RB/2022 Robinson carried the football 74 times for 559 yards (7.6 ypc.) and six touchdowns during the 2020 season. <h2>DIVISION 5B</h2> <strong>EDISON</strong> Jaden Peart/WR-DB/2022 Mathew Yascko/QB/2023 [player_tooltip player_id="181934" first="Malcolm" last="Stansbury"]/WR-DB/2023 [player_tooltip player_id="146680" first="Adekunle" last="Shittu"]/DE-OL/2023 Jaden Peart caught 20 passes for 274 yards (13.7 ypc.) and three touchdowns last season. Matthew Yasco comes back as one of New Jersey’s top 2023 quarterbacks. Yasco completed 88-out-of-155 passes for 1,129 yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions. [player_tooltip player_id="146680" first="Adekunle" last="Shittu"] made 50 total tackles (31 solos) and sacked the quarterback 5 times in six games last season. <strong>NEW BRUNSWICK</strong> Amier Alford/RB-LB/2022 Bryand Garcia/OL-DL/2022 Kiefer Gomez/OL-DL/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="181935" first="Eli" last="Rodriguez"]/DB/2023 <strong>NORTH BRUNSWICK</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="214413" first="Frankie" last="Garbolino"]/QB/2023 [player_tooltip player_id="211999" first="Marquis" last="Perry"]/ATH/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="28010" first="Jayden" last="Myers"]/WR/2022 Favion Johnson/OL-DL/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="181906" first="Jared" last="Tynes"]/DE/2023 <strong>SAYREVILLE</strong> Rodney Acquah/FB-LB/2022 Ryan Bouchard/OL-DL/2022 Santana Fonseca/OL-LB/2022 <h2>DIVISION 5C</h2> <strong>EAST BRUNSWICK</strong> Jayden Phillip/WR/2022 Romeo Diaz/LB/2022 Noriana Smith/DB/2022 Shawn Bernstein/LB/2022 East Brunswick’s defense has its top three tacklers returning for the 2021 season. Noriana Smith finished first on the team in total tackles with 67 (solo). Romeo Diaz finished at No. 2 with 60 total tackles (41 solo) and Shawn Bernstein at No. 3 with 57 total tackles (37 solo). Jayden Phillip caught eight passes for 212 yards and four touchdowns last season. <strong>JP STEVENS</strong> Clarance Dixsoin/LB-RB/2022 <strong>OLD BRIDGE</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="28032" first="Owen" last="Haughney"]/QB/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="190978" first="Lawrence" last="Hunter"]/RB-LB/2022 Luke Maisonet/OL-DL/2022 Jake McAleavey/WR-DB/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="28032" first="Owen" last="Haughney"] completed 41-out-of-91 passes for 759 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions during his junior year season. <strong>PERTH AMBOY</strong> Erick Brito/WR-DB/2022 Matthew Fernandez/OL-DL/2022 <strong>SOUTH BRUNSWICK</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="181907" first="Damarion" last="Potts"]/WR/2023 [player_tooltip player_id="181905" first="Vince" last="Jairdullo"]/QB/2023 <h2>DIVISION 5D</h2> <strong>BRIDGEWATER-RARITAN</strong> Ryan Luis/OL/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="211209" first="Brady" last="Kurdyla"]/QB/2022 Dylan Corsi/WR-DB/2022 <strong>ELIZABETH</strong> Gregory McQueen/WR/2022 Wendell Caden/DB/2022 <strong>RIDGE</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="190977" first="Michael" last="Olivo"]/ATH/2022 [player_tooltip player_id="190979" first="Lucas" last="Hudkins"]/FB-LB/2022 Matthew Lusardi/TE-LB/2022 <strong>ST. JOSEPH</strong> Rocco Bellemy/LB-FB/2022 John Furinao/DL-OL/2022 <strong>UNION</strong> David Igbinosun/DB/2022 David Igbinosu is one of the top prospects in the northeast region. We’ll have more on the top returning players in New Jersey in the upcoming weeks.