WJFL Players to watch: Diamond, Freedom, Independence

Prep Redzone looks at a few dozen players from the West Jersey Football League that you should watch out for this upcoming season. Most of these players either have offers, earned all-league, all-region, or all-state honors, or contributed on the varsity level last season. Today we look at the WJFL’s Diamond, Freedom, and Independence Divisions. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">DIAMOND</span></h2> <strong>SALEM</strong> <strong>Jahki Coates</strong>|QB|2023 Coates completed 47-of-75 passes for 704 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions in four games last season. Amare Smith|LB|2023 Smith sacked the quarterback seven times in five games last season. <strong>PAULSBORO</strong> <strong>Tyree Thomas</strong>|QB|2022 Thomas completed 42-of-87 passes for 616 yards, ten touchdowns, and two interceptions in seven games last season. <strong>Ameer Bateman</strong>|DB|2022 Bateman made 48 total tackles (32 solo) last season. <strong>PENNS GROVE</strong> <strong>Curt Gould</strong>|QB|2022 Gould completed 45-of-74 passes for 793 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions in nine games last season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="27972" first="Zion" last="Cheeks"]</strong>|LB|2022 Cheeks made 56 total tackles (43 solo, 20 tackles for a loss) last season. He also sacked the quarterback 11 times. <strong>Anthony Thomas Jr.</strong>|5-8|190|RB|2022 <strong>WOODSTOWN</strong> <strong>Austin Leyman</strong>|6-2|200|QB|2022 <strong>Matt Telsey</strong>|6-1|255|OL|2022 <strong>Jordan Carey</strong>|DB|2022 Carey made five interceptions in eight games last season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="172831" first="James" last="Hill"]</strong>|LB|2023 Hill made 49 total tackles (26 solo, seven tackles for a loss) in seven games last season. <strong>BEUNA</strong> <strong>Samir Garrison</strong>|5-9|155|2023 <strong>Nick Wiker</strong>|5-9|180|2022 <strong>GATEWAY</strong> <strong>Nick Tartamosa</strong>|RB|2022 Tartamosa rushed 59 times for 322 yards and one touchdown in six games last season. <strong>Michael Scambia|</strong>6-0|170|DB|2022 <strong>Zach Cruet</strong>|6-3|185|DL|2023 &nbsp; <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">FREEDOM</span></h2> <strong>GLOUCESTER</strong> <strong>Steven Burkhardt</strong>|6-0|173|RB|2022 <strong>Kyrin Nelson|</strong>5-10|175|RB|2022 <strong>BORDENTOWN</strong> <strong>Kerry Nichols</strong>|RB|2023 Nichols carried the football 130 times for 768 yards and seven touchdowns in eight games last season. <strong>Steven Burkhardt</strong>|RB|2022 Burkhardt carried the football 53 times for 560 yards and six touchdowns in four games last season. <strong>Michael Poinsett</strong>|LB|2023 Poinsett made 81 total tackles (18 solo) last season. <strong>MAPLE SHADE</strong> <strong>AJ Cintron</strong>|5-10|155|WR|2023 <strong>Sean Loomis</strong>|5-11|180|RB|2023 <strong>Justin Meehan</strong>|5-7|170|RB|2022 <strong>RIVERSIDE</strong> <strong>Matthew Perry</strong>|6-4|235|DE|2022 <strong>WILDWOOD</strong> <strong>Ernie Troiano</strong>|5-11|170|RB|2022 &nbsp; <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">INDEPENDENCE</span></h2> <strong>OCEAN CITY</strong> <strong>Ray Bozarth</strong>|TE|2022 <strong>CJ Conti</strong>|6-1|255|OL|2022 <strong>Thomas Schutta</strong>|FS|2022 <strong>Riley Gunnels</strong>|6-4|215|QB|2023 <strong>PEMBERTON</strong> <strong>Keeyon Joyce</strong>|LB|2022 Joyce completed 36-of-86 passes for 454 yards and four touchdowns in five games last season. <strong>Gabriel Rivera|</strong>WR|2023 Rivera caught 14 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns in six games last season. <strong>ABSEGAMI</strong> <strong>Ray Weed</strong>|QB|2022 Weed completed 77-of-145 passes for 1,125 yards, 14 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in eight games last season. He also rushed 87 times for 373 yards and seven touchdowns. <strong>EGG HARBOR</strong> <strong>SENECA</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136733" first="Adam" last="Klenk"]|</strong>ATH|2022 Klenk made 68 total tackles (22 solo, 15 tackles for a loss) and sacked the quarterback nine times in seven games last season. He also carried the football 142 times for 853 yards and three touchdowns in seven games last season. <strong>Tom Besser|</strong>LB|2022 Besser made 47 total tackles (12 solo) last season. <strong>OAKCREST</strong> <strong>Owen Haugan|</strong>DB|2022 Haugan made 50 total tackles (21 solo) in seven games last season. <b> </b> &nbsp; &nbsp;