Rising Freshman Shore to Make Waves Down the Shore (Conference)
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Some freshman come into high school carrying a tradition or maintaining a culture. Others come in and made their own on a program in need. To put that in shore terms, some come in and ride the wave; while others…
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Continue ReadingSome freshman come into high school carrying a tradition or maintaining a culture. Others come in and made their own on a program in need. To put that in shore terms, some come in and ride the wave; while others come in riding their own wave.
This batch of newly-scouted rising freshman from the Shore Conference are in a position to go either way, depending on the state of their program. Make no doubt about it though, this list of names will be making waves this fall one way or another.
The Freehold Boro Colonials’ athletic program benefits from having a basketball player who plays football… or maybe it is a football player who plays basketball? Either way, 6 foot 145lb WR Damier Lester Damier Lester 6’1″ | 155 lbs | WR Freehold Boro | 2026 NJ will be a force to be reckoned with the next three years. You can pick the playing surface because it likely will not matter.
In two varsity games last fall Lester made 5 grabs for 73 yards. One of those catches went for a score. On film we see that Lester tracks the ball in the air well. He gets over the top on defenses because he consistently wins his release at the LOS. Savviness is also a part of this young man’s game, as whenever he breaks off a curl route he happens to be near the line to gain. With the ball in his hand, particularly when returning, Lester sees a seam and hits it. I truly hope Lester has put in his work both in the weight room and on the track this offseason because the speed and size of varsity ball is much bigger and faster than what he dominated on at the freshman level.
The more and more I read up on and watch the Matawan Huskies, the more and more I am liking their future prospects. With rising sophomore QB Am’ir Martinez De Scott set to return, their signal caller is flanked by rising freshman ATH Welman Crooms Welman Crooms 5’10” | 145 lbs | ATH Matawan | 2026 State NJ . Crooms comes ready to play at 5’10” 145lbs and does a little bit of everything for the Huskies.
Crooms impacted the game several ways. He made 29 tackles and 1 Int on defense, while slashing, respectively on the ground and through the air 25/245/1 and 27/437/3. Crooms might have took ballet as a kid, because this young man stops, goes, and dances to set up defenders. It is as if he has them on a string the way he evades them and they miss him. Crooms is full speed ahead off the LOS and adjusts to the ball well in flight. He has an uncanny knack to come down victorious with jump balls thrown his way. Crooms has shown instances where he can absorb contact, bounce off, and keep running as well. Defensively he jams as if his name was “Smuckers.” He will not, however, get caught up in the one-on-one battle. He will shed his assignment and play run support.
At such a young age there is so much to like about Crooms game. For his sake, I pray that he does the right thing and walks a higher path the next four years. Should he, the admissions door at every university in the nation will be open for him.
Highlights
Donovan Catholic has two young Griffins at the skill positions that should be terrorizing defenses for the next few seasons. We already covered RB Najee Calhoun Najee Calhoun 5’11” | 180 lbs | RB Bergen Catholic | 2026 State NJ and all he can do in between the tackles. Outside along the perimeter is where 5’10” 160lb WR Emanuel Gerena Emanuel Gerena 5’10” | 160 lbs | ATH Donovan Catholic | 2026 State NJ does his work. Although he pitched in on offense (3/26 rushing and 14/213/2 receiving), Gerena got the most burn on defense, where he made 27 tackles, 1 Int, and 4 PBUs. These stats reflect his work on varsity only.
Gerena is adept at making the touch catch-in-traffic on the deep ball. He does this by tracking the ball well and refusing to get out muscled. He runs crisp routes for such a young WR. By doing so, the passing concepts open up for easy, open grabs in his direction. An underrated trait, Gerena has a strong sense of how to avoid defenders and contact after securing the grab. Defensively Gerena will play the hands of WRs rather than the ball. From his safety spot he does a nice job to sniff out and blow up screens. Gerena has shown flashes of brilliance at times. I am really excited to see how a full high school offseason impacts his game as he readies for his sophomore campaign.
The Holmdel Hornets season did not go to plan. However, when you have an opportunity to get the feet of a freshman QB wet toward the end of the season, there is hope and optimism for the future – even more so when that QB’s surname is “Cannon.”
Enter 6 foot 170lb Jack Cannon Jack Cannon 6’2″ | 200 lbs | QB Holmdel | 2026 NJ . Also a lacrosse player, in limited run Cannon was 10/23 for 130 yards with 1 TD and 2 Int. He rushed 6 times for 43 yards and actually caught 1 pass for 32 yards as well.
There is something about the way Cannon throws the ball when he has a clean pocket. It is quintessential, picturesque pitch-and-catch. It truly is poetry in motion. Cannon is very skilled at throwing the fade. When is first read is not available, he will scramble and roll out, keeping eyes down field looking for a coverage to bust. More than others, he can deliver an accurate strike when mobile. Areas to grow as he is handed the reigns to the offense are: a 7on7 summer circuit should clear up timing with his WR so he can hit them in stride; and as he gets more playing time, the speed of the game will slow down so he does not feel rushed in the pocket.
Highlights
Tight Ends are something of a lost art, a relic of the game’s past. That is why I get so giddy when I get to write about one! Long Branch has one of the few freshman TEs we need to know about in 2023.
Representing the Green Wave is Miguel Maldonado Miguel Maldonado 6’0″ | 230 lbs | TE Long Branch | 2026 State NJ . Maldonado comes strapped at 6 foot 230lbs and is a dual threat. He caught 8 passes for 75 yards, scoring once last fall. He also made 12 tackles, 3 for a loss, and 2 sacks. Remember: these are just his varsity stats we recovered. More to come on Maldonado during his freshman campaign’s sequel.