Weekly High School Spotlight: Mainland Regional

<!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">In 2022, Mainland Regional went 10-2 ending their season in the state semifinals against eventual state champions, Millville, in Group 4 losing 14-18. This upcoming season, Coach Chuck Smith looks to carry this momentum into 2023 as they seek to win a state championship. Be on the lookout for these players to have a major impact on their run to the top!</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At the helm leading Mainland Regional is Coach Chuck Smith who has been leading the Mustangs as head coach for 7 years and has been a part of the program for 34. He leads his team to stand on 2 main principles which are character and accountability. Also on staff, there are 7 alumni coaches with 2 having NFL experience as players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Mainland Regional Mustangs play at the Mustang Corral where their student section, known as the Corral Crazies, makes it difficult for any opponent to come play in. At home last season, the Mustangs went 4-0 outscoring their opponents 202 to 63. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Building off their season from last year, Mainland Regional and Coach Smith feel great about the players he has. It will be difficult to replace the production from RB/CB [player_tooltip player_id='146663' first='Jabriel' last='Mace'], who scored a total of 26 touchdowns while averaging over 100 rushing yards a game and 5 interceptions last season, as he has signed with Yale University. As they begin their season with clear minds and full hearts, here are 7 players we will be watching to have a major impact on the Mustangs' success next season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Hunter Watson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Mainland Regional","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Hunter Watson is an athletic and versatile EDGE defender who can effectively set the edge versus the run, rush the passer, and drop back in coverage when needed. He has a good first step and swim move to get around offensive tackles and defensive ends to make a play on the runner or quarterback. Due to his size and arm length, Watson makes it difficult for offensives to attack the edge on his side of the field. When rushing the passer, he consistently gets his hands up often knocking passes down or changing the passing lane for the quarterback. Watson is a very good player and will continue to be a force for the Mustangs as he continues to develop his strength and passing rushing plan. Ever since his first offer from Temple in the middle of February, Watson's recruitment has heated up with at least 5 more offers from schools such as Army, UPENN, and Columbia - expect his offer list to continue to grow!","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1087569' first='Cohen' last='Cook']","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Mainland Regional","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1087569' first='Cohen' last='Cook'] is a great versatile athlete who can play multiple positions across the field. He is a physical blocker in the run game and a natural ball carrier. As a WR/H-Back and outside linebacker, Cook makes his present felt with his toughness and physicality. When the ball is in his hands he runs hard behind his pads and constantly churns his legs gaining yards after contact. In the passing game, Cook displays natural and soft hands to catch passes on and away from his body. I can see Cook continuing to work and develop as a running back due to his physical running style and ware down defenses throughout a game. Not only is he an effective football player, Cook is a great backcourt basketball player averaging 17 points per game and recently surpassing 1,000 career points as a Junior. 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Tyson is a great athlete with good acceleration and foot speed who can gain ground quickly. On both sides of the ball, he shows quality hands to catch balls on and away from his body. In the passing game and on jump balls, his basketball experience becomes clear as he can box out and out jump defenders often coming down with the ball. 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Mainland Regional are already a scary opponent to face, but with the further development of their starting quarterback they can be annual playoff dream destroyers for the foreseeable future.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1002362' first='Rocco' last='DeBiaso']","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Mainland Regional","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Similar to other players at his school, [player_tooltip player_id='1002362' first='Rocco' last='DeBiaso'] is an athlete who plays both football and basketball. 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With an expansion in carries and touches this season, be on the lookout for him to continue to make the most of his opportunities and become a pivotal part in the Mustangs' offense in the Fall.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"JJ Sinclair","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Mainland Regional","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"JJ Sinclair is a force as a downhill linebacker. 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