Northern Highlands: A Dominant Presence in the State

Northern Highlands is one of my favorite teams in the state entering the 2024 season. There is a lot to get excited about up north, and a lot of that stems from the return of Northern Highlands signal caller and offensive weapons. Finishing the 2023 season with a 9-3 record, Northern Highlands was only a few games away from a state championship before falling to Ramapo 10-14 in the sectional finals. Northern Highlands was balanced on both sides of the ball in 2023, and I expect the same next fall. The Highlanders not only held 5 opponents to under 10 points in 2023, but lit up the scoreboard by putting up over 30 points 8 times last season. Look for similar results when the season rolls around.    A player I have covered extensively in the past, and one I regard as one of the top NJs QBs in the 2025 class, [player_tooltip player_id='802075' first='Nate' last='Johnson'] is the main reason Northern Highlands is a contender in 2024.   Nate has nearly every attribute needed to be a lethal signal caller. Starting off, Nate has deep ball strength and accuracy that can be devastating to any secondary he faces off against. With the poise he has in the pocket, Nate can survey the field and dissect the secondary with deadly precision. The zip he can put behind the ball gets it to where it needs to be very quickly, making sure not to give a defender the chance to jump in front of it. Nate picked defenses apart in 2024, tossing the ball for over 2000 yards and 25 touchdowns.   Not only is Nate an excellent passer, but he is a run threat as well. Nate is a durable QB, having the ability to not only stand tall in the pocket for 4 quarters, but also to withstand hard nosed running for the full duration of the game. Nate can make quick decisions in the pocket and tuck it to run when he sees fit. When he takes off with it, you can be sure he'll be on his way to positive yardage. The top rusher from a year ago, Nate picked up 748 yards on the ground and found the end zone 11 times. I am excited to see what offers come Nate's way once the season begins.      Matt Boydell is an athlete in the truest sense. A player that can shine on both sides of the ball, Matt thrives wherever you put him on the field. What makes Matt so dangerous? Outside of his stature (6'2" 200lb), Matt is an explosive player with a natural instinct for the sport. He is able to not only make quick, decisive decisions, but can move in and out of positions to change direction in a dynamic fashion. These skills translate to both sides of the ball, as he demonstrated his ability to fly all over the field from the secondary and dominate on the ground as a runner.   Matt had just under 600 offensive yards and 5 touchdowns in 2023, but there is a strong reason to believe those numbers will jump dramatically next fall. He has all of the characteristics to be an unstoppable force from the running back position, and college are starting to notice. With offers from Navy, Colgate, Bucknell, and Monmouth, Matt will gain more attention when programs see him light up the scoreboard this season.      One of top receivers from Northern Highlands from a year ago, Shane Hanlon will be looking to step it up in 2024 and become the number 1 wide receiver for a talented offensive unit. Shane has everything required to be a star lining up out wide for the Highlanders. Lining up mainly from the slot, Shane absolutely torched defenses on numerous occasions last season when he split the coverage and sprinted by in the middle of the field. Shane has some jets on him, as he bursts out of his stance and quickly accelerates off of the line.   Shane has a knack for getting open. There's nothing fancy about his footwork off of the line or out of his break, but he runs routes with efficiency and uses his speed to either straight up outrun the defender or changes speed in and out of routes to tie up the defender. On top of his route running skills, Shane does an excellent job high pointing the ball and coming down with it cleanly. Bringing in 6 touchdowns and 541 yards to go with it last season, Shane may have the potential to hit double digit touchdowns and surpass the 1000 yard mark next fall.      One of the top returning defenders from a year ago, Jeremiah Rivera will look to extend his success into his senior season. Jeremiah was a terrorizing presence in the secondary in 2023. As a cornerback, Jeremiah displayed fluid hip movement and footwork on par with every receiver he went up against. Glued to the receiver down field, Jeremiah made it very challenging for a QB to have a window to throw into. Jeremiah's man-to-man coverage stands out the most, as he his able to stay mirrored with the receiver and accelerate out of his back paddle to sprint with them. Overall awareness has been key to Jeremiah's success as well, as he has a good understanding of when to get his head around to break up the ball or come down with the interception, which he did four times last season.   On top of the coverage skills, Jeremiah closes in quickly on run support as well, making it tough for any runner to have success in the open field. As an open tackler in 2023, Jeremiah racked up 38 tackles for his defense.      A two way starter for the Highlanders, [player_tooltip player_id='1552346' first='Chase' last='Calarco'] has a lot of promise entering the 2024 season. Focusing on his defensive capabilities to begin with, Chase played a hybrid role as he roamed around in the defensive backfield. He not played a pivotal role in the secondary in coverage, but exceled rolled up near the line for run support. Making 44 tackles in 2023, Chase showed he can accelerate towards the line and take the runner down swiftly. In coverage, Chase is able to stay on top of the receivers and keep the play in front of him. When going after the ball, Chase can outcompete the receiver for the ball and swat it down before they have a chance.   Offensively, Chase played the part of a receiving and rushing threat from the running back position. While his stats from 2023 don't jump out at you, he was extremely efficient with the opportunities he was given. A small, nimble runner coming out of the backfield, Chase is extremely explosive once the ball in his hands. Used often for routes in the flats and for screens, Chase is able to reel the ball in, follow his blockers, and weave in and out of defenders on his way downfield. Receiving wise, Chase found his way to the end zone 4 times last year, showing he can be a dangerous weapon in multiple ways.

Northern Highlands is one of my favorite teams in the state entering the 2024 season. There is a lot to get excited about up north, and a lot of that stems from the return of Northern Highlands signal caller and offensive weapons. Finishing the 2023 season with a 9-3 record, Northern Highlands was only a few games away from a state championship before falling to Ramapo 10-14 in the sectional finals. Northern Highlands was balanced on both sides of the ball in 2023, and I expect the same next fall. The Highlanders not only held 5 opponents to under 10 points in 2023, but lit up the scoreboard by putting up over 30 points 8 times last season. Look for similar results when the season rolls around.