Championship Performances: Top Defensive Games from State Finals
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<p>New Jersey's high school football season has concluded and new champions have been coronated, while some have reclaimed their thrones as champions. Below are some of the top individual performances from our scholar athletes across the great, Garden State during the biggest game of these athletes' lives.</p>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Tackling Performances</h2>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='1097477' first='Jake' last='Blum'], 2026, Mainland<br><br><em>11 tackles (10 solo), 1 Int; 3 receptions, 51 yards, 1 TD in 16-28 defeat vs. Old Tappan</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='345431' first='Nicholas' last='Rossi'], 2025, Old Tappan<br><br><em>12 tackles (5 solo); 15 receptions, 83 yards, 1 TD</em> <em>in 28-16 victory vs. Mainland</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='624700' first='Tyler' last='Houser'], 2025, Pope John<br><br><em>14 tackles (10 solo) in 21-33 defeat vs. DePaul</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='1530243' first='Jack' last='Baker'], 2027, Toms River North<br><br><em>14 tackles (4 solo), 2 tackles for loss in 41-14 victory vs. Union City</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='1033352' first='Kaden' last='Irby-Mason'], 2025, Bergen Catholic<br><br><em>11 tackles (2 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss in 25-7 victory vs. Don Bosco</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='1561998' first='Dylan' last='Plesser'], 2026, Rumson-Fair Haven<br><br><em>15 tackles (6 solo) in 26-24 victory vs. Shabazz</em></li>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Pass Rushing Performances</h2>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='1540893' first='Shane' last='Small'], 2027, Old Tappan<br><br><em>5 tackles (3 solo), 2 TFL, 2 sacks in 28-16 victory vs. Mainland</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='1270594' first='Jackson' last='Vaughn'], 2028, Bergen Catholic<br><br><em>4 tackles (4 solo), 4 TFL, 4 sacks</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='606208' first='Dorian' last='Kelsey'], 2026, Glassboro<br><br><em>2 tackles</em> <em>(2 solo), 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble in 56-14 victory vs. Cedar Grove</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='402196' first='Brandon' last='Simmons'], 2026, Glassboro<br><br><em>3 tackles (2 solo), 2 sacks in 56-14 victory vs. Cedar Grove</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='1558123' first='Logan' last='Nagle'], 2026, DePaul<br><br><em>4 tackles (2 solo), 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble in 33-21 victory vs. Pope John</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='1515040' first='Ben' last='Carter'], 2027, Winslow<br><br><em>9 tackles (6 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks in 35-0 victory vs. Phillipsburg</em></li>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Top Pass Defending Performances</h2>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='218550' first='Dez' last='Jones'], 2025, DePaul<br><br><em>4 tackles (2 solo), 2 Int; 6 receptions, 85 yards in 33-21 victory vs. Pope John</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='431243' first='Davon' last='Barr'], 2027, Glassboro<br><br><em>8 tackles (5 solo), 1 Int, 1 pick-six in 56-14 victory vs. Cedar Grove</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='402235' first='Nyqir' last='Helton'], 2026, Winslow<br><br><em>1 tackle, 2 interceptions, 1 pick-six; 3 receptions, 43 yards in 35-0 victory vs. Phillipsburg</em></li>
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<li>[player_tooltip player_id='218561' first='Omari' last='Gaines'], 2025, Shabazz<br><br><em>8 tackles (6 solo), 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception in 24-26 defeat vs. Rumson-Fair Haven</em></li>
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New Jersey's high school football season has concluded and new champions have been coronated, while some have reclaimed their thrones as champions. Below are some of the top individual performances from our scholar athletes across the great, Garden State during the biggest game of these athletes' lives.
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