Weehawken: An Elite Program

Crowned Union Division Champs in 2023, Weehawken finished the season a perfect 8-0 with a 28-19 win over Elmwood Park in the Union Division Championship. Weehawken showed pure dominance in 2023 on both sides of the ball. Even more impressive, a ton of the success from 2023 came through the performances of underclassmen that stepped up into big roles and found immediate success.   Offensively, Weehawken will not be slowing down one bit when it comes to the 2024 season. They have a returning QB, RB, and WR1; how could teams prepare for players with as much experience as they have in critical positions? Defensively, Weehawken has the potential to be just as special. Here are some of the top performers returning for Weehawken in 2024.    If Weehawken's season starts off anywhere near how it did in 2023, then they will once again be off to a fast start. In his 2023 season premiere, Christian exploded onto the scene with 4 touchdowns passes, 184 yards through the air and another 77 on the ground. A display of pure dominance, Christian continued his success throughout the season as he helped lead one of the most prolific offenses in the state.   There is good reason to believe Christian and Co. will have as an impressive campaign next season as well. With the duel threat capabilities Christian is equipped with (over 1000 yards combined), Weehawken may be taken as a serious powerhouse in 2024.     [player_tooltip player_id='1021055' first='Emmanuel' last='De La Hoz'] is a threat to defenses from any point on the field. Emmanuel is not the type of runner that strictly punches the ball forward a few yards at a time. On the contrary, Emmanuel is notorious for piecing through the first line of defense and escaping into the open field untouched. A quick pickup when delivered the handoff, Emmanuel can set the tone early in the game and make sure the defense knows they will go up against a challenging offensive rushing effort for a full four quarters.   Taking off for 1211 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2023, Emmanuel really shined last season when he took the ball between the tackles and bounced it to the sideline. Emmanuel's vision allows him to see the field in front of him and find the path of least resistance. If a defense sees Emmanuel taking the direct snap, good luck stopping him. He hits the hole hard and slips on by would-be tacklers.        More and more we are seeing receivers play that hybrid position, whereas they are not strictly utilized trough the air but also on the ground and in motion as well. Eneaz Wells is another one of those athletic, do-it-all receivers lining up for Weehawken. A soon to be senior, Eneaz is a nimble and crafty receiver that can force a defender's hand and get them to whiff on a tackle. Eneaz is a receiver that needs to be taken seriously in the state. While he may have a smaller frame, he's exactly what an offense needs when they need a ball carrier to make a play out of nothing. You will often find Eneaz take a jet sweep to the outside and carve up the defense with his change of speed and direction.   Not only is Eneaz a dangerous ball carrier, but he's just as lethal to defenses before he ever touches the ball. Quick out of his stance, Eneaz can get a corners feet tied up right from the line, and speed on downfield for an easy catch. As quick as his feet are off of the line, Eneaz is just as quick breaking on his route and creating separation for the defender. He did this often in 2023, and it is part of the reason he was able to find the end zone 11 times and rack up 555 yards. Keep a close eye on Eneaz' success in 2024.      The first defender on Weehawken to keep an eye on, Jon Pier Cardenas is a versatile, rugged defender that spearheads a top tier defensive unit. Jon is ruthless in his pursuit of the ball carrier. He has great size for the position, and can force his way to the runner by overwhelming blockers in front of him. Strength is one of Jon's greatest attributes, but it may be his quickness into the backfield that really makes him dangerous to opponent's game plans. Jon has the ability to split blockers in front of him and force early pressure on the quarterback. Getting into the backfield quickly, Jon can get the QB moving and chase them down from behind for a loss. He was able to sack the QB twice last season, and I expect that number to jump considerably in 2024. Jon's ability to move laterally with speed allows him to force the runner to the outside for a group tackle for little to no gain. Lastly, Jon can line up from multiple positions on the defensive side of the ball, making it a challenge to keep track of him and put extra attention towards him.      While Jon Pier Cardenas brings the pressure up front, [player_tooltip player_id='1691916' first='Juan' last='Lozano'] provides the support in the secondary. A 2026 athlete, Juan is a cornerback I see Weehawken relying on more in his junior season. Juan has the ability to develop into something special. As a sophomore, Juan showed flashes of quick reaction time and play making capabilities. Juan excelled at run support, as he was able to recognize the run early on and dart up field to make the tackle. Juan has the dimensions that can turn him into a a scary presence in the secondary. His longer limps could lead to a player that has great top end speed and the ability to snag the ball or swat it out of the air from afar. I think over the next few seasons we may see Juan add some more size to his frame and a few inches to his height, which will both help him become a next level talent.

Crowned Union Division Champs in 2023, Weehawken finished the season a perfect 8-0 with a 28-19 win over Elmwood Park in the Union Division Championship. Weehawken showed pure dominance in 2023 on both sides of the ball. Even more impressive, a ton of the success from 2023 came through the performances of underclassmen that stepped up into big roles and found immediate success.