Credit: Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
Seton Hall Prep Football Ready To Set Sail for 2024
Published: Wednesday, August 21, 2024
by Kyle Ferreira
Bill Fitzgerald’s first six seasons as Seton Hall Prep’s Head Coach have brought great fortune to a once-struggling program. Even though the Pirates did not post a .500 winning percentage last season, they won three of their last four games. This lifted them to the Non-Public A Semifinal Round for a second straight season, but once again ended in defeat, this time to Delbarton.
But 2024 will not be a simple task. Many talented starters from last season’s squad have graduated, especially on the offensive side. New Haven quarterback Liam Londergan and Cornell offensive lineman Tyler Dunn were some of the notable departures for the Pirates.
Regarding the quarterback position, two players have been battling it out for the starting role. Sophomore Kahden Davis and Senior Jack Gilmore both received playing time last season when Londergan was out, and both have shown tremendous growth. Each player having such experience is making this position battle one of the tightest for the program in recent memory.
While a majority of the offense has been turned over, one target is still available and ready to take off. Senior Wide Receiver Caleb Pasols, while not the biggest player, is dynamic and hard to tackle once he puts on the jets. Pasols has a few college offers from the Division III level, but his work ethic is one of a Division I athlete. Defensively, the Pirates are stacked with talent, even with Ohio State defensive back Jaylen McClain and Fordham linebacker Christian Black graduating. The LB core is arguably the best unit on the defensive side; seniors Justin Cook and Marist commit Dylan Gilmore were tackling machines last season with 100+ tackles, and should dominate once again.
Elsewhere on the defense, senior defensive lineman James Dunnneman II and sophomore DB Taylor Daniels are other players to keep an eye on. Dunneman will continue his playing career at Fordham after this season, and Daniels has a few Division 1 offers. Another player to watch out for is senior DL Tyler Amato, who will be hard to stop in the trenches.
But once again, the schedule once again is intense. The Pirates open up against Union at home on August 30th, a matchup that has been decades in the making. Then, games vs St. Joseph (Montvale), DePaul, Delbarton, and away games at Don Bosco Prep and Bergen Catholic are what SHP strives for.
Anyone who follows SHP knows that this team does not back down from anything. The culture established by Coach Fitzgerald has brought tremendous results on and off the field. It won’t be easy with the demanding schedule, but the players and the coaching staff are capable of proving the doubters wrong.
It won’t be surprising if the team has a high win mark, a deep playoff run, and of course, a signature upset.
Kyle Ferreira can be reached at kyle.ferreira@student.shu.eduPosted in: sports,