2025 Shore Sports Insider Defensive Player of the Year – Brick Memorial’s Trey Tallmadge
Brick Memorial senior linebacker Trey Tallmadge saved his best for last.
In a season in which he battled a hamstring injury, he ended his brilliant high school career with a pair of stellar games in high-profile playoff games.
Tallmadge finished with 12 tackles, four for a loss, as the Mustangs registered their lone shutout of the season in a 28-0 win over Middletown North in the Central Jersey Group 4 final. It marked Brick Memorial’s first state sectional title since 2008.
The Mustangs then faced the state’s top-ranked public school program in the Group 4 semifinals. Winslow Township entered with record-setting quarterback Jalen Parker and an offense filled with FBS talent. No public school team had held the Eagles under 26 points all season, and they were averaging 41 points per game against public school opponents.
Brick Memorial held them to two scores in a 14-12 heartbreaker in which they nearly ended Winslow’s 23-game winning streak against public schools. Tallmadge had 13 tackles, four for a loss, as the Mustangs’ defense played its best game of the year.
Tallmadge, who was already Brick Memorial’s all-time leading tackler before the season started, is Shore Sports Insider’s Defensive Player of the Year for the 2025 season.
Brick Memorial linebacker Trey Tallmadge celebrates after a tackle (Photo by Patrick Olivero)
He finished with 66 tackles, 10 for a loss, and two interceptions despite missing five of Brick Memorial’s 13 games and part of a sixth with a hamstring injury. He even stepped in at quarterback in the team’s first two games when SSI Offensive Player of the Year Jason Lajara was out with an illness and helped the Mustangs beat Central Jersey Group 2 finalist Wall 35-7. He had 10 tackles, a tackle for a loss and an interception against the Crimson Knights while also throwing for 213 yards and two touchdowns and running for 98 yards and two scores in his first game at quarterback since playing at the youth level.
The most universally praised defensive player in the Shore Conference by opposing coaches, Tallmadge was also named the Defensive Player of the Year in the strong Class A South division by the coaches. He helped the Mustangs win a share of the division title.
He is a two-time, first-team All-Shore selection who finished his career with a school-record 308 tackles, 44 tackles for a loss, 9 forced fumbles and 5 interceptions.
Tallmadge will continue his career at Sacred Heart University.
Scott Stump is the football editor and a reporter for Shore Sports Insider. He first started covering Shore Conference football in 1999 and has covered basketball, baseball and seemingly every other Shore Conference sport at some point.
Email: scottstump25@gmail.com
