The Top 4 Recruits from the Class of 2027 and More From Shore Conference Football Media Day

FREEHOLD – The optimism and excitement levels were high on Tuesday as the annual Shore Conference Football Media Day helped build the buzz for the upcoming 2026 season. 

Players and coaches from 41 of the Shore Conference’s 42 teams made an appearance at Dick’s House of Sport at Freehold Raceway Mall to talk about their hopes for this season, which officially kicks off with Thursday games on Aug. 27. 

Players were treated to Chick-fil-A and ice cream while also getting to test their passing accuracy in between speaking with various local media outlets. 

Many of the Shore’s top returning players were in attendance, including 2025 Shore Sports Insider first-team All-Shore selections like Red Bank Catholic quarterback Rahmir Rivera, running back Gabe Kemp, defensive lineman Lorenzo Tartamella, WR/DB Jason Berecsky, two-way lineman Jordan Key and kicker Simon Picinich, Shore Regional running back Cole Torres, Freehold Township wide receiver Jake Schultzel, Brick Memorial offensive lineman Jaxon Ellis and two-way lineman Jaxon Pacheco, Rumson-Fair Haven defensive lineman Ben Gredell, Toms River North linebacker Jack Baker and QB/DB Cole Garrison, and Holmdel defensive back Michael Todisco. 

Here are a few notes from the day, with more stories, previews and videos on the way in the coming days. 

The Top 4 Recruits from the Shore’s Senior Class 

Four Shore Conference stars from the Class of 2027 who have verbally committed to FBS programs were all in attendance on Tuesday. 

Toms River North linebacker Jack Baker has committed to Duke, Donovan Catholic defensive end Jason Madden has committed to the University of Connecticut and his Griffins’ teammate Jael Hester is headed to East Carolina, and Red Bank Catholic defensive lineman Lorenzo Tartamella has committed to Navy. 

“There were a couple schools in the mix, but Duke really elevated itself above the rest,” Baker said. “It was I think my sixth offer, and after that all the North Carolina schools came in and that opened it up for me, but Duke just had the best fit.” 

“One thing about UConn when I asked about an official offer, they only give people official offers, and I ended up committing on my official visit,” Madden said. “They like my bend, my ability to get off the ball, and my size with my natural frame.” 

None of the commitments are binding until the players sign their financial aid agreements, which cannot occur until the early signing period beginning on Dec. 4. 

The Successors to Jack Cannon and Jason Lajara

Two players with daunting assignments for 2026 are Holmdel sophomore quarterback Tommy Fletcher and Brick Memorial senior quarterback Tyler Pierce. Fletcher takes over for the 2025 SSI Most Valuable Player Jack Cannon, one of the most prolific quarterbacks in Shore Conference history, while Pierce follows SSI Offensive Player of the Year Jason Lajara, who set multiple school records last season.

Not only were those quarterbacks stars, they were winners. Cannon helped the Hornets win their first NJSIAA sectional title in school history, while Lajara was a key cog in a Mustangs team that won its first sectional title in 17 years. One thing that helps each of the quarterbacks is that both teams return a host of All-Shore talent around them.

“Everyone brings up, “without Jack, without Jack,” Holmdel head coach Noel Kavanagh said. “I think obviously Jack was a legendary player. It’s not going to be easy to replace a kid like that. But I feel good about the kids on roster, especially the quarterback, Fletcher. I think he’s done a great job in the offseason. He doesn’t need to be Jack, he needs to be Tommy.

“He’s been doing a nice job of facilitating the ball. We’ve got some good kids coming back with (Michael) Todisco, (Matt) Scheinman, (Anthony) Serini, (Tyler) Carri. I’m really excited to see how that plays out.”

“He’s only a sophomore, but he shows leadership like he’s a senior and keeps getting better every day,” Todisco said. “I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s as good as Cannon one day.”

Pierce saw time last season in a loss to Rumson-Fair Haven and a lopsided win over Brick. He will have his former offensive coordinator, James Mahoney, guiding him as the Mustangs’ new head coach, plus All-Shore receiver Shawn Fowler and tight end Joe Livio among returning weapons on offense.

“Tyler is really good,” Fowler said. “People may not expect that, but he works hard and he will show people. We’re really going to shock people. We’ll see the first game. People will know.”

 4 New Head Coaches in the Shore 

The four new head coaches in the Shore, including three of them taking over for coaches who were there for 15-plus seasons, represented their teams for the first time on Tuesday before they do it for real on the field. 

Brick Memorial’s James Mahoney, Southern’s Matt Abbato, Raritan’s Chris Damian and Lakewood’s Cliff Orwick are all heading into their first seasons at the top of the org chart for their respective teams. 

Abbato has the unenviable task of following the legendary Chuck Donohue Sr., who retired after 52 seasons as a head coach and 28 at Southern during which he built the Rams into a perennially tough program. Abbato had been an assistant for 22 years before getting the head job. 

Southern has been realigned into its traditional home in Class A South after winning the Class B South title last season. Adding another wrinkle is the fact that Southern’s starting quarterback is senior Carson Abbato, the coach’s son. 

“I feel like it’s like a television show,” Abbato said. “You’re coaching your son his senior year, and he’s the quarterback. And I’m taking over for a legend. It’s just like, ‘Write the movie. I’m excited for (Carson), I’m excited for myself, it’s kind of like a dream come true in a lot of ways. Let’s just go get our first win.” 

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 seemingly every other Shore Conference sport at some point. 

Email: scottstump25@gmail.com