Hungry Birds: 2024 Central Regional Football Preview

Through the end of September, Central Regional’s 2023 football season was sinking fast, even after an encouraging season-opening win over Hamilton West. The Golden Eagles lost five games in a row to drop to 1-5 and were shut out three times during the losing streak.

After suffering a second straight shutout loss in a Week 5 rivalry defeat at home to Lacey, the schedule turned in Central’s favor as the Golden Eagles showed off their weapons and charged into the offseason with renewed optimism.

Now that Friday’s season-opener is imminent, Central heads into 2024 with far more returning starters than newcomers and a strong, 3-1 finish in 2023 supplying the players with confidence that 2024 can be even better. Nine starters return on each side of the ball, including five players slated to start on both offense and defense.

Central’s offense has a chance to do more damage this season thanks to the return of its quarterback-tailback duo. Senior signal-caller Joe Vezzosi threw for just under 1,000 yards, while senior running back Nick Ruggiero rumbled for just under 1,000 to go with 13 touchdowns. Seniors Johnny Pitts and Naemeka Amaechina add to the backfield depth – Pitts as the fullback and Amaechina as an additional tailback option.

The receiving corps also remains largely intact, led by explosive 6-foot-3 senior Royalty Riley and last year’s top receiver, senior Liam Hurley. Sophomore C.J. Yates and 6-foot-6 junior tight end Elijah Reeder both played as underclassmen a year ago and will also be reliable targets for Vezzosi in what figures to be a more refined, dangerous passing game.

An experienced offensive line ties it all together, led by three returnees in senior guards Donovan Lange and Jayden Nichols, as well as junior right tackle Robbie Mondella. Junior Ashton Harris will be a key to the line’s success as the new starting left tackle, while junior Brayden Pennell and sophomore Jonathan Kale compete to handle the snaps at center.

Riley, Hurley Reeder, Pitts and Nichols are all in line to start on defense as well, with Lange, Yates, Amaechina and Harris also figuring into the offensive and defensive gameday plans. Nichols and fellow senior Rich Schmidt will play on the ends of Central’s three-man front, with Lange and Harris also part of that rotation. Junior Diego Soto will handle nose guard after cracking the starting lineup last year.

Three of the four starting linebackers are returning starters as well, with Reeder and Pitts on the outside and junior Austin Jarvis playing inside with classmate Zach Cramer. Riley and Hurley are the returning starters at cornerback, while Amaechina and Aidan Graham complete the all-senior secondary as the starting safeties.

Head coach Jarrett Pidgeon took over a program coming off back-to-back losing seasons and has guided the Golden Eagles through a two-year rebuild following a 6-4 campaign in 2021 – his only winning season as Central head coach. With so much experience returning and a strong finish to 2023 still fresh in his team’s memory, 2024 has a chance to be a resurgent season in Bayville.

At a Glance

Head coach: Jarrett Pidgeon, fifth season

Career record: 14-22

2023 record: 4-6

Offense: Multiple Pro

Defense: Multiple

Coaching Staff 

Frank Backle

Thomas Koenig

Mike Bickford

Bill Kvalheim

James Plummer

Brandon Voss

Dennis Pidgeon

Kyle Watson

Nick Miele

Dennis O’Keefe

Athletic trainer: Cassie Dennis

Circle the Date: Saturday, Sept. 21 at Lacey

Geographically speaking, Central and Lacey have a great rivalry as two schools that are essentially located down the road from one another. On the field, however, it has not been much of a rivalry, with Lacey beating the Golden Eagles each of the past five seasons – a streak that followed a seven-year stretch in which the two teams did not play one another. Central is dying to end Lacey’s dominance, particularly after a one-sided, 42-0 win by the Lions a year ago. Central returns a slew of key players on both sides of the ball while Lacey will be replacing most of its starting offense, so if nothing else, the game should be far more competitive this season. If Central can finally conquer its local rival in Week 3, it could set the mood for the remainder of the season.

Rookie Watch: Ashton Harris, Jr., Tackle

Harris is not the youngest player in the Central lineup but he will be a first-year starter for an experienced team. As the new starting left tackle, Harris plays a huge role in protecting Vezzosi, as well as clearing the way for Ruggiero. Central should have enough depth to keep Harris off the field on defense, but he is capable of also helping out as a defensive end if called upon.

Stat to Know

Central has an enviable setup offensively in that the Golden Eagles return their top passer, rusher and receiver from 2023. Vezzosi threw for 941 yards on just over 50 percent passing, Ruggiero ran for 934 and Hurley hauled in 289 yards of receiving on 22 catches. The trio was not enough to get Central to .500 last year, but with an extra offseason together, plus the emergence of players like Riley, Reeder and Yates, there is a chance those numbers prove to be foundational in a turnaround effort.

SCHEDULE

Date                             Team                                    Time

Friday 8/30                    Hightstown                             7 p.m.

Friday 9/6                      @Matawan                             6 p.m.

Friday 9/13                    Toms River East                     7 p.m.

Saturday 9/21                @Lacey                                  1 p.m.

Friday 9/27                    @Southern                             7 p.m.

Friday 10/4                    Barnegat                                7 p.m.

Friday 10/11                  @Brick                                   6 p.m.

Friday 10/18                  Freehold Boro                        7 p.m.

Friday 10/25                  Toms River South                   7 p.m.