Back to Basics: 2025 Ocean Football Preview

Head coach Chad King knows what a quintessential Ocean football team should look like. 

“We want to bring this thing back to what Ocean used to be – tough, grinders, win games we weren’t supposed to win,” King said. 

The second-year Spartans coach has firsthand knowledge as a former Ocean star himself. Now he’s trying to put more of his stamp on the program in its second season after Ocean finished 3-7 in his first year at the helm. 

“Getting to know the kids more in the offseason and coaching track in the spring, it’s just building those relationships,” King said. “It has paid dividends.” 

The goal is to make a run at a state playoff berth and the title in the newly realigned Class D North, which features Asbury Park, Freehold, Neptune and Raritan. Ocean’s last division title came in 2022. 

Offense

With offensive coordinator Greg Penta departing to take the head coaching job at St. John Vianney, Ocean has scrapped the flexbone option offense it employed last season in averaging 17.4 points per game. 

New coordinator Bill Wilde, a veteran coach with past success at New Milford and Hackensack, will run a multiple I-formation attack based on power running. He has seven returning starters to work with. 

Junior Jordan Gaudious and senior Mickey McGovern are competing for the starting quarterback spot, while running back looks to be by committee. Gaudious led the team with 444 yards passing and 4 touchdowns last season after stepping into the starting role as a sophomore midway through the year. Whichever player doesn’t win the starting spot will then see time at wide receiver. 

The Spartans were dealt a blow in the offseason when budding star Alex Staten, a junior running and receiving threat, transferred to Donovan Catholic. He led the team with 522 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns and also had 13 catches last year. 

Senior Josh Calixte, who has drawn FCS interest from Wagner, is a returning starter at running back, where senior De’Antae Richardson, who is 6-foot and 260 pounds, will be a battering ram option. Freshman Brayln Thompson, the younger brother of former Spartans star tailback Tyler Thompson, should also see some carries along with senior Hayden Ansell. 

“We’re using the same philosophy as far as ball control,” King said. “We want to control the clock and be physical up front. We have four guys we feel confident can run the ball.” 

Six-foot-3 senior Jack Varley is a returning starter at wide receiver, where junior Justin Farina and senior Mike Martin, who started on defense last year, are also targets. Junior Johnny Manganiello will also be in the receiving group. 

Senior Matt McGlennon is a returning starter at center to anchor the offensive line, which will also feature senior guard Ryan Paradiso and junior guards Nick Caplan and Tae’Jon Nevins. The tackles will be senior Malakhi Hundley and sophomore Jose Siquenza. 

Sophomore kicker Joe “The Toe” Bercovicz returns after hitting a pair of field goals, including a 37-yarder, and making 22 PATs last year. 

Defense

The defense returns almost everyone from last year, including three starters on the defensive line, as it tries to improve on allowing 24.6 points per game. 

“We played a lot of young guys last year, so we’ve got some experience,” King said. 

King has relinquished his defensive coordinator duties, with veteran coach Val Barnaby stepping in as the new DC. 

Calixte is back at defensive end after registering 41 tackles and 5.5 sacks last season, and Ansell returns at the other defensive end spot after finishing with 69 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks. 

Richardson is a returning starter at defensive tackle, with Siquenza at the other tackle spot. 

The Voleks, juniors Dom and Jake, are both returning starters at linebacker after combining for 94 tackles last season. Senior Nick Alessi steps in at the other linebacker spot after seeing time last year. 

The secondary should be a strength with Martin and McGovern both returning as the safeties and Varley and senior Eric Brandimarte both back as the starting cornerbacks. Sophomore Aidan Zacharczyk will handle the punting. 

Ocean opens the season with an old-school rivalry between friends. They play Long Branch, where King was a longtime assistant and then head coach for two seasons before taking the Ocean job. King and the Spartans will be facing a Green Wave team led by Ben Woolley, his former assistant. 

“It’s great for both communities,” King said. “Rivalries have gone away in the Shore Conference. Just to be able to play Long Branch and bring back some of that history, it’s a great way to start the season for both of us.” 

Ocean at a glance 

Head coach: Chad King, 2nd season

Career record: 17-16

2024 record: 3-7

Offense: Multiple I-formation

Defense: 4-man front

Coaching Staff

Offensive coordinator: Bill Wilde 

Defensive coordinator: Val Barnaby 

Special teams coord./DB: Hank Limardo

WR: John Molinelli

OL/DL: Alex Iachetta

QB: Dave Flemming

Freshman: Donald Carey

RB/LB: Tye Coleman

Athletic trainer: Katelyn Zimmerman

Circle the Date: Aug. 28 vs. Long Branch 

It’s not a divisional game, but it’s an important one for two proud programs looking to recover from losing seasons. Long Branch is coming off a 1-8 season, while Ocean was 3-7, so getting a win right out of the gate could change the complexion of the season. This old-school rivalry also features former Long Branch head coach Chad King, now Ocean’s head man, coaching against his old squad and coach Ben Woolley. 

Newcomer to Watch: Brayln Thompson, Fr., RB/WR/DB

The last of the standout Thompson brothers to play for Ocean, Brayln should see some carries out of the backfield and be used in the passing game and secondary.

Schedule 

Date	Opponent	Time
Thursday 08/28	Long Branch	6 p.m.
Friday 09/05	Matawan	7 p.m.
Friday 09/12	Raritan	7 p.m.
Friday 09/19	@Asbury Park	5 p.m.
Friday 09/26	Freehold Boro	7 p.m.
Friday 10/03	@Red Bank	6:30 p.m.
Saturday 10/11	@Neptune	1 p.m.
Saturday 10/18	@Colts Neck	11 a.m.
Friday 10/24	Central	7 p.m.