Brendan O'Brien, Shore Regional football

New Blue: 2024 Shore Regional Football Preview

Head coach Don Klein has returned home to Shore Regional. He’s just rearranging the furniture a little bit.

Klein has succeeded retired Hall of Famer Mark Costantino after a successful 17-year run at Ocean, and he’s brought a new offense with him.

He will take over a team that graduated 17 seniors and only returns three starters on offense and three on defense.

The offense

The traditional run-based Wing-T that Shore employed for 32 years and four state championships under Costantino has been replaced by a multiple pro-style attack like the one Klein ran at Ocean.

“I think they’ve been excited about the change,” Klein said about his team. “Shore was effective with (the Wing-T) for a long time, but I think that there’s some optimism with the new system in regards to how diverse the distribution of the ball will be. We’re going to keep people honest by attacking all levels of the field in the pass game. Plus, even though things are different, there’s some familiarity with the run game with what they’ve done in the past.”

Senior Josh Moeller returns as the starting quarterback, where he will be a dual threat under new offensive coordinator R.J. Read. Moeller threw for 511 yards and 5 touchdowns and ran for 118 yards and 4 touchdowns last season for an offense that averaged 19.5 points per game.

“He’s got the athleticism to hurt people on the ground, and we’ve been working with him on his throwing mechanics,” Klein said. “He has thrown the ball more in the preseason than his entire life.”

Senior Brendan O’Brien returns as the starting running back after rushing for a team-high 441 yards and 5 touchdowns last year. Sophomore Cole Torres steps in as another running threat.

Bob Badders | rpbphotography.com - Brendan O'Brien, Shore Regional football'Brien, Shore Regional football

Senior Brendan O’Brien (27) returns as a starting running back and linebacker for head coach Don Klein in his first year leading his alma mater. (Bob Badders | rpbphotography.com).

The wide receiving crew is all new in an offense that projects to throw the ball much more than it has in decades. Seniors Braeden Farmer, Charlie McQuillan and Kyle Trimble will be joined by juniors Enzo Cagliastro and Jack Madalone among the wideouts. Senior Braden Miller and junior Riley Smaltini will be the tight ends.

Senior Xavier Moro returns as a four-year starter at center to anchor the offensive line. Junior Mike Russomano and senior Jake Banach are competing for the right guard spot, junior Kelty Connors will be at left guard, senior Jose Cruz-Rosario is at left tackle and junior Jayden Cox will be the right tackle.

Junior John Mazzacco will handle the placekicking, and Torres will be the punter.

The defense

The Blue Devils will go with a multiple four-man front on defense for a unit that finished seventh in the Shore last season in allowing only 14 points per game.

Seniors Rory Burkhardt and Braden Miller will be the defensive ends, with Smaltini also in the rotation. The defensive tackles will be a rotation of Moro, Russomano, Torres and senior Domenico Sciarappa.

The linebackers should be a strength of the team, as senior Tommy Schroeder returns at linebacker after leading the team with 86 tackles last season. O’Brien is also back after finishing with 51 tackles last year. Mazzacco and junior Mike Marotta round out the linebacking group.

McQuillan and Madalone are the starting cornerbacks, with Cagliastro and Farmer as the safeties. Trimble and junior Vinny Sasso are also in the rotation.

“I think we’re a physical group on defense, and we play fast and run to the football,” Klein said.

A new era

Klein knows he’s stepping into some big shoes after Costantino compiled a 210-118-1 career record and 10 division titles in addition to four state sectional championships during his tenure.

“Following Coach ‘Cos’ is a great opportunity,” Klein said. “It’s rare that you have somebody there for as long and be as successful as ‘Cos’ was, so we’re looking to maintain the level of success that’s he had.”

Klein had a good run at Ocean, but his alma mater was always in the back of his mind.

“All along if the Shore job had opened, I knew that I would have interest in it,” he said. “It’s home. My father played at Shore, I played at Shore, we live in Oceanport, and my daughter is a sophomore at Shore. It’s just a feeling of excitement coming to the program and being able to implement my philosophies. It’s what I hoped it would be in regard to the energy we’ve been able to bring.”

The Blue Devils look to be a contender in the newly formed Class D North, which includes fellow Group I programs and traditional rivals Asbury Park, Keansburg, Keyport, and Point Beach, plus Neptune and Shore Conference newcomer New Egypt.

 

 

At a Glance

Head coach: Don Klein, 1st season, 18th season overall

Career record: 93-75-1

2023 record: 6-4

Offense: Multiple/pro-style

Defense: Multiple 4-0

 

Coaching Staff

Defensive coordinator: Erik Mammano

Offensive coordinator/QB: R.J. Read

OL: Rich Read, Jon Remedios

RB: Joe Rankin

WR: Marcque Ellington, John Vaccarelli

DL: Phil Green, Paul Christopher

LB: Anthony Tedesco

DB: Pete Vincelli, Blaine Netterman

Athletic trainer: Joe Amicucci

 

Circle the Date: Sept. 20 vs. Keyport

The Red Raiders are coming off two straight division titles and feature some dynamic skill players, so this looks like an early separation game in the Class D North race. It also will be important for playoff qualification and seeding down the road, in addition to being a longtime, small-school rivalry that has produced some great games.

 

Rookie Watch: Cole Torres, So., RB/DL

The 5-11, 185-pound sophomore is a fast and physical runner who also will see time on the D-line for the Blue Devils this season.

 

Stat to Know

Shore is like the Pittsburgh Steelers when it comes to coaching stability. Klein is just the third different Shore Regional coach since 1982. Before Mark Costantino coached the Blue Devils from 1992-2023, Bob Rolak had a great run from 1982-91 in which Shore won two state titles and four division titles.

 

SCHEDULE


 

Friday 9/6 Pinelands 7 p.m.
Friday 9/13 @Point Beach 7 p.m.
Friday 9/20 Keyport 7 p.m.
Saturday 9/28 @Keansburg Noon
Friday 10/4 New Egypt 7 p.m.
Thursday 10/10 @Neptune 6 p.m.
Friday 10/18 @Ocean 7 p.m.
Friday 10/25 Asbury Park 7 p.m.