SPORTS

Four starters return to Blue Jays' O-line

Jerry Carino
@njhoopshaven

The best nickname ever for an offensive line was "The Hogs," who cleared the way for the great Washington Redskins offenses of the 1980s.

With five proven veterans in the trenches this fall, Middlesex High School's football team has adopted that moniker.

"We do a lot of the dirty work and don't get a lot of the credit," senior tackle Mike McGuire said. "But you learn that the team goes as far as you go. It starts and ends with the line."

In seniors McGuire, Kevin Ambicki and Edson Flores and juniors Jack Sweeney and Bernal Murillo, the Blue Jays sport an average size of 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds across the front. That's imposing in Group I and the Greater Middlesex Conference's Blue Division.

"We want to play to our strength, and that's running behind our offensive line," said first-year head coach P.J. Jankowicz, who was the offensive coordinator last fall. "When your offensive line is the hardest-working group of players on your team, you've got a good shot at being successful."

Four of them are returning starters and the fifth, Murillo, saw plenty of time last year. That experience cannot be underestimated.

"The chemistry is very important," McGuire said. "We've learned how to work together. We communicate with each other. It makes things a lot easier."

They also understand each other's positions, which will come in handy if someone gets hurt or needs a breather.

"We've moved them around to every combination," Jankowicz said. "We're able to mix and match, and it's not just those five. The best thing you could say across the board this year is the competition has never been better."

Following is Jankowicz's quick scouting report on his guys in the trenches.

On McGuire: "Leader of the group, three-year letterwinner. First one in the weight room last one to leave. Likes to mix it up."

On Murillo: "From March to now he's been one of our hardest-working kids and it really has paid off."

On Ambicki: "An outstanding guy in the weight room. Pound for pound, probably our strongest kid."

On Sweeney: "Probably the player in our program who has made the biggest jump. Constantly pushes himself. Dominated our intrasquad scrimmage on both sides."

On Flores: "Big, athletic kid. Plays the game the right way, understands leverage really well. Has done a nice job with our younger guys."

The line will need to be good because Middlesex is green at the skill positions. Senior Kayshawn Wilson is the top returning rusher, with just 192 yards in 2013. Seniors Matt Hode and Samaad Rawlins and junior Ryan Coke will round out the backfield-by-committee.

"One of our strengths is going to be our balance," Jankowicz said.

After finishing 2-8 last fall — with six narrow losses by a combined 37 points — Middlesex is primed to turn the tables. The Hogs are hungry.

"Coach has been preaching that success is in the details," McGuire said. "If we finished out a couple of games last year we could have made the playoffs. We've been paying attention to the little things. We're ready."

BLUE JAYS

Coach: P.J. Jankowicz, first season

Assistants: Gary Brenner (defensive coordinator, linebacker, running backs); Chris Chismar (wide receivers, defensive backs); Don Short (offensive line, linebackers); Christian Bollin (offensive line, defensive line)

Stadium: Memorial (grass)

Colors: Blue and white

Classification: Central Group I

Offensive formation: Flex bone

Defensive formation: Multiple 50

Last year: (2-8 overall, 2-4 GMC Blue): Spotswood 20-7 (L), Holmdel 7-6 (L), Highland Park 34-0 (W), Keyport 14-7 (L), Metuchen 20-16 (L), Cardinal McCarrick forfeit (W), Asbury Park 34-14 (L), South River 21-13 (L), Bogota 21-13 (L), Dunellen 22-13 (L)

2014 schedule: Sept. 12 at Highland Park, 7 p.m.; Sept. 20 Point Pleasant Beach, 1 p.m.; Sept. 27 at South River, 1 p.m.; Oct. 4 Asbury Park 1 p.m.; Oct. 11 Metuchen 1 p.m.; Oct. 18 Sussex Tech, 1 p.m.; Oct. 25 at Keansburg, 1 p.m.; Nov. 1 Spotswood, 1 p.m.; Nov. 27 at Dunellen, 10:30 a.m.

RETURNING LEADERS

Rushing

Att

Yards

AVG

TD

Kayshawn Wilson

34

192

5.6

3

Receiving

Rec

Yards

AVG

TD

Anthony Marshall

4

61

15.3

0

THE SKINNY

Returning starters: Mike McGuire (Sr., 6-0, 215, OL-DL), Kevin Ambicki (Jr., 6-0, 215, OL-DL), Jack Sweeney (Jr., 5-11, 235, OL-DL), Edson Flores (Sr., 6-2, 250, OL-DL), Matt Hode (Sr., 5-10, 205, FB-LB), Anthony Marshall (Jr., 5-9, 185, RB-DB), Carran Marks (Sr., 5-11, 170, WR-DB), Kayshawn Wilson (Sr., 6-2, 205, RB-LB)

Key losses: Peter Domenick (TE-DE); Kyle Brady (RB-DB); Brendan Bollin (QB-LB)

Top newcomers: Bernal Murillo (Jr., 6-2, 210, OL-LB), Garry Joaquim (Jr., 5-10, 185, OL-LB), Samaad Rawlins (Sr., FB-LB, 5-10, 180), Dennis Brodnax (Sr., 5-11, 175, RB-DB), Ryan Coke (Jr., 6-0, 180, RB-DB), A.J. Abate (Jr., QB-LB, 6-0, 195), Jahmari Hill (Jr., 5-7, 160, RB-DB), Naeem Morgan (So., WR-DE, 6-3, 200), Jefferson Galeano (Sr., 5-10, 175, OL-DL)