The 2023 season saw Lyndhurst win the NJIC Liberty Division title, but if you ask head coach Rich Tuero and the Golden Bears, there wasn’t much to celebrate at the end of the year. That’s because the four-straight wins to clinch the division was followed up by five consecutive losses, the last, a 33-30 defeat at Newton in the first round of the North 1, Group 2 tournament.
“As great as it is that we won the division, the reality is we were 0-5 (at the end). We lost our last five games,” Tuero said. “Regardless of how tough those teams were, it doesn’t make a difference. We have a standard and we did not live up to our end of this thing. So the focus this year is getting back on track.”
That disappointment has brought an added fuel to the hire of what is a veteran group that features 19 seniors, headlined by a trio of three-year starters on offense.
“We have a really good group with great kids,” said Tuero. “The camaraderie, the brotherhood in camp has been awesome. I’m really excited about this group. I really think they’re going to do a good job.”
Shawn Bellenger (6-2, 195) enters his third season as a team captain and starting quarterback. The three-sport performer enjoyed a breakout season on the gridiron last year when he threw for 1,345 yards and 17 touchdowns to go with 383 yards and two TDs rushing.
“He’s one of the smartest kids to ever play the position at Lyndhurst High School,” Tuero said. “He has all the intangibles, tall, strong, smart, dedicated, hard worker, no ego, just the all-around dream of a quarterback.”
While Bellenger has shown the ability to win games with his arm, at the Golden Bears’ core, they are a power running team and Lyndhurst has one of North Jersey’s top two-way players to set that physical tone with Roddy Morinho.
Morinho (6-0, 205), is also a three-year captain, went over the 100-yard mark in five games last year as he ran for 717 yards and nine touchdowns while also catching 17 passes for 254 yards and three scores.
Tuero knows that keeping Morinho, who also had 105 tackles at linebacker, fresh is paramount to success in October and November, so he’ll have plenty of help in the backfield. Senior Viktor Kanjuk is a speedy back, who averaged 6.5 yards per carry in limited action, while sophomore Allen Frias (5-9, 160) is a do-everything fullback, who can play and thrive in multiple situations.
“(Allen’s) not just a back, he’s an athlete,” said Tuero. “He’ll come and block, we’ll give him the ball. He catches the ball out of the backfield or we can split him out wide. He can literally do it all.”
On the offensive line, the third core senior, Michael Longo (5-10, 285) is back for his third season as the starting center.
“He’s easily the best center I’ve ever coached,” Tuero said. “It’s not even close.”
Senior Abraham Martinez is a returning starter at right guard. Tuero has very high hopes for junior left tackle Shadeed Smith (6-4, 291), who missed all of last season, but has the tools to be a bigtime player.
Omar Ali takes over at left guard, while seniors Michael Cutola and Giovanni Scalo are competing at right tackle.
Anthony Amaro returns at wide receiver as does junior Matthew Jarvis, who started at tight end a season ago. Junior Nate Boyd, one of the area’s premier wrestlers, is also in the mix at receiver. Another option, sure to play a big role as the season goes on is freshman Avery Cano, who according to Tuero is one of the best prospects he’s ever had at this age.
Ziad Selim is projected to start at tight end.
On defense, Smith anchors the defense at nose guard with Logan Stitzer (6-1, 260) also set to see time at the spot, which is vital for the success of Lyndhurst’s 3-4 scheme.
“It’s a nice luxury to have,” Tuero said about the size at nose guard. “We’re not used to have that at all, so it’s to have these two big guys playing there.”
Selim, Ali and junior Thomas Awida are all in the mix at defensive end.
Morinho, a three-year starter, is the heart and soul of the defense as one of the two inside linebackers. Abraham Martinez is also set to start inside with Frias and Jarvis on the outside. Kanjuk and Cutola are also set to see snaps on the edge as well.
Amaro, a senior captain, is a returning starter at one cornerback spot, while Boyd is currently set to start at the other.
Bellenger will be starting at free safety as he’ll be playing both ways for the first time and junior Da’veon Stephens, who moved to town from Atlanta, takes over at strong safety.
Cano and sophomore Randy Leon are set to return kicks for Lyndhurst. Freshman Anthony Andrinopolous is set to be the kicker after being a standout soccer player when he was younger.
Lyndhurst opens the season at home on Thursday, Aug. 29 against rival Becton at 6 p.m. in a game, that matches the two likely favorites in the NJIC Colonial Division,
The Golden Bears follow that with a September 7 road tilt at Lodi followed by home games with Elmwood Park and Cresskill.
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Jason Bernstein | Observer Sports Writer
Jason Bernstein joined The Observer as its sports writer in March 2022, following the retirement of Jim Hague. He has a wealth of sports-writing experience, including for NJ Advance Media (nj.com, The Jersey Journal, The Star-Ledger.)