Bridgewater-Raritan High School's football team got bigger and stronger to combat big and strong opponents that stand out on the 2024 schedule.
So claimed the team’s second-year head coach, D.J. Catalano.
“I like that we are focused on getting better,” said Coach Catalano, who added that the team “ had a great offseason and focused on getting bigger and stronger.”
One robust area on this Bridgewater-Raritan squad is the offensive line, which will be the strength of a team that seeks to forget about a 3-7 finish a season ago.
The ringleader of this physical line is senior guard Jack Schroeder (6-1,280).
“We are going to lean heavily on him. There is this nastiness to him, and he plays with toughness,” Coach Catalano said.
Junior guard Stephen Pikulin (5-10, 210), junior tackle Justin Simpson (6-2, 295) and junior center Matt Pizzelanti (6-2, 300) are other forces who will dig in. Also seeing duty is senior Nick Righetti (6-0, 200).
They will protect the junior quarterback, Declan Kurdyla (5-10, 190), a sure leader, according to Coach Catalano.
“We watched him grow and knew he was an athlete,’ Coach Catalano revealed. “ His positivity oozes out of him and is infectious to the rest of the team.”
He’ll hand off to senior back Nick DiEsso (6-0, 170) and junior Denzel Amoafo (5-10, 185), while Kurdyla's primary targets are senior tight end Dylan Tierney (5-10, 190), senior receiver Jordan Johnson (6-3, 195) and junior receiver Mikey Bratus (5-10, 160).
“Tierney has been with us for three years and he has stepped it up with leadership and has such mental toughness,” Coach Catalano said.
Schroeder and Simpson pack the middle of the defensive front at tackles, along with Pikulin at nose guard. Senior Chris DelSantro (5-10, 160) and junior Miles Tofte (6-0, 175) will crash from the ends. Righetti will also be counted on up front.
Tierney, DiEsso and classmate Matt Kronengold (5-10, 165) are the active and sure-tackling linebackers, while the secondary will be patrolled by senior safeties Joey Conaflone (5-10, 185) and Alex Berberian (5-10, 155) and Amoafo and Bratus at the corners. Junior Joe Squiccianni (5-10, 135) will handle the kicking chores.
That daunting schedule will be launched on Friday, August 30, when Bridgewater-Raritan kicks off the season and travels to Lawrence Township to tangle with Notre Dame High School, a 9-1 squad a year ago.
The slate also lists road games at Piscataway High School (September 6), Morris Knolls High School (September 14), Hunterdon Central Regional High School (September 20), Elizabeth High School (October 4) and Westfield High School (October 19).
The newly renovated Basilone Memorial Field, which features a new grandstand on the home side, will be the venue when Bridgewater-Raritan plays as the host to Ridge High School (September 27), Hillsborough High School (October 11) and Phillipsburg High School ( October 25).
“Our ceiling is very high,” Coach Catalano conclude