One of the top defensive players on the Wake Forest University football team is Ja’Sir Taylor, the former Brick Township High School standout.
The sophomore defensive back made three solo tackles and added two assists in a 56-24 win over Rice University in the regular season opener for both teams. In a 23-17 overtime conquest of Tulane University, Taylor made five assisted stops, one solo tackle and broke up one pass.
Taylor contributed to the Demon Deacons’ 51-20 win over Towson University, making three solo tackles and breaking up one pass. Taylor made one solo tackle for three yards lost and added one assist in a 41-34 loss to Boston College.
He made one solo stop in a 56-27 setback to the University of Notre Dame, then ranked eighth in the nation by the Associated Press.
Another tough defender: Bryce Watts, who starred at Toms River North, led Virginia Tech in pass breakups with five through his first four games of the season.
The sophomore defensive back added 12 total tackles, all solos.
He made six solo tackles for the Hokies, then ranked 20th by the AP, in a 24-3 win over No. 19 Florida State University in the regular season opener for both clubs. In a 49-35 loss to Old Dominion University, Watts registered six solo tackles and broke up two passes.
Watts turned back three passes in a 31-14 loss to No. 22 Duke University.
Fields productive: Former Monsignor Donovan (now Donovan Catholic) player Joey Fields, a junior wide receiver, caught eight passes for 96 yards and one touchdown through his first four games of the season for Central Connecticut State University.
One catch was good for 40 yards.
Nobody gets past Nobile: Delaware Valley University freshman Mike Nobile, a defensive lineman from Brick Memorial, led the Aggies in total tackles with 39 through his first five games of the season.
He was second on the team in solo stops with 19, and first in assists with 20. He made 15 1/2 tackles for 72 yards lost, 3 1/2 sacks for 26 yards lost and forced three fumbles.
Teammate Anthony Nobile, who also played for Brick Memorial, added 20 total tackles, including 11 solos, through his first five games of the season as a defensive lineman.
He made six tackles for 20 yards lost, one sack for three yards lost, broke up two passes and added two quarterback hits.
Another solid player for the Aggies is junior linebacker Billy Walsh, who also played for Brick Memorial.
Walsh made nine solo tackles and added 11 assists through his first five games of the season. He notched 4 1/2 tackles for 10 yards lost.
Delaware Valley freshman defensive back Blaine Netterman, another former Brick Memorial player, performed with the poise of a veteran through his first five outings of the season, putting 16 solo tackles and three assists into the books.
He made one tackle for nine yards lost, one sack for nine yards lost, forced one fumble and broke up one fumble.
Dan Finelli, a junior defensive lineman from Brick Township, added two assists through three games. Junior quarterback Anthony Fontana (Brick Memorial) rushed for 33 yards on five carries through his first three games of the season for the Aggies.
Cathey a solid rusher: Former Brick Memorial player Matt Cathey, a senior running back, rushed for 114 yards and one touchdown on 34 carries through his first four games of the season for McDaniel College.
Teammate Matt Schleifer, a junior wide receiver from Brick Township, caught five passes for 74 yards and one touchdown through his first three games of the season.
He added six kickoff returns for 106 yard and two punt returns for eight yards.
McDaniel sophomore linebacker Pete Laquaglia, a former Toms River North player, made one solo tackle and added one assist through his first five games of 2018.
A McDaniel sophomore offensive lineman is Joe Hynes, who played for Point Pleasant Boro.
Short bursts: Junior defensive lineman Brandon Burdge (Toms River East) made three solo tackles and added eight assists and one quarterback hit for the Montclair State University Red Hawks through his first four games of the campaign.
The Red Hawks’ Jalen Glenn, a freshman running back from Manchester Township, rushed for 14 yards on six carries through his first four games of the 2018 season.
Former Jackson Memorial player Zack Tetro, a senior defensive back at The College of New Jersey, made three solo stops and added two assists through his first three games of the season.
Note: Is your favorite player missing? E-mail Chris Christopher at cchristopher1259@gmail.com with the information.
