Monroe’s Xavier Wilson. (Source: @xwilson.11 on instagram)
“A sophomore is nothing but a jayvee player, and don’t you ever forget it.”
It was a Monroe coach who said that. Specifically, Milt Theodosatos, who was speaking to a reporter from WCTC radio after a mammoth upset of Spotswood in the fall of 2000, and talking about the mistakes his team would often make because they were so young.
Were he the coach today, instead of Nick Isola, he probably would not have said that about Xavier Wilson.
Wilson is a sophomore, let there be no doubt about that. But he may also be one of the brightest spots this year – and beyond – for a Monroe program that could use some wins, after going just 1-8 last year but seeking their first better-than-.500 season since 2020, when they went 5-1 under Dan Lee.
On Thursday night, in a 28-7 win over Governor Livingtston, Wilson carried 16 times for 261 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The first was 85, and opened the scoring. The second came with his team hanging on to a 21-7 lead late after a Highlander touchdown with about four minutes to go.
He dodged two defenders wide to the left on the line of scrimmage, “made a cut to stay in bounds and keep the lock running, and then he was off to the races,” said Isola.
That 80-yard sprint made it 28-7, a score that held to give the Falcons their first win of the season.
For his efforts, Xavier Wilson is the Bellamy & Son Paving Big Central Player of the Week for Week Two.
Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko with Week Zero Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week Xavier Wilson of Monroe:
The Bellamy & Son Paving Player of the Week is chosen from nominees by Big Central coaches. At the end of the season, one player will be chosen to receive a $500 scholarship courtesy of Bellamy & Son Paving. As always, we will recognize selected “Honorable Mentions,” and recognize all other all nominees in our weekly story.
Honorable Mentions:
- Elijah White, Belvidere: The senior wide receiver had four catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns, including one for 49 yards in a 28-27 win at Roselle Park that might not have happened otherwise. He’s a kicker, too, and was perfect in booting four PATs, while also logging eleven tackles on defense in the secondary, where he made a game-ending interception as Roselle Park was threatening to take the lead on the final play of the game.
- Al-Naiquan Boseman, Carteret: The senior runningback went for 211 yards on Friday in a 26-20 wi Thursday over arch-rival Perth Amboy. He scored on touchdown runs of 31 and seven yards, including the eventual winning score. The win also got the Ramblers to within three of the Panthers, who lead the all-time series 50-47-2 since it began in 1927. But Carteret now has won five straight, matching their longest win streak in the series, five games from 2003 through 2007.
- Zaire Young, Piscataway: The senior runningback notched the fifth-best rushing performance in Cheifs’ history Friday in a convincing 28-14 win over visiting Somerville. He carried 37 times for 268 yards and scored three touchdowns – all while wearing two different pairs of sneakers! Seems the sole on his left cleat separated in the second half, and he had to borrow a teammate’s shoes to finish the game.
- Vinny Young, Spotswood: The senior did it in all three phases for the Chargers, who evened up their record at 1-1 with a 51-13 win at JFK on Friday. In his first game at runningback, he had eight carries for 135 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a 76-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on special teams, and on defense – at outside linebacker, had three solo tackles, a TFL and a pass breakup.
- Dante Jennings, St. Thomas Aquinas: The senior was instrumental in a 24-20 home win over Westfield Friday night. The linebacker had four tackles, a TFL, and an interception. On offense, the tight end – battling cramps the entire second half – caught a touchdown pass to get them back in the lead with about a minute to go. Cramping up, he came out of the game, and on his first play back in, with about 50 seconds to go, picked off a Westfield pass to seal the deal.
- Elijah Greene, Union: While Jamir Hall scored two touchdowns in a 15-12 win at Watchung Hills, Greene had three interceptions and blocked two extra points, helping give the Farmers their first 2-0 start since 2019, the final year of the Mid-State Conference, a year they finished 12-1 under Lou Grasso, and won the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 title over Clifton.
Other Notable Performances:
- Chase Kraucheunas, Delaware Valley: In a 34-33 win over Johnson Thursday, the senior QB threw for 194 yards and two scores, while also running for 157 yards on ten carries with another two touchdowns. At linebacker, he was also active, registering 13 tackles.
- Erick Cespedes, Elizabeth: The senior wide-receiver was key in a 43-20 win at Plainfield Friday. He had six catches for 144 yards and three touchdowns of five, 24 and 53 yards. At cornerback, he had five tackles (two solo) and a pass breakup.
- Braylon Diaz, JFK: In a 51-13 loss to Spotswood, the senior was responsible for both Mustang touchdowns. The wide receiver had five catches for 51 yards as well as four rushes for 72 yards, including a 28-yard TD. On special teams, he finished the night with 105 kick return yards, including a 77-yard return for a score.
- Kevin Reilly, New Providence: The senior quarterback threw for 210 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 40 and another score, as the Pioneers opened their season with a 27-7 win over Voorhees on Thursday night. That’s now 15 straight Big Central wins for New Providence, the longest active streak in the league after Bernards had its 32-game streak snapped by Cranford Friday night.
- Cayle Prince, North Plainfield: In a 20-10 loss to South Plainfield, the junior runningback carried seven times for 25 yards, with a catch for a seven-yard touchdown. Just back from an ankle injury, and nowhere near 100 percent, he had four solo tackles, a TFL and an interception, he aggravated the injury again in the third quarter and sat out the rest of the game.
- Chase Rizzo, Old Bridge: In a 49-21 win over Montgomery, the senior runningback went for 101 yards and two touchdowns, while also logging 70 yards receiving and another score. He also blocked a punt return for a touchdown.
- Amauris Peguero, Perth Amboy: In a tough loss to arch-rival Carteret, the senior quarterback helped keep his team in the game with a 10-for-19 effort for 226 yards and three touchdowns, while also running the ball 23 times for another 97 yards.
- Jyvon Cooper, Rahway: In a huge 21-10 win against Summit on Friday that vaulted the Indians into the Bellamy & Son Paving Top Ten for the first time this season, the senior running back carried 17 times for 92 yards and a touchdown. Twelve of those – and his score – came on two second-half possessions that helped ice the game. At outside linebacker, he had four solo tackles, four asissts, a TFL, one half sack, and a QB hurry.
- Tristan Frank, Ridge: The senior was involved in all three Red Devil scores in a 21-7 win over Sayreville. That included two rushing and one passing touchdown for the quarterback, while at free safety he also had one interception.
- Jaylen Brundidge, South Brunswick: A wildcat QB for the Vikings, he carried 14 times for 114 yards and two touchdowns while also catching six passes for 62 yards in a 27-19 win at rival North Brunswick. As a defensive back, he also had three tackles and an interception.
- Kellen Healy, South Hunterdon: The junior runningback had three rushing touchdowns – of 57, 45, and 14 yards – carrying 23 times for 186 yards in a 35-8 win over South River, including two late scores that helped bury the Rams. On defense, he had six tackles and two TFLs.
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