2012 In Review: The Northstars were 11-1, winning the Central Jersey Group 3 championship, after beating Long Branch and Manasquan. They scored 336 points for a 28.0 average, while allowing 87 points for a 7.25 average, including six shutouts. Wins included Notre Dame, Hamilton, and Steinert, while their lone loss was to Allentown.

Departures: DE Zach Mesday - Canterbury (Ct.) prep, QB Luke Westerburg - baseball

Offense: Nottingham will run a multiple spread/pistol this year and return six starters, a co-starter, and a few others who played. The quarterback will be senior Stephen Adams (6-foot-4, 185), who was a co-starter last year. Running back has a returning starter in senior Alexis Santiago (5-foot-10, 180) and there are other backs who also saw a lot of time in seniors Wroway Williams (5-foot-11, 225), Clyde Huntley (5-foot-9, 185), and Josh Laujenesse (5-foot-10, 185).

Returning at wide receiver are seniors Jameel Bailey (6-foot-3, 200) and Bryan Butchon (5-foot-7, 160), with Butchon playing in the slot. Also starting will be senior Saquan Hampton (6-foot-1, 185), who started on defense and has committed to Rutgers. Competing for the last wide receiver will be senior Tahir Thompson (5-foot-11, 150), senior Koran Green (5-foot-10, 155), and junior Arthur Johnson (5-foot-7, 145), a top sprinter on the track team. When a tight end is used, it will be senior Dave Colon (6-foot-0, 205) and he will be supported by junior Zak Spence (6-foot-3, 175).

Three starters return to the line in senior tackle Chuck Parker (6-foot-4, 255), senior tackle Mike Sherif (6-foot-0, 225), and junior guard MacKenzie Henry (5-foot-9, 235), with Parker moving from center. The other guard will have junior Dan Stout (6-foot-2, 245) as the frontrunner and he will be pushed by senior Jeffton Pierre (6-foot-0, 225). The leading candidate at center is senior Chris Ash (5-foot-10, 215).

Defense: The Northstars run multiple four man fronts and return four starters and three who played. Returning at end is senior Mario Boswell (6-foot-1, 230) and senior Clayton Sary (5-foot-10, 215) rotated as the other end. Others will rotate in here. The tackles will have a rotation of Williams, senior Kevin Menius (6-foot-3, 245), senior David Lamar (5-foot-10, 230), senior Marcel Oliver (5-foot-5, 230), junior Zach Davis (6-foot-5, 270), and Stout. Williams saw time in the rotation last year.

Returning at middle linebacker is senior Ryan Malagrino (6-foot-0, 220). The frontrunners at outside linebacker are seniors Nate Scales (5-foot-10, 180), Ralph Desir (5-foot-8, 180), and Nick Demarie (5-foot-6, 175). Demarie started at fullback last year and will play defense only this year.

Returning in the secondary are Hampton at cornerback and Laujenesse at safety. Huntley is the frontrunner at one cornerback and senior Tevin Williams (5-foot-11, 165) will play somewhere after being the nickel corner last year. Also in the picture at corner is sophomore Dajzohn Dunston (6-foot-0, 170). Santiago will probably play safety and others will push. There is a possibility that Laujenesse will play linebacker.

Special Teams: Sophomore Emerson Annoual will be the kicker. The punter will be Adams, with a push from Annoual. The return game has Hampton, Laujenesse, Huntley, Bailey, and Johnson in the running.

Thursday, 9/12, at Hightstown, 7PM

Saturday, 9/21, Trenton at home, 12PM

Saturday, 9/28, Steinert at home, 12PM

Friday, 10/4, at West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 7PM

Saturday, 10/12, Hamilton at home, 12PM

Saturday, 10/19, Pemberton at home, 12PM

Friday, 10/25, at Allentown, 7PM

11/1-2, Bye week

Saturday, 11/9, Hopewell Valley, 12PM

Friday, 11/29, at Notre Dame, 7PM

Question Marks: Linebacker, kicker, and punter are the only positions hurt by graduation and they will need guys to step up there. There is experience everywhere else. They are returning 30 seniors, but some underclassmen will play.

Recruiting: Hampton committed to Rutgers. Bailey and Laujenesse will play somewhere in college. Malagrino and Parker are 1-AA/D2 prospects. Others can play D3 with a good year.

Arthur Johnson may go track, as he ran a 10.8 100 this past spring.

Dunston is a 1-A prospect in the sophomore class.

Coach's Comments: "I like our team. Most teams that win state championships lose a lot, but we return a lot of good players. Our philosophy has changed. Last year, we played behind our defense, which had 40 takeaways. While it will be good this year, our offense will be pretty potent. We're stacked in the backfield, have very good talent at wide receiver, and return three offensive linemen and one of the three tight ends we used. We also have one of our two starting quarterbacks back. We had great special teams last year and we have a lot of that back, too." - Head Coach Jon Adams