Category: Lenni Lenape

Division: WJFL Continental

Division opponents: Eastern; Kingsway; Rancocas Valley; St. Joseph (Hamm.); Washington Township

Key players: Brandon Boria, RB, Jr.; Aiden Geisenheimer, OL, Sr.; Mike Muckenstrum, LB, Sr.; Bill Westerby, DL/LB, Sr.; Tom Nigro, DL, Sr.; Dom DeChurch, DL, Jr.; Antonio Campbell, DB, Sr.; Tyler Kellenberger, WR, Sr.; Ayden Nelson, LB, Sr.; Holden Wolfort, WR, Sr.; Sean Cole, RB/S, Jr.; Roman Dougherty, LB, Jr.; Jake Ellis, OL, Jr.; Brian Mitchell, DB, Jr.; Tom Pajic, WR, So.; Cam Burti, WR, Jr.; Ryan Bender, QB, So.

Outlook: The Chiefs lost several key players to graduation but return a talented young group looking to compete for a division title and make another postseason run.

They lost their final two games of last season by a combined four points – a three-point overtime setback to district rival Lenape in the WJFL Pod A semifinals and a one-point loss to Non-Public power St. Joseph (Mont.). Those setbacks will surely motivate this team as it navigates what looks to be a highly competitive regular-season schedule.

Cherokee will feature one of the state’s top returning running backs in Brandon Boria, who rushed for 888 yards and 11 touchdowns in six games. He collected a career-high 267 rushing yards on 35 carries along with two touchdown runs, a 3-yarder and a blistering 82-yard jaunt, in a loss to district rival Lenape.

Expect this group to be strong along the lines and complete on a weekly basis. There’s no reason why Cherokee can’t be in the conversation for division honors and a postseason berth.

2021 schedule:

Sept. 2: Lenape

Sept. 10: St. Joseph (Hamm.)

Sept. 24: Washington Township

Oct. 1: at Eastern

Oct. 8: Shawnee

Oct. 16: at Rancocas Valley

Oct. 22: Kingsway

TBA: Seneca

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Newton Braves

Coach: Matt Parzero, 5th season (44-7 at Newton, 90-33 overall)

Last year: 6-0

2021 Starting SI rating: 75.52

Division: Super Football Conference, National Red

Division opponents: Hackettstown, High Point, Kittatinny, Lenape Valley, Sussex Tech, Vernon

Key players: Jack Young, QB/DB/P, Sr.; Brayden Nolan, RB/LB, Jr.; Matt Iatesta, OL/DL, Sr.; Melkart Abou-Jaoude, TE/DE, Sr.; Robert McCullough, K/DB/QB, Jr.

Outlook: A sense of familiarity from last year’s unbeaten season has Newton looking not only like one of Sussex County’s best but in the conversation of one of the top teams in Group 2 this season.

As a Group 2 team, several players will be playing on both sides of the ball but with several returning starters—6 on offense, 7 on defense—to go along with a plethora of upperclassmen looking to break through in a big way, there won’t be any learning curve to figure out for the Braves.

Newton’s biggest contributor is the leader on both sides of the ball in Jack Young, serving as the Braves’ quarterback and top defensive back. His brother, Luke, was able to lead Newton to the sectional title in 2017 and Jack has a chance to cement his own legacy in Sussex County as another dual-threat quarterback running the show for Newton.

Overall the Braves may find its most familiar group along the trenches. Newton returns 4 of its starting offensive linemen from last year in Matt Iatesta, Matt McLean, Rylan Ivaldi and Melkart Abou-Jaoude and 2 more along the defensive line in About-Jaoude and Brody Guerra.

Newton also expects to have a strong rushing attack at its disposal once more with Brayden Nolan leading the charge with newcomers Taylor Sibblies, Matt May and Donato Bevaqua looking to take some of the rushing load as well.

2021 Schedule

• 9/3 at Sparta
• 9/10 vs. Vernon
• 9/18 at Sussex Tech
• 9/24 vs. Jefferson
• 10/1 vs. Kittatinny
• 10/8 at Hackettstown
• 10/15 at High Point
• 10/22 vs. Lenape…

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Vineland Fighting Clan

Head coach: Dan Russo (ninth season at Vineland, 37-41)

Last year’s record: 2-4

2021 Starting SI rating: 66.12

Division: WJFL American

Division opponents: Lenape, Millville, St. Augustine, Shawnee, Williamstown

Key players: Anthony Arthur, RB/DB, Sr.; Billy Davis, TE/LB, Sr.; Daeshaun Winchester, WR/DB, Sr.; Braylon Blakely, RB/DB, Sr., Nasi Tatem, WR/LB, Sr.; Antwain Rivera, WR/DB, Sr.; Jamez Bullock, TE/DE, Jr.; James Hitchens, WR/DB, Jr.; Jameson Blanding, OL/DL, So.; Derek Ockimey, OL/DL, Jr.; Ryan Fennal, OT/DT, Sr.; Julio Garcia;, OL/DL, Jr. Dan Russo, QB/LB, Fr.; Jamher Bryson, RB/LB, Sr.

Outlook: Vineland head coach Dan Russo says his Fighting Clan are going to surprise some people.

After a 2-4 season, graduating some solid players and facing a challenging schedule, it might seem to be an uphill battle. But Russo likes his mix of incoming talent and returning veterans and feels the Fighting Clan will be a factor in a wide-open Group 5.

Vineland has some big boys on the front line including 6-5, 270-pound Jamez Bullock and 6-6, 265 Jameson Blanding. They also have a 6-3 receiver in James Hitchens with tremendous leaping ability who is receiving strong recruiting interest.

Dan Russo’s son, also Dan, will take over under center as a freshman and the coach expressed confidence, saying “he’s not going to hurt us.” The Fighting Clan last started a season with a freshman at QB with Isiah Pacheco in 2014 and that started a successful four-year run.

2021 schedule

• Aug. 27: at Ocean City
• Sept. 3: Clearview
• Sept. 10: at Lenape
• Sept. 17: at Hammonton
• Sept. 24: Shawnee
• Oct. 8: at Mainland
• Oct. 15: St. Augustine
• Oct. 22: Williamstown
• Oct. 29: Egg Harbor
• Nov. 25: at Millville

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St. Augustine Hermits

Head coach: Pete Lancetta (fifth season at St. Augustine, 23-16; 238-81-1 in 31 seasons overall)

Last year’s record: 4-3

2021 Starting SI rating: 81.20

Division: WJFL American

Division opponents: Lenape, Millville, Vineland, Shawnee, Williamstown

Key players: Nasir Hill, WR/DB, Sr.; Kenny Selby, WR/DB, Sr.; Kanye Udoh, RB/DB, Sr.; Dennis Jaquez, TE/DE, Sr.; Trey McLeer, QB/DB, Sr.; Bradley Pao, WR/DB, Sr.; Rob Adamson, RB/DB, Jr.; Gavin Kennedy, T/DT, Sr.; Brady Small, OL/DL, Sr.; Frankin Simms, RB/LB, Sr.

Outlook: Look at just about any position on the roster and you’ll find experienced seniors – part of a group that knocked off Seton Hall Prep and put a scare into No. 1 St. Peter’s Prep in the state Non-Public Group 4 tournament as sophomores two years ago.

This year, that group is back for its last hurrah – coming off a disappointing 4-3 season which still included wins over Williamstown and Lenape – and with playoffs back has the look of a team that can pick up some wins against the North Jersey elite.

The secondary – led by All-State pick and Princeton commit Nasir Hill – but also including Sacred Heart commit Kenny Selby, Bucknell commit Bradley Pao and Trey McLeer might be the best in the state. McLeer returns at quarterback after taking over the position last year.

The Hermits have an FBS running back in Kanye Udoh, who is complimented by a big back in Franklin Simms. And there’s plenty of size and talent on both sides of the line with the likes of Northwestern commit Denis Jaquez, Army commit Brady Small and Bucknell commit Gavin Kennedy.

Put it all together and nobody should surprised if it’s the Year of the Hermit.

2021 schedule

• Aug. 27 at Archbishop Spaulding (Md.), 6:30
• Sept. 3: Notre Dame, 6
• Sept. 10: Williamstown, 6
• Sept. 17: St. Joseph (Hamm.), 6
• Sept. 24 at Millville, 7
• Oct. 1: Lenape, 6
• Oct….

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Team name: Vernon Vikings

Head coach: Steve Down, fourth season (4-24)

Last season: 2-6

2021 Starting SI: 48.30

Division: Super Football Conference, National Red

Division opponents: Hackettstown, High Point, Kittatinny, Lenape Valley, Newton, Sussex Tech

Key players: Kevin Coulther, Sr., DE/DE; John Kowalski, Sr., QB/WR/ILB; Shane Saulnier, OT/DR; Jeremiah Carfello, Sr., WR/OLB; Justin Simone, Sr., WR/CB

Outlook: Vernon is feeling more optimistic headed into 2021 with better numbers in the program, a ton of returning experience and two wins to end last season. The Vikings won just two games across three seasons from 2017-19, so blowout wins over Indian Hills (42-12) and Pascack Hills (33-13) represented an important step.

The Vikings have been able to put up a decent amount of points offensively under Down the past two seasons, but the major issues have been on the defensive side of the ball. Improving upon giving up over 30 points per game last year will be the key to making strides. Vernon allowed at least 35 points in five of its six losses.

Vernon hopes nine returning starters on defense will make a difference. They have experience on all three levels of the defense led by Kevin Coulthier and Shane Saulnier on the defensive line, John Kowalski, Jeremiah Carfello and Aidan Duffy at linebacker and Justin Simone and Ian Schmid in the secondary.

Offensively, Vernon returns seven starters, but will have to replace its two of its best players from last year — quarterback Zack Waschek and receiver Aden Moskovitz. Ian Schmid recorded 502 yards on 114 carries and five touchdowns last year and will be back.

The hopes were high when Down took the Vernon job in 2018 since he came over from Matt Parzero’s Newton staff that was coming off a state sectional championship. The Vikings have had bad injury luck during his tenure, but the added depth in numbers…

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Millville Thunderbolts

Head coach: Dennis Thomas (seventh season at Millville, 40-23; 53-33 in ninth year overall)

Last year’s record: 4-4

2021 Starting SI rating: 76.11

Division: WJFL American

Division opponents: Lenape, Shawnee, St. Augustine, Vineland, Williamstown

Key players: LeQuint Allen, RB/LB, Sr.; Nate Robbins, QB, Sr.; Lotzeir Brooks, RB/DB, Fr.; Thomas Smith, WR, Sr.; Calem Bowman, WR/LB, Sr.; Ti-yon Cephas, WR/DB, Sr.; Jaydan Wright, OL/DL, Sr.; George Gonzales, OL/LB, Sr.; Tyheem Mitchell, OL/DL, Jr.; Ta’Ron Haile, WR/DB, So.; Achan Harris, OL/DL, Sr.

Outlook: The Thunderbolts were just 9-10 the past two years and 15-15 the last three, but this is a team that seems ready to vault back into contention. Two of Millville’s four wins last year came against powerhouse teams in Williamstown and St. Augustine and this is a team that is talented and experienced.

All-state RB/LB LeQuint Allen, a Syracuse recruit, is back and should fill up the stat sheet on both sides of the ball. He’ll be joined in the backfield by Lotzeir Brooks, who has four FBS offers before taking a snap and is “lightning in a bottle” according to coach Dennis Thomas, while sophomore wide receiver Ta’Ron Haile is another player picking up significant recruiting interest.

Third-year starter Nate Robbins also returns to lead what should be a potent offense, and Allen and Calem Bowman headline what should be an excellent linebacking corps.

Expect a first winning season in three years and a chance to contend for a sectional title. There’s some tough games on the schedule – beginning with what Thomas considers an even matchup against Union – but there shouldn’t be any win considered an upset this year.

2021 schedule

• Aug. 28 vs. Union at Battle at the Beach, 5
• Sept. 2: Mainland, 6
• Sept. 10: at Shawnee, 7
• Sept. 17: at Highland, 7
• Sept. 24: vs. St. Augustine, 6
• Oct. 8: Hammonton, 6
• Oct. 15: at Williamstown, 7
• Oct. 22: at…

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Wyoming Valley

Luzerne County Historical Society will host musician Melanie Zinkanis from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29, at the Nathan Denison House, 35 Denison St., Forty Fort. She will play period music on the harpsichord and violin on site. Tours of the 1790 home will also be given by docents in period attire. Cost is $5 for adults, $3 for children and free for LCHS members. Public is welcome. Reservations are not required. Nathan Denison was one of the first 40 shareholders in the Susquehanna Company to settle five new towns in the Wyoming Valley in February 1769. Denison became a popular leader of the pioneer settlers from Connecticut. He served as a justice of the peace and colonel of the local militia. He was the second in command at the Battle of Wyoming, and was present at the surrender of the Wyoming Valley in 1778. Founded in 1858, the Luzerne County Historical Society is Pennsylvania’s oldest county historical society. For information, visit the website, www.luzernehistory.org or follow the society on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/luzernehistory/.

The Music Box Players non-profit theatre company will hold auditions for “All Together Now,” a musical review opening the Music Box Dinner Playhouse 40th anniversary season at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12-13 at the Music Box Dinner Playhouse, 196 Hughes St., Swoyersville. Production dates are Nov. 12-14. Auditions are open for all ages 12 and older. Director Dana Feigenblatt asks all auditioning to prepare a song of their choice. Bring a recorded accompaniment. The revue celebrates the worldwide return to live theatre and also the Music Box 40th anniversary. Many of the songs are from shows presented by the Players since 1981 such as “Guys and Dolls,” “Les Miserables,” “My Fair Lady,” “Oliver,” “Into the Woods,” and others. Call 570 283-2195 for information or visit…

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The puppets that arrived in New York City in 1738 were certainly not the first here. Puppets had been created way before then by the Lenape people, who lived in the area for centuries; some of the tiny finger masks they made to represent the god of hunting, Misinghali’kun, in religious rituals still exist. And the Dutch had a tradition of puppetry dating back to the fourteenth century, so surely itinerant Dutch puppeteers existed in New Amsterdam, the colony that their countrymen established in 1624, four decades before the British took over the city and renamed it. But the first-known specific record of a puppet show in New York is an advertisement in the New-York Gazette newspaper, from February 1738, for The Adventures of Harlequin and Scaramouche, or The Spaniard Trick’d, to be performed at Mr. Holt’s Long Room for a ticket price of five shillings.

Both Harlequin and Scaramouche are characters in Punch and Judy, which is “probably one of the oldest continually performed puppetry traditions,” Monxo López explained to me, after he had shown me the exhibit of the Lenape finger mask and the reproduction of the Punch and Judy ad. Now he was pointing out different puppets, from Italy, Germany, Poland and France, each of which was a variation on the Punch character. They were among more than a hundred puppets on display in “Puppets of New York,” the exhibition López curated for the Museum of the City of New York, located in East Harlem.

“Almost every culture has developed their version of Punch”—a political puppet who “speaks truth to power,” López said. And nearly every culture’s puppetry, as his exhibition made clear, found its way to New York City.

“The Chinese were among the earliest here. There were the big dragons used in the…

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Check out the top players back in the conference this fall. These list of returning players include all-division teams that were selected by coaches in 2020.

ALL-RED NORTH

1ST TEAM

F-Tehya Scheuten, Mount Olive, Jr.

F-Hayley Brookes, Morris Knolls, Sr.

MF-Mackenzie Creighton, Morris Hills, Sr.

MF-Zoe Rogan, Mount Olive, Jr.

MF-Audrey McConnell, Randolph, Sr.

MF-Kate Mazzella, Sparta, Sr.

D-Ella Collins, Sparta, Jr.

2ND TEAM

F-Julianna Osterman, Roxbury, So.

MF-Olivia DaSilva, Pope John, Sr.

MF-Abigail Pierson, Sparta, So.

MF-Juliana Dolinski, Sparta, So.

D-Sophia Redmond, Mount Olive, Sr.

D-Hailey Opper, Roxbury, Sr.

HONORABLE MENTION

F-Vanessa Suarez, Roxbury, Jr.

MF-Olivia Enderle, Sparta, Sr.

MF-Mylie McDonough, Morris Knolls, Jr.

MF-Ariana Krone, Randolph, Sr.

D-Nicole Narciso, Morris Hills, Sr.

GK-Aubrey Giordano, Mount Olive, Sr.

ALL-RED SOUTH

1ST TEAM

F-Abigail Fitzsimmons, Mendham, Jr.

F-Kathryn Duff, Morristown, Sr.

F-Kacy Smith, West Morris, Sr.

F/MF-Angelica Castro-Salazar, Mendham, Sr.

MF-Paige Droner, Chatham, Jr.

MF-Cassie Saldarini, Parsippany Hills, Jr.

D/F-Marris Wheeler, Morristown, Sr.

D-Delaney Smith, West Morris, Jr.

2ND TEAM

F-Ashley Kiernan, Chatham, Jr.

F-Lia Manuel, Mendham, So.

MF/F-Molly Cunningham, Morristown, Sr.

MF-Kiera Pohan, Morristown, Jr.

MF-Alexa Murawski, West Morris, Jr.

GK-Sonja Zeepvat, Mendham, Jr.

GK-Alex Jurow, Parsippany Hills, Jr.

GK-Cristina Ryduchowski, Montville, So.

HONORABLE MENTION

MF-Sara Brandt, Mendham, Jr.

MF-Leanne Lombardi, Parsippany Hills, Jr.

D-Ashley Campbell, Montville, Sr.

D-Payton Gjelsvik, West Morris, Sr.

ALL-WHITE NORTH

1ST TEAM

F-Chauncey Gebauer, High Point, Sr.

MF-Martina Brich, Vernon, Sr.

MF-Taylor Squiers, Newton, Sr.

MF-Arin Goriscak, Kittatinny, Sr.

MF-Sarah Harnett, High Point, Sr.

D-Madison Beyer, Kittatinny, Sr.

2ND TEAM

F-Riley Wallace, Vernon, Sr.

F-Leah English, High Point, So.

MF-Claire Merrill, Kittatinny, Jr.

MF-Reagan Hamilton, Vernon, Sr.

MF-Marlene Cimaglia, High Point, Jr.

MF-Jane Einreinhofer, Wallkill Valley, Jr.

GK-Jackie Schels, Wallkill Valley, So.

HONORABLE MENTION

D-Makayla Chiariello, High Point, Jr.

D-Emily Walker, Vernon, Sr.

GK-Hanna Olsen, Kittatinny, So.

ALL-WHITE SOUTH

1ST TEAM

F-Alaina Shramko, North Warren, Jr.

F-Kate Loncar, Jefferson, So.

F-Julia Granda, Morris Tech, Sr.

MF-Kayla Kuncken, Hackettstown, Sr.

D-Laney Kenny, Lenape Valley, Jr.

D-Karlie Kaiser, Hackettstown, Sr.

D-Mia Santana, Lenape Valley, Sr.

GK-Chloe O’ Mahoney, Hopatcong, Sr.

2ND TEAM

F-Christy Brennan, Hopatcong, Sr.

F-Brittany Arcentales, Hopatcong, Sr.

MF-Margaret Reardon, Hackettstown, Sr.

MF-Kelly Zambrana, North Warren, Sr.

MF-Molly Gannon, Lenape Valley, So.

D-Bryn Fitzgerald, Jefferson, Jr.

D-Julia Flynn, Hackettstown, So.

HONORABLE MENTION

MF- Lilly Fejko, Lenape Valley, Jr.

MF- Janie Henderson, Hopatcong, So.

D-Alanna Bishop, Jefferson, So.

ALL-BLUE NORTH

1ST TEAM

F-Henna Andican, Mountain Lakes, Sr.

F-Melissa…

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Williamsport, Pa. — “We acknowledge that the land on which we live, work, and learn is the ancestral home of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee, Iroquoian-speaking Susquehannocks and the Lenni Lenape (Delaware),” said Pennsylvania College of Technology in a Land Acknowledgement Statement issued last week.

Pennsylvania College of Technology created an institutional Land Acknowledgement Statement to recognize the Indigenous people who lived where the campus now resides.

According to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian: “Land Acknowledgment is a traditional custom that dates back centuries in many Native nations and communities. Today, Land Acknowledgments are used by Native peoples and non-Natives to recognize Indigenous peoples who are the original stewards of the lands on which we now live.”

“We acknowledge that the land on which we live, work, and learn is the ancestral home of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee, Iroquoian-speaking Susquehannocks and the Lenni Lenape (Delaware). We, too, recognize their Woodland Period ancestors,” the acknowledgement reads. “We are grateful for their stewardship and management of this land over thousands of years and promote this recognition in honor and respect of that caretaking.”

The Penn College community notes the importance of understanding and appreciating the long-standing history of the land, and seeking to understand its place within that history in order to chart a better path forward.

“We value the over 100-year history of our institution,” the Land Acknowledgement webpage continues. “And we should value the 16,000 years of history that came before us and prepared the land for the education we now provide.”

The statement and supporting material, linked from the college website’s “About” section, was developed in conjunction with a campus-wide committee that included input from faculty, staff and students.

“At Penn College, we take great pride in the history of our institution’s successful outgrowth from our community, which is celebrated on…

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