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Caldwell's all-state linebacker Julian Casale (52) will be one of the standouts to watch for the North in the upcoming 46th Phil Simms New Jersey North-South All-Star Classic set for 5 p.m., Sunday, June 9th, at Kean University. Retired Caldwell Chiefs coach and former Simms Classic game director Ken Trimmer had chance to meet up with Phil during Sunday's (March 17) Media Day inside Kean's Harwood Arena as players and coaches in the 2024 Simms Classic were introduced. Area neighbors on North squad got together, including, from left, Verona wide receiver Zach Garmont, Casale and the West Essex lineman Eldin Gashi. Garmont (23) is seen carrying ball after a reception vs. Cedar Grove in game during 2023 season. (Sideline Chatter photos and also by Jeff Stiefbold)

Monmouth-Bound Duo Ready
To Team Up In Simms Classic

By Steve Tober
for sidelinehatter.com

UNION- Verona’s Zach Garmont certainly knows how tough it could be at times as he made his way on short patterns in the vicinity of Caldwell middle linebacker Julian Casale.

“He is one tough player, no doubt about that,” said the record-setting Hillbillies wide receiver. “I’m going to enjoy now being his teammate at the next level, that’s for sure!”

Garmont, one of the state’s top pass catchers in 2023, and Casale, the Chiefs’ all-state linebacker, will be teammates in the fall at Monmouth University; however, even before hitting the practice field together at the Jersey Shore-based college, they will first be teammates for a few days in early June for their final high school game as they are also preparing to help lead the North in the 46th Phil Simms New Jersey North-South All-Star Classic set for a 5 p.m. kickoff on Sunday, June 9, at Kean University’s Alumni Field.

Both future Monmouth teammates were on hand for the Sunday, March 17, St. Patrick’s Media Day in Kean’s spacious Harwood Arena where the North and South squads were introduced along with this year’s honorary head coaches, former Giants stars Leonard Marshall and Stephen ‘The Touchdown Maker’ Baker, who will direct the South and North squads, respectively.

Marshall was on hand for the gathering at Kean while Baker had to be at another commitment, but did appear on a video message to greet his North players.

“It’s great to have a couple of former Giants coming on board this year to coach the players,” said Simms, who has now been directly involved with the North-South Classic for 10 years having added his full commitment to helping to spearhead and energize the all-star game for the first time back in 2014.

"It’s been absolutely great to be involved in this tremendous all-star game, and it works out very well with my schedule covering the NFL, and the coaches and committee members involved in this game are all first-rate individuals who simply love Jersey high school football!”

There are 14 Essex County players on the 45-man North roster, including neighboring players such as Verona’s Garmont, Caldwell’s Casale and West Essex’s outstanding lineman Eldin Gashi.

“This is a great game to be a part of and with so much history to it,” said Gashi, who like Casale is also coming off a winter season as his high school wrestling team’s competitor at the 285-pound weight class. “Julian and Zach are two of the tremendous athletes on the North team and it’s great that (West Essex) coach (Chris) Benacquista is also going to be on the North staff.

“I can’t wait to come back here to practice with these guys and get ready to take on the South before heading off to college.”

The 6-foot-3, 255-pound Gashi, who is going to be an offensive lineman for the North squad, said he is leaning toward attending Montclair State University where he plans to join the Red Hawks football team.

The Knights’ big two-way lineman recorded 31 tackles last fall and helped anchor the line on both sides of the ball for West Essex in 2023 as the Knights finished 10-4 winning a North 2, Group 3 playoff state sectional title and finishing as the runner-up in the overall Group 3 final at Rutgers.

The fleet-footed 5-10, 185-pound Garmont is slated to be a slot back at Monmouth after having a breakout 2023 season as a receiver for Verona with a school-record 87 receptions for 1,327 yards and 7 touchdowns.

He also contributed 43 tackles and an interception on defense for the young Hillbillies who went through the rigors of a 2-8 rebuilding campaign against a very strong schedule, including entertaining Caldwell which earned a 43-10 victory over the ‘Billies.

“I’m looking forward to playing college football and I continue to get myself ready for pre-season practice so the North-South game will work well for me in that preparation for next summer,” said the Hillbillies senior. “And, I know there are high hopes for Verona next year with both (junior quarterback) Connor (DeMasi) and (junior running back) Bodie (Maisano) coming back.”

Former Glen Ridge coach Manj Singh has stepped into the head job of directing the Verona gridiron squad after Kevin Batty was not rehired.

“Coach Batty was great to play for and I remember as a seventh grader watching his great 2019 team (which captured the North, Group 2 regional championship)  with that tremendous line they had plus great skill kids including (QB) Cael (Zebrowski), who was also the last Verona senior in this game, so I know how big the North-South Classic is for our school.”

Casale, a 3-sport standout at Caldwell who is busy getting ready for the baseball season as he will be the designated hitter for the Chiefs, knows that he will have great memories to look back on after his historic career for coach Todd Romano’s team which won a pair of playoff championships during his time with the history-laden program at Bonnel Field, including being part of a 37-game winning streak that ended in the N2G2 semifinals this past fall when Lakeland upset the Chiefs, 33-28.

“It’s been amazing just being part of what we accomplished with the two state championships, including the first Group 2 title when we beat Rumson in the state final at Rutgers my junior year,” said the powerful 6-foot, 235-pound senior who said he was about 240 pounds as he wrestled at heavyweight against some opponents who came out on the mats at 280 or 285. “To be part of the North-South Classic is going to be a tremendous experience, and I’m honored to follow (QB) Luke (Kurzum), who is our last representative in this game, and is such a terrific player and person.

“Also, playing with Zach before we both head down to Monmouth is going to be a lot of fun as well!”   

Casale earned first-team all-state honors from nj.com and is a 2-time Sideline Chatter Essex County Defensive Player of the Year, including his senior season in which he recorded 102 tackles (including 28 for a loss) and also had a big, game-changing TD interception return at the end of the third quarter to help pave the way in one of Caldwell’s biggest wins of last season, a 42-28 triumph at Cedar Grove.

NOTES- Retired Caldwell coach Ken Trimmer, the Simms Classic’s longtime Game Director, was on hand at Sunday’s Media Day to enjoy seeing Phil once again and share in the excitement of the introduction of the North and South all-stars…Montclair’s Jermain Johnson will help coach the defensive backs for the North, which will include his own senior standout, West Point-bound David Thom Rogers…Dave McCarthy, editor of The McCarthy Report, one of the nation’s top evaluators of talent for the colleges, was also on hand for the Media Day. He helps in the selection of the players in the Simms Classic...Two other former Caldwell stars on the Monmouth football roster are a pair of 2024 sophomores in linebacker Harry Boland and D-lineman Thomas Cader. Coach Kevin Callahan's Hawks, who are members of the Coastal Athletic Association, were 4-7 last fall and will open the 2024 season at Eastern Washington on Aug. 29th. The home opener will be vs. Lafayette College of the Patriot League on Sept. 9th.                    

Follow Steve Tober on 'X' (Twitter) @Chattermeister

Former Giants quarterback Phil Simms was a popular interview subject during March 17th St. Patrick's Day Simms North-South Classic Media Day at Kean University's Harwood Arena where North squad (above) and its South counterparts were introduced. (Sideline Chatter photos)

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