Insist on the Original - Solar Illuminations is your local certified dealer & installer. |
First-year Montclair coach Manj Singh recently welcomed NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin who had visit with the Mounties at Woodman Field during their summer workouts. The Mounties have had a busy June and July while getting ready for season. (photos courtesy of Brianna Bustamante and MHS Football)
MONTCLAIR- New Montclair coach Manj Singh has been like an orchestra leader guiding all the different instruments for an enjoyable sound, but it’s all still in the rehearsal stage at this point. The first bona fide important performance will come Saturday, Aug. 29, when the Mounties host Ridgewood in the 2026 season opener at Woodman Field. Singh, the 49-year-old former Mountie wide receiver now 30 years removed from his MHS graduation, is thrilled to be back at his hometown high school following a pair of 2-year head coaching stints at Verona and Glen Ridge, and he knows that the work is just beginning in the process of reenergizing a winning football team for the history-laden program. “We are focused on restoring the feeling and building this program back to what it was like in the glory days,” said the rookie Mounties head gridiron mentor. “We’ve had our ups and downs in the beginning only because a culture change is tough, and when you are trying to make sure that the kids fully understand the goals and standards of how we want to run this program there are going to be a few hiccups along the way. “But, that’s all part of it and we have a great group of kids who want to play football for Montclair High School, and they’ve been putting in the work all summer in preparation for what’s ahead. “We’ve been scripting how things are done, for instance with lifting from 3 to 3:45, 3:45 to 4 to get ready for going out on the field to work from 4 to 6. “There is definitely talent here, and some moving parts on this team as certain kids might have changed positions or are playing in multiple spots. “We have a lot of good things happening here, including our new Junior Mounties with 6th, 7th and 8th grade teams who will play together this season. The Montclair Cobras, who had been such a big part of football in Montclair for so many years, have transitioned into our Junior Mounties program and that certainly will help all of Montclair football moving forward!” While the Junior Mounties are a huge part of the future, the present state of Montclair varsity football remains an intriguing concept to anticipate and wonder about heading into the 2026 Super Football Conference season. The Mounties finished 1-8 last fall in interim head coach Ron Anello’s first and only season at the helm, and while there was a Montclair-football-unheard-of-low number-of-seniors on the roster with only 5 finishing the season, the good news is that several underclassmen from that team gained valuable experience and return this fall to try and return to winning ways last experienced by the playoff sectional finals runner-up 8-4 squad in 2023. Singh is the third different head coach in as many seasons and coaching staff changes in any sport are difficult for any high school athletes; however, the large-scale concept of building a 45 to 50-man-plus varsity roster and overseeing an entire program is a huge task for any new coach. What Singh has showed in his previous stops has been his ability to be that conductor in a musical sense who can put together a strong staff to work alongside. His new fellow Mountie coaches include another high school alum and former teammate, Chris Ferrara, who is the team’s assistant head coach and offensive coordinator; former Rutgers wide receiver Carlton Agudosi, who is the team’s passing game coordinator; former Bergen Catholic and Delaware standout Gene Coleman, who is the defensive coordinator; ex-Alabama player and former St. Joe’s of Montvale assistant Todd Picariello, who will coach the O-Line; former Mountie, Rutgers and Appalachian State standout Shawn Collins, who will work with the D-Line, ex-Bloomfield and Rutgers player Joey Rivera, who is the assistant DC, former West Orange player Eliah Pean, who is the new special teams coach, and the very familiar Anthony Maffucci, who is a longtime Mounties assistant from many previous coaching staffs. Former Livingston assistant coach Melissa Gromeck is the head freshmen coach with Montclair resident and longtime youth football coach Ketih Lumpkin, Sr. working with the freshmen linemen. “It’s a great group of experienced people who have done so many different things in football and are enthusiastic about being part of this revival of Mounties football,” said Singh. “We’re all on the same page and excited about preparing the players for what we hope is a successful season ahead!” While starting positions are going to be hashed out for some in the next couple of weeks. After a ‘dead’ period, ‘OTA’s (organized team activities) run from Aug. 3-6 followed by the official start of practice on Aug. 10, a quad scrimmage along with Teaneck and Franklin at state power Shabazz on Aug. 17, a home scrimmage with Orange, 10 a.m., Aug. 22, and then the home season opener with familiar opponent Ridgewood on Aug. 29. One critical position yet to be decided is at quarterback where sophomore Andrew Reynolds (6-1, 175), junior Elijah Miller (5-11, 170) and versatile senior Samad Jiles (6-0, 180) are competing for playing time. Jiles, who is a superb wide receiver (22 receptions for 208 yards in 2025), stepped in at QB out of need for part of last season and is also one of the team’s best defensive backs. The primary ball carrier looks to be exciting sophomore Brad Webb, who led the team in receptions last fall with 24 for 212 yards and a TD, but is best suited at running back for the needs of the Mounties. A powerful junior, Jayden ‘J-Rod’ Rodriguez (5-11, 190), who has made the transition from a guard position last year, is a power back to watch. The wide receivers include veteran seniors Jessiah Godfrey-Pelham (5-10, 175), who had 23 receptions for 246 yards and 2 TDs in 2025; converted RB Zahkir Huff (5-8, 170), who will be at slot receiver and Gabriel Gill (5-10, 170). The O-Line will be anchored by second-year senior co-captain Avery Burton (6-1, 245), who plays right tackle and can serve in a number of roles on defense, including as a hybrid linebacker; and juniors Freddy Chitwood (6-3, 245 at left tackle), Lamont Luks (6-2, 215) and Joshua Brooks (6-2, 265) at the guard positions and Bryson Matty (6-, 265) at center. Adding depth on the line will be another junior Langston Sanders (5-11, 205). Several of those offensive players will also help on the defensive unit which is also still taking shape. The summer has included 7-on-7s at Rutgers, at the Jets training facility in Florham Park and at Cedar Grove, plus special high-profile visitors such as Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer Michael Irvin and former Don Bosco Prep, Rutgers and NFL QB Matt Simms, who is the son of retired Giants great Phil Simms. NFL QB Gino Smith also made a visit with the Mounties at Centercourt. The Irvin visit was made possible with the help of former major league player and baseball analyst Harold Reynolds, who is father of the Mounties’ junior QB Andrew. The elder Reynolds met up with Irvin at major league baseball’s all-star game in Philadelphia and helped Singh to make a connection with the all-time great player. “Michael Irvin was one of my idols growing up and he was just terrific in coming out to Montclair in between his trip to New York City in order to spend time meeting our team and imparting life lessons to them,” said Singh. “Matt Simms, who is another outstanding individual, made it a point to say that one of his first stops this summer was going to be in Montclair where he watched our practice and took a 100-yard walk with me that was filmed along with interviewing a couple of our players. “It’s been such a tremendous summer, also including being part of the African-American and 4th of July parades. It’s great to be back home for a dream job, but part of coming homer is that you have to also clean your house up, and we’re picking up a few things and repairing others. “Hard work is part of the daily process of restoring that feeling and making sure that we strive to revive the great tradition of Montclair football!” NOTES- Former longtime Mounties assistant coach and 1983 state championship QB Kevin Richberg is helping to coordinate a Montclair elementary school flag football league for boys and girls at Centercourt as all the elementary schools, including Northeast, Bradford and Charles Bullock, play on Tuesdays and compete for a trophy at the end of the season…Among the other former Mounties who have paid a visit to their alma mater this summer to speak to the young high school players on hand have been Daniel Black (1978) and former USA TODAY national Defensive Player of the Year Quintus McDonald (MHS Class of ’85 and then Penn State and NFL’s Indianapolis Colts)…Ridgewood will come to Woodman Field running a brand new offense for them, the spread, after 50 years as a Wing-T team, with most of that being during the long tenure of popular head coach Chuck Johnson. Montclair High football coaches since 1920: Follow Steve Tober on 'X' @Chattermeister
Former Don Bosco Prep, Rutgers and NFL QB Matt Simms met up with Mounties head coach Manj Singh at recent summer practice. Singh and his Montclair team have enjoyed busy and productive summer together.
.
copyright 2005 Sideline Chatter - to comment contact the webmaster
|
| ||||||||||||
|
