Essex County sending 12 football players to annual Phil Simms North-South game
A dozen of Essex County's standout football players will represent their schools one final time this weekend.
Twelve players from Essex County schools were among the 90 high school seniors across New Jersey chosen for the 44th annual Phil Simms New Jersey North South High School All-Star Football Classic, taking place on Sunday, June 12 at Kean University.
All 12 Essex County players will suit up for the North side. Here are the 12 selections:
Jaden Adkins - Bloomfield LB
Adkins was a standout for the Bengals on both sides of the ball. As a running back, Adkins led Bloomfield with 71 carries for 465 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Adkins also added seven catches for 113 yards. Defensively, Adkins had 80 tackles, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and two interceptions. Adkins is committed to Division 2 school Saint Anselm.
Jordan Augustin - Weequahic DT
Augustin was a key part of the offensive line that created holes for more 1,900 rushing yards for the Weequahic offense this past season. Augustin made his largest impact for Weequahic defensively, leading the team with 71 tackles and eight sacks. Augustin will stay in New Jersey after a commitment to Rutgers in March.
Chris Corbo - West Essex DB
Corbo was dominant offensively, catching 32 passes for 452 yards and five touchdowns for the Knights, who reached a sectional final. On defense, Corbo had 112 tackles and four interceptions to lead a West Essex defense that held opponents under nine points per game this season. The 6-foot-5 Corbo will play in the Ivy League for Dartmouth.
Nick Dunneman - Seton Hall Prep WR
Dunneman was the go-to receiver for a Seton Hall Prep team that climbed as high as the No. 2 team in New Jersey this season. Dunneman's 50 catches resulted in 824 yards of offense and nine touchdowns for the Pirates, who won seven games and reached the Non-Public A quarterfinals. Dunneman, also a standout in basketball, will attend Union College.
Terence Folkes - Belleville DE
Folkes is a 6-foot-1, 220-pound defensive lineman that stood out for a Buccaneers defense that posted a 6-4 record this season. Folkes had 68 tackles and four sacks for a Belleville defense that forced 28 turnovers of opponents this year.
Makhi Green - West Orange WR
Nicknamed "Flash", Green was a blur on the field for West Orange. Green led the Mountaineers with 912 all-purpose yards on offense, including 38 catches for 438 yards and four receiving touchdowns. Green is a sectional champion on the track in the 100m, running as fast as 10.7 in the event. Green is a Monmouth commit.
Dashawn Lawton - Newark West Side DB
Lawton had 19 catches for 366 yards and a team-high four touchdown grabs for the Roughriders. Lawton was known for outstanding coverage in the secondary with 33 tackles and two interceptions on defense. Lawton is committed to Division 2 program Slippery Rock.
Michael Marinelli - Cedar Grove WR
Marinelli only stood 5-foot-11 but stood above the rest of the state offensively. Marinelli handled 118 touches for the season, including 75 catches for 1,211 receiving yards and nine touchdowns through the air. Marinelli also had six interceptions on defense, returning two of them for touchdowns. Marinelli will head to The College of New Jersey in the fall.
Raeden Oliver - East Orange QB
Oliver had a senior season to remember for the Jaguars. Oliver threw for 1,858 yards and 25 touchdown passes, completing 71 percent of his throws. Oliver led an East Orange offense that had more than 4,600 yards of offense, going 13-0 and winning the North, Group 5 regional championship. Oliver will attend Rutgers in the fall.
Tafari Thompson - Irvington DE
Thompson had more tackles than anyone else on an Irvington defense who held 10 of its 13 opponents to 16 points or less. Thompson had 87 tackles, including 14 sacks as a senior. Three of those sacks came for Thompson against Northern Highlands in the North, Group 4 regional championship. Thompson will head to Independence Junior College.
Jordan Williams - Montclair LB
Williams was an impact player for the Mounties in 2022. Williams had 89 tackles on offense, including two interceptions and three fumble recoveries. Williams was also a go-to offensive option with 597 rushing yards on 127 carries and seven touchdown runs. Williams will attend Division 2 Saint Anselm College.
Cael Zebrowski - Verona QB
Zebrowski threw for a career-high 1,755 yards as a senior, throwing for 23 touchdowns and rushing for two more on 332 rush yards. Zebrowski holds multiple school records for the Hillbillies, including completions, passing yards, passing touchdowns and career wins. Division 3 school Salve Regina will have Zebrowski come this fall.
Robert Aitken is a high school sports reporter for NorthJersey.com. For full access to live scores, breaking news and analysis from our Varsity Aces team, subscribe today. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter and download our app.
Email: aitken@northjersey.com
Twitter: @robertaitkenjr
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Essex County sending 12 football players to Phil Simms North-South game
