Snapple Bowl XXIII players and cheerleaders unveiled at press conference

by WoodbridgeFootball.com / MyCentralJersey.com / NJ.com on 05/16/16

Greg Tufaro, @GregTufaro 8:31 p.m. EDT May 16, 2016

Woodbridge participants, from left, coach Bill Nyers, Tracy Fudge, Jr., Anthony Nyers, Olivia Anderson, James Monica, Johnathon O'Halloran, David McDevitt, Brielle Small, Nate Lanier, and Woodbridge High School principal Glenn Rottmann, at the MyCentralJersey.com Snapple Bowl press conference at North Brunswick High School on May 16, 2016. (Photo: Keith Muccilli/ Staff)Buy Photo

EDITOR'S NOTE: A photo gallery and video will be added to this page ASAP, so please consider revisiting it later tonight.

By the very nature of his position, Woodbridge High School offensive lineman David McDevitt often sacrifices for the good of others, so his philanthropic efforts off the field shouldn’t come as a complete surprise.

Still, Marcus Borden, founder and director of the MyCentralJersey.com Snapple Bowl, a charity all-star football game between recently graduated seniors from Middlesex and Union counties, was "amazed" to learn prior to Monday’s press conference at North Brunswick High School announcing players and cheerleaders for the 23rd annual installment of the summer classic that McDevitt had already raised nearly $2,000 for the beneficiaries.

“He’s on a path to break the individual record,” said Borden, noting that Johnathon O'Halloran, another Woodbridge senior, set the fundraising standard for participants a year ago, raising more than $2,500 as the winner of the Snapple Bowl’s inaugural Mascot Challenge.

Last summer, the Snapple Bowl set a single-game record, raising more than $50,000 for Children's Specialized Hospital in Mountainside and the Edison-based Lakeview School, a program of the New Jersey Institute for Disabilities. Since its inception, the game has raised more than $535,000.

McDevitt was among the more than 160 players and cheerleaders from both counties who were introduced – along with representatives from the game’s sponsors and beneficiaries – Monday night.

During game week, players and cheerleaders will visit children from both charities, which has proved over the years to be a life-altering experience for many Snapple Bowl participants, leading some to even pursue careers as special education teachers. Each county will conduct the first of seven practices at Woodbridge (Middlesex) and Union (Union) high schools on July 11. Players and cheerleaders from both sides will gather for the annual Snapple Bowl banquet at the Pines Manor on July 20.

Middlesex leads the series 14-8 and has won nine of the past 10 Snapple Bowls including last summer’s 33-13 victory. Five of the past 11 meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less.

Upon learning in late February that he had been selected to play in the game, McDevitt created a GoFundMe page, on which he wrote, in part: “I was lucky in life and provided with a healthy mind and body. There are those that are not so lucky … I want to ensure that this year’s game generates a new record in donations by asking my family, friends, neighbors and strangers to donate whatever they are comfortable with … everything raised will benefit the Children's Specialized Hospital and the New Jersey Institute for Disabilities.”

"What a great example to use, as well as Johnathon last year taking the Snapple Bowl by storm," said Woodbridge High School principal Glenn Lottmann of O'Halloran and McDevitt, noting both seniors benefit from the support of the school-community. "That's what our school does. That's why I love our school so much. Everyone gives, and that's why it's a special place. I'm thankful that outsiders see it."

McDevitt's impressive fundraising campaign is as much a reflection of the student-athlete as it is of the Woodbridge school-community as a whole. Borden said he is elated that the Barrons are hosting Snapple Bowl XXIII at recently renovated Nicholas A. Priscoe Stadium on July 21 at 7 p.m.

“The thing that’s got me excited is the enthusiasm in the school and the community and those who have already reached out to me,” Borden said of recent conversations with officials from the township and high school, including Lottmann. “Glenn is so enthusiastic. He’s always pumped about his school, and how they rally around each other is just phenomenal. It’s going to be exciting that he’s leading the charge.”

The Woodbridge school-community, according to high school athletics director Joe Ward, is equally enthused about the opportunity to host the game.

“Everybody is excited, from the football program to the parents club to the Pop Warner, the mayor and our school administration,” Ward said. “It’s an honor to host a prestigious event like the Snapple Bowl and have all the best players and cheerleaders from Middlesex and Union counties come to the school and see what first-class facilities we have here.”

Woodbridge Township used $9.89 million in property-in-lieu of taxes (PILOT) funding to upgrade facilities for athletics and extracurricular activities district-wide including, but not limited to, the installation of synthetic turf football and baseball fields at J.F. Kennedy and Colonia high schools and a complete overhaul of Priscoe Stadium.

Improvements to the stadium, originally built in 1948, include the demolition of the white concrete home stands, which were replaced by red and black metal bleachers that reflect the school’s colors, a larger athletic trainer’s room, a revitalized coach’s office equipped with ceiling projectors and white boards, a beautified locker room, new public restrooms, wheelchair ramps for handicap access to the venue, a new press box and internet access.

Players will look as sharp as the field on which they are competing. Borden also unveiled that Snapple Bowl participants will be the first in the country to wear Nike’s new power vapor jersey. The uniforms were on display during the press conference.

Venus Majeski, director of development and community relations at the New Jersey Institute for Disabilities, captivated the players, cheerleaders and their parents who attended Monday's press conference with a prophetic message.

"You truly don't realize that you are a part of something so much bigger than yourself, and so much larger than your school and so much larger than your own community because you are taking a bold step forward and saying, 'I am going to make a difference in the life of child,' " Majeski said. "You won't understand it today. When I see you at the banquet (on the eve of Snapple Bowl XXIII), then you will know because (by then) you will have visited the Lakeview School and Children's Specialized Hospital."

Majeski told the Snapple Bowl participants that the game will "make a difference in how the world prepares you for" the future and that the game will be "a life-changing experience."

This year’s goal, Borden said, is to sell 5,000 tickets for the Snapple Bowl, which drew approximately 3,500 spectators at Kean University last summer. Those who can’t attend the game will be able to watch a rebroadcast of it in its entirety, courtesy of The Woodbridge Channels.

Borden said he has assembled an all-star lineup of game sponsors and media partners including Autoland of Route 22 in Springfield, the Pines Manor, Snapple, FIJI Water, Bai, Sports Paradise, the Home News Tribune, the Courier News and MyCentralJersey.com.

“I really believe we can fill that place,” Borden said of Priscoe Stadium. “I believe that we can break a record.”

MIDDLESEX ALL-STAR PLAYERS (listed alphabetically by player's name)

Yousef Abohend (East Brunswick) OT; Ben Baez (Edison) WR; Mohammed Bangura (New Brunswick) DE; Adrian Brown (Dunellen) DT; Cristian Cardosa (J.F. Kennedy) DT; Corey Clark (Sayreville) OLB; Ryan Coke (Middlesex) RB; Josemar Contreras (New Brunswick) LB; Justin Counts (South Plainfield) DE; Samad Davila (New Brunswick) RB; Mike Diakunczak (Edison) OG; Almaliek Fitzpatrick (East Brunswick) TE; Tracy Fudge (Woodbridge) QB; Robert Gee (Bishop Ahr) LB; Rashiek Harvard (J.P. Stevens) CB; Nate Lanier (Woodbridge) WR; Bashir Lauderdale (Colonia) LB; Jason Lee (South Plainfield) RB; Dane Lupton (Bishop Ahr) LB; Marcel Mason (Piscataway) RB; David McDevitt (Woodbridge) OT; James Modica (Woodbridge) WR; Christian Napolitano (South Brunswick) C; Mario Nigro (South River) OLB; Ogemdi Nwadike (Highland Park) SS; Joe Papa (St. Joseph) FS; Esberth Pereyra (North Brunswick) OG; Noah Pointer (Highland Park) WR; Anthony Porcaro (Sayreville) OT; Andrew Roberts (J.F. Kennedy) QB; Chase Santiago (Monroe) WR; Danny Santiago (Perth Amboy) DE;Tyler Santos (Colonia) WR; Derek Schneider (Spotswood) TE; Josh Siegenthaler (South Plainfield) TE; Jarett Sims (Metuchen) LB; Tru Stell (Old Bridge)DT; Kaamal Stewart (Piscataway) WR; Lee Tamburello (Colonia) FS; Joe Trainor (Monroe) LB; Lou Vacca (Spotswood) OT; Jared Vann (Piscataway) C; Coray Williams (Sayreville) CB; Josh Wood (Monroe) PK/P.

MIDDLESEX ALL-STAR CHEERLEADERS (listed alphabetically by school name)

Samantha Juarez (Bishop Ahr), Brianna Kovach (Bishop Ahr), Angelica Vergara (Carteret), Brianna Dowd (Colonia), Jordan Matty (Colonia), DaNeyh Dugan (Dunellen), Krystal Jones (Dunellen), Nicole Carrera (East Brunswick), Demi Massih (East Brunswick), Amy Trapani (Edison), Brianna Udove (Edison), Morgan Lyons (J.F. Kennedy), Marissa Murray (J.F. Kennedy), Brianna Biezewski (J.P. Stevens), Tianna Bradford (J.P. Stevens), Maya Inman (Metuchen), Devin Lissy (Middlesex), Kayla Tarsan (Middlesex), Alexandra Heizer (Monroe), Sunny Worden (Monroe), Amanda Farrell (North Brunswick), Megan Illes (North Brunswick), Brianna Cardaci (Old Bridge), Katie Padin (Old Bridge), Jailene Maldonado (Perth Amboy), Leslie Valdez (Perth Amboy), Diamond Cheek (Piscataway), Asia Mathis (Piscataway), Lisa Calabrese (Sayreville), Victoria DePinto (Sayreville), Jamie Donato (South Plainfield), Jessica Ortiz (South Plainfield), Layanni Colbert  (South River), Arianna Reid Hill (South River), Emily Baile (Spotswood), Elizabeth Nielsen (Spotswood), Alexa Robel (Spotswood), Sibel Siglam (Spotswood), Olivia Anderson (Woodbridge), Brielle Small (Woodbridge).

UNION ALL-STAR PLAYERS (listed alphabetically by player's name)

Ed Accinot (Abraham Clark) DL; Mike Bellrose (Cranford) OL; Kyle Boyd (Union) S; David Brown (Union) OL; Matt Bruno (Governor Livingston) TE; Ja'quill Burch (Elizabeth) QB; Cesar Cordoba (Plainfield) TE; Tyler DaCosta (David Brearley) OL; Russell Davidson (New Providence) DL; Mike Evans (Jonathon Dayton) OL; Justin Falke (Arthur L. Johnson) DL; Will Ferdinando    (Roselle Park) LB; Noah Goldberg (Jonathon Dayton) WR; Guirvenson Guillaume (Linden) RB; Elijah Harrison (Linden) C; Caleb Holden (Union) C; Manoli Kanellos (Governor Livingston) LB; Torry Langley (Abraham Clark) OL; Sean Leonard (Cranford) S; Andrew Leibowitz (Jonathon Dayton) OL; Erik Loneker (David Brearley) OL; Sebastian Montesdeoca (David Brearley) QB; Tom Morley (Westfield) OL; Joseph Norton (Cranford) K/P; Osaheni Omokaro (Hillside) DL; Chris Ortiz (Union) FS; Kyron Paige (Elizabeth) WR; Jacquez Payne (Abraham Clark) C; Anthony Primavera (David Brearley) RB; Shaquille Privott (Plainfield) OL; Lucas Ramadan (Cranford) LB; Jonathan Ramirez (Summit) DL; Anthony Rizzuto (Arthur L. Johnson) LB; Brett Robertshaw (Westfield) FS; Drew Shannon (Arthur L. Johnson) OL; Malik Singleton (Abraham Clark) LB; Steven Sottosanti (Governor Livingston) TE; Marquel Taylor (Scotch Plains) WR; Nick Tenor (Elizabeth) C; Patrick Thomas (Union) WR; Ethan Tom (Cranford) DL; Andy Urness (New Providence) S; Pernell Williams (Elizabeth) LB; Fred Womble (Rahway) WR; Joe Woods (Roselle Park) QB.

UNION ALL-STAR CHEERLEADERS (listed alphabetically by school name)

Kelly Brett (Abraham Clark), Kamryn James (Abraham Clark), Anya Johnson (Abraham Clark), Kayla DeNunzio (David Brearley), Samantha Smith (David Brearley), Branna Cesaro (David Brearley), Alex Buckley (Governor Livingston), Abby Kepner (Governor Livingston), Jenna Rabasca (Governor Livingston), Khyri Crawfard (Hillside), Chasity Degrout (Hillside), Makayla Jones (Hillside), Briannah Charles (Linden), Ayannah Finney (Linden), Aliyyah Johnson (Linden), Aniyah Person (Linden), Bianna Moore (Rahway), Danielle Chambliss (Rahway), Catie Gibson (Roselle Park), Kristen Vrabel (Roselle Park), Nicolette Lorusso (Scotch Plains-Fanwood), Alison Mebes (Scotch Plains-Fanwood), Jamiah Sykes-Samuels (Scotch Plains-Fanwood), Tiiyana Young (Scotch Plains-Fanwood), Brooke Becket (Summit), Caroline Mckinlay (Summit), Mary Chimezie (Union), Aliyah Myrick (Union), Katie Clark (Westfield), Drew Ferriss (Westfield), Maria Gerckens (Westfield), Samantha Smith (Westfield).