LINDEN, NJ — How do you replace standouts lost to graduation, such as quarterback Tequan Thomas and linebacker Myles Hamilton?
You start with senior Tyrone Hinton, an outstanding returning linebacker who is also projected to succeed Thomas as Linden High School’s signal-caller on offense.
“Hinton has tough shoes to fill,” Linden head coach Al Chiola said of his duties as new quarterback. “We have so much confidence in him leading Linden, on and off the field. He may have been the backup quarterback the last two seasons, but he has been waiting for his opportunity.”
Hinton, along with senior teammates Joe Mesko and Jawon Lee, accompanied Chiola to this summer’s second Big Central Conference Media Day at Kean University.
Hinton (6-2, 220) is a returning starter on defense at middle stack backer; Mesko (6-4, 285) is a returning starter at left tackle on offense and a candidate for nose guard on defense; and Lee (6-1, 180) is a three-year returning starter at wide receiver.
“Mesko had a great junior season and is ready to make a big leap this season,” Chiola said. “He has been working hard in the off season and has been a great leader on the field and in the locker room.”
In total, Linden has four returning starters on offense and defense, as the Tigers seek another playoff season. Last year, Linden improved to 6-3-1, falling at Morris Knolls High School, 17-7, in a North 1, Group 4 first-round contest. That game followed the high-scoring 42-42 regular season tie in Linden’s regular season finale that was played at Linden’s Cooper Field.
Back as starters in the multiple spread offense are Lee; fellow senior wide receiver Semaj Irving (5-11, 170), who is also a three-year starter; Mesko; and senior Shahad Brown (6-0, 225) at right guard.
The four returning starters in Linden’s 3-3 stack defense start with Hinton at linebacker and continue with Brown at strong side stack linebacker, Lee at outside linebacker and Irving at cornerback.
Hinton was second in tackles behind Hamilton with 100, with 20 of them solo, 80 assisted and six of his for losses. Brown had 66 total, including 11 for losses, which was the second-highest on the team behind Hamilton, who is now playing at Sacred Heart University.
Running backs include junior Jahri Ford (6-1, 190) and senior Ta’Had Walker (5-8, 170). Fuquan Moore (5-11-215), also a senior, is the projected starter at Linden’s H-Back position.
Other receivers include seniors Jaden Cadet (5-11, 160), Messiah Findley (5-10, 170) and Richard Lugarado (6-0, 160). The situational tight ends are senior Juwan Gass (6-4, 225) and junior Josh Williams (6-2, 220).
Rounding out the offensive line are junior Daryl Agyei (6-0, 250), senior Roodjeylee Cange (6-1, 220), senior Mijyon Floyd (6-0, 220), senior Alexander Augustin (6-4,250) and sophomore Joshua Pagan (6-3, 250). Agyei is projected to start at left guard, Cange and Floyd are the centers, and Augustin and Pagan the right tackles.
Agyei started two games at nose guard last year, Gass and Williams are competing at one end, and Augustin and sophomore Alan Szurgot (6-2, 215) will be part of the rotation at the other end.
Also at linebacker are sophomores Joe Boyd (6-2, 210) and Zion Francis (5-11, 170), and Moore and Walker. Boyd is projected to be the starter at weak side backer, Francis on the outside, Moore part of the rotation at all five positions and Walker part of the outside rotation.
Joining Irving in the secondary are senior Sherkahn Zachary (5-10, 160), Lugardo, junior Braeden Delbrune (6-1, 190) and Cadet. Zachary is the projected starter at cornerback, Lugardo at safety and Delbrune and Cadet part of the rotation at cornerback.
Chris Garcia, a junior, is the projected placekicker and Hinton will handle the punting chores.
Hinton’s older brother, Tymir Hinton, was a senior on Linden’s 2014 squad, which won North 2, Group 5 for the program’s first state title since 1985, when the Tigers, on a 75-yard touchdown kickoff return by senior Juwan Dolbrice, defeated Elizabeth High School–Frank J. Cicarell Academy, 27-20, in the final played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. Hinton produced a team-high 12 total tackles from his linebacker position in the historic Linden triumph against Elizabeth.
Linden was in North 2, Group 5 for the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons, before dropping back down to North 2, Group 4 for 2017.
Linden is now back in Group 5 this year, most likely situated in North, Group 5. The football classifications for the 2024 and 2025 seasons were not yet released on the NJSIAA’s website as of Thursday, Aug. 22.
Linden Tigers 2024
• Friday, Aug. 30, at Elizabeth, 6 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 7, Sayreville War Memorial, 2 p.m.
• Sarturay, Sept. 14, Colonia, 1 p.m.
• Friday, Sept. 20, at Watchung Hills Regional, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Sept. 27, at Woodbridge, 6 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 5, Montgomery, 2 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 11, at Perth Amboy, 6 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 19, Carteret, 1 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 25, at Plainfield, 7 p.m.
Head coach: Al Chiola, 10th season
BCC division: Liberty Gold
Section: North, Group 5
Photo by JR Parachini