Woodbridge High School 2024 Football Preview

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — The Woodbridge High School football team will open its first season under veteran head coach Joe Goerge on Thursday evening at Old Bridge.

Goerge coached at South Brunswick last season before taking the Woodbridge job vacated when popular mentor Joe LaSala tendered his resignation. LaSala is an assistant at Fairleigh Dickinson University of Madison now.

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"The first thing I said when I met the team (was), it is very difficult for them to get a new coach coming in in the middle of May," Goerge said. "(LaSala) was liked by the kids in the program. I didn't look at that as any kind of deterrent for me. I thought this was a great opportunity. I think Woodbridge is a great district, it's got great support."

While the coach is new, plenty of talented players remain from a team that posted a 6-4 record in 2023, including senior quarterback Derek Anderson, who had a spectacular junior season in which he passed for 1,750 yards with 21 touchdown passes and just one interception in 191 attempts.

But Goerge has always espoused a triple-option offensive scheme that is a lot different from the spread offense that the Barrons ran and with which Anderson thrived under LaSala. Anderson did also rush for 328 yards and six touchdowns, so he has the athletic talents to make a triple-option work.

"This is like a brand-new scheme offensively," Anderson said. "(We've been) trying to get a grasp of the new offense that coach Goerge has, and I know he'll put me in the right position to succeed this year as well as last year."

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Derek's twin brother, Bryan Anderson, is back after making 30 receptions for a 17.5-yard average and four TDs in 2023.

Senior running back Jahmir Beal averaged 7.2 yards per carry on 82 attempts and is another who could enjoy great success in a triple-option approach. Linemen JanCarlo Mena, Jaden Feliciano and Jeremiah Colon return as starters on both offense and defense.

"We've got a fantastic group of seniors returning," Goerge said.

Senior linebacker Tyler Simkovich is among five starters returning on the defensive side of the ball. Mena and Jeremiah Allen are two returning starters in the defensive line, and safety Bryan Anderson and cornerback Barry Carter are back in the secondary, where Beal will see time at safety. Anderson intercepted three passes last season. Josh Allen, a junior who played some cornerback last season, made two interceptions as a sophomore.

WOODBRIDGE 2024 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

08-29    @ Old Bridge
09-06    Watchung Hills
09-13    Plainfield
09-21    @ Colonia
09-27    Linden
10-04    @ Perth Amboy
10-11    Montgomery
10-19    @ Summit
10-25    St. Joseph (Met.)

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