Morristown Football Look for More Consistency in 2024: Colonials Open Season Friday Aug. 30

MORRISTOWN, NJ – 2023 got off to a great start for the Morristown Colonials. The team started 3-1 and outscored their opponents 82-14 across their first four games. That is where the good times ended, however, for head coach Casey Flynn and the Colonials. Morristown would lose six of their next seven games culminating in a first-round playoff loss to Phillipsburg.

“It was a great credit to the guys to get off to the start the way that we did,” Flynn said when asked about the inconsistencies of 2023. “We knew the challenge that the division was going to give us, and it takes a complete game and all four quarters. In those games we really did not have the complete games.”

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In 2024, Flynn is highlighting the little things in hopes that it brings a little more consistency to the field for the Colonials.

“We lost a couple of close ones where we did not finish drives,” the Morristown head coach said of last year’s struggles. “That has been a real point of emphasis going into this year. Just minding the details and being able to push forward and turn that corner into competing in the division.”

A big part of why Flynn thinks the Colonials can be more consistent throughout the season in 2024 is the return of some key players on the offensive side of the ball. Morristown brings back starting quarterback James Dzikowski for his junior season as well as leading receiver Jasiah Brown who tallied 212 yards and three touchdowns in 2023.

However, the Colonials did lose leading rusher Braden Van Zile who paced the team with 514 yards on the ground last year. In Van Zile’s absence the Colonials will look for a two-pronged attack to replace the lost production in seniors Reed Donegan and Jeremiah Moreau who combined for 490 yards and four touchdowns as complimentary pieces in 2023.

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“Braden did a great job last year of really just kind of putting his shoulder down, sticking his nose in, and getting the hard yards,” Flynn said of Van Zile. “As the season went on you started to see the names of Reed Donegan and Jeremiah Moreau start to get more touches and more experience. Those two are going to be able to step up in a big way for us going into this year.”

Despite not losing many skill position players on offense, Morristown did take some tough losses in the trenches along the offensive and defensive lines. Giakoby Hills, Conor Richardson and Mike Nolan all started as seniors in 2023 on both sides of the line of scrimmage with Hills leading the Colonials in tackles before committing to continue his football career at Temple University. The loss of three starters along the offensive and defensive lines will be difficult to replace, acknowledged Flynn, but he believes Morristown has the necessary depth to do so.

“Those three guys did a good job for us,” Flynn told TAPinto Morristown of Hills, Richardson and Nolan. “We are fortunate in the depth that we have and the ability to have rotational opportunities.” Flynn projects seniors Chase Bright and Greydon Carcich to step into the roles vacated by the trio of graduated starters.

“[Chase and Greydon] have been doing a tremendous job leading both offensive and defensive lines,” Flynn noted.

Ahead of the opener against Paterson Eastside on Friday Flynn is not worried about the long-term outlook of his team. The veteran head coach is hoping Morristown will focus on getting better day-by-day and let the rest take care of itself.

“The expectations are just to focus on the game ahead,” Flynn noted. “Do not look too far forward because that is how you really kind of get trapped outside of the moment. Just stay in the moment and go play by play and the games will take care of themselves. So long as we continue to focus on finishing drives and all that stuff, all the things we learned from last year I think we can turn the corner and have a more successful season this year.”

The Colonials open the 2024 season on Friday August 30 when they host Paterson-Eastside at 6:30pm

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