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Video: 2017 Early Contenders - No. 21 St. Peter's Prep
Host Zack Poff breaks down why the Marauders are set up for a stellar season.
Head coach: Rich Hansen
Last season: 8-4, lost in the Non-Public Group 4 state championship game to Paramus Catholic, 33-28
Last decade: 90-25, one state title
Famous alumni/players: Ravens safety Will Hill, actor Nathan Lane, legendary prep basketball coach Bob Hurley, former MaxPreps football editor Stephen Spiewak.
Head coach Rich Hansen has several top returning players to rely on this season.
Photo by John Jones
New Jersey's No. 3 recruit had 63 tackles and six interceptions in 2016.
DT Jayson Ademilola (6-3, 285, Sr.) — The state's No. 16 recruit is a Notre Dame commit and has 15.5 career sacks.
DE Justin Ademilola (6-3, 240, Sr.) — The state's No. 4 recruit will join his brother at Notre Dame.
S Zamir Mickens (6-1, 180, Sr.) — Rutgers has a commitment from the state's No. 31 recruit.
DE-TE R.J. Oben (6-4, 280, Jr.) — His dad Roman played 12 seasons in the NFL and is now the league's director of youth and high school football.
Defensive end Justin Ademilola
Photo by John Jones
Sept. 9 — at St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)
Sept. 29 — vs. Paramus Catholic (N.J.)
Oct. 14 — at Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)
Oct. 20 — vs. St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.)
Nov. 3 — at Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
Safety Zamir Mickens
Photo by John Jones
* A fifth state title for the legendary Hansen (35th season) came up just short last season — the Marauders scored twice late to make it a great title game — but this season his team has all the ingredients.
* The St. Peter's Prep to Notre Dame pipeline is thick with 2014 Marauders quarterback Brandon Wimbush playing for the Irish. Not only have the Ademilola twins committed, but Simon is very interested in signing with Notre Dame as well.
* Hansen described Simon this way to FanSided.com: "He's a special kid, a special player with a special mentality. He is a tremendous leader, a kid with a skill set that's really, really unique. He's a hybrid safety-outside back-defensive end. He can do so many different things."
* As good as St. Peter's Prep is, it won't be the favorite in its own league, the rugged
United Red of the North Jersey Super Conference, which boasts five of the top 100 teams in the country for 2017. The likely favorite is Bergen Catholic.
* The Marauders must find a way to replace quarterback Johnathan Lewis, who rushed for 156 yards and all four touchdowns in the season-ending loss to Paramus Catholic. Lewis is now at Rutgers. His backup last season Maasai Maynor is the obvious choice. The 6-foot, 180-pounder already has an offer from Rutgers.
Linebacker Shayne Simon
Photos by John Jones
Quarterback Maasai Maynor
