Signing Day — Ship

[Ship69]

The makeup of this year's 32-member announced signing class at Shippensburg makes it pretty clear Mac thinks it's time to shake up the offense. The class includes five guys who've played quarterback in high school, along with five receivers, a couple of tight ends, and some o-linemen thrown in. This class, coming in on the heels of last year's huge 60-plus class means another young team this season. While the Raiders lost some to the portal, they also were able to retain a lot of good prospects, offering a glimmer of hope for the future. Given the tragic situation of the past year, Mac largely gets a pass for that one, but this program definitely needs to get off the snide.

One name Raider fans will instantly recognize is that of Brady Zapoticky, a quarterback from Dallas, Pa. His older brother, Ryan, led a pretty good Raider offense that featured end Winston Eubanks a few years back. With two quarterbacks already on the spring roster, the Raider QB room should be an interesting place. Maybe they'll finally have enough guys to overcome injuries. Other QB recruits include Nate Cornell of Forest Hills High, Colton Kilmer of Gainesville, Va., Hiigh, Chase Kissell of Bishop Guilfoyle High, and Christian Petruzzello, a transfer from Bucknell who attended Linganore, Md. High School.

[Ship69]

Full reported recruiting class at Shippensburg:

Wilmer Basilio, DE, 6-5 240,Thomas A. Edison High School, Class 4A All-State selection
Connor Bednarski, LB, 6-1 205,Cicero-North Syracuse (N.Y.) High School, All-Central New York Large School all-star selection
Sam Cicchino, OL, 6-3 255, Egg Harbor Township (N.J.) High School, Recorded 21 pancake blocks as a senior
Nate Cornell, QB, 6-3 205, Forest Hills High School, Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference West first-team QB, All-Area seclection 1,700-plus passing yards as a senior
Alpha Diallo, DB, 6-0 175, Meade (Md.) High School
Ahmad Dixon, RB, 5-8 200, Hun School (N.J.), Transfer from Lincoln University
Tylee Flowers Jr., DB, 6-1 180, Francis T. Maloney (CT) High School, Transfer from Lackawanna College
Brandon Fritz, WR, 6-2 200, Lower Dauphin High School, All-Mid Penn Keystone Division first team wide receiver and punter
Grady Farner, RB, 5-10 200, Governor Mifflin High School, All-Berks County Interscholastic Athletic Association first team at running back
Surat Gill, DT, 6-0 280, Gainesville (Va.) High School
Joziah "Jo Jo" Gonzalez, WR, 5-6 160, Francis T. Maloney (CT) High School, Transfer from Franklin Pierce, 2024 NE-10 All-Conference first team at wide receiver. Set Franklin Pierce record in single-seaon receptions with 56
Lex Haberbosch, WR, 6-1 180, Manheim Township High School, Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 first team wide receiver
Nicholas Jackson, DT, 5-11 245, Mid Valley High School, Times-Tribune All-Region at defensive lineman
Aleks Jaskiewicz, DE, 6-3 220, Crestwood High School, All-Wyoming Valley Conference
Gavin Kelly, OL, 6-0 260, Governor Mifflin High School, All-Berks County first team at center and defensive end
Colton Kilmer, QB, 6-3 205, Gainesville (Va.) High School, Washington Post All-Met QB, Region Class 6B Offensive Player of the Year, totaled 6,799 yards of offense as a senior, including 5,118 passing yards
Brayden Kirk, OL, 6-1 270, Spring Mills (W.Va.) High School, blocked for a Spring Mills team that reached the Class 4A state championship game
Chase Kissell, QB, 6-2 185, Bishop Guilfoyle High School, Led his school to a 15-1 record and the Class 1A state title, finished season with 3,358 passing yards and a 72 percent completion rate
Kylan Lamke, OL, 6-2 295, New Oxford High School, Transfer from the University of Maine
Hezikyah Latini, OL, 6-5 300, Cedar Cliff High School
Tyler Marshall, DB, 5-9 170, Perkiomen Valley High School, Transfer from Lycoming College
Salmana Massaquoi, WR, 5-10 170, Woodbridge (Va.) High School, first team All-Cardinal District wide receiver and defensive back,
Stevenson Memo, DB, 6-1 190, Fork Union Military Academy (Va.)
Domenic Nardini, K, 6-1 180, Chichester High School, Career-long field goal of 55 yards and punt of 67 yards
Tyler Opong, DT, 6-4 245, Woodbridge (Va.) High School
Christian Petruzzello, QB, 6-3 200, Linganore (Md.) High School, Transfer from Bucknell
Jonathan Shay, TE, 6-3 210, Annville Cleona High School, Pa. football writers Class 3A All-State
Grady Snyder, LB, 5-11 185, Central Cambria High School, Pa. Football News Class 2A All-State
Dennis Vittese, TE, 6-4 210, Delran (N.J.) High School, Burlington County Football Club All-County at tight end
Jaron Whitehead, WR, 6-2 190, Franklin Towne Charter, led Frankford Pioneers to the 5A Philadelphia Public League title, named MVP of the championship game
Darius Williams, DB, 5-9 155, Dallastown Area High School, totaled eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery as a senior
Brady Zapoticky, QB, 6-0 185, Dallas High School, 2024 NEPAFootball.com Wyoming Valley Conference Divison I Offensive Player of the Year, totaled 1,949 passing yards and 21 passing TDs

[jrshooter]

I've got to say, I'm surprised Mac pulled in that many QBs when he essentially handed the keys to the offense to Riley Gunnels late in the season. He certainly didn't push too hard in the Mid-Penn Conference -- two recruits.

[Ship69]

I've got to say, I'm surprised Mac pulled in that many QBs when he essentially handed the keys to the offense to Riley Gunnels late in the season. He certainly didn't push too hard in the Mid-Penn Conference -- two recruits.

Did he really hand the team over to Gunnels? I don't think he had a ton of choice. Vince Micucci looked like he might have nailed down the job before he got injured. With those two back, plus a host of newcomers, it certainly should be an interesting QB room. It also might be that some were recruited as athletes. Guess we'll find out. As far as the Mid Penn, he had an unusual haul there last season. And he did pull in District 3 kids from Governor Mifflin, Manheim, Annville, Dallastown, and the transfer from New Oxford in addition to the Mid-Penn kids. The test, as if has been recently, will be to see how many of these kids are on the team three years from now.

[Ship69]

Recruits continue to pop up on the Ship site. The latest is Kal-El Durham, recruited as an athlete out of West Catholic High (Philadelphia).

[jrshooter]

Did he really hand the team over to Gunnels? I don't think he had a ton of choice. Vince Micucci looked like he might have nailed down the job before he got injured. With those two back, plus a host of newcomers, it certainly should be an interesting QB room. It also might be that some were recruited as athletes. Guess we'll find out. As far as the Mid Penn, he had an unusual haul there last season. And he did pull in District 3 kids from Governor Mifflin, Manheim, Annville, Dallastown, and the transfer from New Oxford in addition to the Mid-Penn kids. The test, as if has been recently, will be to see how many of these kids are on the team three years from now.

Honestly, I meant Micucci before his injury. Brain fart. He did seem to be the plan for the future.

[Ship69]

Honestly, I meant Micucci before his injury. Brain fart. He did seem to be the plan for the future.

Since I'm going to turn 78 in a few months, I understand all about brain farts. I especially notice it when I'm playing chess these days; I'll play like a champ into the middle game and then do something wonderful like blunder away a rook.