Pioneers Sign 15 to National Letters of Intent
12/21/2022 6:38:00 PM | Football
Class made up of 9 defenders, 6 offensive players.
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Looking to hoist the Northeast Conference trophy for the third time in four years, the Sacred Heart University football team signed 15 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. The class consists of 14 high school signees and one transfer.
"I am very excited about the student-athletes we are welcoming to the Sacred Heart football family," head coach Mark Nofri said. "I think my assistant coaches did a great job finding the right fit for our program, both on and off the field. The players we are signing are a perfect fit for our culture and will be great student-athletes both on and off the field."
The majority of the classes comes from the defensive side of the ball with nine signees. The newest Pioneers on offense include a quarterback, two receivers and a running back. New Jersey led the way with four signees. Connecticut and New York followed with three each.
The newest Pioneers are:
Jamil Anderson
Hometown: South Chesterfield, Va.
High School: Fork Union Military Academy
Position: Cornerback
Height: 5-11
Weight: 185
About Anderson:
Jake Beam
Hometown: Gibsonia, Pa.
High School: Pine-Richland
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6-4
Weight: 277
About Beam:
Jake Beam Highlights
Giovantae Boone
Hometown: Severn, Md.
High School: Archbishop Spalding
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-0
Weight: 185
About Boone:
Nate Chandler
Hometown: Smyrna, Del.
High School: Smyrna
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height: 6-3
Weight: 250
About Chandler:
Jeremiah Derilhomme
Hometown: Edison, N.J.
High School: St. Thomas Aquinas
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height: 6-4
Weight: 255
About Derilhomme:
Ben Evee
Hometown: Randolph, Mass.
High School: Salisbury School
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6-1
Weight: 170
About Evee
Josh Fitzgerald
Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio
High School: Fitch
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6-4
Weight: 275
About Fitzgerald
Kyle Hall
Hometown: Rahway, N.J.
High School: Rahway
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-0
Weight: 185
About Hall:
Ty Harley
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pa.
Previous School: Marist College
Position: Cornerback
Height: 5-9
Weight: 172
At Marist:
Jared Hirschfeld
Hometown: Medfield, Mass.
High School: Cheshire Academy
Position: Defensive End
Height: 6-3
Weight: 265
About Hirschfeld:
Hashym Hobbs-Harris
Hometown: Somerville, N.J.
High School: Somerville
Position: Running Back
Height: 6-0
Weight: 188
About Hobbs-Harris:
Daimon Jacobs
Hometown: West Chester, Pa.
High School: West Chester Rustin
Position: Linebacker
Height: 5-10
Weight: 180
About Jacobs:
Logan Lyson
Hometown: Oceanside, N.Y.
High School: Oceanside
Position: Tight End
Height: 6-3
Weight: 230
About Lyson:
John Michalski
Hometown: Staten Island, N.Y.
High School: Moore Catholic
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205
About Michalski:
Jason Palmieri
Hometown: Beacon Falls, Conn.
High School: Cheshire Academy
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 5-10
Weight: 180
About Palmieri:
Dante Vernieri
Hometown: Toms River, N.J.
High School: Donovan Catholic
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-0
Weight: 215
About Vernieri:
"I am very excited about the student-athletes we are welcoming to the Sacred Heart football family," head coach Mark Nofri said. "I think my assistant coaches did a great job finding the right fit for our program, both on and off the field. The players we are signing are a perfect fit for our culture and will be great student-athletes both on and off the field."
The majority of the classes comes from the defensive side of the ball with nine signees. The newest Pioneers on offense include a quarterback, two receivers and a running back. New Jersey led the way with four signees. Connecticut and New York followed with three each.
The newest Pioneers are:
Jamil Anderson
Hometown: South Chesterfield, Va.
High School: Fork Union Military Academy
Position: Cornerback
Height: 5-11
Weight: 185
About Anderson:
- Had six interceptions his postgrad year at Fork Union.
- Selected to play in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl.
- Also played wide receiver.
Jake Beam
Hometown: Gibsonia, Pa.
High School: Pine-Richland
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6-4
Weight: 277
About Beam:
- First-Team All-Conference
- Helped Pine-Richland to a pair of 5A state titles as well as two WPIAL Championships.
- Earned a spot on the Rivals Top 10 Offensive Lineman in PA list.
- Named Second-Team All-Conference as a junior.
Jake Beam Highlights
Giovantae Boone
Hometown: Severn, Md.
High School: Archbishop Spalding
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-0
Weight: 185
About Boone:
- Earned 2022 MIAA All-Conference honors.
- Named one of the top returning defensive players in the state by Maryland Varsity.
- Member of the Baltimore Touchdown Club Super 22 Team
- Helped ABHS win the MIAA A Conference Championship his senior year.
Nate Chandler
Hometown: Smyrna, Del.
High School: Smyrna
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height: 6-3
Weight: 250
About Chandler:
- Named First-Team All-State.
- Led Smyrna to the Delaware Class 3A State Championship.
- Earned First-Team All-District and Lineman of the Year.
- Voted team captain his senior year.
- Set the school record with 15 sacks.
Jeremiah Derilhomme
Hometown: Edison, N.J.
High School: St. Thomas Aquinas
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height: 6-4
Weight: 255
About Derilhomme:
- Earned Big Central All-Conference honors as well as All-Middlesex County accolades.
- Preseason All-Middlesex County.
- Recorded 57 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and six sacks his senior year.
Ben Evee
Hometown: Randolph, Mass.
High School: Salisbury School
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6-1
Weight: 170
About Evee
- Class "A" 1st team All-NEPSAC.
- First-Team All-League.
- Had 692 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
- Finished second in the long jump at the state championships with a school record jump of 22'10"
- Brother Travis plays basketball at Rice.
- Member of the academic honor roll.
Josh Fitzgerald
Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio
High School: Fitch
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6-4
Weight: 275
About Fitzgerald
- Named First-Team All-State.
- Earned All-Northeast Inland District Football Team honors.
- Picked up All-Mahoning County Team accolades.
- Helped the Falcons to 10 wins and a berth in the Division II playoffs.
Kyle Hall
Hometown: Rahway, N.J.
High School: Rahway
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-0
Weight: 185
About Hall:
- Named Second-Team All-State.
- Also named First Team All-Conference and All-County.
- Earned Big Central Player of the Week.
- Registered 200 tackles, 26 TFL and 21 touchdowns during his career.
- Named Academic All-America by High School Football America.
- Member of the National Honor Society.
Ty Harley
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pa.
Previous School: Marist College
Position: Cornerback
Height: 5-9
Weight: 172
At Marist:
- Played in 11 games his final season.
- Produced an interception and two pass breakups versus St. Thomas.
- Had a season high four tackles, including a TFL at Drake.
- Named to the Pioneer Football League Academic Honor Roll
- Named All-State as both defensive back and quarterback.
- Also earned the Maxwell Award and was a Blue-Gold All Star.
- Threw for 4,700 career yards and 67 TDS while leading Howard High School to a state championship.
Jared Hirschfeld
Hometown: Medfield, Mass.
High School: Cheshire Academy
Position: Defensive End
Height: 6-3
Weight: 265
About Hirschfeld:
- Earned All-Conference honors
- Named to Preseason Watch List by the Republican-American.
Hashym Hobbs-Harris
Hometown: Somerville, N.J.
High School: Somerville
Position: Running Back
Height: 6-0
Weight: 188
About Hobbs-Harris:
- Two-time All-League.
- Ran for a career-high 171 yards and two touchdowns against Summit.
- Also played wide receiver and defensive back.
Daimon Jacobs
Hometown: West Chester, Pa.
High School: West Chester Rustin
Position: Linebacker
Height: 5-10
Weight: 180
About Jacobs:
- Earned All-Eastern PA honors.
- Named All-Area.
- Area leader in interceptions.
- Also played running back.
Logan Lyson
Hometown: Oceanside, N.Y.
High School: Oceanside
Position: Tight End
Height: 6-3
Weight: 230
About Lyson:
- Earned All-State honors his senior year.
- Two-time All-County and an All-Long Island selection.
John Michalski
Hometown: Staten Island, N.Y.
High School: Moore Catholic
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205
About Michalski:
- Catholic League Offensive Player of the Year.
- All-Catholic League.
- Played in the Fugazzi Bowl.
- Led Moore Catholic to two-straight CHSAA AA-I division title games.
- Finished the season with 2,045 passing yards and 1,454 rushing yards – first Staten Island player with 2,000 yards passing and 1,000 rushing yards.
Jason Palmieri
Hometown: Beacon Falls, Conn.
High School: Cheshire Academy
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 5-10
Weight: 180
About Palmieri:
- Twice Named First-Team All-NEPSAC.
- Two-time First-Team All-Northeast Prep.
- Team MVP in 2021 and 2022.
- Named team captain.
- Three-time member of the academic honor roll.
Dante Vernieri
Hometown: Toms River, N.J.
High School: Donovan Catholic
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-0
Weight: 215
About Vernieri:
- Named Honorable Mention All-New Jersey.
- Earned a spot on the All-Jersey Sports Zone Team.
- Tops in the state with 174 tackles with a single-game high of 30.
- Led Donovan Catholic to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs.
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Thursday, November 13
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Inside the Huddle: Week Seven
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