Point Boro Football 2026 Preview, Players and Schedule | Top 25 Public HSFB
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2026 Teams to Know Season Preview: Point Boro (NJ)
Point Boro returns 15 starters as the Panthers try to turn last year's 4-5 finish into a fast rebound.
Top 25 Public HSFB8/25/20267 min read
Point Boro finished 4-5 and lost to Rumson-Fair Haven in the first round last season. The Panthers now return six offensive starters and nine on defense, which gives Brian Staub a direct path to making that record look temporary.
Jake Clayton returns at quarterback, Nick Spanola gives him an experienced runner, and Mason Morris and DJ Albanese bring physicality to the defense. Aidan Dombrowsky and Travis Scully add experience up front, while freshmen Max Steinhandler and Gio DiMatteo are part of the next wave.
Team Snapshot
Team: Point Boro Panthers
Location: Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Head Coach: Brian Staub
2025 Record: 4-5
2025 Finish: NJSIAA first round
Returning Starters: 6 offense, 9 defense
The Defense Should Lead the Rebound
Nine defensive starters return, and that should be the first thing opponents feel. Mason Morris and DJ Albanese were already among the unit's most productive players, while Aidan Dombrowsky and Ford Kelly give the front more familiar bodies. Luca Cangiano, Lorenzo Natoli, Lincoln Blasi, Owen Hart and Jaxin Corino bring back experience behind them, so this defense should spend August refining its communication rather than introducing itself.
The offense has continuity in the right places, too. Jake Clayton is a three-year starter at quarterback, Nick Spanola is a three-year starter at running back, and Travis Scully at center and Nico Cangiano return at tackle. Point Boro is still young in spots, but the Panthers should not have to rediscover how they want to play.
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That is why I see more than a routine bounce-back candidate. A Group 2 program is stepping into a division loaded with much larger schools, and the schedule will expose any weak link. If this veteran defense creates short fields and the experienced backfield finishes drives, last year's 4-5 record will look much more like an interruption than a new direction.
Players to Know
Jake Clayton, QB/DB, Class of 2027
Clayton enters his fourth varsity season with 32 games behind him and 1,820 career rushing yards. Even in a difficult 2025 season, he ran for 608 yards and five touchdowns while continuing to direct Point Boro's option offense. He is also a three-time state wrestling medalist who went 42-4 last winter and has committed to Rutgers wrestling (Yes, as one of, if not the only, Rutgers future athlete we're covering he will get special treatment. If you don't like it, commit to Rutgers, send your kid to Rutgers, even just DM'ing me "Go Rutgers!" will probably lead to preferential treatment.). That background shows up in the way he handles contact and leverage, but his football responsibility is even larger now: Point Boro needs its veteran quarterback to turn experience into cleaner possessions.
Nick Spanola, RB/DB, Class of 2027
Spanola is another three-year starter and gives the Panthers a veteran runner next to Clayton. His 2025 public stat line does not capture a full season's workload, but the returning role is clear: he is one of the backs Point Boro trusts to press the edge, protect the football and keep the option game on schedule. With a young group developing behind him, his consistency matters as much as any single explosive play.
Mason Morris, TE/DE, Class of 2027
Morris is the defender every opponent has to account for before the snap. He finished last season with 55 tackles, six sacks, 10 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a recovery, giving Point Boro proven disruption off the edge. He also returns at tight end, where his blocking helps the offense preserve its physical identity. A veteran defense can be good without him dominating, but its ceiling rises when he does.
DJ Albanese, FB/LB, Class of 2027
At about 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds, Albanese is built for the work Point Boro asks him to do in the middle of both units. He made more than 60 tackles last season, forced two fumbles, intercepted a pass and earned first-team A South recognition, then added three rushing touchdowns at fullback. He is the player who can turn third-and-short into a first down on offense and meet the same situation head-on at linebacker.
Aidan Dombrowsky, DE, and Travis Scully, C
Dombrowsky is part of the experienced defensive front around Morris and gives Point Boro another returning edge player who understands the weekly standard. Scully, a Class of 2028 lineman, returns at center and is one of the blockers responsible for keeping Clayton and Spanola out of bad down-and-distance situations. Neither player needs a recruiting label to matter; their jobs are central to whether the Panthers can play their preferred style against a much larger division.
The Returning Secondary
Luca Cangiano came back from an injury-shortened season to make 30 tackles, five tackles for loss, recover a fumble and return an interception for a touchdown in five starts. Lorenzo Natoli, Lincoln Blasi, Owen Hart and Jaxin Corino also return in the defensive backfield. With that many familiar players, Point Boro should be able to disguise more and communicate faster than a defense breaking in a new secondary.
Max Steinhandler, OL, and Gio DiMatteo, Class of 2030
Steinhandler and DiMatteo arrive as two freshmen already on the varsity radar. Steinhandler gives the offensive line a young body to develop, while DiMatteo adds another high-upside athlete to the class. The Panthers do not need either freshman to rescue the season; they need them to compete, learn and make the rotation deeper as the year moves along.
Schedule Breakdown
Point Boro opens Aug. 27 against Sterling, then faces Manasquan before back-to-back road games at Toms River North and Southern Regional. Defending sectional champion Brick Memorial visits Sept. 25.
The back half includes road trips to Lacey and Ocean Township, a home game with Donovan Catholic and an Oct. 23 finale against Jackson. Depth and health will matter as much as Point Boro’s best single-game performance.
One note: In a lot of states what I'm about to say is a foreign concept, but this squad as a Group 2 school plays in a division with some of the top Group 4 and 5 schools in south Jersey, and a private school. I just think that should be noted that the record doesn't always indicate how good a team is, and that is especially true in Jersey.
Complete 2026 Schedule
Aug. 27: Sterling
Sept. 3: Manasquan
Sept. 10: at Toms River North
Sept. 18: at Southern Regional
Sept. 25: Brick Memorial
Oct. 2: at Lacey
Oct. 9: Donovan Catholic
Oct. 16: at Ocean Township
Oct. 23: Jackson
Biggest Question
Can Point Boro's nine returning defensive starters create enough control for the offense to rebound?
The defense should be the steady part of this team. Morris, Albanese and Dombrowsky need to win early downs and create field position. That would let Clayton, Spanola and the offensive line play a manageable game instead of asking a 4-5 team to win shootouts.
Bottom Line
Point Boro has the experience to improve quickly. Fifteen starters return, including a veteran defense and a familiar quarterback-running back combination. I expect the Panthers to look much more like a playoff threat than last year's record suggests.
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Like I mentioned before the schedule is really tough, I think 5-3 would be a really solid regular season, even 4-4 is not an easy task though. Either way, they're probably still going to receive a solid seed in the playoffs and a chance at winning a game or two and make it into the sectional championship.
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