West Orange Teen Athletes Make Town Proud: Football Signings, Soccer Star Honored

WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange school administrators recently shared good news about three high-achieving football players and a local soccer star.

COLLEGE SIGNINGS

Three standouts on this year's West Orange High School football team signed with D1 schools on Dec. 3, getting hearty cheers from family members, friends, administrators, coaches and fellow players.

“One percent or less of high school football players receive scholarships as the national average,” Head Football coach Darnell Grant said.

“Tonight, we are celebrating three – and since 2019, we have had about 20,” he added.

An event held in the Tarnoff Cafeteria celebrated Farad Green, David Moore and Akhir Morgan as they signed with their respective schools:

• Farad Green (RB) — West Point (plans to major in Business)
• David Moore (WR, DB) — University of Massachusetts (plans to major in Sports Management and Business)
• Akhir Morgan (WR, DB) — University of Massachusetts (plans to major in Sports Management and Business)

“It takes a village, and thanks to Coach Grant, who has been with us since 2019, our athletes have received close to six million dollars in scholarships,” athletic director Stephan Zichella said.

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SOCCER PLAYER OF YEAR

West Orange High School senior and boys soccer captain Marcus Jackson was recently named “National Soccer Player of the Year” by United Soccer Coaches.

Jackson helped lead the WOHS team to a state championship and a 24-2 season, losing only to the top team in the country. West Orange ended its year 8th nationally and second in the state.

It isn’t the first honor that the talented athlete has earned, district administrators said:

“In a whirlwind of announcements, Jackson was named the 2025 NJ.com Boys Soccer State Player of the Year, the Top All American in New Jersey, the NJ State Player of the Year, the Regional Player of the Year, and finally today, National Player of the Year. Jackson will graduate as the fifth All-American in West Orange Sports history and the second to be named National Player of the Year (2007 West Orange High School graduate Brayan Martinez was the first).”

Zichella revealed the latest honor during a surprise celebration at the high school on Dec. 16, administrators said.

Jackson entered the Library Media Center, where friends, family, and teammates had gathered. He was surprised by the announcement, and in typical humble fashion, thanked everyone for being there.

“This year, you helped lead us to a state championship, a sectional championship… one of the best years any team has ever had at WOHS,” Zichella told Jackson.

“This is about you today,” he added.

Jackson will continue his soccer career at UCLA, administrators said.

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