By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- He had never heard of Bridgewater State University when the college recruiting process got underway a few years ago.

And Jorge Aquino (Bergenfield, N.J.) had only been to Massachusetts while driving through the state with his father, Francisco.

But Aquino, then a senior at Bergenfield High School in northern New Jersey, was intrigued when he came across the social media account of BSU head football coach Joe Verria.

Aquino, a defensive end, added the Bears to the list of possible schools along with Susquehanna University of Pennsylvania, Springfield College and SUNY Cortland.

Verria went down to Bergenfield to recruit Aquino and one of his teammates, then Aquino and his parents visited the Bridgewater State campus.

A connection was made, and Aquino packed his bags and headed from Jersey to Massachusetts in the summer of 2023 to major in business management and play football for the Bears.

Now in his third season at BSU, Aquino continues to be a key part of the BSU defense after being the career and single-season sack leader at Bergenfield High.

The junior leads the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference with eight sacks in seven games, is first in tackles for a loss with 13 1/2 and is second with tackles for a loss yardage (60).

"I came across Coach V on (the former) Twitter," said Aquino. "They came off playing in the New England Bowl. I sent him a Hudl tape. He brought me into the family and the winning culture."

Said Verria, "He's a very good player. You never know if a kid is going to come from out of state. But I went down to see him. We had a good visit when he came here. His father and mother (Maria) came to visit and it was great."

Aquino moved into the BSU starting lineup in the third game of his freshman year against Plymouth State in 2023 and remained there for seven games before sitting out the Cranberry Bowl with an ankle injury.

In 10 games, Aquino was eighth on the team with 30 tackles and had a sack for 12 yards and six quarterback hurries.

"It was fun, super exciting," he said of starting as a freshman. "It was almost like a natural fit. I don't think I was nervous or anything. It was just I was ready to go out there and play and show what I can do."

Last season, Aquino was sixth in the MASCAC with four sacks for 28 yards, fifth on the team with 35 tackles and had 10 quarterback hurries.

"It was so much better last year," said Aquino. "I was ready for it. I already knew what I was coming into, what I had to work on as far as getting stronger and adapting to people."

The improvement has continued this fall as Aquino has already doubled his sacks total with three games still to go and is second on the team with 35 tackles.

Aquino said he went through different preparation in the offseason to get ready for his third year as a starter.

"The first year, I was trying to do everything at once, which kills your body," said Aquino of his training. "This year, I worked on my footwork, gained more muscle by lifting heavy.

"I worked on my skills that you use in the game. I trained a lot different where I incorporated biometrics. It was more of an athletic movement workout where my body was able to adapt to a longer game.

"It's night and day playing. It feels more natural. I'm more prepared where I know I can go against anybody, any time, any day and I'll take myself."

Aquino said it was during his junior year at Bergenfield when his sacks started to rise, and the totals get better with each passing season.

"He's a strong kid," said Verria. "He's got good hands, a good get-off. I definitely saw the potential in him. He's a hard worker.

"He'll grab a kid and throw him. I've seen him chuck some 280-pound offensive linemen. He grabs them with both hands and throws them. He never stops his feet."

Getting to the quarterback from the end spot is something that Aquino likes to make happen.

"I take a lot of pride in that," said Aquino. "As a defensive end, you make tackles. But everybody else does that. The one thing you can really stand out doing is making a sack.

"It's you versus an offensive lineman or two, and you just have to work your best move against their best move and try to beat them every single time. It's a pretty good reward when you get to the quarterback knowing your helping your defense in the long run."

Aquino has been working with Verria, who is also the defensive coordinator and line coach, for his three seasons at BSU.

The tips that he receives from Verria have been put to use in games, and Aquino has 13 career sacks with three games and another full season remaining.

"In high school, I had a couple of moves," said Aquino. "Working with Coach V, he's expanded my craft in a way where he breaks down the game (on film) and you say, 'If I did this, it would work so much better.'

"I'm a sponge in a way, just taking what he tells me to do and implementing it into the game. It's a whole different thing.

"I feel like my athleticism plays a huge role in (getting sacks). I know I'm a pretty big guy, but me against a bigger guy, I know I can take my athleticism and run around them, grab them and pull them down to the ground. I know my speed and athleticism will overpower their strength.''

Aquino has developed into one of the best pass rushers in the MASCAC, part of a BSU team that has won two straight games to improve to 3-4. The Bears are at Fitchburg State on Saturday at noon.

Aquino found Bridgewater State via social media a few years ago and it has been a perfect fit for the defensive lineman and the Bears.

Does Aquino wonder what might have happened had he not come across Verria's social media feed when he was in high school looking for a college?

"I do think about it a lot when I'm sitting in my room," said Aquino. "What if I didn't reach out to him?

I didn't feel like I found a home with the other schools I was looking at.

"I feel like talking to Coach V and taking the tour here, I found a family that wanted to take me in that wanted to have me here. It felt like the right spot at the right time."