FOOTBALL: Only 38 players turned out for the varsity and junior varsity Ram teams, meaning new coach Skip Edwards will have to deal with the same old problems.
By: Neil Hay
Skip Edwards, the new head football coach at Hightstown High School, will have to contend with the same problem his predecessors had.
Low numbers.
With only 38 players on the varsity and junior varsity levels (the freshmen program has 25 candidates), Edwards will have to get the most out of his squad and hope they stay healthy throughout the campaign.
Not an easy task for anyone.
Despite the turnout, Edwards believes that he can instill pride at Hightstown and get the football program moving in the right direction.
"It’s going okay. We’ve got a few kids a little nicked up. There are some new things they are going through. I think we’ll have an okay season. With a few breaks, this could be a better season."
Edwards and his staff (he is still looking for two more assistants) want to instill pride into every one of his players. Said Edwards, "The kids have to believe in themselves. Our motto is pride. Everything we do, we do with pride."
New uniforms and new helmets will help serve, at least symbolically, to shed the past and bring in a new era of Hightstown football.
"Basically it comes down to the kids wanting to do it. We have to have success early. We have to win games we should win and win the games that are close."
The season, which begins tomorrow morning at Hamilton, holds no favors for the Rams. The Rams may have moved down to the CVC’s Valley Division, but with teams like Hamilton, West Windsor-South, Trenton and Notre Dame on the schedule, 2001 appears challenging.
"I can’t predict the number of wins we’ll have. We have to play the games," said Edwards. "If we have early success and the players stay healthy, we have the capability to play with everyone.
"I am excited about the season. If anyone does not believe I am emotionally involved, all they have to do is look into my face. But they have to believe and buy into our system.
"The kids want to win, they want to do what is right" continued Edwards. "They have to be willing to work hard, in every game and every practice. It is a good bunch of kids, a nice bunch of kids."
The Rams have one of last year’s most exciting players back, senior Alpha Karoma, who plays running back and linebacker. Other senior returnees include linebacker-offensive lineman Rich Freeman, two-way lineman Frank Caponi, defensive back-running back Steven Torres, and wideout-linebacker Ricky Diaz, and juniors Scott Moultrie, who plays defensive back, running back, and wideout, linebacker-offensive lineman John Nicola, Mike Fuchsloch, who plays quarterback, wideout, safety and returns punts (he ran back three for touchdowns last season), and two-way lineman Freddie Ramos.
Among the newcomers to watch are juniors Dan Upbin (two-way lineman), Joe Span (tight end), Dan Clements (wideout), Ryan Brown (fullback-defensive line), Sean Fleming (two-way lineman), Jay Lai (running back-linebacker), Joe Ortiz (two-way lineman) and Jamie Forkin (two-way lineman), sophomores Eric Zedalis (running back-defensive line) and Brian Waller (center-linebacker), and seniors Scott Cupples (quarterback) and Dan Rudin (wideout).
Edwards will call all offensive and defensive plays and is in charge of special teams. His assistants are Jack Dunn (freshman coach), John Milesnick (assistant freshman coach and assistant linebackers coach), John Zarowski (offensive line, linebackers), and Adam Bethea (offensive backs, defensive line).
Tomorrow’s game is just the first step in the long road back for Hightstown football. Said Edwards, "I hope the program is headed in the right direction. There are a lot of positive things happening."

