Coaches had Florence ready again
By: Sean Moylan
PISCATAWAYFrom a distance Rutgers Stadium loomed like this massive concrete monster that would have easily intimidated most small town football teams. But Florence is not like most small towns. In Florence football is a religion and the townspeople are nearly all converts. So Flashes’ fans flooded into the huge structure and filled most of the middle seats on their side of the field. Many came with their faces painted blue and gold and they braved frigid temperatures and howling winds to see their beloved team beat David Brearley, 19-6, to win the Central Jersey Group I title last Friday night.
More than ever the Flashes’ fans played an integral part in the team’s victory because a small crowd in such a big building could have caused a letdown. Instead, Florence fans were loud and they cheered on every productive play. In every manner possible, Florence proved it belonged on the big stage.
"We had such a big opportunity to go out as winners and to go full circle with so many new players," said Florence’s legendary coach Joe Frappolli. Shaquan Virgil, Chris Salaga (5 solo tackles, 5 assists) Dahvis Blakeney (big, big solo tackles), Kevin Reeder, Malcolm Jenkins, Quentin Loftin (who broke up a big pass attempt), Chris Foehr, Jeff Perro and Ronnie Edmonds stepped up to make big plays on defense. Thus proving that Florence is something much more than just seniors Joe Spahn, Abree Jones and Anthony Cardone.
On the offensive side Fritz Miller, a sophomore, and Irving Perkins, a junior, anchored the young line and junior Robby Hutchison did a good job of filling in at quarterback. So despite three championships and 36 wins a row, this is a team that’s as much about the future as it is the past.
Why is Florence so good?
Not only do they have the best head coach in Central Jersey in Joe Frappolli (218-98-5 and four state titles), they also have the finest defensive coordinator to ever coach a New Jersey Group 1 football team in Nick Lubrano.
Lubrano devised a scheme which held David Brearley’s highly-touted running attack to just 98 total yards. And Anthony Evans completed just three of 13 passes for 22 yards against the Flashes’ stingy defense. Forced into a strategic chess match because of the swirling winds that consumed the stadium, the Florence coaching staff made one great decision after another with just one mistake (a late game pass). Frappolli, Steve Ordog, Lubrano, Ross O’Neill, Cesar Pereda, Don Nemeth, John Frappolli, Dan Hagerty, Joe J. Frappolli, Fred Dunphy and Tony Luyber out-coached Scott Miller and his great staff the entire game. But it wasn’t easy and they took nothing for granted.
After the game, Florence’s coaches sat on benches in the locker room at Rutgers Stadium. All of their faces had looks of exhaustion yet they seemed satisfied at the same time. Special team’s co-coach Don "Nemo" Nemeth appeared to be so tired he nearly fell off his perch on a high counter 4 ½ feet off the ground.
The members of the Flashes coaching staff had a reason to feel fatigue because they had just survived one of the greatest tests in their careers. Florence coaches had been entrusted to protect a 13-0 first-quarter lead they came up with a way to do just that. They stuck to their guns and didn’t go for too many big plays. They relied on defense and special teams to win the game. At the end of the game one could hear Tina Turner singing "Simply the Best" over the loud speaker and the song seemed to say it all. And Florence partied as three-time champions to the wee hours of the morning.

