Florence football getting set for another title run

By: Sean Moylan
   On Friday night, September 7th, a new era of Florence High varsity football will officially get underway when the Flashes host Palmyra in the first game ever played at the new school field, which Florence fans are already dubbing the "New Pit."
   One of the biggest things the Flashes will have to get used to is playing on Fridays and not Saturdays.
   "It changes our whole routine," said Joe Frappolli, who is entering his 34th year as the Florence head varsity football coach.
   Frappolli is considering having his team meet on Saturday mornings after home games. However, he will keep Sunday as a family day. If anything, Florence is all about family, on and off the field.
   While Frappolli’s great coaching staff of Steve Ordog, Nick Lubrano, Ross O’Neil, Joe. J. Frappolli, Don Nemeth, Cesar Pereda, John Frappolli, Dan Hegarty, Fred Dunphy, Tony Luyber and Pepe Piechette are all back, Florence graduated a lot of star seniors including Shaquan Virgil, Tim Bihlear, Malcolm Jenkins, Chris Foehr, Robby Hutchison, Kevin Reeder, Irving Perkins, Jeff Perro, Dahvis Blakenee and others off of last year’s Group I Central Jersey Championship team.
   "In the mix of 16 seniors, 12 or 13 played extensively on the varsity team last year," noted Frappolli.
   Two-way senior starters Quentin Loftin and Chris Salaga are back, though.
   "We’re expecting Loftin to have a big year," added Frappolli. "Miller, Salaga and Brian Cook are back on the offensive line."
   Running back Joe Price and quarterback/punter Jimmy Martinson are also expected to do well this season.
   But before doing a preview for the upcoming Flashes 2007 team (next week), let’s go over the last five years because they were five of the greatest seasons any team has ever enjoyed.
   Five years ago, despite some great running by Jorron Jenkins and Bryan Maus, Paulsboro beat Florence, 50-0, in the South Jersey Group I Championship game. Since that contest, Florence has won 47 out of 48 games and four straight Central Jersey Group I titles and it has turned Rutgers Stadium into its home away from home.
   Florence started its current championship run with a 21-14 win over Keyport in the 2003 Group I Championship game.
   Then in 2004 Florence clobbered New Providence 35-7 at "The Pit" to win its second state straight title.
   In 2005 Florence trounced David Brearley 19-6 at Rutgers Stadium in what was a senior showcase for Joe Spahn, Anthony "The Little Dynamo" Cardone and Abree Jones.
   And last year Tim Bihlear led Florence to a 17-6 win over South River at Rutgers.
   Last season, the Florence Flashes said one final goodbye to "The Pit" with a 35-0 playoff win over Metuchen on November 18th, 2007. Florence’s only loss over the last four years came against Holy Cross last season. Therefore it still has a streak of 47 wins versus public schools.
   The last few seasons have been so successful that Frappolli, who has a 228-99-5 record, is now just three wins away from breaking the all-time South Jersey record for wins, which is 230.
   A new era will start for the Flashes on September 7th, but it’s good to have a great, legendary head coach like Joe Frappolli there to lead the way.