By Bob Nuse, The Packet Group
In 2010, the New Egypt High School football team put together a magical season.
Just one year after finishing 2-8, the Warriors went 8-3 and won a game over Florence in the Central Jersey Group I playoffs. Some of the key players from that team are gone, but the current group of New Egypt players is hoping to build on last year’s success.
”We lost six guys — four or five who went both ways,” New Egypt coach Luke Sinkhorn said. “More important we lose their leadership. They grew into some of the better captains I have had and they gave us a lot of leadership. We’ll see how the captains this year lead us. This year we won’t be catching everybody by surprise.”
The Warriors won six of their first seven games before falling to Florence in a regular season game, 21-0. But they bounced back the next week to beat the Flashes, 21-14, in the CJ I playoffs. New Egypt then lost to Dunellen in the CJ I semifinals.
The guys are hungry and want to go further and keep pounding home,” said Sinkhorn, whose team will open the season Sept. 9 at home against Maple Shade. “We have to work twice as hard to get there. It’s tough as a Group I school with lot of kids playing two or three sports. In the summer they lifted and ran, but we only have a couple that are year-round football. We have a handful that play three sports and I like that because it is good for the school overall.”
The Warriors have a solid group of players to build around, led by their four captains.
”They are still feeling their way around and seeing how to lead,” Sinkhorn said. “Jamel Smith was our leading rusher and big offensive producer. Kenny Massa was a leading tackler and defensive end will be looked to do more offensively. Joe Puza was a real good defensive end last year and he is our only returning guy on the offensive line. We’ve moved him to center.
”Tyler Miller made a few sacrifices. He was a running back and we moved him to offensive line and he really bit the bullet on that. He understands his role and knows it is a team thing. The offensive line was the best fit for us. They are all trying to find their own niche as leaders.”
This year will be another where New Egypt will need players to play on both offense and defense. That formula worked well last year and Sinkhorn hopes it works again this year.
”Senior Tyler Dietrich got some playing time last year and will probably start two ways,” Sinkhorn said. “We have another linebacker, Kevin Mason, that toward the end of last season was leading us in tackling and also stepping in at the running back position.
”We have a lot of guys that got some time that will be expected to go both ways. We’re always look for guys as juniors to mature and have a little more influence on the game. Hopefully they will step up this year.”
Like every other New Egypt team through the years, this one will need contributions from everyone on the field. And most of the time those players on the field will be staying there on offense and defense.
Sinkhorn hopes the growth the program showed last year continues this season.
”This is my sixth year as a coach with the program,” Sinkhorn said. “I had three years as an assistant and now this is my third as head coach. My first year we were 2-8 and then 8-3. Hopefully we can get another win in the playoffs and keep going from there.”
