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SPORTS: Delran, 5-0, streaks past also-undefeated Florence

By Anthony Williams, Special Writer
   Droves of Florence Memorial High School graduates flocked to Friday night’s football game against Delran High School to celebrate Alumni Night.
   Blue and Gold filled the bleachers from end to end and left standing room only along the fence line by kickoff.
   Players, cheerleaders and fans celebrated 70 years of football excellence and tradition, 39 years under current head coach Joe Frappolli.
   The Flashes’ match-up put their spotless 4-0 record on the line against 5-0 Delran.
   Among the alumni in attendance at the Delran game was former Flashes running back Darnell Taylor. Taylor has continued to support the football tradition in Florence not only as a fan, but also as a coach in the Florence Pop Warner system.
   ”As a coach for the little guys, I feel like I need to be out here supporting these guys and showing my team what they have a chance to be a part of,” Taylor said. “I look around and feel like I’m back in ‘The Pit’ with this many people here tonight. ‘The Pit’ use to be a focal point for the community, and since moving out here, things have been different, but this, this is great.”
   Taylor’s reference to the attendance reflects the lower numbers at games since moving the field from the old high school on Front Street to its current location.
   Taylor’s wife, Laura Taylor, is also a Florence alumni and understands her husband’s commitment to the Blue and Gold.
   ”Of course, Florence’s best running back of all time has to come to the games,” Mrs. Taylor said as she rolled her eyes playfully at her husband. “But we enjoy coming out here with him to support Florence. We’re very involved at the youth level, and he’s coached most of these kids at one point or another so it’s nice for us to watch them grow up.”
   The Taylors were one family out of hundreds that came out dressed in their Florence best ready to root on their Flashes.
   Both defenses came out swinging and delivered crushing tackle after crushing tackle to stifle the other’s offense. It became apparent early on this was going to be a defensive battle — won not on wild punches and luck, but on patience and execution.
   The carefully choreographed chess match played out to a scoreless tie over the first three quarters with Florence and Delran both squandering scoring opportunities from deep in their opponent’s territory. Florence failed to convert a 4-and-1 from the Delran 9-yard line in the second quarter while Delran fumbled on the Florence 11-yard line midway through the third quarter.
   When the bell sounded to bring the two titans out for the fourth quarter, Delran found an opening in the Florence defense and took full advantage of it. From the Delran 46-yard line, the quarterback audibled for his receiver to run a streak down the Florence sideline instead of the post pattern called in from the bench.
   With no safety over top, the Delran receiver sprinted past the Florence defender and 56 yards later gave the Bears a 7-0 lead and in a flash turned out the lights on Florence’s celebration.
   The touchdown would be the game’s only score in what proved to be a hard-fought defensive struggle, but Florence wasn’t without chances. With 2:33 left to play in the game, Delran tried to run the clock out in Florence territory, but a fumble recovered on the Flashes’ 28-yard line gave the home team hope.
   However, on the ensuing play, Florence got fancy and tried a double pass that was intercepted by Delran’s safety to end any chance of a comeback.
   This was the first loss for Florence this year, but was not the first loss in coach Frappolli’s storied career at the helm of the Flashes. He’d experienced the good with the bad. A man that has seen all the game has to offer, he knew just what to say.
   ”Nothing I can say right now,” coach Frappolli said in an effort to comfort his team. “Sometimes, when you lose you lose. A part of the game is feeling the disappointment and refusing to lose.”
   As simple yet ironic as those words were, there wasn’t a person there who did not understand what the coach was saying.
   ”They are a good team; we’re a good team. We’ll both be in the playoffs,” coach Frappolli reminded his players.
   The Flashes’ performance was nothing to be ashamed of as they created turnovers and limited a talented Delran offense to nine passing yards in the first half.
   ”Defensively, we did good things, creating turnovers,” coach Frappolli said. “Give a lot of credit to our coaches and players; that was the best quarterback we faced, and for three quarters, we did a good job of keeping their receivers in check.”
   Florence will be looking to rebound from the tough loss when they travel to Maple Shade tomorrow (Oct. 19) to take on the Wildcats in a West Jersey Football League showdown at 7 p.m. in a game with Freedom Division championship implications.
   Maple Shade possesses a 3-0 divisional record while Florence is one win behind at 2-0.