FREEHOLD
B y far, the biggest story of the young high school football season has been Dave Ellis’ Freehold High School Colonials.
As the calendar moves into October, the Colonials are undefeated and looking very much like a contender. More important for the players is restoring Freehold’s respect.
After the Colonials won the 2010 NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III state title, the program fell on hard times. With the Colonials moving up to the bigger A North Division this fall, many questioned if they could survive.
They thrived with three straight division wins over Middletown High School North, Freehold Township High School and Howell High School to start the season. They’ve wakened the town of Freehold Borough to high school football once again.
“The kids are excited,” Ellis said. “They’ve worked hard to gain respect in the Shore Conference.”
There was a wonderful turnout for Freehold’s first home game on Sept. 20 — a 41- 21 win over Howell — as the town came out to show its support of the surging Colonials.
“The kids feed off [the crowd],” Ellis said. “It gives them a lot of positive energy.”
Freehold has one of the best running backs and leaders in Josh Dixon, a defense that has been turning teams over and a quarterback in Jake Curry, who is maturing with each game. But what has been the difference this year has been very simple: the Colonials are heeding Ellis’ advice that “you play as you practice”
Led by the example of Dixon, the Colonials have not taken a play off in practice, and it has created positive results on game day.
With a roster of just 30 players, practices can be a challenge. However, everyone is stepping up this year by throwing everything they have at practice. It is making each player better and, in the process, the Colonials a better team.
If there is an intangible that has made the difference for the Colonials, it has been the way the defense has created turnovers.
“Turnovers have been a big part of our success,” Ellis said. “We harp about getting to the ball. The defense has been flying around.”
Ellis noted that “heart and desire” have been a contributing factor behind the turnovers.
The turnovers have helped the Colonials get early leads in their games, which has allowed them to give teams a steady diet of Dixon, who sooner or later is going to break the long run. “We’ve been pretty fortunate,” Ellis said. “We’ve gotten off to pretty good starts in our games. It sets a tone.
“Getting off to early starts allows our defense to take charge and for us to run the ball.”
Dixon opened the season rushing for more than 200 yards and scoring four touchdowns in a win at Middletown North, and he has not slowed down since. He has been dynamic with his combination of power and speed. He is forcing teams to game plan for him. But thanks to his own determination and a fine offensive line in front of him, he’s overcome those attempts to slow him down.
The maturity of junior Curry at quarterback has given teams another weapon to worry about.
“He’s a true leader,” Ellis said of his signal caller. “He tries to get better every day. Jake is one of the most unselfish kids.”
Besides his running capabilities, he brings the passing game to the offense.
“In order to win, you have to throw and run the ball,” Ellis said.
Defensively, linemen Will Fraumeni, Mitch Johnson and Nick Kousoulides, as well as linebacker Morgan Quinones, have been setting the tone for a unit that attacks offenses with a fury.
The Colonials step way from A North this week for a home game against Raritan High School (1-1) on Oct. 2 at 3:30 p.m. They return to A North to take on Marlboro High School (0-3), also at home, on Oct. 11.