NEW EGYPT
W inning can show as much about the quality of a team as losing can reveal about its character. Philip “Phlip” McGuane has quickly gotten a good read of both as the new football coach at New Egypt High School, which is off to a 3-1 start.
“It goes back to the kids,” McGuane said of the fast start, in which the Warriors already surpassed last year’s win total. “They’re good, coachable kids. I saw it especially in the Florence Township Memorial High School game (a 21-7 loss) when they were down 21-0 at halftime and could’ve gone through the motions. Instead, it was the opposite. They played an inspired second half.”
That was two games ago and that spirit carried over to Oct. 3, when New Egypt rolled to a 51-18 victory at Wildwood High School. Trevor Buckalew scored three touchdowns, while Gino Tortoriello added a pair.
Next up is a home game on Oct. 10 (7 p.m.) against Maple Shade High School (1-3). A win can put the team in a commanding position to return to the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group I playoffs that it missed the last two years, as well as to stay alive in the Colonial Valley Conference division race behind Florence.
“I think the Wildwood game starts with Florence,” McGuane said. “We were playing the ghost of Florence, a team that’s been so good for so long. And this year is no different. The kids had the jitters, and we didn’t play our game like we normally do, but Florence had a lot to do with that. So we talked [afterward] about the importance of playing four quarters of football against Wildwood, and we led, 41-6, at halftime.”
“In the first two games, we felt better than we were,” inside linebacker Adam Estey said. “Against Florence, we did not come out as good as we should’ve and realized how hard we have to play — that we have to play a full four quarters and not make mistakes like we did earlier in the season in our game against Pitman.”
McGuane credited a three-headed backfield of Chris Simms, Buckalew and Tortoriello; quarterback Alex Barnett, who has grown into the position and can throw the ball well behind a solid line; and an equally balanced defense that had four fumble recoveries against Wildwood by linemen Dave Bocchino and Alex Sempervive, Simms (defensive back) and Estey, who plays at inside linebacker alongside Nick Pritchard.
“I can’t say enough about what [defensive coordinator Ted] Amo has done giving the players ownership by them making adjustments on the field,” McGuane said. “When that happens, they take more pride in it.”
On offense, Sempervive is also the center for the line that includes Estey and John Petrenko at guard and Jack Darienzo, Dan Buschoff and Cody Campbell rotating at tackle. Most of the offensive linemen double on the defensive front, with Buckalew and R.J. Lees at outside linebacker in the 4- 4 formation, Simms and Chris Tereszczyn at cornerback and Tortoriello at safety.
“Buckalew is the fullback on our offense. Sometimes you think of a fullback as a ‘no-neck’ guy who gets tough yardage, but he also can take the ball outside,” McGuane said, as Buckalew leads the team with 306 yards rushing, followed by Simms with 271.
The Warriors average 218 yards on the ground. McGuane added that Barnett is “very smart with the football. When we need a play, he gives it to us.”
Pritchard is on the field for most plays as the tight end on offense, as well as the kicker and punter. He put four of his six kickoffs in the end zone against Wildwood for touchbacks, and his punts also kept Wildwood out of good field position. He also kicked six of seven extra points, with one blocked.
“He has good size and is athletic, and we talked before the season about him playing on offense and defense,” McGuane said.
McGuane commended Estey for recognizing opposing offenses and getting players properly positioned on the field.
“With our offense this year, we’re playing more as a team,” Estey said.
McGuane said Maple Shade will throw the ball more than any team New Egypt plays this season.
“That’ll give us problems,” he said. “And they’re big up front with the ability to run the ball. If we can limit their big gains and make them earn everything they get, and we can win special teams and throw the football, we’ll be all right.
McGuane believes that in high school football, the more plays you force a team to make without it scoring, the greater the chances it will make a mistake.
“We say, ‘Make them line up.’ ” he said.
The Warriors will not have any players sidelined by injuries against Maple Shade.