By Bob Nuse, The Packet Group
The Robbinsville High School football team began the year with a numbers problem.
The problem only got worse when injuries along each line forced the Ravens to move players into new positions and play on both sides of the ball. But as the number of healthy players dwindled, the players’ resolve grew stronger.
Last Friday night the Ravens shook off three weeks of frustration with a 48-6 win over Riverside on Homecoming Night. The loss ended a three-game losing streak during which Robbinsville played well against three tough foes but couldn’t garner a win.
”We don’t sugarcoat things or believe in moral victories, but we do take pride in gaining the respect of the opposition, parents and community,” Robbinsville coach Jason Gray said of three losses, which came against teams with a combined 16-3 record. “We gained some respect with what we did against some of the top teams in the area. But if we don’t handle our business all the respect we gained goes out window if we don’t win (last Friday night). At the conclusion of every game we shook hands with the other players and coaches and heard nothing but good comments.”
The Ravens started the season low on numbers and injuries have them playing with just a few more bodies than the 11 necessary to put a team on the field. But those bodies came together to get the job done against Riverside and hope to keep moving the team forward.
”After a few losses it was nice to get a win,” said senior Kyle Alston, who had over 300 yards in total offense in the win over Riverside. “It shows we have been working hard. We were playing well in the losses. The teams we played are 16-3 and I think that shows we can stick with any team around that we play.”
The Ravens lineup doesn’t look much like what the coaching staff envisioned at the beginning of the season. But players have sacrificed and changed positions to help the team.
”Tyler Gildner moved from tight end to tackle, Harrison Flyge has moved from wide receiver to tackle, Steve Dranoff has moved from fullback to guard,” Gray said. “And we have guys like Thomas Biscardi going from linebacker to defensive end and Shawn Flynn from cornerback to outside linebacker. Those are the unsung heroes playing positions they are not accustomed to and learning on the fly. Those are just a few of the guys in the program that have made sacrifices.”
Senior Dante Focarrelli wasn’t sure how much he would be able to play as he came back from an injury that sidelined him last year. He went from thinking he could help on one side of the ball to being a key two-way player.
”I came off shoulder surgery and the first diagnosis was I would miss a couple weeks of the season,” said Focarrelli, who was honored on Tuesday Night as the 12th Man Touchdown Club Offensive Lineman of the Week “I healed quickly and went to rehab three times a week and it has held up fine. Being able to play both ways was a surprise to me. It has worked out well.
”I have been proud of the way we have been fighting even in the losses. There was never a point where we quit and hopefully we can keep it together. Even in the losses it felt good to get their respect. Those were three great teams and we played them tough.”
The Ravens host Ewing on Friday as they look to move a game closer to the .500 mark. They might get some of the injured players back. But even if they don’t, those who are playing will make whatever sacrifice helps the team.
”I appreciate what everyone does,” Alston said. “We know we have to be as good as we can be. I trust the guys and we all work hard all week in practice. We work hard to get our bodies ready for the teams with a lot of players. I think we are all used to playing the whole game. It is not as hard because we are conditioning all the time.”
The win over Riverside lifted the Ravens to 2-4 this season. They host Ewing before taking on winless Pemberton in an effort to get to .500.
”We played well,” Gray said of the win over Riverside. “We were hoping we would execute the game plan the way we did. We are honest with kids and there are only a couple times we look at the opposing roster and feel like we are the better team going in. But we have to go out and prove it and that was the big challenge.
”We are not deep in numbers. We lost two linemen for the season and guys switched positions and were selfless and doing what is best for the program. They are a group of great young men who sacrifice today for a better tomorrow for our program.”
For the players, it is all just doing whatever needs to be done to keep the season together.
”I am impressed and proud of the guys for sticking together as a team and sacrificing where they play for the better of the team,” Focarrelli said. “We just sacrifice for each other.”
