Hoboken running back makes amends for lost time
While the Hoboken Red Wings were preparing for their North Jersey Section 1, Group II state playoff semifinal football game against Pompton Lakes last November, Yovani Sosa remained at home, serving his second imposed suspension of the season.
Hoboken head football coach and school principal Ed Stinson had suspended him from play for violating various disciplinary rules in school and regarding practices. Sosa was kept on the sidelines for the big championship game, a game which Hoboken lost 27-10, ending a streak of three consecutive state championship victories.
A week later, Hoboken faced St. Peter’s Prep in a game that decided the Hudson County championship. Although he no longer faced disciplinary action and could have returned to play, Sosa declined to come back in time for the game.
"At the time, he sacrificed his varsity status and his HCIAA American Conference championship," Stinson said. "He chose not to come back."
It appeared at the time that Sosa’s football career at Hoboken was over, even though he was only a junior, even though he was an integral contributor and starter for two championship seasons.
When Stinson and the Red Wings began off-season conditioning for the 2001 season way back in January, Sosa was nowhere to be found.
"We never talked about his return," Stinson said. "When we began preparations for the coming season, he was not part of the team."
In April, Sosa decided that the time had come to make amends. He was going to have to approach Stinson, ask forgiveness and ask for his place on the roster back.
Considering the bitter way that the 2000 season ended for Sosa and considering Stinson’s tenacity regarding discipline, it was not going to be easy.
"We had several meetings in the spring to talk about his return," Stinson said. "It wasn’t going to happen overnight. There were several steps that needed to be taken. Yovani had to get his academics straightened out and he had to demonstrate leadership in the weight room. He had to show the ability that he was willing to work within a team setting."
Added Stinson, "It was absolutely difficult to impose a sanction on such an important player, but it was something that had to be done in a timely manner. There were a series of events that certainly warranted his second suspension and it just happened to be the state semifinals. He then decided not to come back for the last game. So if he was going to come back, he was going to be phased back into the program. I wasn’t going to carry a kid that didn’t want to be there. He had to display a certain work ethic to prove he belonged."
In the Red Wings’ opening game against Orange, Sosa definitely proved he belonged back with his teammates. He rushed for 167 yards on 11 carries and scored four touchdowns in a convincing 54-13 victory. Sosa also had an interception on defense and made several key defensive plays.
And for his efforts, Sosa has been selected as The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week. The senior running back/defensive back is the first honoree of the 2001-2001 scholastic sports season that will culminate in June with the selection of the Reporter’s Athlete of the Year award.
Two years ago, Sosa started on the Red Wings’ 12-0 undefeated Group III state championship team. It’s that experience, blocking many times that season as a lead back for All-State performer Tyrell Dortch, that Stinson believes has helped Sosa become a fine runner in his own right this year.
"Because of his experience, he has better insight of running the sweep than anyone else," Stinson said. "He knows the nuances and knows how to anticipate the block and turn the play up field. Plus, he’s a very tough kid. He learned the offense as a sophomore and didn’t receive a quarter for it. Now, he knows the drills and the nuances. It’s all part of the repetition."
What makes Sosa’s performance even more impressive is that he had to miss about three weeks of preseason drills due to a pulled hamstring.
"Even now, he still goes to therapy to receive treatment just to get ready to play," Stinson said.
The Red Wings were off last week and returned to action this weekend against Lincoln.
Stinson said that it was a good feeling that Sosa was able to turn his life around in time to help the Red Wings this season.
"I think he’s re-established himself as a leader on this team," Stinson said. "There was the idea that Yovani didn’t finish the season with these guys and a lot of them returned and worked hard to come back strong this year. He had to earn that respect. And now, he’s had a game where he was a dominant player."
Added Stinson, "I’ve always believed that football has a redeeming quality about it."
Sosa said, "I could tell that the team was looking to me to be a leader. I hadn’t played in a while and I had messed up, so I had to show them that I’m still here and I’m still a leader."
It appears as if Sosa has received his redemption before it was too late.
"What I did was stupid," Sosa said. "I learned from it. I know I’m not going to do anything like that again. After this game, things are only going to get better."
"I hope that the program’s success and the role models we have produced can be a sign for him," Stinson said. "It shows that if you work hard and do what’s right in school, you can go to college. It’s not a difficult science. He’s also had reinforcement with guys like Tyrell [who is at Michigan State] and [Carlos] Perez [at the University of Florida] and seen all the others over the years. There’s a pattern and method to success."
It’s now up to Sosa whether he wants to continue on that pattern. He’s certainly proved that he can make the first steps.