SCOREBOARD

A few years removed from oblivion, proud Blue Jays’ grid program rises again

There was a time when football excellence and St. Joseph of the Palisades High School went together, when winning was an annual event for the Blue Jays, when playing for a championship was a habitual ritual of fall, like raking leaves and changing temperatures.

There were legends of the fall that hailed from the tiny Catholic school in West New York, names that echoed throughout Hudson County and read like a ledger of greatness. Names like Marty Seglio and Frank Gargiulo and Gerry Bellotti and Artie Couch. Players like Michael Tanner and Eugene Napoleon and J.D. Maarleveld. It’s where Rich Hansen carved his teeth as a football player, before he established himself as one of the finest coaches in New Jersey high school football at St. Peter’s Prep.

There was no mistaking the fact that the best parochial football program in North Hudson was at St. Joe’s.

But then, almost disturbingly, the school decided that football wasn’t meant to be at the school. The interest was waning among the students. Fielding a team was too costly. So in 1994, the school’s administration decided to pull the plug on the sport, foregoing all thoughts of history and tradition.

For many of the old-time alumni, who still genuflect at the thought of Blue Jay football, who hold the memories of yesteryear near and dear, discontinuing the football program was like cutting out every single one of their souls.

It was unconscionable to think there wasn’t football at St. Joseph of the Palisades anymore. Other people must have agreed, because four years ago, many of the school’s influential alumni got together and decided to make a push to bring back football.

At first, baby steps were made. A dedicated coach was found in John Keeley, someone who understood the tradition and history and respected the past like he was a member of the brethren, like he was one of their own.

With no football base to speak of, Keeley had to field a junior varsity program at first, just to enable the interested kids to get a taste of high school football.

So the first year, the Blue Jays played strictly a junior varsity schedule, then became a varsity squad in 2002. There were no hopes of instant success, no thoughts of winning championships like in years past. Just getting the school to field a competitive team again was a major accomplishment. The Blue Jays posted a 1-9 record. “I couldn’t complain,” Keeley said. “The kids all worked hard and played hard. It was a good year.”

When the second year of the second tenure of St. Joseph football began in August, Keeley didn’t have any glories of grandeur, no high hopes or expectations.

“To be honest, since it was only the second year, I really thought we might be lucky to win one game again,” Keeley said. “We’re still very young, playing only three seniors. We’re starting three freshmen. We have a heavy sophomore and freshman class. We’re still making mistakes, but we’re learning.”

However, six weeks into the football season, the Blue Jays are accomplishing the unthinkable. They own a 3-3 record. That’s right, three wins.

Sure, one of them was a forfeit win over Grandville Charter School and two came over the same school, Sacred Heart of New York, but three wins are three wins, especially in the eyes of the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Because, if the season ended today, the Blue Jays would qualify for the NJSIAA Parochial Group 1 state playoffs. The NJSIAA released its power point standings Monday and, lo and behold, St. Joseph of the Palisades is ranked sixth in the bracket.

“I’m always aware of what’s going on, but I didn’t want to speak too much to the kids,” Keeley said. “When someone handed me the power points Monday, I pretty much knew where we were, but I didn’t want to say anything to them.”

But then, later that afternoon, Keeley had to explain the power point system to the Blue Jay players. They had no idea about strength of schedule and wins and points being awarded for the wins over schools of higher enrollment and all the calculations that Galileo would have had a tough time figuring out, abacus or not.

“They didn’t know what it was all about,” Keeley said.

But Keeley told them the cold facts. They have to win one of their two remaining games, either against Pascack Hills this weekend or Dwight-Englewood School next week, to clinch a berth in the state playoffs.

Still, the idea of St. Joseph actually making the state playoffs in just the second year of returning varsity football is unfathomable.

“At this point, we’re making it a possibility,” Keeley said. “We never had thoughts of grandeur, but I have to say we’re very happy. It shows that all the hard work we all put in over the last three years is paying off. We’re not getting around the corner yet, but we’re able to take a peek.”

For Keeley, this is a labor of love that goes above and beyond the call – both for him and his players. Two days a week, the Blue Jays arrive at school at 7 a.m. to lift weights before classes. Two other days during the week, they attend a mandatory study hall, also at 7 a.m.

“We want them to set a good example for themselves,” Keeley said. “We have 28 kids who want to play football and they’re there every day. Just saying that we’re getting close to the state playoffs is a tremendous boost to their confidence.”

Keeley is fielding a team that is still wet behind the ears. Their starting quarterback, Mike Cafiero, is just a freshman. No one starts freshmen as starting signal callers in high school football, but Keeley has all the faith in the world in young Cafiero.

“He went to camp with us and he essentially won the job,” Keeley said. “He’s done a tremendous job. He has a strong leadership role.”

Junior Matt Gere has been the Blue Jays’ top running back. He had 180 yards rushing and two touchdowns in a 30-12 win over Sacred Heart last week.

“Matt has been very consistent for us,” Keeley said.

The fullback is junior Lou Salvemini, but freshman Misael Lopez, who is also known as “The Missile,” is getting his fair share of carries in the backfield.

“He has no fear,” Keeley said of “The Missile.” “He looks forward to step in and get a chance here and there. I like that kind of attitude.”

The third freshman getting quality playing time is tight end/defensive end Danny Marte.

Keeley said that he counts a lot on his three seniors, namely tight end/outside linebacker Andrew Duboux, and Juan Maldonado and Jose Buchelli, who play the same positions at offensive guard and defensive tackle.

Keeley said that his best defensive player has been Socrates “The Philosopher” Montanez, who plays defensive end and offensive tackle.

Whatever happens over the next two weeks is gravy for Keeley and the Blue Jays. The mission has been accomplished. Football is back at St. Joseph of the Palisades, back and proud. The names of the past have to be smiling.

“The alumni have been very supportive, willing to give me anything I need,” Keeley said. “I tell them I could use a few more kids who are 6-4 and 280 [pounds] and run like a deer. But everyone seems to be excited.”

So excited that the alumni just recently built a new weight room for the Blue Jays to use.

Needless to say, Keeley is excited as well.

“I never thought it could happen like this,” Keeley said. “My fiancée, Theresa, said that I came home last week and I looked like I was having fun. I told her I was. Overall, this has been a lot of fun. The kids are having fun. I’m having fun. We’re getting so much more done. We’re really making progress.”

That’s evident by the latest NJSIAA power point rankings, the ones that include little St. Joseph of the Palisades of West New York. Some things are more unbelievable than others. Words can’t describe that idea.