Emerson’s Vasquez comes through in clutch situation
And that makes his uncle, head coach Marinez, very happy
It was perhaps the biggest secret in Hudson County high school football circles, but it’s out in the open now. Emerson head football coach Eddie Marinez took a special interest in the development of his senior quarterback Randy Vasquez for more than just the betterment of the Bulldogs.
You see, Vasquez is also Marinez’ nephew, the son of his older brother.
“I’ve been working with him since he was 8 years old,” Marinez said. “We didn’t want anyone to know that he was my nephew, because we didn’t want to put any added pressure on him. It has to be hard being the quarterback, then having your uncle as the head coach.”
“I never wanted to tell anyone,” Vasquez said. “I wanted to keep it a secret. I never wanted anyone to think that the reason why I was playing was because my uncle was the head coach. I kept my mouth shut and told no one.”
So it meant that Vasquez had a ton of pressure on his shoulders, having to replace two All-County quarterbacks in Joan “J.Q.” Quezada and Manauris Arias, both of whom are currently playing at the University of Maine, plus being under the constant scrutiny of being the nephew of the head coach.
“I felt unbelievable pressure,” Vasquez said. “I just tried my hardest and believed in myself. Every single day, I lived with that pressure. It’s harder for me, because he [Coach Marinez] expects so much more from me. People always say that it should be easier, because my uncle is the coach. But it’s not. He can be hard on me.”
“I think our relationship has been more strained than anyone else’s,” Marinez said. “It’s more personal with me and Randy. I get on him more and I definitely treat him differently and get after him harder. But he comes back at me. We pretty much pound each other.”
“At times, there is a lot of tension between us,” Vasquez said. “We have arguments sometimes. He’s my coach. The part that he’s my uncle had to be put in the back.”
Marinez said that his nephew has always been around the game, since he was a youngster. He was a water boy for Union Hill, when Marinez was an assistant coach with the Hillers.
“He has been constantly around football and he learned a lot over the years,” Marinez said. “So when he was ready, I knew I had a lot of faith in Randy. He was ready for the challenge of being our quarterback. He got some snaps on the varsity level in each of the last two years and he played a lot of defense. He’s our best cover cornerback.”
But it is at quarterback where Vasquez’ biggest role lied. He had to replace the Mr. Do-Everything in Arias. He had to begin to make big plays himself, if the Bulldogs were going to be anything like the successful teams Marinez has enjoyed over the past four seasons.
“Randy’s not the most gifted kid, but he has the ability to get the job done,” Marinez said. “He runs the team well and goes just a little bit above what we ask. He just runs the team like the coach’s nephew.”
Last Friday night, in the opening round of the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group IV state playoffs against top-seeded Randolph, Vasquez had his finest moment to date.
He completed eight of 14 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Bulldogs to the improbable 27-22 upset victory.
For his efforts, Vasquez has been named The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week.
Despite being the starter all season long and playing effectively, Vasquez said that he had a sense of nervousness before the start of Saturday’s playoff game against Randolph. After all, the Bulldogs managed to wiggle their way into the playoffs on the last day, courtesy of their win over Dickinson and Bloomfield’s loss to Paterson Eastside. The Bulldogs were the eighth seed and traditionally, No. 8 seeds don’t fare well in the playoffs.
“I had butterflies before the first play,” Vasquez said. “But we got the chance to be in the state playoffs and we had to be ready to play.”
So Marinez went right after Randolph with Vasquez in mind. He called for some long passes to Jonathan Espillat, and once Vasquez got clicking, the rest came easy.
“After I hit my first pass (a 28-yard touchdown pass to Espillat on Emerson’s first play from scrimmage), it all got so much easier,” Vasquez said.
“He was just in a zone after that,” Marinez said. “I told him that no one expected us to be there, that we’re the eighth seed and no one expects the eighth seed to win. He just had to go out there and play with some guts and that’s what he did. That’s what we all did.”
On Emerson’s second possession, Vasquez was at it again, this time hitting Jeffrey Pena on a 14-yard touchdown pass out of the backfield, giving the Bulldogs the shocking 14-0 lead.
Vasquez capped his day with a 79-yard bomb to Espillat in the third quarter and the Bulldog defense did the rest. Vasquez also had a hand on the defensive side, collecting an interception, his fifth of the season, a pick that sealed the victory.
“Randy had a couple of good games before this one,” Marinez said. “But nothing like this. This was his coming-out party. We needed this.”
“Not only was I playing a game where everyone in the county was watching, but the whole state,” Vasquez said. “This was my time to shine. The ball was put in my hands and I took advantage of it. I definitely could feel it. I think this was the game that he [Marinez] was waiting for me to have.”
Vasquez will now lead the Bulldogs into the sectional semifinals against Morristown this weekend. Another trip to Morris County, another game where the Bulldogs aren’t expected to win.
“We just have to keep ready,” Vasquez said. “We’re the underdog again and we like that. But it makes me feel better that I know I can do it. Being the underdog just makes us all work harder.”
Vasquez said that he hopes to get a chance to play on the collegiate level, like Quezada and Arias before him. However, being only 5-9 and 165 pounds might work against him.
“He’s not that big and he’s not that fast,” Marinez said. “But he’s a really tough kid. And I’m really proud of him. He’s had a lot of undue pressure on him and he’s handled it well.”
So now that the secret is out – and Emerson football is truly a family affair – how does the quarterback refer to his uncle on the gridiron?
“I call him Mr. Marinez,” Vasquez said.
Somehow, Uncle Eddie wouldn’t be as effective – certainly not as effective as Vasquez was last Friday night. – Jim Hague