Charlie Voorhees knows that he definitely has a full-fledged football program at Secaucus High School. After all, Voorhees has been in charge of the grid program at Secaucus for 11 years now and has watched the cycle keep spinning year after year. A good group of kids graduates and moves on, then another crop of newcomers puts on the Patriot uniform and simply continues the winning ways.
After all, the Patriots haven’t lost a game inside the humble confines of the BCSL National since late 2005, having captured the last three league championships. They’ve won an amazing 36 straight contests in their league since that time.
“A lot of good things have been happening,” Voorhees said.
That’s for sure.
So Voorhees hasn’t changed his team’s goals in 2009, even though the Patriots graduated a host of talented performers, including two-time Hudson Reporter All-Area quarterback Lucas Litwin and two-time All-Area defensive back Bobby Roesing to graduation.
“That’s the goal every year,” Voorhees said. “We want to win the league and win the state championship.”
However, there lies the problem. While the Patriots have done well within their own league, they have not fared well in the NJSIAA Group I state playoffs – both in North Jersey Section 1 and Section 2.
“We’ve had to change with the section,” said Voorhees, who guided the Patriots to a 10-1 record last season, the area’s best record, earning Hudson Reporter Coach of the Year honors. “We’ve been getting close, but we know that until you win one, no one will give you any credit.”
Last year, the Patriots dropped a tough 14-0 decision to Hoboken in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group I semifinals.
“That’s the toughest thing about Group I football,” Voorhees said. “You always see these very good teams. We’ve been close recently after taking our poundings in the past. But I think this is a team that can be playing well at state playoff time. We’ve been competitive in the past. Now comes the time where we have to win in the states. We know that we’re going to compete for two championships. We have in the past and we intend to do so this year.”
Leading the way this season is junior quarterback Niko Petruzzella (5-9, 180), who has the dubious distinction of trying to replace Litwin as the Patriots’ signal caller.
“Niko has good command of what is happening with the offense,” Voorhees said. “I remember when others had to step in and replace established quarterbacks and they did a good job. Niko can do all the things we need from him offensively, both running and throwing. He’s good at managing the game.”
Senior Joe Impreveduto (5-9, 185) has moved into the role of featured running back. Impreveduto was a reserve at running back last year, but has been a part of the successful Patriot program since he was a youngster.
“He’s a valuable player for us,” Voorhees said.
The fullback is senior Alex Farinola (6-0, 190), but players like junior Eddie Delgado (6-0, 175) and junior Matt Roman (5-9, 185) are going to get their fair chances to carry the ball this season.
The wide receiver position will be manned by seniors Angelo Abdellatif (6-1, 200), senior Jayce Guiliani (5-11, 190) and senior Ramon Villareal (5-9, 185).
“That position is pretty much by committee,” Voorhees said. “They’re all good pass catchers and all can play that position.”
Senior Giuseppe Marzocca (6-2, 210) returns to the starting tight end slot he held last year.
The Patriots’ offensive line is very big and extremely talented, led by senior guard Betim Bujari (6-5, 290), who has already given a verbal commitment to play football at Rutgers next fall. Bujari will be the first Secaucus product to play NCAA Division I football since Austin Hinton signed with Penn State six years ago.
Bujari, who was also a state sectional champion in the shot put last spring, is not the lone behemoth on the Patriots’ offensive line. Junior Nick Gjoni (6-5, 300) is a tackle, where he’s joined by sophomore Evan Rodriguez (6-0, 255), who started there last year as a freshman. Senior Mike Landi (5-10, 255) is the other guard, with senior Igor Ivanovski (5-9, 200) at center.
The defensive front will feature Gjoini and Rodriguez at defensive end, with Bujari clogging up the middle at nose tackle. The defensive tackles will be senior Carlos Quinones (6-0, 220) and senior Mark Kimmelman (6-0, 280).
Landi and junior Matt Pagnano (6-0, 210) are the outside linebackers, with Impreveduto returning at linebacker and Farinola moving to inside linebacker from defensive tackle.
The cornerbacks are senior Noah Mustafa (5-9, 170) and Delgado, although Villareal and Guiliani will see time there. And no, Guiliani is not related to the former mayor of New York.
The safeties are junior Matt Traynor (6-0, 180) and Abdellatif, but senior Ed Wolf and sophomore Dom Rizzo will see time there.
The Patriots defeated Wood-Ridge 21-6, to open the 2009 season last weekend. They face Harrison this weekend.
So could this be the year that the Patriots can make some legitimate noise in the NJSIAA state playoffs?
“We like to think so,” Voorhees said. “We’ve been so close in the past. Maybe this is our year.”
Maybe. But the maybes have outweighed the definite in Secaucus for way too long.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.