It is actually an old French proverb, dating back to 1100, but was translated into English way back in 1545. It’s a saying that has been used time and time again since, and can even apply to the 2015 version of the Dickinson High School football team. “Well, Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
How many times have you heard that saying?
Sean Fallon knows that the Dickinson football program couldn’t be built in a day. He knew that when he was selected to help revive the moribund and extinct program three years ago. Fallon also realized that last year when the Rams returned to varsity status, posting a 2-8 record.
There’s no way that Fallon could have weaved the same kind of magic at Dickinson like he did at St. Anthony, leading that fledgling program to its first-ever NJSIAA state playoff berth in 2009.
This is a public school with strict enrollment policies and geographic restrictions. Private schools can secure players from all over.
So Fallon knew he had to bide his time with the rebuilt Rams program.
“The kids know what’s expected of them now,” Fallon said. “We’re not re-teaching things every single practice. We have kids who are committed to football.”
And the others who just weren’t living up to Fallon’s codes and expectations? Well, they were shown the door.
“We’ve had some kids come to us who never played the game of football before,” Fallon said. “But they wanted to be there every day. We have the same core group of kids who come to every practice, every weight training session. I enjoy that in a sense. The practices have been smoother.”
Leading the returnees is senior quarterback Stephon Sanders (5-8, 175), who three years ago was one of the driving forces in bringing the program back. Sanders played when the team was only on the junior varsity level in 2013 and started every game for the Rams a year ago.
“I honestly felt bad for the kid, because he was getting banged around a lot,” Fallon said of Sanders. “We didn’t do a good job of protecting him and when he rolled out of the pocket, he got hit. We have to keep him upright to have him complete some passes.”
Junior running back Santos Feliz-Perez (6-0, 220) is also back from a year ago. Feliz-Perez rushed for more than 1,500 yards and scored 10 touchdowns last year.
“He’s a workhorse,” Fallon said.
Junior Daniel Rivera (5-10, 175) and sophomore Kenneth Miles (5-10, 180) complete the Rams’ backfield in their Wing-T approach.
“Rivera is a kid who we pulled out of the hallways and got him to play,” Fallon said.
Senior Juan Munoz (6-3, 190) is the split end and provides a good target for Sanders. Senior Javier Baez (6-4, 230) has been moved from offensive tackle to tight end.
“Baez is going to be a very good tight end,” Fallon said.
The tackles are juniors David Saldana (6-1, 240) and El-Aboubacar Toure (6-3, 280). The guards are juniors Luis Batista (6-0, 225) and Zshquan Purcell (5-10, 240), who has to become a contestant on “Wheel of Fortune” so he can buy a vowel for his first name. The center is sophomore Edward Bello (5-11, 230).
Defensively, the Rams play a standard 4-3 defense, with Batista, Toure and Purcell sharing time at defensive tackle and Baez and Saldana holding fort at defensive end.
Promising sophomore Faybien Libren (6-0, 220) will also see time at defensive end. Fallon believes that Libren is a player to watch.
Feliz-Perez returns to his starting linebacker slot, where he’s joined by Bello and Munoz.
The safeties are Miles and junior Lawrence Faulkner (5-10, 180). Sanders and Rivera are the starting cornerbacks.
The Rams open play this weekend, facing Fair Lawn at Caven Point Cochrane Stadium Friday night.
Fallon knows that the Rams will be vastly improved on last year’s 2-8 campaign.
“We have a lot of kids back,” Fallon said. “Right now, we don’t look crisp on offense and that worries me. I don’t know why we’re not crisp. We should be better. But we’re definitely much better than we were last year.”
Whether that translates to wins remains to be seen, because after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was Dickinson football…–Jim Hague
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.