Justin Lucia, No. 8
NUTLEY, NJ – Despite not qualifying for the sectional playoffs, Nutley managed to win its final three games of last season to finish with a 4-6 record.
For the Raiders, it was a nice way to end the year.
Now, the Raiders are looking to build on that momentum with a strong start this season.
“We definitely finished strong last year,” said JD Vick, who will serve as the interim head coach while Steve DiGregorio recovers from surgery he had this summer. “So this year, one of our goals is to start strong and that’s one of the things we’ve been working, not just now, but in the off-season. The guys have been working really hard in the weight room and during our summer practices. We want to start strong and finish strong.”
Nutley, which will kick off the season Sept. 7 against Bloomfield in a Super Football Conference crossover game at the Park Oval, will be led by senior captains Justin Lucia, Dante Contella, Dan Jennings and Matt Jaworski.
Lucia is a returning starting quarterback, looking to direct the offense with his leadership ability.
“We want to see him really take on that role, not just with the X’s and O’s, but also just leading our offense and having that confidence,” Vick said. “He’s worked really hard in the off-season and we look forward to seeing the benefits of that.”
Contella and Jennings form a solid backfield in the tailback and fullback positions, respectively. Defensively, Contella will lead the linebacking corps, while Jennings is a force at defensive end.
Jaworski will anchor the offensive line.
The returning starters on the offensive line are juniors Jordan Defalco, Billy Searle and Jake Walsh, who will step in as center this year. “All of the offensive linemen have worked well together,” Vick said.
Juniors Genaro Longobardi and Johnny Coppola are expected to be contributors at the skill positions on offense as well as defensive backs.
The Raiders pretty much have a new receiving corps with seniors Dan DiAntonio, Chris Kruse and Aidan Ozdemir. “They have been working hard in the pre-season,” Vick said.
Vick and the Raiders are excited to have Anthony Fischetti back with the program as an offensive coordinator.
The Raiders understand that the key to success is teamwork.
“One of the best attributes of our team is really good chemistry and good unity,” Vick said. “They’ve challenged each other, definitely. They play well together; they’re fun to coach. They’re very coachable. There doesn’t seem to be any individuals; they’re really a team.”
Vick is a native of Alabama who was once a high school head football coach in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He currently is a special education teacher at John Walker Middle School and the JV coach for the boys basketball and baseball teams at NHS.
Vick joined the coaching staff in 2009, first as a volunteer coach before eventually becoming an assistant coach. Vick is grateful to DiGregorio for giving him that chance 10 years ago.
According to Vick, DiGregorio’s recovery from surgery is a two-month process and that DiGregorio will return to the team Oct. 1.
DiGregorio, a 1979 NHS graduate, is in his second stint as the Raiders head coach. He coached from 2004 to 2011, leading the Raiders to the sectional championship game at MetLife Stadium in 2010.
DiGregorio returned as head coach for the 2017 season.
Though he is in recovery, DiGregorio remains involved with the operations of the program throughout the pre-season.
As a coach and friend, DiGregorio means a lot to Vick and the players.
“Coach D is a personal friend,” Vick said. “We’ve known each other for a long time. We’re in communication every day. He is still involved with the practice schedules. We video parts of practice and we send it to him and he still breaks it down. It’s not the same without him being out here, but we’re looking forward to him coming back and I think the kids are kind of taking it, if you will, as motivation; to play for him. We’re really looking forward to him coming back Oct. 1. It’s an honor to kind of hold down the reins until he gets back.”
Vick praised the rest of the coaching staff. They include defensive coordinator Jeff Martin, defensive backs coach Bob Harbison, offensive line coach Rob Perino, receivers coach Brian Koribanick, sub varsity coach Rob Mellilo and strength and conditioning coach Matt Bustos.
“We have been working together for a long time and everyone has done a
great job of picking up the slack,” Vick said of the coaches.
“Our coaches care about our players and do a professional job every day. They’ve really stepped up,” Vick continued.
Schedule
Sept. 7, Bloomfield, 1 p.m.
Sept. 14, Montclair, 1 p.m.
Sept. 20, at Wayne Valley, 7 p.m.
Sept. 28, Newark Central, 1 p.m.
Oct. 4, at Newark West Side, tba
Oct. 11, at West Essex, 7 p.m.
Oct. 19, Lincoln, 1 p.m.
Oct. 26, Snyder, 2 p.m.
Nov. 1, at Caldwell, 7 p.m.
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