Steve DiGregorio knew what he was getting into when he decided last year to return as the head coach of the Nutley High School football team after a five-year respite.
The Maroon Raiders took a little while to get going in 2017, losing their first three games, before recovering in time to win five of their last seven games, earning a berth in the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group III playoffs, falling to Voorhees in the opening round.
But the Maroon Raiders enjoyed a four-game win streak after the three straight setbacks, defeating solid teams like Irvington, Chatham and Paramus along the way.
Now, the Maroon Raiders will begin the second year in DiGregorio’s second go-round with a better appreciation of what to expect from the veteran head coach.
“I think we’ve bridged that gap from the midway part of last year,” DiGregorio said. “I think the kids know the expectations now. We’re moving faster now and doing things better for the most part. I think the kids all know each other pretty well and they know what they need to do to be successful.”
DiGregorio likes what he’s seen in the preseason practices.
“I think we’re pretty much a team that shows a lot of energy,” DiGregorio said. “We know we have to play with a little more sense of urgency. In order to get where we want to be when we open the season on Thursday night (Aug. 30 at 6 p.m.) against Bloomfield.”
DiGregorio has been coaching on both the high school and collegiate level for three decades, so this year’s opener will mark a first.
“I’ve never coached a game in August before,” DiGregorio said. “No question, we’re opening early.”
The Maroon Raiders will have a new quarterback this fall, as junior Justin Lucia (5-11, 170) steps in, replacing Josh O’Neill, who elected not to play football this year. O’Neill, who passed for almost 2,000 yards and 16 touchdowns last year, earning All-Super Essex Conference honors, has decided to concentrate on baseball, where he has already earned a scholarship to Stony Brook next fall.
Lucia is proving to be more than an adequate replacement for O’Neill.
“He’s come a long way for someone who has never taken a varsity snap before,” DiGregorio said. “We feel good about Justin’s potential. He’s athletic and can move the pocket well. We’ve extended the learning curve for him. He is very comfortable running the offense.”
The Maroon Raiders will miss Nick Mainiero, who has taken his immense football talents to Rowan University, in the backfield. DiGregoio is hopeful that the Maroon Raiders will utilize a running back-by-committee approach this season.
Senior Dominic Raffaelli (5-9, 185) is the top returnee in the backfield, with senior Matt Chimento (5-9, 175) and junior Dante Contella (5-9, 170) also getting their share of carries from the tailback position.
Junior Dan Jennings (6-0, 185) is the main fullback, giving the backfield a sense of grit and toughness.
If there is one position that the Maroon Raiders do not have to worry about, it’s at wide receiver, where the Raiders are deep and talented.
Seniors Eli Acosta (6-4, 175), Vincent Russo (6-2, 175) and Matt Durham (5-11, 165) are all capable of being All-SEC performers. All three are more than capable pass catchers and have been doing so for the last two seasons. Acosta’s acrobatic catches could make anyone’s highlight package and Russo is as tough as they come running inside pass routes. Durham just helps the Maroon Raiders’ cause, lining up either as an outside threat or in the slot.
Senior Louis Conca (6-0, 175) is another quality pass catcher.
“No question, there are a lot of catches and touchdowns coming from those guys,” DiGregorio said. “All of them are potential All-League players. I think they’re going to have a lot of catches this season.”
The tight ends are senior Tyler Genitempo (6-1, 180) and junior Brandon Martins (6-0, 175).
The Maroon Raiders’ offensive line features little experience, so much so DiGregorio took two running backs and turned them into linemen.
Senior John Luberto (6-1, 220) was the team’s solid fullback last year, but DiGregorio has been moved to center this season.
“We graduated a lot of good linemen,” DiGregorio said. “Luberto volunteered to become a lineman. He put the team before himself. That says a lot.”
Fellow senior Tyler Schoonmaker (5-10, 180) also went from being a fullback to becoming a guard this season.
Junior Matt Jaworski (5-11, 240) returns to his starting slot at tackle, where he’s joined by fellow junior Miguel Lopez (6-2, 225) and sophomore Billy Searle (6-1, 275). Sophomore Jordan DiFalco (6-1, 235) is also in the mix on the offensive line.
The Raiders utilize a 4-3 defensive alignment.
Luberto takes on a new defensive position, moving from linebacker to defensive end this season.
“We moved him to defensive end, because we like his ability being closer to the line of scrimmage,” DiGregorio said of Luberto.
Jaworski, Lopez and DiFalco are all in the mix at defensive tackle.
The linebacker corps is headed by Russo, who has moved up from the secondary to linebacker this year.
“We have a lot of versatility with our defense,” DiGregorio said. “Vincent has good length. He’s fast and tough. He goes and chases the ball.”
Schoonmaker, Raffaelli and Jennings are also in the linebacker alignment.
Durham, Chimento and junior Danny DiAntonio (5-7, 160) are the cornerbacks with Acosta and Contella at safety.
The Maroon Raiders waste no time with their 2018 schedule, facing rival Bloomfield to start the season, then facing defending state sectional champion Montclair on the road in the second game. The Maroon Raiders face Wayne Valley in their first home game Sept. 15.
“It’s a very demanding schedule,” DiGregorio said. “We have to grow up fast. It may sound like a cliché, but we’re really just trying to get better every day. The other day, we had a good practice and I told them it was a good practice because we got better. That’s what we’re doing. We’re looking to get better.”
CAPTION
The Nutley High School football team will look to improve on the 5-5 record they posted a year ago. From left is the offensive line, featuring Brandon Martins, Matt Jaworski, Jordan DiFalco, head coach Steve DiGregorio, John Luberto, Tyler Schoonmaker, Miguel Lopez and Billy Searle. Photo by Jim Hague
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Jim Hague | Observer Sports Writer
Sports Writer Jim Hague was with The Observer for 20+ years — and his name is one of the most recognizable in all of sports journalism. The St. Peter’s Prep and Marquette alum kicked off his journalism career post Marquette at the Daily Record, where he remained until 1985. Following shorts stints at two other newspapers, in September 1986, he joined the now-closed Hudson Dispatch, where he remained until 1991, when its doors were finally shut.
It was during his tenure at The Dispatch that Hague’s name and reputation as one of country’s hardest-working sports reporters grew. He won several New Jersey Press Association and North Jersey Press Club Awards in that timeframe.
In 1991, he became a columnist for The Hudson Reporter chain of newspapers — and he remains with them to this day.
In addition to his work at The Observer and The Hudson Reporter, Hague is also an Associated Press stringer, where he covers Seton Hall University men’s basketball, New York Red Bulls soccer and occasionally, New Jersey Devils hockey.
He’s also doing work at The Morristown Daily Record, the very newspaper where his journalism career began.
During his career, he also worked for Dorf Feature Services, which provided material for the Star-Ledger. While there, he covered the New York Knicks and the New Jersey Nets.
Hague is also known for his announcing work — and he’s done PA work for Rutgers Newark and NJIT.
Hague is the author of the book “Braddock: The Rise of the Cinderella Man.”