Napolet: Winning is best part of coaching

JFK is making its 10th playoff appearance under Napolet and 16th overall.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN -- This is how Warren JFK High football coach Tony Napolet spent his Sunday: in a locker room surrounded by assistants watching film for seven hours of his next opponent, West Salem Northwestern.
In theory, this doesn't sound like a lot of fun, which is probably what makes coaches such a different breed.
"I enjoy this the best," Napolet said of the postseason. "You don't get here often and when you're here, it seems like the kids like it a lot more. They're more enthused.
"Winning makes everyone more enthused."
10th playoff appearance
Of course, when he says you don't get here often, he's being modest. Fact is, over Napolet's 16 years, the Eagles have been playing in the postseason more times than not. JFK (10-1) is making its 10th postseason appearance under Napolet and 16th overall. Among area teams, only Mooney has more appearances with 19.
"Winning is the most enjoyable thing about coaching," said Napolet, who has a 150-59-2 record at Kennedy. "It's been a really great season for us. We never expected to get this far in July and August, but we're here now and we've got to seize the moment.
"We're not just happy to be where we are."
The Eagles, making their third straight playoff appearance, entered the season with just 10 seniors, but what they lacked in quantity, they've made up in quality
Elzy, Townsend sparkle
Running back Anthony Elzy gets most of the attention -- and deservedly so -- but it's been the emergence of quarterback J.J. Townsend that's made the Eagles into more than a one-dimensional team. Townsend has thrown for 1,112 yards and run for 870.
"He's really taken the pressure off of Anthony," said Napolet.
Elzy, who ran for 2,800 yards last season, has carried 239 times for 1,940 yards (8.1 average) and 21 touchdowns. The University of North Carolina recruit has run for more than 5,000 yards in three seasons.
"That's not too bad," Napolet said. "He's also run for about 60 touchdowns over the past couple years. That's not too shabby either."
Elzy was injured in a late season game against Campbell last season and was not at full strength for the playoffs, which is one of the reasons the Eagles lost in the first round to Gates Mills Gilmour Academy. Elzy is at full strength this year -- or, at least, as close to full strength as you can be after 11 games -- and that's bad news for Northwestern, which made its first playoff appearance last week.
Elzy prepares, delivers
"Anthony's a tremendous competitor with a great work ethic," Napolet said. "He's very unselfish and he works as hard in practice as he does during the game. You've got to give credit to his offensive line, they've really grown and matured this season, but he's been our workhorse for three years.
"You won't find many better than him."
The Eagles should match up well with Northwestern, although the one downside is they'll be playing on grass at Stow High School.
JFK's home stadium, Mollenkopf, has turf, which helps the Eagles exploit their speed advantage.
"But we'll take what we can get," Napolet said. "We have the grass so thank God we have the grass. That's the attitude we have to take.
"We're just hoping it doesn't rain much this week."
scalzo@vindy.com