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Undefeated Warren JFK is off to its best start since 2006
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Warren JFK’s Dominic Naples (10) outmaneuvers Robert Seman (32) of South Range during their 2012 season opener at South Range High School. With a 4-0 record, the Eagles are off to their best start since 2006.
Undefeated Warren JFK is off to its best start since 2006
By Steve Ruman
Warren
Warren John F. Kennedy football coach Dave Pappada says it’s all about playing hard for four quarters, and always putting yourself in a position to win at the end.
Eagles senior running back/linebacker Alec Rossi says he approaches every play as if the scoreboard reads 0-0.
Senior quarterback/defensive back Dom Naples has a somewhat similar, if not simpler approach.
“Never give up. It’s win or go home,” Naples said.
Whatever formula the team opts to use, it appears to be working. At 4-0, JFK is off to its best start since 2006. The Eagles are second in the Division VI Region 21 computer rankings and eighth in the Associated Press statewide poll.
The “never give up” mentality Naples speaks of certainly has been put to the test. And, the Eagles have passed with flying colors. Three times this year, they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
In the season-opener at South Range, a nine-point halftime deficit was erased.
A week later, the Eagles trailed by 14 to LaBrae midway in the third quarter, then rallied and scored the game’s winning touchdown will less than a minute to play.
Against Girard, it was a Naples-to-John Hilty 33-yard touchdown pass on the game’s final play that resulted in a 34-32 win.
“We had 19 lettermen coming back. We expected a good start,” Pappada said. “But we also know we could be 2-2 or 1-3 right now. We’re still a work in progress, and we have to still take things one game at a time. We have to continue to improve each week, and I feel like we’re doing that.”
JFK’s fast start is due in large part to the play of Naples and Rossi. Naples has completed 30-of-51 passes for 439 yards and 4 TDs. He has rushed the ball 50 times for 205 yards.
Rossi leads the team in rushing (596 yards; 8.5 yards-per-carry average) and touchdowns (eight).
Senior Robert Seger has 11 receptions for 178 yards. He has scored a pair of receiving touchdowns, and also returned a punt for a score.
“These three young men were our most decorated seniors coming into the season,” Pappada said. “They’ve had a lot of pressure placed on their shoulders, and they’ve responded.”
Still, Pappada is quick to point out that it’s been a total team effort.
“We have a large number of players going both ways,” Pappada said. “We’ve had a bunch of guys who have been plugged into unfamiliar positions, only to step up big. Guys coming out of nowhere to make big plays at key moments.
“In reality, there are more true stars on this team than I can mention.”
JFK is seeking its first trip to the playoffs since 2009. While a three-year absence might not seem like a long time for most fans, it’s a full-blown drought for a school which has made 18 postseason appearances.
And, it’s an eternity for the 11 seniors who weren’t part of the varsity team in ’09.
“I grew up watching Kennedy make the playoffs. I couldn’t wait for it to be my turn,” Naples said. “Now all of a sudden this is my last chance.
“All of us seniors always talk about how it is now or never. We know the importance of every play, of every down. We just go out and do our thing.”
Rossi agreed, and added that the seniors for the most part have been playing together since the seventh grade. He believes team chemistry is at an all-time high.
“We’ve always been close, but this year seems different. It’s like, I get a handoff, and I know exactly how to read my line. I know what each guy is going to do,” Rossi said. “It’s like that at every position. We’re all on the same page.”
“Our goal is always to always put ourselves in a position to play for a state title. I believe this could be our year.”
Tonight, the Eagles will put their unbeaten record on the line when they travel to Brookfield (4-0). The Eagles are averaging 35.5 points per game. The Warriors offense is averaging an area-best 48 points per contest.