Pats going back to doing what they do best
Freehold Township has a three-way battle brewing at quarterback
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
A1-9 season in 2007 made Freehold Township head coach Dominick Lepore take a long, hard look at what had gone wrong.

JEFF GRANIT staff Freehold Township High School's offense will be depending upon running back Paul Amakihe (r) to carry the load for a Patriots team that finished with a 1-9 record a year ago.

Changes were in the offing as he concluded that the team needed consistency at every level — varsity, jayvee and freshman.

Following his postseason assessment, Lepore has returned with a renewed enthusiasm. He pointed out that this summer felt like 2000, his first as the program's head coach.

One of the reasons for that fervor were changes in the coaching staff. He has added some young blood in former Manalapan High School star Mike Gaeta (who was an All-American wrestler at Springfield College) and two ex-Patriot players: his brother Paul LePore and Joe Santopietro. All are just recently out of college.

Gaeta quarterbacked Manalapan High School to a division title during his scholastic days. He's in charge of the defensive backs.

"He's going to help the program just going through the door," said Lepore. "He's a winner."

Paul Lepore was the quarterback when the Patriots made their only state playoff appearance. He's coaching the quarterbacks.

"He played in the program and was successful," noted Dominick. "He has a good head on his shoulders and knows the game."

Santopietro, who was a wide receiver for Lepore, is coaching the wideouts. Like Paul Lepore, he experienced success at Township.

"It's nice having young guys who've got the fire and are competitive," said Lepore.

Lepore also turned to experience with Bill Smith rejoining the staff as the defensive coordinator. Bill Snedden, another young coach, is in charge of the defensive line.

Armed with new faces on the staff and matching that fire and competitiveness of his young coaches, Lepore is anxious to put '07 behind him.

And he's looking to turn things around by keeping it simple. Offensively, he pointed out, he's always had big linemen, and he wants to utilize them to become a two-back, ball-control team. He's looking for Freehold Township to pick up first downs and win the battle for field position.

"We want to control the clock by running the ball and throwing play-action passes," he pointed out.

Tackles Dylan Burst and Vinny Sanchez and guard Dan Zara are the experienced members of the offensive line. Sophomore Mike Luongo started the Pats' Thanksgiving Day game against Howell as a freshman, and he's starting at center.

Jeff Koubek is the other starting guard, and Vincent DeMarinis provides depth at tackle.

"This is a physical unit," said Lepore. The linemen are all between 225 and 270 pounds.

Tight end Matt Faiella is an additional blocker. The 6-3, 230-pound senior can move defenders off the ball with anyone and is a very inviting target as a receiver.

Good line play will help make it easier for whoever wins the three-way duel at quarterback. Senior Rob Mara (who got some snaps last year), junior Cameron Beatty and sophomore Joe DeFranco are the trio battling it out for the starter's role. All are capable and bring a little something different to the table. Lepore will make his decision following the team's final preseason scrimmage on Thursday. The good news is that each can do the job.

It will be running back by committee for the Pats with John Bennett and James King, who played last year, and Bryce Carroll and sophomore Matt Intile shar- ing the ball. Bennett and King are more powerful runners inside the tackles while Carroll and Intile can get outside with their quickness.

Paul Amakihe (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) will start at fullback with Jonathan Quinones and Joe Pivinski backing him up.

The Pats do have a difference-maker in wide receiver Ryan Spadola. The senior is a proven playmaker. He pulled down 39 passes for 700 yards in '07 and scored seven touchdowns. He is the team's downfield threat, and getting the ball to him is important. He'll draw double and triple coverage, but that should spread defenses and open things up for the running game and other receivers.

As a kicker, Spadola booted a 38-yard field goal and nine extra points.

Defensively, the Patriots will remain an aggressive unit that gets after people through blitzes and stunts.

It's on the defensive side of the ball that the Patriots have the most returning starters.

Township uses a 3-5-3 formation and has three of its linebackers returning: Faiella, Kyle Collins and Amakihe. Collins and Amaklihe are inside linebackers and Faiella is outside.

Vin Verdolino, Kevin Borden and Dominic Chirichella are vying for the other outside slot. Sanchez can spell the inside backers.

Up front, Joe Pivinski, Burst, Matt Claro, Koubek and Quinones make up the defensive line unit. They will be rotated to keep fresh legs on the field.

Township is solid in the secondary with Bennett, Spadola, Intile, Mike Marino and Malcolm Hill all in the running for the starting three spots.

Sophomores Luongo, Intile and Borden all played against Howell and were a part of a freshman team that went 8-1 and generated a lot of optimism around the program.

Freehold Township moves to the Shore American Division this fall out of the Shore Constitution. That brings with it some new opponents and others who are familiar. For instance, their Thanksgiving Day game with Howell (on the road) is a division contest.

The Pats kick the season off on Sept. 12 at home against Marlboro (7 p.m.) in a nondivision game.