Build it and they will come.
Just don’t expect speed training guru Bill Parisi to show up at Codey Field in Montclair any time soon to spin a yarn about how Immaculate Conception - if they simply work diligently at getting bigger, faster and stronger -can become the next Bergen Catholic or Don Bosco Prep.
That simply won’t happen.
But, in the course of moving from the Lennons, Racioppes, Cummings and Fesses of the 1970s through the Hacketts, Pacificos, Theobalds and Kiernans of the ’80s and the Rosses, Cheeseboros, Austins and Morrises of the ’90s, the small-school parochial football program at IC is making progress in the rebuilding mode it has been in since 2002.
And, in the process of moving forward slowly but surely, there is one undeniable fact: The football pulse is certainly still there, and the work ethic is definitely in tact for the Lions as they persevere in 2008.
"I can’t say enough about the attitude of the kids, who keep working hard every day at practice and are giving it their all during the games," said third-year head coach Sean Morris, himself a former IC standout gridder. "Sure, you’d like to win more games, and I think we will keep improving, but we know it doesn’t happen overnight."
IC (2-4) hosts Morris Catholic, 2:30 p.m., this Saturday, at Codey Field. With a win, the Crusaders (3-4) can nail down a playoff berth in Non-Public, Group 2. The Lions can kick themselves at least a little knowing that if they had not lost a close game (14-7) to Morristown-Beard (3-4) on Oct. 11, they could very well be contending for a playoff berth themselves in Non-Public, Group 1, where a .500 record virtually guarantees a spot.
With winless Cardinal McCarrick (0-6) scheduled for Nov. 8 in the final regular-season game that counts toward the playoffs, the Lions know they have a good shot at a victory there.
But, regardless of the likelihood of missing out on the playoffs in 2008 - unless they can upset Morris Catholic this Saturday - forward momentum is certainly indicated. Evidence of that includes last Saturday’s surprisingly one-sided 36-0 victory at Van Brunt Field as the Lions throttled The Montclair Kimberley Academy (1-6) on the latter’s rain-soaked Homecoming Day.
"We knew coming into MKA that we really wanted to pick up a victory, but you always have to come ready to play, and our kids responded in a big way," Morris said. "Our defense was real tight, [MKA] committed a couple of key turnovers and we registered our first shutout in four years [27-0 over Bound Brook on Nov. 13, 2004]."
IC and MKA are now 3-3 versus each other since 2003 and, ironically, both teams are 13-44 during that time. The Lions, who were 0-10 in 2007, are still a relatively young club with nine seniors among the 39 players currently involved with the program in grades nine through 12.
IC’s last playoff berth was the same year as MKA’s, 2002, when the former lost to St. Mary’s of Rutherford, 19-12, in a first-round Non-Public, Group 1 contest. That was then head coach John Finnegan’s final game as the Lions’ head coach, concluding a successful tenure that included playoff championships in 1994 and ’98.
The ’94 team was especially talented with Division 1-A players in quarterback and defensive back Gil Ross (Rutgers), wide receiver and DB Omar Cheeseboro (Maryland) and two-way lineman Troy Austin (Duke).
The 2008 squad may not have three 1-A prospects, but it does have a wealth of potential, headed by its junior QB-DB-PK-P Marcus Hackett. Hackett is the son of a former IC legend of the same name, who was not only a star skill kid for the Lions in his high school days, but also went on to star in college as a wideout at Syracuse. The elder Hackett also enjoyed a stint in the professional ranks with the New Jersey Generals of the now defunct United States Football League.
Marcus Hackett Sr. was a member of three straight Parochial B playoff finalist squads for IC in 1977, ’78 and ’79. The ’77 squad defeated Pope John, 17-14, for the championship. The other two Lion teams were beaten in the ’78 and ’79 title tilts.
IC was declared Parochial B champs in the first year of the abbreviated New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs in 1974, and, as aforementioned, later won titles No. 3 and No. 4 in ’94 and ’98.
Marcus Hackett Jr.’s uncles, Mims Jr., Michael, Merlin and Myron, also shined for IC on the gridiron in the 1980s.
The younger Hackett, who is also a primetime talent in club soccer during the spring, scored on touchdown runs of 10 and 50 yards and finished with 84 yards on just four carries in the win at MKA.
Hackett also converted four of his five extra-point placements to give him a solid mark of 13 of 15 made so far this season.
"Marcus has been terrific with his progress at quarterback, [he] makes big plays on defense and does a real good job handling our kicking duties," said Morris. "He had three interceptions in our win at Newark Academy [41-16, Sept. 20] and has six picks on the season which is just one shy of the school single-season record held by Brian Mooney [1991]."
Senior fullback Brandon Harris proved a solid workhorse ball carrier vs. MKA, finishing with 21 carries for 105 yards and TD runs of 1 and 10 yards while also helping the Lions to a 16-0 halftime lead.
IC registered an early safety against the Cougars to take a 2-0 advantage right off the bat and set the tone of what would be a very strong defensive effort by the Lions.
Defensively, senior linebacker and co-captain Delancy Dotson registered nine tackles from his middle linebacker position and senior linebacker Shaquil Murphy had a day to remember with two sacks, two more tackles for a loss and an electrifying 75-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter.
In the stanza, the Lions exploded for 20 points to take a commanding 36-0 advantage.
"It was a great win for us because the kids put everything together and we took advantage of our opportunities," said Morris. "We’ll continue to try and build on this and we look forward to playing Morris Catholic this Saturday.
"Football is an enjoyable game and even more so when you can come away with a victory. Hopefully, there will be many more wins in our future."
Lion Rumblings: In a class move by MKA, the Cougars wore decal emblems to honor the memories of Nos. 44 for Montclair High’s Ryne Dougherty and 65 for IC’s Caleb Frejuste, both of whom have passed away during the last three weeks.
Dougherty died of a brain hemorrhage suffered during a jayvee game on Oct. 13 at Don Bosco Prep and Frejuste passed away from a non-football related medical condition that dated back to this past summer. "It’s been very tough the last two weeks with Caleb’s passing, but our kids have responded very well in terms of coming closer together in a time of need for everyone," said Morris. "It’s always especially tough for a teenager to experience the death of a teammate, but our coaches care for our kids, and our kids, in turn, care a great deal for the coaches. In the process, we’ve all attempted to get through this tough time together."
IC has solid contributions from the sophomore class with starters such as active defensive end Devoy King, who also sees reps at running back on offense, and steady Anthony Bunn at offensive tackle.
The Lions have 15 freshmen on the roster, which is a decent number, even though all of them don’t dress for the varsity on game day.
IC’s coaching staff is comprised almost entirely of former Lion players, including head man Morris (’96) and assistants Omar Mitchell (’98), Kelvin Holmes (’00), Ricky Page (’99) and Mike Malkinski (’73).
