Lifelong teammates to play together for Florida Tech
Cooper City’s Mike DiLiello and Mark Brent have made a number of memories together.
They cried joyous tears when, as 10-year-olds, they beat the youth football powerhouse West Pines Wildcats to snap a four-year unbeaten streak.
They once switched roles with Brent throwing a touchdown pass to DiLiello.
As juniors in high school, they were part of a Cowboys team that upset South Broward in the final week of district play to score a playoff spot.
The lifelong pals have gone to all the same schools and played for the same teams all their lives.
It will be no different college. in
On National Signing Day in February, DiLiello, a quarterback, and Brent, who plays wide receiver and safety, accepted scholarships to play at Florida Tech. The two will even room together when they arrive on campus in Melbourne in early August.
“It’s going to be an amazing experience,” DiLiello said. “I’ve played with the kid for over 12 years, and you don’t really think about playing big-time college ball together. Being able to do that with one of my best friends, it’s amazing.”
Said Brent: “It makes things much easier knowing that you’re not making this enormous stride in your life alone. Of course, we’ll both make friends on the way, but it’s nice to have a solidified friendship and knowing that I have someone who has my back every step of the way in college and vice-versa.”
The two attended Embassy Creek Elementary and Pioneer Middle School before Cooper City High. They played all their youth football at Cooper City Optimist aside from a season of flag football at Pasadena Lakes Optimist when they were 5. They also played baseball and soccer at Cooper City.
“We’ve just been in love with the same sport since we were little, and that was the beginning of our friendship,” DiLiello said.
They became starters for the Cowboys their sophomore year. Their junior year they made the playoffs, clinching the berth in senior running back Tyler Brown’s four-touchdown game against favored South Broward.
Senior year, DiLiello threw for 1,401 yards and 12 touchdowns and ran for 801 yards with another eight scores. Brent went for 31 catches, 501 yards and four touchdowns while collecting 26 tackles and four interceptions as a defensive back. Capable of playing on both sides of the ball, he’ll play receiver with the Panthers and get to catch passes from DiLiello.
“Playing for so long, we have great chemistry throwing and catching with each other,” Brent said. “If we both get the opportunity to play, it’ll definitely be a benefit, and the chemistry will show on the field.”
The close friendship between the two has also united their families — or reunited. Their mothers played softball together and two fathers played baseball growing up.
“Watching the boys and their connection both on and off the field has always been something that I’ve been so incredibly proud of,” said Kelly Brent, Mark’s mother. “It’s unusual nowadays to maintain friendships like that . ... We are fortunate to see it continue in college.”
dfurones@sunsentinel .com, @DavidFurones_