All in this together
Nazareth’s coaching ‘family’ is at the heart of the program’s success
Football is the ultimate team sport. That’s why the concept of a team being a family is preached by coaches from the knee-hi youth level to the pros.
It helps when the coaches practice what they preach.
Nazareth High football coach Tom Falzone always refers to his Blue Eagles staff as being a family.
While players come and go, Falzone’s staff has has mostly stayed the same starting with his time as Catasauqua’s head coach in 2009. It is one of the biggest reasons why Nazareth has remained one of the area’s best programs during Falzone’s seven seasons in charge, including a team that’s 3-0 this year.
“It’s the ultimate team sport and it takes the ultimate team to work with these kids,” Falzone said.
“I’ve been blessed to have the same group of guys, five of them, who have been with me since I coached at Catty and we’ve picked up some other guys along the way who have become part of our family.”
Falzone said that anytime you spend as much time with a group of people like he does with his coaches, the staff becomes an extended family.
“With all of the practices, film sessions, meetings and everything you do, you have to like each other,” he said. “These guys have always been there for me.”
They were especially there for Falzone during the early part of this season when he lost his father, the Rev. Joseph Falzone, on Sept. 8 after a lengthy illness.
Falzone knew he could trust his coaches while he had to take care of his family.
“I had no issues with them picking things up at practice and everything kept running smoothly,” Falzone said.
“We don’t have to make up practice plans anymore because these guys know it. If I tell them this is the period they have, I know they’re going to get their jobs with their positions. I have full confidence with everything they do.”
Falzone was a receiver and his offensive coordinator, Rob Petrosky, was the quarterback at Catty back in the 1990s. Jim Schaffer, his defensive coordinator, was a coach for the Rough Riders during Falzone’s playing days. Bob Panny, who runs the special teams, was the head coach at Whitehall and had Falzone on his staff and the two of them still teach in classrooms in the same corridor at Whitehall.
EPC’s top three games this weekend
NAZARETH (3-0,2-0) AT FREEDOM (2-0, 2-0)
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium.
How to watch: RCN4, Service Electric, BASD-TV,Youtube.com/BASDPA.
Last meeting: Nazareth 35-33 on Sept. 13, 2019 at BASD Stadium.
Series: 10-10.
Players to watch: After the graduation of star quarterbacks Anthony Harris and Jared Jenkins, many thought both programs might go down a notch. That hasn’t happened thanks to Matt Bugbee doing well in replacing Harris at Nazareth and Brian Taylor following in Jenkins footsteps at Freedom. Taylor threw three TD passes against Easton, but his status for this game is uncertain due to a non-injury related development. Atorn ACL suffered by right end/defensive end Alex Rosado and another injury to two-way starter Lorenzo Feliciano has him questionable for the game. All of this will add more pressure to an experienced offensive line spearheaded by center Marcus Kreidler. They will battle an impressive Blue Eagles defense led by Andrew Wells, Joe Capobianco, Broc Bender and others. Theskinny: It’s abattle of unbeatens, the last two District 11 6A champions, two state-ranked teams and two of the best coaches in the business in Nazareth’s Tom
Falzone and Freedom’ s Jason Roe der. Both teams showed their gr it in posting comefrom-behind wins last week. Both teams have talented rushers, receiver sand playmakers on defense. Last year, Nazareth built a28-13 halftime lead and then held on in a game that essentially came down to amissed 2-point conversion.It wouldn’t be surprise if this margin of victory for the winnerwas just as narrow.
Keith Groller’s pick: Nazareth 28-24.
EASTON(1-1,1-1)ATBETHLEHEM CATHOLIC (2-1, 1-1)
When/where: 3 p.m. Saturday at BethlehemArea School District Stadium. Howtowatch: RCN4, Service Electric. Last meeting: Becahi 16-6 on Oct. 12, 2019 at BASD Stadium.
Series: Easton 26-22.
Players to watch: Red Rovers’standout Nahjee Adams ran for 126 yards and a touchdown against Freedom and has 236 rushing yards in two games, averaging 23.5 carries per game and 5.0 yards per carry. After being shut out by Nazareth, the Golden Hawks offense found its stride against Liberty. After completing just four of 13 passes for 18 yards against Nazareth, junior quarterback Jared Richardson was 13-for-17 for 189 yards and four touchdowns. Sophomore Eric Wert caught four passes for 104 yards and two TDs. Becahi sophomore Rahmel Terry is averaging 6.5 yards per carry.
Theskinny: Aftersufferingits first shutoutlosssince2014,Becahirespondedwith anexcellenteffortagainstLiberty.Nowit’s Easton’sturntostageaturnaound,especiallyonoffense,afterbeingheldscoreless forthelast35minutesbyFreedom.TheRed Roversneedtoshowcasemoreweapons thanAdams,whoisaworkhorse,butthe focusofeverydefensivecoordinator’sgame plan.TheGoldenHawkshaveweapons andshowedtheminwinsoverBangorand Liberty,butwanttoshowwhattheycando againstoneofthearea’sbestteams.
Keith Groller’s pick: Easton 27-17.
EMMAUS(2-0,2-0)ATALLENTOWN CCHS(2-1, 1-0)
When/where: 7 p.m. Saturday at J. Birney Crum Stadium, Allentown. Howtowatch: Service Electric.
Last meeting: ACCHS 35-17 on Oct. 4, 2019 at Emmaus
Series: Emmaus 24-22-1.
Players to watch: Two of the area’s best running backs will be on display. Central’s Jayden Williams leads the EPC’s Lehigh and Northampton divisions with 375 yards rushing, averaging 6.8 per carry. Emmaus senior Brandon Camire is averaging 16.1 yards per carry and has scored seven times on just 16 attempts. Each team also features top pass-catchers in the Vikings’ Jack McGorry and the Green Hornets ’Jameel Sanders. Defensively, Emmaus had 14 tackles for negative yardage against Dieruff, including three each by Kordell Waiters, Aidan Garrett and Connor Carter.
The skinny: The disparity of talent in the EPC’s Lehigh Division has left few marquee matchups, but this is one of them. The Green Hornets outscored Allen and Dieruff by a combined 121-0, but this is a huge increase in degree of difficulty. The Vikings also have a lot to prove after losing to Nazareth in their one game against a top-tier team. CCHS has the edge in quarterback experience with Matt Rauscher, but Emmaus has the motivational edge after a lopsided loss in this rivalry last year.
Groller’s pick: Emmaus 35, CCHS 28.