The varsity football has had a great run this season, finishing 7-3 in the regular season which is good enough to earn them the ninth place spot in the region. This ranking gets them into a playoff game against Wakefield High School, the same team they lost to in the playoffs  last year.  The coaches and players are both excited and confident about their chance at redemption this Friday night.

 “[We’re] more focused now since this is the best team we’ve ever had. As a unit, we have a good chance of winning states,” said freshman player Dean Ferguson.

 Ferguson is not the only freshman who will be joining the varsity team at the playoff rematch. Other players including Evan Pride, George Ardura, Juan Solorzano, Ian Gregory, Ethan Gwinn, and Tyler Pride, who will not be playing due to a shoulder injury.

 Despite being one of the few freshman playing, Ferguson does not seem very nervous about his first high school playoffs.

 “As long as I’m prepared, there’s nothing really to worry about,” said Ferguson.

 While these freshman will be enjoying their first playoffs, senior football players Brady Williams and Malik Crowe will be experiencing their last playoff run.

 “It’s kind of bittersweet,” said Williams. “I know it’s my last chance, but at the same time, [the team] is good, so we have a chance in the playoffs.”

 Crowe agrees with Williams. “It’s kind of relieving and sad at the same time because I always have to be ready for growth and everything, but I also don’t want to leave high school yet. I have so many memories with this team and at this school, so it’s kind of sad too. I’m just trying to make the best of it and go out the right way for my last year,” said Crowe.

 While the seniors are handling the bittersweet joy of their final playoffs, junior football players Alex Nemer and Kaevon Chase are simply excited to play. Both of them seem to brush off the feelings of pressure and nervousness as starters in the playoffs.

 “I’m excited; I’m ready to go. Last year I was a little bit nervous since it was my first time playing in the playoffs, but this year, it’s just another game,” said Nemer.

 As a whole, the team seems to be ready and confident in their ability to go far in the playoffs. This confidence doesn’t stop at the players.  Offensive line coach Dan Gatish and Running Backs coach Jonathan Breslow, as well as head football coach Jason Allen, believe the team will do well after all their preparations.

 “We’ve been working hard all year. This is what you work for; we’ve been conditioning every single day. This is the time of year you want to get to,” said Gatish.

 “When we are focused and play to the best of our ability, I feel that we’re as good as any team in the state and if we do that during the playoffs, I think we’ll have a successful playoff run,” said Breslow.

 “We’re taking the approach of one game at a time and I think we’re getting there,” said Allen.

 Most of those involved in the football program have the belief that the team is ready for the playoffs physically, but the team still needs to work on the mental readiness that is necessary to win.

 “We’ve been working very hard at practice on both physical and mental preparation. I think the team has been getting better each week in both those aspects, so I feel that we’re peaking at the right time,” said Breslow.

 “We’ve been playing pretty well lately; we had tough losses against Stone Bridge and Tuscarora, but we’re ready for any team,” said Nemer.

 “I feel like we weren’t ready when we first started the season, but now since we came together as a family I think we’re ready,” said Chase.

 “I think we are the most physical team around, and that’s thanks to coach Allen and the other coaches. Mentally, we can be there, we can be mentally ready, but we’re not there yet. We still have this last week to get it together. I think we can do it. We can do a lot of things when we put our minds to it, so I think we will be mentally ready. Physically, we’re already there,” said Crowe.

 Working behind the scenes, manager Emilia Carrasquillo has experienced every win and loss from the sidelines, she has full confidence in the team to win in the playoffs and redeem themselves of the few losses they’ve had.

 “If they just keep their heads in the game and fight until the end… 21-20 in the fourth quarter; that’s not how we want to be remembered,” said Carrasquillo.