Student athletes are known to put in an astounding amount of effort into their given
sport and this proved to be true as the boys freshman football team remained
undefeated for the 2019-20 season; the first time ever in school history a freshman
team was able to do so!
Last season was pretty discouraging for the freshmen as they lost every game, some
of which being against Toms River East, Edison, New Brunswick, and Woodbridge.
This year, the boys were more determined than ever to turn this record around. The
time put in by both the team members, coaches, and managers was incredibly
noticeable, with practices beginning on August 12, 2019.
The team played their first game on August 21, 2019 at 9:00 am against Toms River
East. The season started off strong, with the game resulting in a 14-7 win for
Monroe. The boys continued this winning streak with the highest-scoring game this
season being 42-8.
Daniel Lee is the head coach for football with over nine years of coaching
experience. Interestingly enough, he was able to guide the 2009 team to winning
their first ever State Championship and ten years later, was able to guide the 2019
team to an undefeated season. The assistant coach for the freshman team is Marc
Debellis, who usually helps the running and defensive backs. They both played a
pivotal role in the team’s success this year.
The boys verse JP Stevens on October 4, 2019, resulting in a 42-8 win for Monroe.
Photo Credit: Roy DeBoer
The team worked hard the past couple of months, ending the season with 8 wins and 0 losses! The celebrations didn’t end here as the team qualified for Red Divisions (which was the first time in school that they were even eligible to compete). After a 6-0 game, the boys were deemed Red Division Champions.
The team not only claimed a victory at Red Divisions, but they were also able to
accomplish a school record as well. These achievements sparked a new
determination in the football players and are excited to outdo themselves in years to
come. Congratulations to the freshman football team participants and coaches!