Spampanato trying to build winning tradition
BY DOUG McKENZIE Staff Writer
After spending the past 18 years with the Ocean Township football program (including four years as a player, 10 as an assistant coach and four as the head coach), Sal Spampanato decided it was time for a change.

FILE PHOTO Edrick Alleyne is one of just a few returning players for Monmouth this fall, as they look to build off last year's stellar season.

Spampanato had won a state title with the Spartans (in 2005) and had helped the Ocean program maintain its expected level of competitiveness, if not excellence, during his tenure, and was ready for a new challenge.

So Spampanato made the short trip to Tinton Falls, where he took over a Monmouth Regional team coming off its finest season in school history - an 8-3 season that included the team's first-ever playoff victory over the Spampanato-led Ocean Spartans.

However, this is hardly an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" scenario for Spampanato. For this is not the same Monmouth team that won its first division title last year. In fact, it's an almost entirely new team.

"Basically, the entire team graduated, about 30 seniors," the new coach said.

So why come to a team that needs to be rebuilt all over again?

"The opportunity presented itself to take on a new challenge and I went for it," said Spampanato, who takes over after Bob Acosta left for an assistant coaching stint at the University of Delaware. "This is an opportunity to help build something at Monmouth. Ocean is already an established power, so now we're trying to build that here as well."

While last year certainly gave Monmouth fans something to cheer about, Spampanato said he is confident that this year's team is capable of surprising people as well.

"We talk about that a lot," he said. "They had a great year and it gave them an opportunity to get a taste of winning. But there are a lot of new faces here this year. So, we've got quite a task ahead of us."

While virtually the entire team is inexperienced, there are a few familiar faces lining up on both sides of the ball.

Senior fullback Edrick Alleyne played in eight games last year before breaking his leg, and will be the primary focus of the offense. A bruising, 235-pound runner with deceptive speed, Alleyne is expected to dole out as much punishment as he takes once again this fall.

The unenviable task of replacing quarterback Tom D'Ambrisi falls on the shoulders of junior Anthony Fruncillo, who saw time at wide receiver last year. While D'Ambrisi (now at Monmouth University) was among the very best passers in the state last year, as evidenced by his 26 touchdowns and over 2,000 passing yards, Spampanato is confident that Fruncillo will surprise people with his passing ability should teams load up against the run.

"He's 6-3 with a real strong arm," the coach said. "And he worked out all summer with Tom, one of the top QBs in the state last year, so he's ready for his chance to lead this team."

With the Falcons running the wing-T and I-formation offense that Spampanato had success with at Ocean, Fruncillo's passing will be used primarily to keep defenses honest, as Monmouth tries to pound the ball with the running game.

The offensive line, which returns no starters, will be a bit of a work in progress, though Spampanato is pleased with what he's seen so far from seniors Joe Yglesias (center), Ryan Daly, Jeff Sfraga and Christian Salcedo, as well as sophomore Kyle Jones and junior T.J. Acera.

Senior newcomers Troy Seigler and Ken Collins, both gifted athletes, will get carries at the wingback position, while seniors Joe Ortiz and Randy Thomas will also be in the mix.

The wideouts are senior Justin Breaud (five TDs last year) and junior Davaughr Norfleet, while junior Charles Johnson is the tight end.

On defense, Monmouth will feature many of the same players in their 5-2 base, starting with Salcedo and senior Kevin Craig at defensive tackle, sophomore Fernando Salazar at nose tackle, and juniors Joe Ramirez and Charles Johnson, as well as Daly, at defensive end.

The linebackers are Yglesias and Alleyne, while senior Ryan Kuehl and junior Alex Banks will also play there, with Collins, Norfleet, Seigler and senior Thomas Odom making up the secondary.

With Spampanato confident that his team will surprise some people, the Falcons certainly have their work cut out for them this year.

After opening up against Red Bank Regional on Sept. 8 in Little Silver, Monmouth will take on Red Bank Catholic (most people's pick to win the Liberty Division this year) on Sept. 14. RBC will be looking for some redemption after losing a close game to the Falcons last year.

"This is my first time facing RBR, so we're in the process of scouting them," Spampanato said. "Our schedule is just unbelievable, facing RBC, Long Branch, Wall, Matawan - we've got a battle every week."

But that doesn't mean the Monmouth football community is expecting the team to revert to its losing ways.

"It's changed quite a bit," the new coach said of the atmosphere surrounding the team. "After last year, the school and the community really got behind this football team. Everyone has been very supportive of what we're trying to do here. We've met with the Pop Warner coaches, and I can't tell you how many people have stopped by to wish us luck."

Whether or not the Falcons can match last season's success is unclear, but with a veteran head coach with a winning track record (30-13 at Ocean) at the helm, Monmouth is hoping its fourth coaching staff in the past four years provides a sense of stability to this hungry football community.

"We're going to take it game by game, work hard every day in practice, and by doing that, we'll become better football players," Spampanato said. "If we can do that, the wins will follow.