Andy Howell, who guided the Rutherford football program to four sectional finals and won two, stepped down as head coach after 10 seasons to become a vice-principal at Lakeside Middle School in Pompton Lakes.
Howell, who succeed Frank Morano as head coach in 2010, had a career record of 72-30. Since 2015, however, Howell and Rutherford were a remarkable, 45-8, with three, sectional finals appearances and four North Jersey Interscholastic Conference Colonial Division championships.
“It’s bittersweet,” Howell said. “Rutherford is a great place to coach and teach. I love Rutherford, but I am also excited to begin my career as an administrator. This is the best decision for my family. My daughter Avalyn (4 years old) and my son Vinny (17 months) are getting older and this will give me more time with them.
“I’ll miss the relationships I had with my players,” Howell added. “Second, I will miss Friday night lights, that adrenaline you get on opening night and just before kickoff.”
Howell, 37, won back-to-back, North Jersey Section 2, Group 2 titles in 2017 and 2018 going a combined 22-1. He also led the Bulldogs to a sectional title in 2010.
Rutherford went 11-1 in 2018, 11-0 in 2017, 10-1 in 2015 and 9-1 in 2010.
Howell informed his players of his decision to leave Rutherford last Wednesday. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, that announcement was not in person.
“I would have liked have told the kids in person and looked into their eyes and shook their hands,” Howell said. “It was a very hard thing to do.
“What I appreciated most was the understanding the kids showed. It’s not like I am leaving them to go coach somebody else. I am advancing my career and it was great they understood that.”
Howell is graduate of Blue Mountain High School in Schuylkill Haven, Pa. He played collegiately at William Paterson where he was a running back for one season and a safety for three.
Howell was hired at Rutherford as a health and physical education teacher. He was an assistant coach and defensive coordinator before ascending to the head coaching position in 2010.
In his first season, Rutherford went 9-1 and reached the N2G2 final where it lost to Madison, 34-25.
“I inherited a talented team,” Howell said.
Rutherford went 2-7 in 2013 and 3-7 in 2014.
“It was a two-year rebuilding process,” Howell said. “It gave us the opportunity to play a lot of young kids and that certainly paid off.”
Under Howell, Rutherford was known for its offensive prowess.
“We would spread you out so we could run the football,” Howell said. “I had a really good offensive coordinator in Steve Dunn for nine years.”
Dunn completed his first season as the head coach at Ridgefield Park last fall.
In 2018, Abellany Mendenz scored 45 TDs and led New Jersey in scoring. He rushed for 1,670 yards, averaged 139.2 yards per game. He also caught 27 passes for 321 yards and five more TDS. He was a 1,000-yard rusher and scored 18 TDs as a junior in 2017.
Before Mendez, there was Kevin Kosakowski, who rushed for 3,696 yards and scored 58 career touchdowns between 2013-2016.
“I guess I will always have that (coaching) itch,” Howell said. “I just don’t know if I’ll scratch it. This will be the first fall I am not involved in football since I started playing Pop Warner in 1982. It’s going to be an adjustment.”
Joe Zedalis may be reached at jzedalis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @josephzedalis. Like NJ.com HS sports on Facebook.
"football" - Google News
May 19, 2020 at 04:35AM
https://ift.tt/36aovlO
Football: Rutherford’s Andy Howell resigns after winning 3 sectional titles in 10 seasons - NJ.com
"football" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2ST7s35
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Football: Rutherford’s Andy Howell resigns after winning 3 sectional titles in 10 seasons - NJ.com"
Posting Komentar