Football captains seek success

Photo courtesy Mr. Dan Kimball (L-R) Terran Williams, Joe Earner, Jojo Coronel, Jordan DePina)

By Jack Phillips, Staff Writer

September 19, 2023

ROCKLAND - The football team is looking for leadership from the 2023 senior captains, Jojo Coronel, Jordan Depina, Terran Williams, and Joe Earner. 

Head Coach Nick Liquori said, “In terms of naming the captains, I let the previous year's seniors as well as the returning players vote on captains.  Those four were pretty much on everyone's ballots.” 

After two wins to start the season, all the captains have the same goal of continuing to win, but also to be a family. 

Coronel, who plays center, said, “The goal for the season is to get better as a team and to come together and be a family.”

Each captain has their opinions about favorite parts of the game and being part of the team.

While Coronel said, “the hard work you put in and the good results you get,” Depina said his “favorite part about football is competing and being able to win because I love winning and being around my friends.”

Many members of the team have been playing together since middle school, and the captains believe this adds to their ability to play well together and compete against other teams.

Coronel said, “We have been friends for a long time and grew up. Nothing’s different and we are all really close now.”

With a rigorous two-hour practice each day that includes stretching, warm-ups, teamwork, and special teams drills, the captains are all looking to improve individually and as a team.

Earner, a running back, said, “There is nothing that we are perfect at we are working on improving every day trying to be role models to the underclassmen and making sure what needs to be done gets done.”

All captains have the same goal but some have to fill different roles on the team.

Coronel said, “My role is to bring the energy as a captain and bring leadership and lead by example.”

Earner added to that, and said, “My role as captain is to make sure all these new faces to varsity or people that don’t have much experience to perform at the same level to step up roles and shoes as last year.”

Depina, who is the starting quarterback this season, said his job is to, “make sure things are running smoothly and make sure we are hitting on all four cylinders come game time.”

Each captain is unique by the way they encourage and act and all have a trait that defines them. 

Coach Liquori said, “All four have their own traits. They complement each other very well.  Some of them are vocal, some would rather lead by example, some also work well with the younger kids. Having captains like these four, makes things much easier for the coaching staff.”

While Earner is planning to start a military career after graduation, the other three captains plan to continue their football careers in college.