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DECEMBER 11-17, 2019

The heart of champions

rYAn LAWrenCe/South Jersey Sports Weekly

In the last two seasons, Williamstown football has won two South Jersey Group 5 championships, rattled off a 21-game unbeaten streak against South Jersey teams, and held the opposition to 10 points or fewer in 19 games. The Braves also beat two other area championship teams this season in Shawnee and Cherokee.

By RYAN LAWRENCE Sports Editor

With season’s end just a few short days away, Williamstown High School’s football team sat on the metal benches at the front of the team’s locker room and gave Frank Fucetola their full attention. A perfect season ended with a defeat in a bowl game

at MetLife Stadium last year and the long-time Braves coach wasn’t eager to see that happen again. Even though Williamstown, South Jersey Group 5 champions, entered this year’s season finale with Central Group 5 champion Cherokee as heavy favorites, the score was 0-0 and business was still in order. “No mercy,” Fucetola told

Williamstown High School’s football team, SJSW’s Boys Fall Team of the Year, collected a second straight South Jersey Group 5 title, but its path wasn’t easy. The Braves' dominating defense led the way.

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Free them. “This is your last game. Don’t save anything. … Strap on that helmet and cause havoc.” The program that Fucetola has molded in his 24 seasons at Williamstown is one of hard work. The boulder-size rocks that are adorned throughout the locker room and entrance to the field are reminders of how strong the Braves need to be to reach their full potential. In the last two seasons, Williamstown has reached it. After picking up the program’s first championship in six seasons last fall, the Braves battered opponents en route to a second consecutive sectional title this season. And their road to adding more hardware to the school’s trophy case included wins over two other area champions (Cherokee and South Jersey Group 4 champ Shawnee) during the regular season. The Braves’ performance against fellow South Jersey Sports Weekly-area teams and their ability to collect a second title – while playing in the biggest group in the state – earned them another honor. Williamstown’s football team is South Jersey Sports Weekly’s Boys Fall Team of the Year. “It’s an honor, honestly,” said senior Aaron Lewis, SJSW’s Football Player of the Year. “There are a lot of teams in South Jersey and a lot of great football teams in South Jersey. So for us to be the best one, I thank you. The guys really deserve it for all the hard work, the adversity we faced. Beplease see BRAVES, page S7