Former HHH East Football Players Support New Season

History creates tradition and a proud tradition helps foster future success. James Metzger first learned this lesson as a three-sport athlete at Half Hollow Hills East High School, and he has carried this message, among many lessons, from the sports field over to his business career. Now, he and a small huddle of other HHH East football standouts from the 1970s have become involved with the current team.

Even before the last school year ended, Brigiette Spinelli was busy organizing a summer fundraiser for the HHH East football team. As the liaison between team coaches and the Hills East Football Booster Club, Spinelli was determined to engage former Thunderbird players such as Metzger to help inspire and support the players, coaches, parents and community as the school prepares for quite a different season.

“We had a disappointing year last season,” said HHH East Athletic Director Joseph Pennacchio. “Our zero and eight record reflected a large number of injuries, including the loss of our starting quarterback in the second game. Many sophomores had to step up and start, which will give us a huge advantage this year as we build up our football program.”

The new era of football at HHH East started with the appointment of Mike Maratto, 34, as head coach. He’s played the game since he was seven years old. A 1998 graduate of St. Anthony’s High School, Maratto was a varsity starter for three seasons and team captain during his junior and senior years. He also played one year at Stony Brook before focusing completely on his studies. From that moment, he realized he had the desire to coach.

“I always wanted to have an impact on the lives of others and I want to continue to offer my experiences and knowledge to students and athletes,” said Maratto.

(See photo: from left are James Metzger, Mike Maratto and Joseph Pennacchio. Photo credit: Carlene Cournane)

From Bulldogs To Thunderbirds

That coaching and teaching experience began with the PAL Huntington Bulldogs, a team of seven and eight year olds, from 1999 until 2000. To further explore his coaching passion, Maratto approached John Glenn High School Head Coach Dave Shanahan. That school is in the Elwood School District, where Maratto lived when he started playing ball. He was invited to join the staff as defensive coordinator (2002-2004) and then served as junior varsity head coach (2004-2006).

While coaching, Maratto enrolled at Hofstra University to earn his degree in physical education. He returned to St. Anthony’s as a teacher and junior varsity offensive coordinator (2006-2009).

“A friend then introduced me to Sachem North High School head football coach Dave Falco,” added Maratto, who served as Falco’s offensive coordinator from 2009 until 2013, when the school won the Long Island Championship. “I enjoyed coaching at Sachem and appreciate all that I learned, and I always wanted to oversee my own program. I saw how my mentors developed their programs and I realized that this is what I always wanted to do. I felt that HHH East always has had the athletes. The school program just needed a leader to take a program and build it from the bottom up.”

Maratto joined HHH East last February, and he quickly began to shape the Thunderbirds football program, focusing on the culture, training and expanding student participation.

“We needed to change the environment and culture of the team and the district toward the football program,” said Maratto. “This is not a losing program. We must forget last season. Every step we are taking is moving us forward.”

“All-in” Commitment

The building process includes a completely new coaching staff. Gary Comstock and Chris Rickert have followed Maratto from Sachem North High School. Rich Schaub, the retired athletic director from Syosset High School, also has joined the varsity staff. On the JV level, John Ruggiero, a coach from Sachem and Ward Melville in Suffolk County’s Three Village Central School District, was named head coach. He is assisted by Andrew Tuorto, a teacher in the district and assistant varsity wrestling coach at the high school.

“Our new motto is ‘All-in,’” added Maratto. “That’s for the players, their parents, the administration and the district. We want to show commitment and create a positive buzz about the football program.”

A new workout program for the team began last March while training started in July. The HHHE Thunder and Lighting Training Program includes work in the weight room (the thunder) and speed and conditioning (the lightning) on the field. During the summer, the team maintained this training program four days each week and several hours per day. Don Herr, the athletic trainer at HHH East, is helping the team with its speed and conditioning this season.

The varsity has expanded its roster from 22 players last season to 35 who will start the new season verses Centereach High School on Friday, September 12, at 6 p.m. Following the “All-in” philosophy, Maratto was able to gain the support of veteran players to recruit classmates for the program.

“These kids have shown me already that they want it,” concluded Maratto. “They want to put in the hard work. From this, the wins will come. We are concerned only about our team and how we can get better. We worry only about what we do as that is all we can control.”

Creating a winning football program is not the only commitment made by Maratto, his coaches and the players. They will build a tradition together and that tradition has started with welcoming home former successful HHH East players. To solidify the past with the present and then the future, an eight-foot monument will be built on school grounds. A four-foot lightning bolt will rest atop a stone base. A plaque will be dedicated to all past, present and future Thunderbirds.

“I am looking to completely turn this whole program around,” said Coach Maratto, “and make this a place that the Thunderbird family can enjoy with pride. With the alumni’s help, and the help of our boosters, I know we will have much success in the years to come. All of this is possible from the great training I have received from my mentors, from my coaches and players, and with their support and the support of my family. I wouldn’t have been able to follow this long road to become a varsity head coach in a great school district without my wife, Christina, and my children, seven-year-old Samantha and two-year-old Nicholas, being right here with me.”

Return Of Alumni Players

Metzger was one of several 1975 championship season (Conference AAA-1) players who welcomed Maratto’s arrival and supported the Fourth Annual HHHE Football Golf Outing at Stonebridge Golf Links and Country Club in Smithtown during July. It is the booster club’s largest fundraiser of the season and more than $6,000 was raised this year.

Other star players from that championship year—Joe Maehr, Joseph Marotta, Fred O’Meally and Steve Spinelli—joined Metzger to support the football program. Proceeds from the event, plus several other smaller fundraisers held throughout the year, will be used to lease lights for the annual Friday Night Lights Game scheduled against Smithtown High School West (October 17 at 6 p.m.) and to purchase video equipment for practices and games.

“Brigiette’s email message to me was filled with passion,” said Metzger, CEO and founder of The Whitmore Group, a leading New York insurance firm headquartered in Garden City. “From my involvement with the school’s lacrosse program, I had known that the football program had suffered through a disappointing season. Brigiette’s optimistic message, starting with information about the arrival of a new head coach and the need to build a bridge of tradition and winning from today back to the successful teams of the past, hooked me immediately. I needed to be at the event with former teammates to support the program, to support these young players and to support my alma mater.”

On the gridiron, Metzger was a three-year varsity starter, leading the team in scoring each season (1974-1976) and in rushing during 1975 and 1976. He recorded 27 touchdowns and 170 points. His record totals include 2,155 rushing yards and 2,777 total yards. As a senior, Metzger was the only high school athlete named to the North-South All-Star Games for football and lacrosse.

Maehr also was an all-star in football, as the team quarterback, and lacrosse. Marotta started at tackle on offense and defense during 1974 and 1975. Although he was the largest player on the team, Marotta was agile, quick and very athletic. O’Meally, an all-star with the 1975 team, was considered one of the meanest players on the field, according to Metzger, and he was just as talented and accomplished as a wrestler. Spinelli played football and lacrosse, working both offense and defense on the championship football team.

As title sponsor of the event, Metzger received the opportunity to convey a few words to the players of this year’s HHH East football program and their parents. He advised the players that they will benefit greatly from organized sports and that playing on a team will be a key ingredient in a foundation that will shape their personal and professional lives.

“Competition that is experienced as an athlete,” he said, “will serve you in all walks of life.”

Metzger also let the players know how he felt about football as he helped them envision what they will experience on the field. Since he played lacrosse, basketball and football for the school, Metzger remembered the competition of more than 30 years ago as if it occurred yesterday.

“Lacrosse is a rough game,” he said. “Basketball is a deceivingly rough game. But football is a brutal game. Be prepared!”

Coach Mike Maratto guarantees that his players will be prepared from the opening game whistle.