team was honored Tuesday at the District 233 school board
meeting. (Photo by Marilyn Thomas/The Chronicle)
Homewood-Flossmoor High School board members lauded the football team Tuesday for their outstanding effort, grades and behavior, as well as their football prowess this past season.
“I couldn’t be prouder of a group,” said Head Varsity Coach Craig Buzea.
Buzea addresses the District
233 Board of Education
Tuesday. (Photo by Marilyn
Thomas/The Chronicle)
At the monthly board meeting, the team received numerous rounds of applause and words of congratulations in recognition of their outstanding season. The team had an 11-2 record that got them into the Class 8-A state championship game Nov. 29.
Stevenson High beat H-F after a fumble in the closing minutes resulting in a 31-25 loss.
Board Member John Farrell said coaches “spend time to build the character of the players, and it shows” unlike the professional football players who got into a brawl at the 2015 Super Bowl just as it ended with a fumble.
Superintendent Von Mansfield called the players roll models, and District 233 Board President Richard Lites said they were “a tremendous group.”
Buzea came on board several years ago to reshape the football program, Principal Ryan Pitcock said, and he thanked Buzea and his team of coaches for the job they have done in helping mold students, not just as football players but outstanding young men.
“They are the kind of coaches you feel very good about your kids being around, and that gives us the results,” Pitcock said. The players “conduct themselves the right way. Their grades are up; their behavior is exceptional. While we have an awful lot of programs that represent Homewood-Flossmoor High School, I don’t know if there are any that I would put above our football program as being better ambassadors of the school.”
Buzea said it was a tough loss, but the team “handled it as well as you can handle a game like that. We always talk about how lucky they are to be playing in a program such as ours, at a school such as ours. I’d be remiss if I didn’t say thank you to the board of education and the administration for your support for our program. It’s extremely, extremely noticeable by our guys. We appreciate that.”
“We hope to be back here next year,” Buzea added.
The team roster: Stayshaun Ajay, Michael Anderson, Joshua Bellamy, DeMauni Bennett, Jaylen Berry, Eric Bey, Rico Bertoletti, Desmond Bland, Morgan Bohlman, DeVon Booth.
Jonathan Brandt, Caleb BrayBoy, Rashan Buckles, Nolan Cardona, Antonio Carter, Dylan Carter, Kaine Carter, Justin Chu, Colby Cobbs, Justin Correll, Samuel Cutrara, Alex Daubon, Jordan Davis, Tyler DeMartra.
Booker Donelson, Dylan Duplessis, Matt Dwyer, Mehkilei Dyer, Zackery Eastling, Trevor Eckols, Christopher Elion, Chris Eriamiatoe, Eric Freeman, Jaylen Fort, Bryce Gray, Michael Hall, Deante Harley-Hampton, Devonte Harley-Hampton.
Giovanni Harris, Rayshaun Hawkins, Joshua Izenbart, Johnny Johnson, Trevor Johnson, Amari Jones, Jamezz Kimbrough, Pierre Lamarre, Devin Lampkins, Dontae Landfair, Christian Langston, Frank Lepore, Ishmael Lewis, Brandon Love, Kaylen Luna.
Christian Mallinger, Donald Malone, Jalen McDonald, Justin Minor, Emanuel Mohan, Rashad Muhammad, Tyler Newkirk, Tyler Nutall, Simeon Nwokenkwo, Tyler Obee, Eugene Oliver.
Kemori Porter, Caleb Pruitt, Kendric Pryor, Jeffrey Randle, Adam Reed, Preston Sanders, Jared Sharp, James Sheehan, Albrey Smith, Dylan Smith, Justin Smith, Justin Thomas, Zach Thompson, Devon Toban.
Robert Venegas, Mylon Walker, Percy Walters, Quintin Walters, Jaylon Walton, Alan Willis, DeAngelo Wofford, Bryant Wright, Demarcus Wynn, Damaris Wynn.
Head Varsity Coach Craig Buzea; Assistant Varsity Coaches Tom Cicero, Larry Dawson, Albert Evans, Jeromy Flowers, Alexander Pratt, Matt Ramos and Romison St. Louis.
