Nutley’s Steve DiGregorio earns Coach of the Year after battles
We usually focus on players and prospects here, but it is impossible to ignore the work that Steve DiGregorio has done as head coach of Nutley. DiGregorio is a native of Nutley and graduated from the high school in 1979.…
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Continue ReadingWe usually focus on players and prospects here, but it is impossible to ignore the work that Steve DiGregorio has done as head coach of Nutley.
DiGregorio is a native of Nutley and graduated from the high school in 1979. It is also a former players dream to coach at their alma mater. In 2020, he began his 12th season as head coach of Nutley and it was something to watch.
In 2017, DiGregorio began his battle with cancer. He was forced to miss the 2019 season as he began six months of chemotherapy. The entire community rallied around their coach and he was able to get back on the sidelines for the 2020 season. And the team performed well for their coach.
Nutley opened the season with a 31-18 victory over West Side. This was DiGregorio’s first game back. They would go on to win their next six games to end the season, recording three shutouts and scoring 42 points four times during the run. Nutley finished a perfect 7-0 on the season.
On the field, Nutley was led by Gennaro Longobardi’s 565 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Junior quarterback Matthew Harbison stepped into the quarterback role and turned into a star. Jordan DiFalco and Mitchell Iaccarino led a defense that was able to dominate the year. And of course, DiGregorio was named Coach of the Year in New Jersey after winning battles on and off the field.
DiGregorio has been honored by many organizations this year. The New York Giants, along with Gatorade, named DiGregorio the Lou Rettino High School Coach of the Year for Week 4 of the 2020 season. During a strange and unfortunate year, a story such as this one really helps you put things in perspective. DiGregorio is a true inspiration, not only to the football world, but to many outside of it as well. His story is one that is incredible and deserves all recognition.