Seven Holmdel Hornets to be Honored Today as Academic All-Shore Scholar-Athletes

Holmdel head football coach Frank Papalia remembers seeing Chris Marciano in the weight room as a freshman and realizing there was an uncommon drive that separated Marciano immediately.

Four years later, Marciano’s work ethic on and off the field did not wane one bit. 

“He could push the scout guys around this year because he was our top player, but he always worked as hard as he could in practice and in games,’’ Papalia said. “There was never a change in his miles-per-hour.’’ 

That’s why the honors have kept coming for Marciano, who is one of seven Holmdel seniors representing the Hornets on this year’s Academic All-Shore Scholar-Athlete Team and also is this year’s recipient of the Lombardi Award for his team.

The Academic All-Shore Scholar-Athlete team will be honored at a breakfast on Saturday at Gibbs Hall at Fort Monmouth by the Shore Football Coaches Foundation, which runs the event. Joining Marciano, who was also named to the All-Class A Central team by the coaches this past fall, will be quarterback Mike Cantelli, wide receiver Adam Covino, wide receiver/kicker J.J. Cuccurullo, offensive lineman James Livengood, offensive lineman Jacob Murtaugh, and linebacker Adam Sokolski.

Multiple players from nearly every Shore Conference team will be given certificates for meeting the criteria of having at least a 3.0 grade-point average and being contributors on the field.

Monmouth University head coach Kevin Callahan, Rutgers assistant Rob Smith, U.S. Army representative Michael Rounds and inspirational speaker Lee Rubin will all be speaking at the breakfast on Saturday. The master of ceremonies will be Monsignor Donovan head coach Dan Duddy, who is the SFCF president.

Cantelli, who also was an All-Division selection in the fall, is a two-sport star who also plays lacrosse. He was Holmdel’s best offensive player, and like his teammates, excelled academically at one of the more competitive public schools in New Jersey.

“Michael has such a good reputation with all his teachers,’’ Papalia said. “He doesn't have that big head about being the best athlete in the school. He knows that being a 5-foot-6 quarterback and lacrosse player is not going to make you millions as an athlete, so he has put in the work in the classroom.’’

Livengood is so accomplished off the football field that he nearly had to choose between his other love and playing for the Hornets. Livengood is an accomplished violinist, according to Papalia, and wavered on playing football because of his commitment to music.

“He is an unbelievable violin player,’’ Papalia said. “He is becoming more renowned and has the ability to go far with it, so there was a little struggle as to whether he was going to be able to play or not, but he was able to balance it all.’’

Once Saturday’s events have concluded, Marciano has one more accolade to anticipate, as the 39th Vince Lombardi Award Banquet will be held on March 3 at the Sheraton Hotel in Eatontown. The ceremony recognizes the top linemen from each of the programs in Monmouth County as selected by their respective coaches. Players are selected based on exemplifying the traditions and ideals of legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. The Team of the Year and Coach of the Year will also be honored at the banquet.

The awards are presented by the Rotary Clubs of Monmouth County and the Center for Vocational Rehabilitation in Eatontown.

Marciano was a standout defensive end and left tackle for the Hornets, and he follows in the footsteps of former teammates like Tommy Nolan and current Princeton University lineman Kevin DeMaio as Holmdel’s Lombardi Award recipient.

“DeMaio and Nolan have been texting us, asking who is it going to be this year?’’ Papalia said. “I’m sure they will give Marciano a shout. It’s become a nice tradition, and the kids really enjoy this award. They get to be with their peers from other schools, and kids you battled are now your buddies.’'