With the departure of 17 seniors, the majority of whom were starters last year for the NVD varsity football team, doubts arose regarding the success of this year’s 2025-2026 varsity team which features many new players as well as still-new second-year head coach Robert Petrella. After the conclusion of the second game of the season, the team has shut down these doubts with a 23-0 rout against Bergen Tech and a 34-24 win against Tenafly.
A large part of these wins have come from rocksteady center and defensive tackle, junior Jeremy Kent. A starter since freshman year, Kent has put in the work to be a leader and a star on the offensive line, a unit that has only allowed one sack this season.
“I believe we’ve gotten off to such a hot start because of the hard work and preparation we’ve put into ourselves in the offseason,” Kent said.
The offensive line works as a cohesive unit, and whether run blocking or pass blocking, it is essential that all five linemen have chemistry and can make each other better at all times.
“The most important quality about our team’s culture is trust. We as linemen have to trust that the person next to us is doing their ‘1/11th’ each and every play,” Kent said.
Another lineman, impressive junior left guard and linebacker Yair Talmor, echoes this belief.
“When we’re blocking in a game, it’s important to have trust in the other linemen and know that we’re all on the same page so we don’t mess up any blocks or assignments,” Talmor said.
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The importance of the offensive line in a football team’s overall success is crucial, as Talmor states.
“If you have a bad o-line, the quarterback can’t get the ball out, and the running back has nowhere to go. Linemen don’t really get touchdowns, but they’re the reason touchdowns happen,” Talmor said.
One more factor in the Norsemen’s early success, aside from talented returning players, has been the inclusion of new recruits to the team, such as newly-transferred sophomore linebacker and running back James McLaughlin. With 18 total tackles across two games, along with a 160 rushing yard performance against Bergen Tech, McLaughlin has quickly become a key player on the Norsemen.
“I’ve had some good moments, but there’s always room for improvement. I’m just focused on doing my part for the team,” McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin addressed his belief that the positive team culture has heavily contributed to the team’s success.
“Accountability. Everyone on this team holds themselves and each other to a high standard. If someone messes up, they own it, learn from it, and move on. It’s not about pointing fingers, it’s about overcoming obstacles as a team and being there for each other,” McLaughlin said.
The same sentiment was echoed by Kent.
“Our team can always bounce back from adversity. We play the next play and don’t worry about the last one, even if it was bad,” Kent said.
Another feeling held by all of the Norsemen is excitement for the remaining games to come; the chance to improve, show off the hard work put in, and win under the Friday night lights is invigorating.
“It really just means a lot to have such a huge crowd there watching us under the lights. The student section really keeps everyone on our team excited for the next play and to go all out,” McLaughlin said.
Support from the home crowd is always appreciated, and players hope that all of the love will be kept up for the duration of the season.
“We’ve all appreciated the support from the student section at our games, it helps send the message that we are supported and motivates us to push a little harder,” Talmor said.
Regardless of the strong start for the Demarest Norsemen, there are still seven games to be played and fought for, and players cannot wait to keep the momentum going and work towards a championship.
“All we can do now is to keep working and preparing for our next game, and our shared goal of winning the championship,” Kent said.
It isn’t time to celebrate yet, as our Norsemen want to keep their eyes ahead and in the right direction.
“We’ve still got a lot of football left to play, and I feel like we’re building momentum. We’re hoping to go from 2-0 to 3-0 to undefeated,” McLaughlin said.
