By Warren Rappleyea
Christian Napolitano is thankful for the opportunity to play in the 23rd annual Snapple Bowl July 21 at Woodbridge High School. It’s a perfect ending to an interscholastic career that included an NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group V championship for South Brunswick High School last fall.
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound center will line up for the Middlesex Country all-stars in the matchup against the Union County all-stars. The annual game was founded by former East Brunswick High School coach Marcus Borden. Since its inception, the Snapple Bowl has raised nearly $550,000 for the Lakeview School for Cerebral Palsey in Edison and the Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside. Tickets are $10 each and are available at the gate.
“It’s been a great experience for me to meet and get to know some of the best players from the county,” Napolitano said. “It’s been fun and it’s for a good cause, but everyone will be playing to win. There will be a lot of people there, so we want to put our best foot forward.”
Napolitano certainly has no trouble doing that. This is a young man who was told that his football career was over before he even played a varsity game.
After playing junior varsity as a sophomore, Napolitano was expected to become a varsity starter the following year. However, a nagging back injury was slow to heal and he aggravated it working in the weight room following the season. He spent the spring and early summer rehabbing and appeared set to play before re-injuring himself in the preseason.
What followed was a diagnosis of a fracture of the L-5 vertebrae — and a litany of doctor visits. Several doctors told Napolitano that he would never play again. He was disappointed but with the help of his parents, Cindy and Art, he was undeterred.
“That wasn’t what I wanted to hear,” Napolitano said. “But I wasn’t ready to give up. My mom and dad helped me find a sports-related specialist, who gave us hope.”
Dr. Joseph Marsicano and Dr. Thomas Sargent, of Brielle Orthopedics, told the Napolitano family there was indeed a road back to the football field, but it would include a lot of work.
Napolitano spent most of last fall and this past spring using a bone stimulator machine to aid the healing process and gradually building up strength in the gym and on a bike. That was on top of regular visits to a physical therapist. He attended Vikings practices and prowled the sidelines during games rooting his teammates on, as South Brunswick went all the way to the Central Jersey, Group V final before falling. Most important, he excelled in the classroom. Meanwhile, his back was slowly improving.
“The commitment and dedication Christian showed was remarkable,” South Brunswick coach Joe Goerge said. “He just never quit. It was incredibly hard on him not to be able to play. Yet, he was there every day doing whatever he could to help the team.”
With his goal in sight, Napolitano was back for summer practices and earned the starting center spot for opening day against Middletown High School South. The Vikings raced out to a 21-0 lead before the roof fell in and the Eagles scored 41 unanswered points.
“That was such an emotional night for me,” he said. “It was my first game back, and it was also my first varsity game. We started strong and then we lost to a very good team. It made us all think that we worked hard all summer to have this happen. It was just so frustrating.”
Nevertheless, South Brunswick quickly regrouped and reeled off 11 straight wins, thanks in large part to an offense that frequently piled up 35 or more points. The Vikings also found ways to win the close games against Piscataway Township High School, 14-10, and Old Bridge High School, 20-9.
“It all starts with the offensive line,” Goerge said. “Our line was simply outstanding, and Christian was a big part of it. That really was the key to our success.”
One of Napolitano’s most memorable moments was sitting in the locker room at High Point Solutions Stadium at halftime of the championship game — a rematch with Old Bridge — and South Brunswick was leading, 21-0.
“I looked around at my teammates — and I’ve played with most of them since we were all about 5 years old — and I thought we’re two quarters away from a state championship,” he said. “That was such a great feeling, and I knew we weren’t going to slip away.”
After the game, a 41-0 victory, it was even better.
“All of my teammates wanted me to come back and encouraged me while I was out,” Napolitano said. “They never gave up on me. It was the best feeling to be in there with them.”
It seems only fitting that Napolitano is representing South Brunswick in the Snapple Bowl.
“What I went through was definitely a very humbling experience, and it opened my eyes to how fortunate I am,” he said. “It’s an honor for me to play in the Snapple Bowl, while at the same time, raising money to help others.”
Napolitano will attend Arizona State University in September, and he plans to study business and sports management. After he acclimates himself to college life as a freshman, Napolitano said he will try out for the football team.
