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The second-year coach led the Lions to their first playoff berth since 1991.
DigitalSports
Howard County
football Co-Coach
of The Year,
Al Feldblum,
Howard
Click here for Al Feldblum's interview
Following a 2-8 season during his first year as coach, Feldblum turned around a Lions program that had not reached the playoffs since 1991.
The Lions won seven games against only three losses during the regular season, along the way, avenging setbacks from a year earlier to Wilde Lake (Click for highlights of Howard vs. Wilde Lake), Glenelg, Hammond and Reservoir. Click for Howard vs. Reservoir.
The effort of the Lions, whose quarterback was junior Jeff Kalski, and whose running back was sophomore A.J. Bonavitacola, earned Howard High its first playoff berth -- this one in the Class 3A East- in nearly two decades.
Click here for Jeff Kalski's interview
Click here for A.J. Bonavitacola's interview
"The most gratifying aspect of the 2007 season has to be the manner in which this team came together. Football is unique in that it truely is a team sport. This '07 Howard team understood that concept very well," said Feldblum, a former wrestling coach in Prince George's County who informed DigitalSports on Christmas Day that he has resigned from the position to devote more time to his family.
"The cliche' that the 'sum is greater than the parts' was very indicative of this team all season --evidenced by the fact that only one player -- from a team that went 7-4 and went to the playoffs -- earned all-county honors," Feldblum said.
"Offensively, we had two running backs who rushed for a combined 1,500 or more yards and 15 touchdowns," said Feldblum, referring to Bonavitacola and Dionte Jones. "We had a pair of receivers who caught 700 plus yards worth of passes and scored 12 touchdowns."
Feldblum's receivers were seniors Jeff Javier and Taylor Landrum.
Defensively, "We had several players record 20 plus tackles, and a few that recorded 30 plus tackles for the season," Feldblum said. "The defense caused 28 total turnovers -- almost three per game."
Down, 14-0, against Wilde Lake at halftime, the Lions thrilled their home-coming crowd with a come-from-behind, 21-14 victory that clinched their program's first playoff berth since 1991.
"The players learned how to overcome adversity, together. All you have to remember is the resolve this team showed during the regular season game against Wilde Lake," Feldblum said. "With nothing going right on offense, the team made two huge defensive stands to keep the game within striking distance. At halftime, the team pulled itself together."
The Lions shut down the Wildecats' three-pronged offense in the second half while also engineering a third-quarter scoring drive to get back into the game.
Another score, in the fourth quarter, tied the game at 14, and still another, following a caused turnover, gave the Lions their lead with four minutes to play.
"As the coach, I am most proud of how these young men grew through the course of their football careers at Howard," Feldblum said. " I am proud of the team they became to make 2007 one of those special seasons.
Howard County
football Co-Coach
of The Year,
Al Feldblum,
Howard
Click here for Al Feldblum's interview
Following a 2-8 season during his first year as coach, Feldblum turned around a Lions program that had not reached the playoffs since 1991.
The Lions won seven games against only three losses during the regular season, along the way, avenging setbacks from a year earlier to Wilde Lake (Click for highlights of Howard vs. Wilde Lake), Glenelg, Hammond and Reservoir. Click for Howard vs. Reservoir.
The effort of the Lions, whose quarterback was junior Jeff Kalski, and whose running back was sophomore A.J. Bonavitacola, earned Howard High its first playoff berth -- this one in the Class 3A East- in nearly two decades.
Click here for Jeff Kalski's interview
Click here for A.J. Bonavitacola's interview
"The most gratifying aspect of the 2007 season has to be the manner in which this team came together. Football is unique in that it truely is a team sport. This '07 Howard team understood that concept very well," said Feldblum, a former wrestling coach in Prince George's County who informed DigitalSports on Christmas Day that he has resigned from the position to devote more time to his family.
"The cliche' that the 'sum is greater than the parts' was very indicative of this team all season --evidenced by the fact that only one player -- from a team that went 7-4 and went to the playoffs -- earned all-county honors," Feldblum said.
"Offensively, we had two running backs who rushed for a combined 1,500 or more yards and 15 touchdowns," said Feldblum, referring to Bonavitacola and Dionte Jones. "We had a pair of receivers who caught 700 plus yards worth of passes and scored 12 touchdowns."
Feldblum's receivers were seniors Jeff Javier and Taylor Landrum.
Defensively, "We had several players record 20 plus tackles, and a few that recorded 30 plus tackles for the season," Feldblum said. "The defense caused 28 total turnovers -- almost three per game."
Down, 14-0, against Wilde Lake at halftime, the Lions thrilled their home-coming crowd with a come-from-behind, 21-14 victory that clinched their program's first playoff berth since 1991.
"The players learned how to overcome adversity, together. All you have to remember is the resolve this team showed during the regular season game against Wilde Lake," Feldblum said. "With nothing going right on offense, the team made two huge defensive stands to keep the game within striking distance. At halftime, the team pulled itself together."
The Lions shut down the Wildecats' three-pronged offense in the second half while also engineering a third-quarter scoring drive to get back into the game.
Another score, in the fourth quarter, tied the game at 14, and still another, following a caused turnover, gave the Lions their lead with four minutes to play.
"As the coach, I am most proud of how these young men grew through the course of their football careers at Howard," Feldblum said. " I am proud of the team they became to make 2007 one of those special seasons.
