An 11-0 Season and a Major Champoinship is not just a dream, but an expectation for this Long Island Football Team

Bellport High ACTION PHOTOS COURTESY RICK BERK, ULTIMATE ATHLETE MAGAZINE 11-0 season and a major is not just a dream, but an expectation for this Long Island Football Team Jeff Cipp (left), Joe Cipp Jr., (center) and Joe Cipp II proudly display their Long Island Championship Trophies. Assistant coaches Roy Still anad Chris Bauman are Jeff Cipp’s godchildren. he nature of high school sports being what it is, there are often anomalies in which a school with a losing tradition comes away with a few upsets and many even a championships. Bellport High School in Bellport, New York, is not one of those teams.

Since 1976 the Clippers have amassed a 33-13 playoff record that has resulted in two state titles, five Long Island championships, and 16 league, division or coun- T2005 Heisman Winner Reggis Bush with Stephen Schwicke and Jeff Cipp in New York City at the High School Heisman Lunchean, which honors the top 22 players from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut ty titles. The 2005 season was no exception, although a bit more incredible than usual. After ending the regular season with a perfect 8-0 record, which included two shut-outs, the Clippers faced Newfield High School in the division play-offs.

Newfield just so happened to be coached by a Bellport graduate who got his team to the playoffs for the first time in its school’s history. The Clippers were an irresistible force on offense and an immovable object on defensive as evident by a 66-0 result that included several incidences of Bellport players “taking a knee” to avoid making the score much worst. The next game was the Long Island County Championship, this time being against West Islip High School. It was a rematch of a game these two teams played in the regular season, the result SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006 being a 6-0 overtime victory for the Clippers.

This game, which was played to a packed stadium, produced another shutout for the Clippers, but this time the offense got going and they scored 30 points, 24 in the first quarter. Finally, it was the Long Island Championship. Because they are so many schools with football programs in the area, and the financial drain of adding additional playoff games, this was the highest level of championship Bellport High School could achieve. The opponent was Power Grader City, The Bellp ort high which had just won its 22nd straight game. This Arde n, uses th school varsity che e BFS pr erledaing time the team that has adopted the nickname team, coa ogram. ched by H “junk yard dogs”

could only put eight points on the scoreeather board, but the defense wouldn’t let up as it again shut out its opponent, resulting in a final score of 8-0! Although there is no state championships for Bellport, there is a state-wide rating system and this year it ranked Bellport fourth in the state of New York. In looking back at the year, a case could be made that “Defense wins championships,” as the Clippers only allowed their opponents an average of 5.2 points a game.

In fact, the Clippers only allowed 16 points total in the first quarter and did- Steve Schwicke (#84) and Will Strano (#62) put the pressure on West Islip QB Kevin Ferico in the County Championships: Bellport won that game 30-0.

#84 Jonathan Spruill leads another Clipper celebration www.bigger fasterstronger.com played both ways -- as they averaged 35.3 points a game. If you had to single out one player who made the most impact on the team, that would be Steve Schwicke. Schwicke was Vaughn Flake (#26) , James Prendergast (#35), Danzal named the Person (#81), and Jay Varney (#22) swarm to the Collata Award ball. Bellport had shut-outs in all three of their playWinner as the off games. best Linebacker in Suffolk country since Head Coach Joe Cipp, Jr. County. He made Alltook over in 1976. He has coached 14 League, All-Division, championship teams, with seven being all-County, All-Long undefeated.

Nicknamed “Papa Pigskin,” unning r s y Island, All-State, AllJoe has made Bellport football a family a l p y and t r o f Metropolitan and All- affair as his son Joe Clipp III is the assis4.5 has a z e American. He will be attending tant head coach and offensive coordinain Mart ack. Jeremy defensive b Stony Brook College this year on a fulltor, and his son Jeff is the defensive nd back a ride scholarship. coordinator. Both sons played at Bellport under their father. One of the keys to Bellport’s success Impressive as the defense was, it Winning is a Family Matter is the BFS program.

In addition to the wasn’t as if the players on the other side Located in Eastern Long Island, of the ball were slacking off -- especially Bellport High School has been one of the core lifts of clean, bench, squat and Hex bar deadlift, Jeff says they added the push when you consider many of their athletes winningest football programs in the n’t get scored on in the second quarter all year. So as not to run up the scores and humiliate their opponents (except in playoffs, where it’s not wise to be conservative), often during the third and fourth quarters of their games the starters are pulled from the games.

Jason Dent is the all-time rushing leader at Bellport.

All-league Quarterback Mike Pepe is being heavily recruited by many Division I colleges.

All-State Ed Gowins is an All-State linebacker and running back. press as an advanced auxiliary. “The push press is explosive and uses the whole body.” He adds that although he used the regular deadlift when he played ball, he prefers the Hex bar because it’s easier on the lower back. And the players love it. Bellport had one player that could do 745 pounds on the exercise, but never went any heavier because they couldn’t fit any additional plates on the bar! To motivate athletes and The BFS dot drill is a key to footspeed for th ensure proper adherence to is great team.

after the the BFS principles, Jeff Cipp acknowlfootball season, but last year they wanted to get edges the value of sponsoring clinics. “I games has become an important part of right back into the weightroom. They would like to thank Jim and Mandy community pride. Before games, which worked their butts off, five days a week, Brown and Len Walencikowski for the are always packed, storefronts will be doing everything that was required with inspiration they put within me while lined with banners supporting the team. speed training, plyometrics, and of attending the BFS clinics and giving me This year after even the local fire departthe knowledge and expertise to teach and course weight training.

There’s no quesment got involved, with their trucks servcoach my athletes the BFS program.” He tion that the dedication and hard work ing to escort the team throughout the our players showed in the off-season adds that another key to their success is city in a makeshift parade. Says Jeff, program helped make that 11-0 goal goal setting -- high goal setting. “Bellport football is like a family, once possible.” “Our goal is always to go 11-0. you’re in it, you’re in it for life!” At Bellport High School, winning “Usually we give the players time off Ed Gowins Ed Gowins can deadlift 600 pounds Heavy power cleans are a must for Clipper football players.

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From BFS Magazine — September/October 2006. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).