NBPS football has entered the playoff season! With an average of 4.1 sacks per game, the team shows excellence and determination on defense. A highlight being the game against Westminster Academy with 11 sacks! Offensively, the Eagles are balanced with 9 rushing and 11 receiving touchdowns over their nine games. The Eagle Gazette had the opportunity to interview two of the team’s top players, junior Mateo Sanchez and freshman Noah Finkelstein, both ranked among the top 25 in the state.
Currently ranked 1st in Florida for field goals made, and 15th for kickoff yards, Sanchez is a key contributor to the Eagles’ success. Reflecting on his accomplishments Sanchez says: “It means a lot to me because it shows that the hard work pays off. None of it works without my snapper, my holder, and the protection. We take pride in being clean and reliable.” This season, the team has built a strong bond, Sanchez shares, “We all have a great relationship. Last offseason we recruited a lot of new players, who I honestly met in August, but now I feel the team has gotten close. We compete, keep each other accountable, and back each other up.”
As a junior, Sanchez offers advice to new players: “Get in the weight room and take the offseason seriously. That’s where you make the jump.” Sanchez puts in the effort beyond scheduled practices, and his commitment is shown through his impressive statistics. Sanchez explains, “I try to train on days when we don’t have practice. During the offseason though, I will be out there almost every day.” During a game against Somerset Academy Key, which resulted in a 50-0 point win, Sanchez makes a 52-yard field goal to end the half. This exceptional kick has been the highlight of his season so far. Sanchez is going to continue improving, and The Eagle Gazette is excited to follow his football journey and goals to play in college!
Freshman Noah Finkelstein is currently ranked 2nd in Florida for total tackles, with an impressive 128 tackles so far this season. When asked about his ranking, Finkelstein humbly shared that he stays focused on the game and credits his teammates, saying, “I don’t give it much thought, but this defense is the best defense I’ve ever played on, so they do make my job a lot easier.” Although the team has had success, it has not been a perfect season. The team has faced some tough losses along the way, but Finkelstein shared that the setbacks have made them stronger. When asked about the biggest challenge this season and how the team has pushed through, he says, “I think it’s been the tough losses we have had, but we’ve done a great job of learning from it and working on fixing the problems at practice.” Similarly to most of the players on his team, Finkelstein trains outside of practice. For Finkelstein that effort has paid off, he explains, “the coaches have us train hard which is why we are so prepared on game days and I think our commitment shows.”
When asked about the team dynamic, Finkelstein highlights the connection they share. “The culture of this team is a huge part of our success this far,” he says. “It started in the summer and has only gotten stronger throughout the fall. We are close and very supportive of each other as we all work together to achieve the same goal.” As the team heads into the playoffs, we asked Finkelstein how he would describe their mindset. He shares, “Coach Nottage and the staff do a great job of keeping us focused on the next game, but yes, we’re excited about this team’s future.” The Eagle Gazette will be cheering on Sanchez, Finkelstein and the entire NBPS Football team as they continue their playoff journey..
Eagles make sure to stay tuned for playoff dates when they come out, and go support our football team!
