TAMPA, Fla. — The Berkeley Preparatory School football team passed its toughest test of the season on Saturday — upsetting a top-15 nationally ranked team to win the first state title in school history.
Turn the page to Monday morning, and the student-athletes have another test — their final exams.
“It should come naturally,” wide receiver Dallas Golden said. “I feel academics comes first to be a student-athlete. I studied last night for a couple of hours. After exams, me and my teammates will celebrate a lot.”
“The transition was pretty easy being able to balance school and sports,” running back Joseph “Jojo” Troupe added. “Coach has always taught us school is first.”
Coach Dominick Ciao has meant a lot to these Bucs’ players in his 17 seasons at Berkeley.
“I feel like Coach Ciao is one of the biggest mentors I have ever had in my life,” Golden said. “He brought me through a lot and taught me through a lot. He’s a great person and everyone loves him around Berkeley.”
At 70 years old, Ciao came up with a scheme to beat the heavily favored and previously undefeated Norland High School 28-20. As the players sing Ciao’s praises, the coach gives credit to his mentor, the late Jesuit football coach Bill Minahan.
“[He] did everything for me,” Ciao said. “The 4th and 1 play was one of his plays. It was a play he incorporated and learned from him, the game on the line. Made the play. You can’t forget him.”
Related Story: Berkeley Prep football wins first state title in school history
This is a season Berkeley Prep will never forget.
“We definitely had the underdog mentality, “ Troupe said. “We saw a lot of stuff on social media; everyone was doubting us. It was a blessing to be able to come out on top and let that fuel us.”
“This game was about all the players that ever played at Berkeley, all the coaches that ever coached that laid the foundation,” Ciao said.
After the victory formation, the celebration began. Music was blaring in the locker room.
“I forgot the name of the song,” Troupe said. “But it’s coach’s favorite song. He even has it on his ringtone.”
“What’s your favorite song?”
Ciao said, “We don’t. We don’t have to show that.”
Ciao can’t share all of his secrets as the team now looks to run it back.
