"If you played at North Rockland, you are a Red Raider 'til the day you die."

Pride is one thing, but North Rockland has much more: the most stable coaching staff, the deepest talent pool and a history in the last generation of producing more Division I players (82) than anyone on either side of the Hudson River.

The Red Raiders' tradition is one to be envyed.                                                

"When you talk about programs from soup to nuts, North Rockland is the measuring stick".  Just ask John Jay coach Jimmy Clark.  Clark would know. His offensively gifted Indians soared into the Class AA championship to meet the Red Raiders. Both were the only two unbeaten large-school teams in the area, both state-ranked and state-feared.

Many local football observers had tabbed John Jay the favorite. The Indians were flashier, but the Red Raiders, who hadn't won it all since 2002, proved yet again they had the winning formula, with a dominating 21-0 victory.

The most important figure in Red Raiders football is the man who believes in that formula, coach Joe Casarella.

Casarella has been with the program since graduating from Ithaca College in 1967. That summer, a trip downstate led to a physical education/coaching job at 22.  Casarella first coached the junior varsity, and was an assistant under Ralph “ The Silver Fox” Cordisco, until assuming the head job in 1980.

Cordisco, now 87 and still the varsity golf coach, had been the head coach since 1952 so he and Casarella have been in charge for 56 years and counting.
"You know he's not going anywhere," Casarella, who admitted as much. "And you know you're getting structure."

Casarella's program is something to behold, and not just because it's won 12 sectional titles and two state championships under his watch. The Red Raiders have three middle-school feeder systems and play his system from the modified level, all the way to the varsity.

He has more assistant coaches than many college or NFL teams.
The demand to coach is so great that Casarella said there are former North Rockland players awaiting their opportunity to join the program at any level possible. They just can't get in.  The depth of the coaching staff provides players with instruction their opponents might never get.

For a Red Raider, the odyssey begins in the Youth Leagues.  Louis Welsh, the coach for the 10-11 year olds, came in second at the National Playoffs, taking his team all the way down to the Disney Wide World Sports Complex in Orlando Florida.  Beginning your football career at 10 and ending up in the National Playoffs is a great start. 

"The coaches are very good at helping us get to our maximum ability," said junior Jeffery Welsh,  "They are always teaching us do everything right."

Because each level teaches plays and fundamentals the same, players are groomed for the high school program. The varsity needn't utter the dreaded "R" word.

"We never say we rebuild," said Papo Cancel, a former player who now is a co-coach of the JV. "We don't use that excuse. It's not part of our tradition." There's also an unsurpassed unity between community and football team that's seen everywhere. Thousands dressed in red flood Cordisco Stadium, and the players sign up to play in waves.

"It's a middle-class community where people really enjoy their sports," Casarella said. During last season's Section 1 title game against John Jay, North Rockland dressed 71 players. And in that same game in 1985, Casarella, with some modified, freshman and JV players in tow, dressed 165.

Section 1 changed its rule the following year, and now a team can only dress 75. "They said we intimidated people," Casarella remembered.
Is that intimidation now just respect? Maybe, but not much else has changed in 20 years.

The best player to ever come out of North Rockland was Derrick Lassic, a star who won a national championship at Alabama and a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys. At North Rockland, the faces might change, but the tradition lives on
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Key figures in North Rockland football history:

Joe Casarella: Remarkably, he's never lost more than three games in a season and stands at 223-33-1 through 26 years. North Rockland has won 12 sectional titles during that time, was crowned state champion in 1993 and has sent 58 players to Division I programs.

Ralph Cordisco: The 89-year-old was Casarella before Casarella, grooming the Red Raiders into Rockland County's best. His career record in 24 seasons was 136-53-9, and his name adorns the varsity field.

Derrick Lassic: The former star running back furthered his legend after graduation. He was the 1993 Sugar Bowl MVP, helping Alabama win the national championship, and played for the Super Bowl-champion Dallas Cowboys a year later.

Pete “Bronson” Warner:  Pete has been with North Rockland since 1972 and has been the offensive coordinator for Coach Casarella since 1980.

Jim Brechbiel: Was the star running back, DB and kicker for the 1971 “ Team of the Century” 3 undefeated seasons from 1970-1972.  Jim went on to star for the Maryland Terrapins before ending his career with a knee injury.

Rockland County, New York Hall of Fame
Team of the Century
Three Undefeated Seasons 1970-1971-1972
Photo taken 2000
Head Coach Ralph Cordisco
Coach Casarella first row second from left

1936 Undefeated Team