Hoboken Redwings Celebrate State Championship Win

The Hoboken Redwings celebrated their ninth state championship on Monday afternoon in a parade on Washington Street.

"Amazing," said Preston Marx, 16, who is on the team. "It's the best feeling in the world."

The football team walked down Washington Street, cheered on by onlookers, cheerleaders and the marching band.

"We are the best team of Hudson County," Jordan Velez, 16, chimed in. "We can beat Prep!"

Superintendent Mark Toback said he was very proud to be celebrating the team of juniors and seniors who won the title on Friday night.

"I'm very happy," said Toback, "I'm very proud." 

Toback attended Friday's game. "We came to take care of business," Toback said. "I could see the focus."

The coaches, too, expressed their pride for the team while marching down Washington Street on Monday.

"It's the experience of a lifetime," said assistant coach Ryan Sorafine. Sorafine, who has been working for the district for ten years, said this team is a "great group."

"We had a tough opponent," said Sorafine, "but we came to play the way we know how."

The win is an especially welcome boost to the school district and the community in the wake of the damage done by Hurricane Sandy.

"We went through a storm and we were able to regroup," said Head Coach Lou Tagliere. "This team went the same road the City of Hoboken went."

Tagliere has been involved in seven of the nine state championship wins. And every time, it just gets better.

"I wouldn't trade these guys for any other team in New Jersey," Tagliere said.

For Derek England, this was the first win of the team as athletic director. And he had the perfect slogan for future years: "number nine felt fine but let's do it again for number ten."