By Nate Beutel
Losing isn’t easy. Especially when it comes in bunches.
But it’s how you respond that defines you. And Derek Bongiovanni has responded about the best any high school senior could to an 0-5 record.
“He’s probably the main reason we haven’t fallen off the face of the Earth,” veteran Starpoint coach Al Cavagnaro said of his senior captain.
Bongiovanni has faced some hard knocks before though. As a sophomore he played quarterback for the JV, despite not having a liking for the position. Needless to say, it didn’t go well.
“I wasn’t comfortable, but the coaches needed me there, so I did it,” Bongiovanni said. “I struggled. We struggled as a team, too.”
The following year Bongiovanni found himself on the varsity, which already had a proven signal caller in three-year starter Joe Scibilia. That gave Bongiovanni the opportunity to move to receiver, a spot he had longed to play.
“I’ve always had a passion for receiver,” he said. “Even when I was younger, my favorite players in the NFL were receivers.”
Bongiovanni immediately found success at the position, quickly becoming Scibilia’s top target. By season’s end he picked up second team all-Class A and CRUNCH honorable mention honors.
“You could see in his eyes how much more relaxed he was at receiver,” Cavagnaro said. “He really blossomed late last year.”
His development continued into the offseason as he began to strike up a relationship with sophomore quarterback Branden Wehrmeyer. Cavagnaro said Bongiovanni had a great Buffalo Bills passing league, building his confidence up even more.
And even though the Spartans’ offense has struggled this fall, Bongiovanni has made a profound impact. The 6-foot-2 wideout is the team’s leading receiver and perhaps most notably has made several highlight-worthy catches, Cavagnaro said.
“Every ball thrown to him he catches,” the coach added. “He makes a bad ball look good. He’s right up there with the best guys in our league. And every catch he makes seems to be a big one.”
“I actually think I’m better at catching those crazy balls than the ones thrown right at me,” Bongiovanni said with a laugh.
For Starpoint to get in the win column over the next two or three weeks, Bongiovanni will likely have to come up with a fair share of those type of grabs.
“Whatever it takes, I just want to win,” Bongiovanni said. “We’re due for one.”
Bongiovanni said he plans to major in aerospace engineering next fall. He is unsure of his gridiron future.
Contact reporter Nate Beutel at 282-2311, ext. 2262.
“I actually think I’m better at catching those crazy balls than the ones thrown right at me.”
DEREK BONGIOVANNI
• SCHOOL: Starpoint
• GRADE: Senior
• POSITION: Wide receiver
• STAT: Leads team in receptions
• ACCOLADES: CRUNCH honorable mention last fall… second team all-Class A receiver last year… team captain.
• COACH’S QUOTE: “He’s probably the main reason we haven’t fallen off the face of the earth.”
— Al Cavagnaro
