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Welcome to the Pit...
High School Football at its Best
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Miller enjoyed being center of attention
Fritz Miller was the center attention of the Florence football team. He has been the starting center ever since his sophomore year three years ago. Yet, he had a lot of responsibilities, as the center.
“It has it’s pro’s and con’s,” Miller said. “Like it’s nice when you win, you get a lot of credit. But if some one doesn’t know an assignment, I’m supposed to know it, and I tell them what to do.”
Miller hasn’t always lived in Florence. He lived his first three years in Bordentown, about a 20-minute car drive from Florence. At three-years-old, his parents moved to Florence, where he has been ever since. He has come to love Florence.
“It’s great!” Miller said. “Football is what this town is all about from the Pop Warner leagues all the way up until you graduate high school.”
Miller has won 2 varsity letters and is expected to win his third varsity letter soon, if he hasn’t already. He has been a second-team All-Conference selection his sophomore and junior years. And he received the unsung hero award, as a sophomore.
“It’s awesome,” Miller said. “There’s people who you don’t even know you that knows who you are from playing football. It’s awesome playing for a team that’s so talented like we are. We have a lot of talent around our football team.”
His first two years on the team, he was able to block for two one thousand yard rushers. Miller helped Abree Jones reach 1,352 yards during the 2005 season. And he helped Tim Bihlear get 1,163 yards during the 2006 season, in just 7 games, after transferring from Willingboro.
“Awesome!” Miller said. “Breezy (Abree) and Timmy (Bihlear) gave most of their credit to the line. And it was nice watching them run for long plays.”
“Fritz has been (a) 3-year starter for us and has been the anchor of our offensive line,” Florence football coach Joe B. Frappolli said. “He’s worked real well in conjunction with Chris Salaga, (a) 3-year starter at guard, Josh Scassero at guard (the) last 2-years, and this year, Ryan Ingham at guard.”
This year, he was not able to block for a thousand yard runner. Quentin Loftin, the team’s leading rusher, only had a 691 yards, and he missed nearly 3 quarters of the Bordentown game, with a knee injury, then sat out the Holy Cross game.
Miller has also competed in track & field the past three-years. He has received two varsity letters in track, and is looking forward to receiving another varsity letter in the spring.
“It’s fun,” Miller said. “It’s not as serious as football. It’s something to do. It’s competitive, but it’s like you’re getting away from the real hard competition. Basically, you’re playing for yourself.”
He only has one more track season left in his high school career.
“I am hoping to break 42-feet for shot put in track,” Miller said. “That would be a nice way to go out.”
Miller is currently looking outside the State of New Jersey to go to College. He is currently looking at Juniata, Ursinus, Albright, and Franklin & Marshall, all schools in Pennsylvania. Yet, he said he was leaning towards going to Juniata or Ursinus.
Whatever college he chooses to go to, he will be playing football for them.
“(He expects it to be) a lot different than this,” Miller said. “It’s going to be a lot faster and the people are going to be a lot bigger. But playing with these guys get you ready for it.”
“He’s a little undersized, as a college lineman or center,” Coach Frappolli said. “Believe it or not, they go upwards (of) 280 to 300 lbs, even on (the) Div(ison) III level, which (are) small college(s). He’ll really have to work at it to be successful and get a lot stronger, etc. Playing on any college level is a hard thing to do.”
Miller is unsure yet what he will be majoring in at college. But he said that he could see his self-taking education, as a major, because he said he could see his self as a teacher one day.
“I see myself getting a job after college,” Miller said. “Live successfully, and then start a family.”
“Fritz should be okay in whatever he does,” Coach Frappolli said. “He’s got a great personality, gets along well with people. As long as he continues to understand that to be successful, there are no shortcuts and that you have to continue to hammer away and work hard to be successful. He should do fine.”
By Anthony Lawrence Caruso, III
NJ Sports Staff Writer
2007 FlashesFootball.com Players of the Year
Overall Player of the Year - Chris Salaga
Offensive Player of the Year - Quentin Loftin
Defensive Player of the Year - Marcus Curry
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