WELLS — Dressed like his hero, Wells head coach Tim Roche looked at his football team, his baseball cap turned backwards, holding a Western Maine Class B championship plaque.
Every person associated with the Warriors football program was jubilant, but none more so than Roche, who spoke with the team in the postgame huddle before the celebration began for Wells’ first regional title in 14 years.
As Roche has emerged as one of the top high school head coaches in the state, there’s a person, and a team to thank.
Roche is a big ”“ which may be an understatement ”“ New York Jets fan. His favorite coach is none other than Jets head coach Rex Ryan.
The similarities between how the Jets and Warriors play is striking, and it’s not by accident. Both teams rely on a ball-control, kill-the-clock, run-first offense. Wells has done that in spades, not only getting production from running back Louis DiTomasso, who has more than 1,200 yards rushing this season, but from fellow running backs Doug McLean and Drew Shelley, as well as quarterback Paul McDonough.
Both teams rely on strong defenses. The Jets rely on consistent play from all three levels of their defense, starting with the play of defensive end (and University of Maine graduate) Mike DeVito up front, Bart Scott at linebacker and Derelle Revis in the secondary.
Wells also has its own threats in all three levels, thanks to the play of defensive end Josh Ingalls, middle linebacker DiTomasso and cornerback Joey Spinelli, who at a generous 5-foot-8 has become one of the best defensive players in Class B this season.
“We look like geniuses moving Joey to corner,” Roche said after the game Saturday. “He’s our Revis.”
As for Roche and Ryan, the two have similar characteristics. Both are larger-than-life personalities. Both have the same sense of style on the sidelines. Roche pulled a page out of the Ryan style book by wearing a black sweater vest over a white shirt, along with a baseball cap.
Both are aggressive in terms of defense, as the Warriors proved on Saturday, forcing three interceptions, while getting in the face of the quarterback.
“The last two weeks, we’ve really done a good job of getting our hands up,” Roche said. “With a kid like Ingalls, he’s 7-foot, so he’s hard to throw over. If you make the adjustment to throw over him, you’re not making the throw you want to.”
Just like Ryan, Roche has, even in the down times, supreme confidence of his team. But unlike Ryan, Roche is quick to shower praise to the opposing team, much like he did after Saturday’s win over Mountain Valley.
“We have the utmost respect for them in the world for a team like that,” Roche said. “Jimmy (Aylward), his staff. For us to go out and beat them, it’s a bigger honor for us to beat them than anyone else in our league, because it’s Mountain Valley, and they’ve had a great run.”
Roche will have the chance to do something his hero hasn’t done ”“ win a championship. On Saturday, the Warriors travel to Portland to face off with fellow unbeaten Leavitt for the Class B title.
Roche will try, one more time, to hone the spirit of his idol, and lead his team to victory.
But first, he had one more game to watch. That game was Jets versus the New England Patriots on Sunday night.
“I hope Rex does this tomorrow,” Roche said before the game.
Ryan didn’t get to celebrate a win as the Patriots beat the Jets 37-16.
— Contact Staff Writer Dave Dyer at 282-1535, Ext. 318 or follow him on Twitter @Dave_Dyer.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
