Alvirne receiver Anthony Ferullo takes the lead for the Broncos when it comes to going after the football. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

HUDSON – Silent Warrior.

Actually, head coach Tarek Rothe put the “warrior” label on senior wide receiver Anthony Ferullo, and offensive coordinator Russell Farrar added the “silent.”

“I love it,” Ferullo said. “No coach has called me that in awhile.”

“He’s that silent warrior,” Farrar said. “He’s the calm before the storm. Very soft spoken. A silent leader, he’s going to do things by example rather than talking, show you what to do and what’s going on. He’s going to get out there and excel, and keep on excelling. You don’t know what he’s going to do next.”

One thing Ferullo is always going to do, it seems, is go all out for the football.

“He’s one of those people that will give you 100 percent every play,” Farrar said. “No matter how tired he is, he’s still going to get after it, after that ball, no matter whether it’s in the air, or down on the ground. He’s just one of those people hungry to go get it.”

“I just want that ball more than anyone else,” Ferullo said. “I’ve loved playing receiver, it’s my favorite position. I also play corner, but as a receiver, I like going up for the ball, making plays, getting touchdowns. I like all of that.”

It will be fun to watch Ferullo go for the ball against the strong coverage of Bishop Guertin safety Matt Santosuosso when the Broncos visit the Cardinals on Saturday night at Stellos Stadium. He actually hasn’t been playing football long.

Ferullo came from Methuen, Mass., his family moving here prior to his freshman yea at Alvirne. Prior to that, he played two years of youth football.

He didn’t play freshman year so he could adjust to his new school and new surroundings. But he’s been a fixture with the Alvirne program ever since.

“I just wanted to see how everything was,” he said. “I got into the basketball program and I was curious how their football program was so I joined.”

And Ferullo is almost caught up.

“His knowledge of football is starting to get higher and higher each week,” Farrar said. “He’s understanding football a little bit more, and he’s understanding space. He’s finding that open space, which is awesome. Doing that in certain offenses is very tough. He’s doing everything I’ve asked him to do. … For his experience, he’s coming along very nicely. I enjoy every moment watching him learn.”

When he was a kid, Ferullo used to play withhis brother Kyle, also a Bronco senior who has played football in the past but opted not to play this year so he could focus on track and limit any injury potential. Those backyard days motivated Anthony.

There’s enough competition in Division I, but there was also a lot of competition within the Broncos for the receiver spot.

“We have very good receivers out here,” Ferullo said. “But you’ve just got to compete for the spot, just got to want that ball.”

Ferullo got thrust into the limelight when top Broncos receiver Andrew Porter went down with a broken collarbone the third week of the season. “And he’s stepped up a lot,” Farrar said.

Against the opposition, Ferullo keeps the mentality that no one can cover him. “If I’m one-on-one, I know how to make my moves to get open. So far I’ve played two years, they’ve only been in Division I, and it hasn’t been that hard to get open.”

Farrar says that Ferullo sometimes gets frustrated when he’s double covered, “but it impresses me how he’s finding ways to get open.”

And, says Farrar, he’s getting better with getting yards after the catch, using his quickness. Ferullo also plays basketball, and uses that quickness as basically a defensive specialist, but maintains that football is his favorite.

“I have more energy playing football,” he said. “I don’t know why. I’m very aggressive, and I get to be aggressive playing football, so I like football a lot more.”

Being a corner helps make him a better receiver, as he knows a receivers moves, more by being on defense. Farrar has noticed not a lot of teams are throwing to his side. Meanwhile, it also makes him prepare for what he’s going to face as a receiver, which is contact.

“When I’m going across the middle for slants, I know I’m going to get cracked,” he said. “When I’m going for the ball, as soon as it touches my hands, I bring it in and put my body up tight to prepare for a big hit, brace for the impact.

“I’m more aware of when I’m going across the middle what’s coming. I can prepare for it.”

He’d love to play football in college, but only if it’s above the Division III level. No basket weaving for him; he’s leaning toward studying to be pediatrician.

It hasn’t been easy for Ferullo and the Broncos, who have not won a game since being forced by the NHIAA to move up to Division I from II two years ago. But this year, Ferullo can see they’re making strides.

“Every week we go in, we get a game plan, we think we’re going to win and go in hyped,” Ferullo said. “And we come short. But we bounce back the next week and get that same mentality again.

“But it’s tough. Since I’ve been on varsity the past two years we haven’t won a game. … It’s kind of sad not to win games but we’re actually competing this year.”

Thanks in part to their Silent Warrior.

Newsletter