Robbinsville High football enters camp with optimism

By RIch FISher

As training camp quickly approaches, one of the things that excites Robbinsville High football coach Andrew Patterson the most is being able to see his complete team in action for a full season.

Because what he saw in just half a season last year was pretty darn good.

When the Ravens began 2022 with a 1-4 record, the talk around Mercer County was that they couldn’t handle the jump to the West Jersey Football League Valley Division

(even though they went 1-1 vs. division teams in that stretch). That could not have been further from the truth. The problem—which pretty much fixed itself midway through last year—was banged up body parts.

See FOOTBALL, Page 9

Nico has waged a life-long battle with Evans Syndrome, which afflicts less than 1,000 people in the world. Evans syndrome is an extremely rare blood and auto-immune disease in which the body’s immune system produces antibodies that mistakenly destroy red blood cells, platelets and sometimes certain white blood cells known as neutrophils.

Recently Mikayla, who suffers from Crohn’s/colitis, had a colon resection. Even more recently, it was learned that Bruce needs a liver transplant. The family’s car also has been rendered inoperable.

Since debuting the Pay it Forward initiative, Robbinsville has raised over $450,000 for individ- uals and organizations in need.

Fried honored the McLaughlin Family and also delivered his Stet of the Township Speech at The Stone Terrace by John Henry’s in Hamilton.

The text of his address, which has been edited for space, appears below.

Tonight, we are Pying it Forward to the McLaughlin’s. This wonderful family has been on our radar for many years, but Nico’s incredible strength and his will to live a full and happy life gave us confidence that we could wait a little longer. Well, that time is now. Karen was actually so good. I’m actually thinking about having her do my speech for me next year.

First, I’d like to thank all our sponsors and donors and to our Pay it Forward coordinator Jody Stephens, who helped us raise over $65,000.

When we started Pay It Forward back in 2015, the idea was to get a wheelchair accessible van for the Shepard family. Their son Trey, was part of a contest for a van. So we all stepped up, including many of you who are here tonight, and we made it happen.

Nine years later, thanks to Phil Mastellone, John Crooks and the team at Robbinsville Dodge Jeep on Route 130, we’ve come full circle.

See FRIED, Page 6