Parsippany’s New Wing-T Rushes Redhawks to Week 0 Victory

The losses kept mounting and so did the frustration – but that didn’t stop the Parsippany football players from punching the timeclock and coming to practice every day last year..

The 2025 season was a tough one for the Red Hawks.

But say this for Coach Ken Brock’s team: It didn’t lose hope – and that attitude has fed into this year. 

Parsippany came away with a 21-0 victory over Sussex Tech Saturday.

As rough as last year was, the team kept coming back for more.

It paid off against Sussex Tech and the hope around Parsippany is that it continues well into 2026.

“We kept going to practice,” Jake Behnke said, “and it fed into this year.”

Parsippany took an 8-0 lead when Jaylen Taylor scored a 2-yard touchdown run in the first quarter (QB Mason Alameda added the two-point conversion). In the third quarter, Alameda scored a 1-yard TD run (Davine Blackwood with the PAT) and, in the fourth quarter, Pruthvi Shetye scored a touchdown run.

The defense, meanwhile, kept Sussex Tech off the scoreboard for four quarters.

“We had opportunities to put more points up, but we’ll get better,” Brock said. “I stressed to the kids after the game, ‘This is the expectation.’ They have to learn how to win. The last couple of years, we caught a win at the end of the season. I hope they understand they are a good team with good players. We haven’t had success at Parsippany since 2019 (sectional final loss to Lyndhurst; Parsippany has never won a sectional title).”

Brock hails from Phoenixville, Pa., where he played fullback and middle linebacker for St. Pius X in Pottstown. He went on to play at Albright College, where he graduated in 2010. 

He broke into coaching with his brother in Pop Warner but was in radio and television for 15 years with CBS Sports, the Food Network and the Discover Channel after graduating college.

“I had,” he said, “a unique path to get here.”

Brock and his wife, an occupational therapist in the district, had already had one young child. With a second on the way, he applied for a job teaching in Parsippany. He was hired and teaches TV Production.

Before long, former Parsippany coach Tom Struble asked Brock if he’d like to join the staff.

Last summer, Brock, 38, became the head man.

“I’ve had a unique route, but this is the most fulfilled I have ever felt,” he said. “I worked Final Fours and national championship games, but working here is the best thing.

“Winning is even better.”

The Red Hawks used the Delaware Wing-T to beat Sussex Tech. Parsippany rushed for 177 yards, with FB Taylor – the center last year – rushing 20 times for 86 yards. Left wingback Chris Kelly (9 for 46) and right wingback Vincent D’Accardi (14 for 30) also ran well behind the blocking of, left-to-right, tackle Ryan Das, guard Mike Martin, center Ryan Stitou, guard Bryan Mota, tackle Harrison Gordon, receivers Andre Aquino and Shane Petzinger, and Behnke at tight end.

“It’s classic Wing T,” Brock said, “everyone eats. We used the Spread last year. We don’t have a feeder program, so we don’t always get a developed QB coming up. But we have a really good group of athletes and they have been in the program for three years. Shane and Vinnie are second-year players. We have speed to burn, so we like to ground and pound and control the clock.”

And that is exactly what the team did against Sussex Tech,

“The team was very united and we played our hearts out,” Taylor said. “I was getting carries down the middle. We ran the same play, but it was working. Don’t mess with what is working. The push the line gave was perfect. There were a lot of gaps and holes and I’d get 5-6 yards. Those small running plays get you the next first down and that is what we needed.” 

The defense, meanwhile, did its part.

Das and Behnke (7 ½ tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks) played well at outside linebacker with Taylor at nose and Martin rotating at tackle with  Pavle Ugjlesa. Gordon, Davine Blackwood (1 ½ sacks) and Kenan Mansur (INT) did the job at inside linebacker, with Petzinger, D’Accardi, and Pruthvi performing well at safety, and Aquino and Kelly (3 pass breakups) excelling at cornerback.

“The boys are flying around,” Behnke said. “I have never seen anything like that for four years. We had 11 hats to the ball, which is huge. We slacked in that area in the past.”

“Defense will be our identity,” Brock added. “I think we have a strong, intellectual group of defenders. They watch film well and they know what we need to do. We gave up two big runs, but we did a good job of being stout up front. And we had good pressure on the QB.”

Two youthful new assistant coaches – Masin Cobb and Adam Gibbons – have been an asset to a strong staff that already includes Rob Rollo and Alex Chauvette.

Jason Hurta, who coached the team in 2019, has also been an asset to Brock.  

Things are looking up – especially compared to last year, when the team was 1-8 but blown out of most games.

“We went through a lot of growing pains with a new coach, and a new philosophy, and it took us awhile to find our footing,” Brock said. “We’d be competitive for 2, 2 ½ quarters, and then one bad thing would happen and then the kids would think, ‘Oh so this is what happens!’
“But they have now had 16 months of me telling them that we control what we can control and move on after a bad play. Beating Sussex Tech was a step in the right direction that my messaging is hitting with them. 

“Last year there were some dark moments. It was frustrating and upsetting. We’re hoping to change the culture.”