In some ways, the Pequannock football team is already behind.
The Golden Panthers had a five-day mini-camp starting June 15, the first allowable date on the NJSIAA calendar. But then they were shut down for two weeks, June 19 through July 5, for the school district's mandatory blackout period.
Pequannock got right back at it on July 8, with practices four days a week planned the rest of the month. Turnout has been great, with more than 60 of the 79 registered players turning up. The Golden Panthers will be traveling to Butler, Glen Rock and Mount Olive for 7-on-7s.
Pequannock is in search of a quarterback, but returns a corps of receivers including Andrew Zuccala, Alex Blustein and Caden Robinson. On the line, starters Nick Sibi, Aidan Trinidad and Bobby Nasufi are all back, with Kyle Carpio and Brody Jenove expected to rotate in. Fluri also highlighted kicker Jack Toole, who will be a key role player at multiple spots.
"It's going to be great seeing different opponents and getting competition in the month of July," said Gino Fluri, 29, who is in his second season as head coach. "The goal is to get better, learn, and use those as teaching points as a staff. They're important from our skills, and (we) carry some of those lessons back to practice and get better from there."
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The tradition
Pequannock has qualified for the postseason 16 times, playing in three finals and winning two sectional titles. The Golden Panthers went back-to-back in 1999 and 2000 in North 2, Group 2. They defeated top seed Hanover Park in the 1999 final, and Dover in 2000.
The challenge
The SFC American White remains tough, with Mountain Lakes, Madison and Hanover Park – losses last fall – all looming on the division schedule. Fluri added a Week 0 game against nearby Boonton, who Pequannock used to play annually.
The Golden Panthers' first three games are on Thursdays, with Madison on Saturday, Sept. 26.
"You have to balance how much time you want to practice and get ready. With that Week 0 game, it gets on your radar faster than you'd like," Fluri said. "I'm very confident in where the program is heading. That comes from the kids. The kids are buying in. The culture is good. We want to keep establishing that."
Expectations
This is Gino Fluri's second season as head coach, with his father, former North Warren coach Eugene Fluri, and former Pequannock coach Ed Kopp as the offensive and defensive coordinators.
They collectively established the Wing-T last fall, but it took a while to click. The Golden Panthers went 1-4, getting shut out by Hanover Park and Kinnelon.
But Pequannock wrapped up the season with three wins in its last four games, which gave both the players and coaching staff confidence. There were between 20 and 40 in the weight room from the end of the season through June, anyone who wasn't playing another sport.
"As a team, we've gotten stronger, and that's been an identity," said Fluri, who played corner and wing back and was a return man for Matt Parzero at North Warren in the mid-2010s.
"No. 1 is definitely having a weight-room culture where they show up consistently. No. 2 is having consistency with the coaching staff. There's not some grandiose new scheme we're trying to do. We're trying to build on the routines from last year, and go from there."
2026 schedule
Week 0: Boonton
Week 1: at Mahwah
Week 2: at Caldwell
Week 3: Morris Hills
Week 4: at Madison
Week 5: Mountain Lakes
Week 6: at Kinnelon
Week 7: High Point
Week 8: Hanover Park