By Rich Chrampanis

MIDDLETOWN – On the same day football legends Nick Saban of Alabama and Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks stepped away from iconic coaching careers, it seemed fitting that Steve Antonucci also made his exit.

The longtime Middletown South coach announced he is stepping down after 26 years building the Eagles into one of the state’s great football powers.

“This place has been very special to me and given so much to be very grateful for,” Antonucci told The Two River Times. “I will miss Friday Nights at the Swamp, but I know that I am in a good place. 

Middletown South became a blue blood football program in New Jersey thanks to Antonucci’s years instilling the values that molded young men of character.

“Middletown South football is something unlike anything else,” running back Dan Primiano said in a 2021 interview. “The tradition goes back for years. Standing on that hill, it’s a feeling like no other. I get the chills every time running down that hill hearing Hells Bells; it’s something that you won’t get anywhere else.”

The Eagles were a dynasty in the early 2000s with four undefeated seasons and a 43-game win streak that ran from 2003 through 2006.

Knowshon Moreno, who went on to a six-year NFL career, is forever regarded as one of the state’s all-time greats. 

“I can’t lie. In high school, Steven Antonucci, he gets me too fired up,” Moreno said during Super Bowl 48 Media Day at MetLife Stadium while playing for the Denver Broncos. “His pregame speeches are phenomenal. Always got us ready to go out and compete and go to work.”

Antonucci’s 2015 season was his fifth undefeated as Middletown South scored a dominant 35-7 win over Phillipsburg at MetLife Stadium, one of six sectional championships.

Hard-nosed defense and a stout offensive line combined with disciplined fundamental football players was the formula for 220 career wins. Career win 200 came in 2021 at the Swamp against Jackson Memorial. 

I’m at a loss of words, to be honest with you,” Antonucci said following career win 200. “When I took this job 24 years ago, I never expected to be in this situation. It’s a credit to a lot of great people. My family, No. 1, the administration here and obviously the coaches and players. We’re so blessed with the opportunities that we’ve had here. Being a part of this program is second to none.”

The final win in his Middletown South tenure came on Thanksgiving; fitting since he led the Eagles to 22 wins in the last 24 years against crosstown rival Middletown North on that Thursday morning in November.

While his hall-of-fame caliber coaching résumé will be talked about for generations, his legacy in the sport goes even deeper than Friday nights in the fall. Antonucci was the leader and catalyst for girls flag football in the Shore Conference. He’ll be on the sidelines this spring with the Middletown South girls. Having one of the state’s most respected football coaches leading the girls’ movement is a big reason flag football is on the verge of becoming a varsity sport.

For all his successes, Antonucci preferred to be in the background during his program’s biggest moments. He’s molded NFL players, including Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowl long snapper Rick Lovato, and the list of college football products is a mile long. But more important than all the last-second wins and titles is the 26 years of molding young men of character that carried well beyond the Swamp.

“That’s just the Midd South tradition,” Eagles DE/TE Jack Latore said in a 2022 interview. “We never give up. Our motto is to fight until we can fight no more. We are always looking for a fight and when someone smacks us in the mouth, we get back up and fight right back.”

Antonucci hasn’t closed the door on a return to the sidelines but is excited about the opportunity to recharge his batteries and watch his son Matthew, a junior at Manasquan, play for the Warriors football team. 

Highlights of the Antonucci Era

Lifetime Record 
W 220 L 68 (26 years)
Six Sectional Championships
2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2015
Coached Five NFL Players
Christian Peter, Jason Peter,
Knowshon Moreno,
Scott Simonson, Rick Lovato
Five Undefeated 12-0 Seasons
2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2015
43-game win streak (2003-2006)

This article originally appeared in the January 18 – 24, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.