Wednesday night’s Boomer Esiason-run Empire Challenge, an annual all-star football game pitting the top prospects from New York City against their Long Island counterparts, is a high school swan song for all involved.
For Rodney Gonzales and Bishop Ford, it’s even more than that — it symbolizes the official end for the Brooklyn football program. In April, the Park Slope school announced it was closing its doors at the end of June after 52 years, due to low enrollment and heavy debt.
“I’m excited that Rodney’s in the game, representing us,” Bishop Ford coach Jim Esposito said. “That’s a fitting person. He’s a great football player, a great kid. If we’re going out, it’s a great way to go out with him representing us.”
Gonzales said he heard rumors about Bishop Ford closing for years, but felt it was just talk. When official word came, it hit him like a ton of bricks. He wore a Bishop Ford sticker on his New York City helmet Wednesday night, like a badge of honor.
“I feel like it’s a lot of pressure, since I’m the last person from Bishop Ford [to play in the game],” said Gonzales. “I got to do something big.”
Esposito credited the 6-foot-2, 224-pound Gonzales with turning around the program at Bishop Ford, helping the Falcons win a pair of CHSFL Class A titles and reach the Class AA playoffs this past year. He started a few games as a freshman and was a linchpin over his last three seasons, a team leader who demanded all-out effort from his teammates.
He was a jack of all trades this season, hauling in 25 receptions for 871 yards, rushing for 491 yards and scoring 16 touchdowns, Esposito said. He plays all over on defense, from nose tackle to defensive end to linebacker.
“As a pure high school football player, he’s one of the best I’ve ever coached in 30 years,” Esposito said. “He’s like a coach on the field.”
Gonzales had Division I-AA and Division II looks, but wants to play at the highest level and feels he can get there with a year of junior college at Nassau Community College, where he will play strictly on defense at outside linebacker. But right now, his focus is on Wednesday night, ending his high school career with a bang and making his Bishop Ford teammates proud.
“It means a lot,” he said. “Anybody would like to be in this position.”