Delsea will attempt to win consecutive sectional titles for the first time in school history. Last season, Delsea beat West Deptford, 17-14, in the sectional final.

Few people have a greater appreciation for what Delsea has accomplished, and a better understanding of how difficult it is to repeat as a sectional champ, than Delsea coach Sal Marchese Jr.

The 43-year-old Marchese has spent most of his life either cheering for, playing for, or coaching the Crusaders.

His father, Sal Marchese Sr., was an assistant coach at Delsea for 31 years and still helps his son with the off-season weight program.

The family used to live next door to legendary Delsea coach John Oberg, South Jersey's all-time winningest coach when he retired after the 1992 season with 230 wins. Oberg was replaced by none other than Sal Marchese Jr.

"Between Mr. Oberg and my father, Delsea football was my life," said Marchese, who was a quarterback and punishing linebacker for the Crusaders.

The magnitude of winning consecutive sectional titles isn't lost on the current coach.

"It's amazing to me that Delsea, with all the good teams, hasn't won two in a row, and it shows how tough it is to win it even once," Marchese said.

Since the advent of NJSIAA playoffs in 1974, Delsea has won eight sectional titles, three in Group 3 and five in Group 2. The Crusaders have been to the finals two other times.

A 1985 Delsea graduate, Marchese first played at Towson but finished his college career at Glassboro State, now Rowan University.

After college it was assumed he would serve as an assistant coach at Delsea, but his father persuaded him to seek other avenues.

"When I first got into coaching my father said, 'You know what we do. Go out and learn some other style and other things,' " Marchese said.

So he served as an assistant at Buena to one of the great coaches in New Jersey, Chuck Donohue, currently at Southern Regional.

"I was fortunate to learn under a great coach like Chuck Donohue," Marchese said.

Then the younger Marchese replaced Oberg in 1993, not the easiest task, stepping in for a legend.

"It wasn't easy replacing somebody like John Oberg, but I always had confidence that my son could do well and knew he would put the time in to be successful," Sal Marchese Sr. said.

Under the younger Marchese, Delsea was not an overnight success, going 18-17-1 in the first four years. But since then, the Crusaders have consistently dominated.

Sal Marchese Jr.'s career record is 127-47-1, including 10-1 this season. His 2005 unit was 12-0, won the South Jersey Group 3 title, and was The Inquirer's No. 1-ranked team. Since 2000, Delsea has won three sectional titles; it is making its fifth title-game appearance.

The elder Marchese says he is proud of his son, but it doesn't stop him from giving advice, whether requested or not.

"He tells me we don't throw the ball enough, which is funny because I remember being the quarterback and throwing two to three times a game, and I think they forget sometimes," the younger Marchese said laughing.

Still, Sal Marchese Jr. relishes talking football with his father, not just for the love of the game but the passion both have for the Delsea program.

Delsea football has been a way of life for Sal Marchese Jr. Like all coaches, he's only concerned about the next game, but in addition, Sal Marchese also understands more than just about anybody else what it means to take the field in a championship setting, guiding a program he has represented in the highest manner as a player and coach.