Turn the channel, there's Holbrook/Avon football? These three captains have TV dreams
HOLBROOK − If you've stumbled upon Holbrook Community Access Media when flipping through the channels, you've likely seen Chuck Luarasi, Jordan Cioffi and Johan Rodriguez before.
Luarasi and Cioffi make up the commentary team for the Holbrook High boys and girls basketball teams during the winter, and Rodriguez helps out behind the camera as he pursues his own interests in broadcasting arts, culture and newscasts.
The trio, all seniors, also suit up for the Holbrook/Avon High football team as three-year starters. Luarasi is the quarterback, Cioffi is the primary running back and Rodriguez is the center.
“It’s kind of a two-way street," Rodriguez said. "The way we bond as teammates, it works towards our crew and broadcasts and everything we do in that world. And all the stuff we do there, it contributes to our camaraderie and trust we have as teammates on the field."
Luarasi, the play-by-play voice for the Bulldogs' basketball teams, and Cioffi, the color commentator, took second place in the sports commentary award category at the Student Television Network Convention in Long Beach, California, this past school year.
Rodriguez, who interned at the WGBH studios in Boston over the summer, finished as an honorable mention in the human interest category.
“To be able to go from just doing stuff within the school to going all the way across the country to compete against other schools, it’s incredible," Cioffi said. "And to win an award with Chuck, one of my best friends, and Johan being there too, and all of us celebrating, it was amazing. We can always look back at it, having the plaque in the classroom.”
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The three captains said they owe the opportunity to video production teacher Zachary Gorman, who inspired them to think outside the box when producing the basketball broadcasts. Gorman floated the idea of taking the trip to California a few months before the competition.
“We’re a small school, not a big budget," Luarasi said. "But we came together, put fundraising ideas together and we took it from there.”
Luarasi began broadcasting junior varsity basketball games during the 2020 season. At the time, Cioffi was one of the freshmen playing on the court. One year later, Cioffi swapped his hoops uniform for formalwear and a microphone.
“I didn’t go back to basketball, let’s just say that," he said. "I’ll stick with football and commentating.”
“I got a crew out there," Luarasi said. "We did our first game and, after that, everybody started coming. It was another community thing for this school. More kids in our program, even if they weren’t in our Friday morning class that we do our news show in, they still came out and helped us. We made a three-camera broadcast with graphics and everything. I was very proud of that.”
Rodriguez began his broadcasting career after not picking an elective heading into his sophomore year. He was assigned video production.
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“Honestly, it might have been one of the best miracles of my life," Rodriguez said. "I fell in love with broadcast journalism and I got involved with a bunch of other programs, student reporting labs especially.”
Rodriguez, Cioffi and Luarasi are all searching for internships, and will likely pursue a future in the field in college.
“I really enjoy it," Luarasi said. "It looks like it’s going to be my future, I’ll tell you that.”
There's football to focus on in the meantime.
“Once high school started and we were all in the same class, working in the environment and in the same world, we just got even more connected to each other," Luarasi said. "That built a huge bond, even outside of football.”
The no-huddle
Holbrook/Avon is coming off a 4-6 season last fall, the latest installment of the team collecting a 13-12 slate in the three years since Mike Walsh came aboard (the first two as an assistant coach under Brendan Case and last year as the head coach).
The team will return eight returning starters from last season, three of whom are lineman: Rodriguez, senior captain Nick Lounge and senior Lavahn Ward. Cioffi and Luarasi are also three-year starters.
Names to know
Jordan Cioffi, senior, running back.
Chuck Luarasi, senior, quarterback.
Johan Rodriguez, senior, lineman.
Nick Lounge, senior, lineman.
Tomas Irby, senior, linebacker.
Cam Cameron, senior, running back/defensive back.
Lavahn Ward, senior, lineman.
Antoni Theodate, senior, defensive end/offensive tackle.
They said it
Senior OL/DL Nick Lounge on returning starters: “I think it’s going to help us a lot in plays that everyone needs to know what we’re doing, that way we don’t leave anyone behind.”
Lounge on what Holbrook/Avon football means to him: “It’s about being able to build something from the ground up and being able to, through thick and thin, stick with your guys.”
Holbrook/Avon 2023 schedule
Friday, Sept. 8 − vs. St. John Paul II, 6 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 15 − at Hull, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 21 − at Atlantis Charter, 6 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 29 − at Monomoy, 6 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 6 − at Old Colony, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 13 − vs. Wareham, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 20 − at Cape Cod Regional Tech, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 28 − at Upper Cape Tech, noon
Wednesday, Nov. 22 − vs. South Shore Tech, 5 p.m.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Maybe one day, you'll see these Holbrook/Avon football players on TV
