Anthony Petruzzi Steps Down as Raritan Football Coach After 16 Seasons

Anthony Petruzzi, who led Raritan to one of its two state sectional titles in history as well as two other sectional final appearances, is stepping down as head football coach of the Rockets after 16 seasons. 

Petruzzi has been a mainstay of the Raritan program for nearly 30 years. He is a 1999 Raritan graduate who played linebacker for the Rockets and returned as an assistant coach. He was the defensive coordinator under legendary coach Bob Generelli on the only unbeaten team in Rockets history in 2004 and also was part of the staff that made a sectional final in 2005. He ascended to become the head coach in the 2010 season. 

A major factor in Petruzzi stepping down at Raritan is that the oldest of his three sons, Anthony Jr., will be a freshman football player at Middletown North in the fall. He wants to be there to support him and watch his career. 

“It was really just the fact that my son is going to be a high school freshman next year,” Petruzzi said. “It was just something that I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I wasn’t around to do things with him. He’s the same type of kid as (my Raritan players). If I wasn’t giving my all to him like I give to these kids, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

Petruzzi led the Rockets on one of the biggest Cinderella state title runs in Shore Conference history in 2015, when they entered the state playoffs with a sub-.500 record and went on to capture the Central Jersey Group 2 title in stunning fashion. They avenged a regular-season loss to Point Boro, routed a nine-win Delaware Valley team and then shocked previously unbeaten Lincoln in the championship game. 

Raritan also reached NJSIAA sectional finals in 2021 and 2022 under Petruzzi and had a run of 10 straight state playoff appearances at one point. He finished with a 75-83 career record with the Rockets, who were second in Class D North in 2025 and finished 3-7 overall. 

He shared what he will miss about no longer being in the green and white on Friday nights.

“Just the relationships, 100 percent,” he said. “That’s not just with the kids, but that’s the camaraderie with the coaches, being in the locker room, being in the coaches’ office, being on the field, and just enjoying your time. There wasn’t a lot I didn’t enjoy about it.” 

While the state final appearances were certainly highlights, he will also remember the group of players who helped Raritan dig out of an 0-10 season early in his tenure.

“We had to rebuild,” he said. “I had a group of kids there, some of them who still coach with me, and I used to call them ‘The Pioneers,’ because they picked the program up, and we made 10 straight playoff appearances. There also was the Covid crew, who lost their graduation (in 2020), and the seniors who played in that weird season the next year (in 2021). Those were two special teams with the way they handled themselves.” 

Petruzzi is the second veteran head coach to step down during the offseason. Brick Memorial’s Walt Currie hung it up after 19 years following a banner season in which the Mustangs won the Central Jersey Group 4 title. 

Brick Memorial and Raritan are now the only two vacant jobs in the Shore during this offseason.

Raritan offensive coordinator Chris Damian, a former assistant at Monmouth University, is a potential successor on the current staff if the Rockets choose to hire from within. 

Scott Stump is the football editor and a reporter for Shore Sports Insider. He first started covering Shore Conference football in 1999 and has covered basketball, baseball and seemingly every other Shore Conference sport at some point. 

Email: scottstump25@gmail.com