FOR THE JOJO DELECCE AND THE BULLDOGS, SUCCESS COMES FROM A BROTHERHOOD
- Al Thompson
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
The junior running back/safety was named the 2025 Military Athletes
New Jersey high school football Player of the Year award.
The Glassboro Bulldogs have not lost a game since the last game of the 2023 season.
That is 27 consecutive wins over two full seasons that now included two straight NJSIAA Group 1 State Championships.
You need special players and coaches in order to pull that off.
The Bulldogs appear to have both.
Head coach Timmy Breaker has kept the Bulldogs playing at a high level for the entire season.
Jojo DeLecce, a junior two-way player at Glassboro High School said that the key to success isn’t always about talent and strategy.
“The thing we’ve done to win consistently is to stay as a family,” DeLecce said in the Bulldogs’ weight room last week. “We try to emphasize staying together and push each other as one unit rather than everybody individually trying to work for their own success”
DeLecce, who transferred from Philadelphia's Roman Catholic, was making the case that it is not always about the X’s and O’s or the style of play that enable a team to stack up wins, it’s the chemistry.
It’s harder to point the finger at a teammate when tough times in a game come up when the friendship bonds are strong, right?
“Absolutely,” DeLecce said. “It’s a brotherhood, we emphasize that a lot.”
His leadership on the field is obvious. This season, DeLecce rushed for 1,005 yards on 108 carries (9.3 YPC) and 14 touchdowns.
DeLecce also caught ten passes for 163 yards and two more touchdowns.
On defense, the 5-foot-10, 187-pounder recorded 83 tackles (39 solo) plus two forced fumbles…he recovered both of them.
DeLecce is also a standout on the Bulldogs track team
Off the field he has also filled the role of leader.
That is certainly a big reason why he was awarded the 2025 Military Athletes
New Jersey high school football Player of the Year award.
In New Jersey was awarded the 2025 Military Athletes
New Jersey high school football Player of the Year award on Saturday,
December 27, 2025. Joko is center in the above photo
with his family. Photo submitted.
In New Jersey was awarded the 2025 Military Athletes
New Jersey high school football Player of the Year award on Saturday,
December 27, 2025. Joko is center in the above photo
with his family. Photo submitted.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS ALSO A GOAL
When you are a key player on a high school team that has won back-to-back titles, the college program will show interest.
DeLecce said he is getting looks that he hopes turn into FBS level offers.
Will he be recruited as a running back or safety?
“Safety,” DeLecce said without hesitation. “I’ve always been a safety at heart. I love playing running back but I’ve always been a safety at heart.”
DeLecce declined schools that had contacted him…he did say he would like to play at the highest level possible.
“Of course you always try to get better and get offers that are higher and higher,” DeLecce said. “But it’s a blessing to even have the conversation about [college football]. I still have my whole senior year.”
DeLecce said playing running back actually helps him develop as a safety.
“A lot of people would like to see the versatility of being able to play offense at running back and being able to see the field.”
Glassboro plays in the smallest level in the NJSIAA, Group 1. They are playing in the smallest schools division in the state of New Jersey.
The caliber of play in Groups 4 & 5 is looked at as a higher level of competition.
What does DeLecce think of those evaluations?
“I think football is football,” DeLecce said. “If you can play, you can play no matter where you play at.”
Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl hero Corey Clement played at Glassboro High School from 2009-2012, then went on the star at Wisconsin.
Indianapolis Colts super star running back Jonathan Taylor played for Group 1 Salem High School in Salem, NJ, from roughly 2013-2016, graduating in 2017. He also went on to star for Wisconsin.
“We scrimmaged Millville (Group 4) in the preseason,” said DeLecce , who lists former Carolina Panthers all-time great Luke Kuechly, a linebacker, as the NFL player he most admires. “We gave ten a good game.
"It doesn’t count with wins and losses. But we played them really good. “Millville’s a good program. I feel like football is football. No matter where you’re at, if you’re playing good, you’re playing good.”
DeLecce gave shout outs to senior center Jayce Grays plus O-lineman Brandon Simmons Jr, also a senior, and junior Amon Wright, who will be back, for their play this season.
DeLecce was asked what he believes is the key to keeping the streak alive.
“Staying together again,” DeLecce said. “We need to push ourselves to a level we haven’t reached yet. Last year for our seniors, Brandon and Amari (Sabb) they were a big part of our team. I feel like we’re going to have to band together this year, stay consistent and don’t let it bother us that we lost people, stick together, and win!” *
Email Al Thompson at al.thompson@footballstories.com
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