Former Holy Cross Prep and Burlington Township coach Tom Maderia, left, and his son, current Holy Cross coach T.J. Maderia, observe the action from the sideline against Riverside during the West Jersey Football League game played on Thursday, September 26, 2024. Joshua Guirguis/D2 Sports Network
RIVERSIDE — Holy Cross Prep football coach Tom Maderia III, also known as T.J., recalled watching Michael Osborne, Wali Lundy and Avon Cobourne play when he was a child.
The trio, among others, played for the Lancers under the direction of Maderia III's father, Tom Maderia. Lundy eventually played for the Houston Texans. Cobourne was a collegiate standout at West Virginia.
“Those guys were superheroes to me,” the current Holy Cross coach said. “I looked up to them. Michael Osborne, Wali Lundy, Avon Cobourne. Watching them put up 45 to 60 points a game. Competing in the playoffs having 80, 90 guys on the team. I really fell in love with football on these sidelines with my dad.”
Maderia III’s father led Holy Cross for 11 years and directed the program to a Non-Public Group 4 state title in 2000. During his tenure, the Lancers won two state titles and racked up 90 wins.
Maderia spent three seasons at West Virginia as a graduate assistant. The Mountaineers played Notre Dame in a battle of unbeatens in the Fiesta Bowl in 1989. The Irish prevailed for a 34-21 win in what amounted to college football's national championship that season. He also served as an assistant at Navy for three years before becoming a high school coach.
Maderia III was a year old when his father took over at Holy Cross in 1992.
“He grew up at Holy Cross,” Maderia said. “The first 11 years of his life were at Holy Cross.”
T.J. played for his father at Burlington Township and was a wide receiver at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He later became an assistant coach at Camden Catholic and Pemberton for five years. He served as the Hornets' offensive coordinator in 2019. In 2020, he landed his first head coaching gig with the Lancers. Maderia III also serves as the school's athletic director.
His father stepped down at Burlington Township following the conclusion of last season.
Now the father-son duo is coaching together for the first time.
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