North Jersey Male Athlete of the Week makes his presence heard as a do-it-all star

In Italian, Orecchio means ear. In Old Tappan, it means the guy who does a little bit of everything for his football team.

Golden Knights' senior Alex Orecchio has morphed into one of the most unique athletes in North Jersey – someone who plays safety on defense, kicker on special teams and all the skill positions on offense. After starting at quarterback last year for Old Tappan, he transitioned to a broader role this summer with Zach Miceli getting most of the reps under center.

Being a jack-of-all-trades is not only a source of pride for the 5-foot-9, 165-pound Orecchio. It’s a big reason why Old Tappan knocked off Ramapo, 27-21, in a top-10 showdown on Friday night. Orecchio scored three touchdowns – one on a trick-play pass – and stopped two others with interceptions near the goal-line.

Coach Brian Dunn called it one of the best all-around performances he's seen in 32 years coaching.

"My senior class was 0-3 against Ramapo," Orecchio said. "We lost to them freshman year, sophomore year and junior year. As you know, the last two years, they were our only regular-season loss. So it was a big motivator going into the game. Then coming off the field after one of the most physical, hard-fought games I've ever been in in my entire life was an unreal feeling."

Orecchio is hardly the first in his family to experience the highs and lows of Friday night lights. His two older brothers both played football – one for Bergen Tech and one for Old Tappan – and his dad was a senior fullback when the Golden Knights won their first sectional crown in 1985.

Two years ago, Orecchio was fitted for a ring of his own. Thrown into the fire when a starter got hurt, Orecchio completed his first touchdown pass inside Rutgers' SHI Stadium to lift his team to the Group 3 title .

Unofficially, though, his first experience in a championship setting came in 2017. That year, Orecchio and senior Troy Essmann helped the Golden Knights stay hydrated during a perfect season.

"I worked with the trainer that we still have now, Melissa Nelson, she's amazing," Orecchio said. "We were the water boys up until eighth grade."

Orecchio is committed to play football at Johns Hopkins. His acceptance to the Baltimore school required hard work on the field and in the classroom, where he takes three AP courses and maintains a 4.42 GPA.

This summer, Orecchio came to a crossroads in his career.

While he put up some elite numbers last year (1,532 passing yards, 32 total touchdowns), he wondered if his size would allow him to play quarterback at the next level. So when we went to college camps, Orecchio tried his hand at running back, receiver and defensive back to find the optimal fit.

Around that time, Dunn proposed the idea of using him in a hybrid position. It was a major sacrifice, but one that’s freed him up to play defense and special teams unlike in the past.

"We just had a brief talk basically by text in August," Dunn said. "I said, you're good with everything? He said, 'absolutely, I'm just here to win and do what's best for the team.' It's not like he's been phased out. He plays more now."

The stats on Friday night back it up. Orecchio accounted for 246 yards after finishing with 12 carries, three catches and five pass completions on nine attempts. On defense, he added seven tackles and two momentum-changing picks.

Playing on such a tight-knit team has provided inspiration during a 4-0 start.

"Being able to look to your left and see a brother fighting for you the same way you're fighting for them is a motivator that keeps you moving even when you're gassed," Orecchio said. "You stop playing for yourself and start playing for the other people around you."

Alex Orecchio

Sport: Football

School: Old Tappan

Class: Senior. Age: 18

Accomplishment: In a win over Ramapo, Orecchio had 12 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown, went 5-for-9 passing with two touchdowns and a two-point conversion and added three receptions for 34 yards.

Also nominated: Nick Shahinian of Fair Lawn, Jonathan Parisi of Becton, Dylan Thornton of Hackensack, Steve Klein of Westwood, Vinnie Stigliano of Pompton Lakes, and Lamar Best of St. Joseph for football; and Anthony Cala of Wood-Ridge for soccer

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: North Jersey Male Athlete of the Week makes his presence heard as a do-it-all star