Football: Holy Spirit's Josh Zamot leads new team vs. old team

Josh Zamot is expecting a rough reception, and that's just from the kids in the stands.

"They're going to have some stuff for me," Zamot said. "But I'm going to make it motivate me."

Zamot was talking about St. Augustine Prep's "Richland Rowdies," one of South Jersey's most boisterous student sections.

Those guys used to cheer for Zamot, who spent his first three years at St. Augustine Prep and in 2016 led the Hermits to a 9-1 record as a star quarterback.

But now Zamot attends Holy Spirit High School. He likely won't hear any cheers from his old schoolmates when he returns to Richland on Friday night to lead his new team against his old team in an intriguing West Jersey Football League game.

Holy Spirit (4-1), the No. 12 team in the Inquirer Top 25, and No. 8 St. Augustine (3-2) are among the most prestigious programs in South Jersey and fierce football rivals.

"I'm trying to stay calm," Zamot said during a break in school on Tuesday afternoon. "But that' a hard thing to do. This is one of the most anticipated games of the year."

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Zamot is one of the state's most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks. He has committed to attend Stony Brook on a football scholarship.

Zamot is 61-for-95 passing for 713 yards and 10 touchdowns without an interception this season for Holy Spirit. He has rushed for 242 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries.

Zamot probably played his best game Sept. 29 vs. Delsea, passing for 205 yards and four touchdowns and running for 135 yards and the game-winning score in overtime in a 43-35 victory over then Crusaders, who were No. 9 in the rankings at the time.

Zamot was a breakout player for St. Augustine Prep as a junior. He passed for 1,105 yards and 15 touchdowns and ran for 544 yards and nine touchdowns as the Hermits went 9-0 against South Jersey teams and finished in the No. 2 spot in the rankings.

In June, Zamot transferred to Holy Spirit.

"I did what I felt I needed to do for me," Zamot said. "I'm happy here. I love it here."

Because he moved from Millville to Buena, Zamot was immediately eligible to play under NJSIAA rules. He has led the Spartans to the brink of the WJFL United Division title and in position for a high berth in the Non-Public 2 state tournament.

"He can absolutely run the football and he can chuck it, too," said St. Augustine's first-year coach Pete Lancetta. "He has a strong arm. They spread you out and he creates a lot of problems, the same kind of problems he would create for other teams if he were still here."

Lancetta said he will not make a big issue of Zamot's return with his players this week.

"Once he left, it was next man up," said Lancetta, who praised the play of St. Augustine junior quarterback Chris Allen in his first season as a starter. "We've moved on. I'm not even going to bring it up."

The game also will mark the return to Richland of Holy Spirit offensive coordinator Chalie Roman, who spent the previous five seasons as top assistant to former head coach Mark Reardon at St. Augustine.

Zamot said he knows that some St. Augustine players "don't like me," but said he remains friendly with senior standouts such as Shamere Collins, Xavier File and Garrett Dolan.

"I talk with those guys," Zamot said. "We're friends but they're excited about the game and I'm excited about the game. We're both good teams and we both want to win. There's a little smack-talking in there."