Pete Felice said a tough childhood that involved having “all kinds of problems in high school” led people to believe that he wasn’t going to amount to anything.
But then he found love and got married to Tammy, and years later the couple thought about what to name their first child. Felice wanted to give his first son a name that said things were going to work out.
That’s how San Benito High senior Justice Felice got his name, and he’s made his father proud.
“You’ll have to read into what I’m saying, but I ended up doing everything I should’ve done, and my son is the fruit of that victory,” Pete said moments after watching his son bulldoze his way for a game-high 88 yards on 18 carries in the Haybalers’ riveting 17-13 win over Palma last week. “I said this is my justice or something like that, and that things are going to work out for me and my family.”
Indeed, things have turned out well, especially on the football field. The younger Felice, a 5-foot-8, 165-pounder, has been one of the most reliable players to put on a San Benito uniform in recent memory. Felice gives a consistent effort even when he doesn’t have the ball—a lost art even in the high school game today among ball carriers—and rarely fumbles.
In fact, Balers coach Chris Cameron said he could remember only one time in which Felice fumbled the ball in a game over the last two years. It’s easy to see why, as Felice tucks the ball into his belly with both arms, cradling it as if it was a baby.
Felice protects the ball so well that it literally disappears when he carries it, which makes the team’s fake fullback dive all the more difficult to read. Time and again quarterback R.J. Clark fakes a handoff to Felice, and inevitably two or three defenders go after him.
“God, he carries out fakes like there’s no tomorrow,” Cameron said. “We see a lot of backs who if they’re not involved in the play, they don’t even carry out a fake real well. Justice gets two to three guys chasing him and trying to tackle him even when he doesn’t have the ball, and that’s great because those are guys we don’t have to block. It’s just awesome to see.”
Against Palma, Felice was simply a beast. After getting only two carries in the first half, he had his number called 16 times in the final two quarters, piling up 86 of his 88 yards in the process.
Behind a powerful performance from the offensive line, Felice resembled a bowling ball going down the lane, and the Chieftains couldn’t stop him. Felice rarely goes down after first contact, and there were plenty of plays against Palma in which he carried would-be tacklers for extra yards.
“If our kids could get a vertical push, he’s going to grind it in there and do some damage to the defense,” Cameron said.
After a solid 2013 junior campaign, Felice’s workload has increased this season, and he chalks up the increased production to having a better feel for the game along with a superior physical skill set.
“I think I’m a lot quicker than last year,” Felice said. “I’m quicker on my feet, which has allowed me to make some more cuts (change of direction) on the field. I’m more mature in that I know my assignments better, and I’m better able to connect with my linemen. I know where they’re going and I know the right cutback lanes to go through because of the extra year of experience.”
The best backs also thrive in pass protection, and Felice excels in that category as well. Felice possesses a selfless attitude and a hunger to constantly improve in all areas of the game.
“The kid just plays hard, and he doesn’t give up and quit,” Cameron said. “There’s a lot to like about Justice.”
Whether he’s called upon to rush the ball, pass protect or deke out defenders via a fake fullback dive, Felice carries out each responsibility with a sense of pride and purpose.
“I’m just paying attention to the little things more now, and it’s paid off,” he said. “I know practice makes perfect, so I just work as hard as I can in to become a better player.”
