Bewley, an assistant coach and a Holy Spirit teacher, greeted the Spartans as they prepared to board the bus for a game at Delsea Regional. The Spartans wore decals on their helmets that said “JB Strong” while winning 35-0.

“He was thrilled to see everybody, to see the smile on his face when he saw everybody,” head coach Andrew DiPasquale said. “That day was special for the kids.”

Bewley died Monday of cancer. The 2005 Holy Spirit graduate was a Brigantine resident.

“I was really happy the kids got to see him,” DiPasquale said. “It just shows in his last couple of days of life how important Holy Spirit, and the kids were to him. He made it a priority to get over here on Friday when I can imagine he wasn’t feeling well. The kids appreciated it. It was great to see him.”

Bewley got involved in coaching a few years after he graduated from Spirit. He had several stints as an assistant.

“John was one of the freshman football coaches when I was a freshman in 2007,” DiPasquale said. “He’s been a part of Holy Spirit football — whether he was coaching or not — from the time I’ve been there.”

DiPasquale said Bewley lived in Ohio before returning to the area last year to work as a Spirit chemistry teacher and an assistant coach.

“Coach Bewley was a welcome addition to Holy Spirit from day one last year,” Spirit athletic director Steve Normane said. “Both faculty and students could feel his positive energy and his pride for being back at his alma mater, which he loved dearly. John was a true Spartan, and we will miss him.”

In Brigantine, residents rallied outside his Bayshore Avenue home Sunday in a show of support for a beloved member of the community.

“John Jr. and the Bewley family are well known in the community being involved with local sports, mostly street hockey,” read a message on the Real Brigantine Facebook page.

In April, Bewley shared his battle on social media: “Have not been on here much, for the last month I’ve been in UPenn hospital after being diagnosed with leukemia and having 2 blood clots and 2 brain bleeds as a result. I have been going through chemo the last 3 weeks and bone marrow drawn today. Prayers please!”

In another post last Thursday, Bewley shared he was ending treatments and was sent home to Brigantine into hospice care.

He ended his note with: “Thank you all for your support so far and GO SPARTANS!”

Staff Writer Charles Schroeder contributed to this report.