Hometeam 2010 Football Preview - Worcester Telegram & Gazette

WWW.TELEGRAM.COM/HOMETEAM CENTRAL MASS. HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE PAGE
17
Burncoat Patriots
Home field: Commerce Bank Field at
Foley Stadium. Turf field, 305 Chandler
St., Worcester.
Brain trust: Coach: Jim Pisegna (third
season, 5-16 career). Assistants: Ron
Suprenant, Don Malm, Scott Lumenello,
Steve Scannell.
Returning starters: 12 (6 offense, 6
defense).
Captains: Sr. WR Eddie Frazier, Sr.
RB/LB Emmanuel Boakye.
Top players: Jr. QB/DB Drew Sunden, Jr.
QB/DB Charles Barbon, Jr. RB Nick Vilaivanh,
Jr. DB Henry Vilaivanh, Sr. C/DT
Tyler Mathews, Jr. WR Matt Lavin, Jr. WR
Mike Emco, Sr. DL Adrian Rivera, Jr. DL
Jake Smith.
Out with the old: The Patriots graduated
four Division 1C all-stars, including Offensive
MVP QB Kenny Bates, OL Angelo
Moraitis, WR Randy Quartey and DT
Richie Asirifi. The Patriots also graduated
RB Jonathan Winbush.
In with the new: So. RB Phil Davis, So. TE
Ryan Derusha, Jr. LB Will Mann.
When the Patriots have the ball: Multiple
offenses. … Scored 203 points, thirdhighest
in Division 1C. … Sunden, Barbon
and Mann are competing for the QB spot.
… Nick Vilaivanh should replace Winbush
at RB. … Davis might help with the carries.
… Frazier will lead the receivers. … Lavin
and Emco also will help out at end.
When their opponents have the ball: 4-3
defensive alignment. … Allowed 286
points, third-highest in Division 1C. … The
Patriots return a strong defensive line, led
by Rivera and Smith. … Boakye moves
from outside linebacker to middle linebacker.
… Frazier and Henry Vilaivanh
lead the secondary.
In the trenches: The line returns three
starters, led by the 6-1, 283-pound Mathews
at center.
One to watch: Frazier returns for his third
year at receiver for the Patriots and is
garnering some Division 1 looks. He has a
long list of potential suitors because of
his grades, as Boston College, Colgate,
New Hampshire, UMass, Georgetown, Virginia,
UConn, Lafayette, Rutgers, Bryant and Holy Cross
have expressed interest. “Eddie is a playmaker for
us,” Pisegna said. “He’s a great kid on and off the
field, and more importantly he does a good job in the
classroom.”
The quote: “It won’t be easy to replace (the
graduated players), they brought a lot to the table in
athleticism, football savvy, toughness and leadership,”
Pisegna said. “We enter the football season
with optimism, and based on last year’s excitement
and improvement, it seems justified.”
Schedule:
Sept. 10......................................Westboro, 7
Sept. 17..........................at Worcester Tech, 7
Sept. 25.......................................Nashoba, 4
Oct. 1.................................at David Prouty, 7
Oct. 9...............................................North, 7
Oct. 15........................................Fitchburg, 7
Oct. 22.................................at Northbridge, 7
Oct. 30 ...........................at St. Peter-Marian, 1
Nov. 5 ......................................Holy Name, 7
Nov. 15............................................South, 6
Nov. 25 .......................................Doherty, 10
Key game: Oct. 30 at St. Peter-Marian. Last year,
2009: 4-7 (2-3 Division 1C)
By Jim Wilson
MARK C. IDE
Burncoat junior Henry Vilaivanh dives for a throw
during last year’s Thanksgiving game against
Doherty.
the Guardians barely edged the Patriots for a big
league win. Burncoat knows a win this year over a
touted SPM squad will go a long way to get people to
talk about another team in Worcester.
2009 results:
Westboro 33 .................................Burncoat 6
Burncoat 18 .......................Worcester Tech 16
Nashoba 45 ..................................Burncoat 6
David Prouty 35 ...........................Burncoat 13
Burncoat 40 .....................................North 21
Fitchburg 33 .................................Burncoat 9
Burncoat 26.............................Northbridge 19
St. Peter-Marian 20.......................Burncoat 18
Holy Name 33..............................Burncoat 12
Burncoat 39 ......................................South 3
Doherty 28 ..................................Burncoat 16
Jim’s take: Pisegna and his staff are doing a lot of
good things over at Burncoat, and expect that trend
to continue. The Patriots lost quite a bit of talent, but
they have players like Frazier, Boakye and the
Vilaivanh twins to keep them in the Division 1C mix
this season.
5
Follow the Patriots’ every game this fall
at www.telegram.com/hometeam.
DIVISION 1C
Doherty Highlanders
Home field: Commerce Bank Field at Foley Stadium.
Turf field, 305 Chandler St., Worcester.
Brain trust: Coach: Sean Mulcahy (21st season,
80-127 career). Assistants: Steve Bucciaglia, Dan
Coonan, Mike DiStefano, Paul Dowd, Perry Jano,
Mike Harper, James McNamara, Tim Walles.
Captains: Sr. FL/SS Will Franco, Sr. OT/DT Gus
Kormah, Sr. WR/DB Andre Santana.
Top players: Sr. OT/DT Ryan Carter, Jr. G/NG
Darwin Hernandez, Sr. QB Tim Bushey, Jr. RB Jamal
Munn.
Out with the old: The Highlanders graduated four
Division 1C all-stars, including Defensive MVP Curtis
Hickson, OL Kevin Kohl, OL Angelo Moraitis and LB
Yawin Smallwood.
In with the new: So. OT/DT Dave Ritchette, So.
G/LB Noah Robinson.
When the Highlanders have the ball: Multiple spread
offenses. … Scored 221 points, second-most in
Division 1C. … Bushey is back at quarterback for the
Highlanders. … Munn was impressive last year and
will be the featured back as a junior.
When their opponents have the ball: 4-3 and multiple
defensive looks. … Allowed 169 points, secondfewest
in Division 1C. … Santana and Franco will
lead the defensive backfield.
In the trenches: Carter and Kormah are back at
tackle. … Hernandez will step in at guard.
One to watch: Santana has been getting a lot of
attention from Patriot League colleges as he has
emerged as a three-sport star for Doherty. Santana
is a Telegram & Gazette all-star in basketball and
also runs track for the Highlanders. Doherty lost
quite a few athletes to graduation last year, so
Santana will be looked to carry much of the load this
year.
What you should know: Losing Hickson, Moraitis and
Smallwood will be big for the Highlanders, as the trio
started more than 30 games together at Doherty.
The quote: “We’re excited to prove we can
compete without the Smallwood/Hickson combina-
2009: 5-6 (3-2 Division 1C)
By Jim Wilson
tion,” Mulcahy said. “Our league is improved as the
numbers at the other schools are up. We hope to
improve each week and be a playoff contender.”
Schedule:
Sept. 9 .....................................Wachusett, 7
Sept. 17 ...............................at Leominster, 7
Sept. 24......................................Marlboro, 7
Oct. 1.........................................Westboro, 7
Oct. 8 ............................................Milford, 7
Oct. 16 ........................................at South, 7
Oct. 22..............................St. Peter-Marian, 7
Oct. 30.................................at Holy Name, 1
Nov. 5 .............................................North, 7
Nov. 12.................................Shepherd Hill, 7
Nov. 25 .................................at Burncoat, 10
Key game: Oct. 22 vs. St. Peter-Marian. If the
Highlanders want to compete as a playoff contender,
they’re going to have to make a statement with
a big win over the Guardians to kick off the league
schedule.
2009 results:
Wachusett 23.................................Doherty 8
Leominster 21...............................Doherty 15
Marlboro 21....................................Doherty 6
Westboro 18 .................................Doherty 14
Doherty 21.....................................Milford 10
Doherty 34 .......................................South 0
St. Peter-Marian 14..........................Doherty 0
Holy Name 39 ..............................Doherty 26
Doherty 41........................................North 0
Doherty 28.............................Shepherd Hill 7
Doherty 28 .................................Burncoat 16
Jim’s take: There’s no question the Highlanders
lost a lot heading into this year. Doherty needs to
make a statement early and win those close games
it let slip away last year. Bushey, Munn, Franco and
Santana will be relied on to keep them in the playoff
hunt and make a run at the postseason.
5
Follow the Highlanders’ every game this fall
at www.telegram.com/hometeam.
JIM COLLINS
Doherty quarterback Tim Bushey looks for some running room during a game
against Wachusett last September.