Hometeam 2010 Football Preview - Worcester Telegram & Gazette

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CENTRAL MASS. HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINE
WWW.TELEGRAM.COM/HOMETEAM
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Home field: Lunenburg High. Grass field, 1079 Massachusetts
Ave., Lunenburg.
Brain trust: Coach: Steven Boone (sixth season,
28-28 career). Assistants: Steve Cullinane, Bob Truax,
Anthony Muhnisky, Jake LaChance, Peter Lekaditis.
Returning starters: 12 (5 offense, 7 defense).
Captains: Sr. C/DL Thomas Abare, Sr. FB/LB Troy
Cutter, Sr. QB/DB Mike Sullender, Sr. OL/DL Mike Birr.
Top players: Sr. RB/DB Steve Kinney, Sr. WR/DB
Ryan Harvey, Jr. G/DL Kenny McPherson.
Out with the old: The Blue Devils graduated four
Division 3A all-stars — OL Jon Birr, LB Craig Spyropolous,
RB Mike Xarras and DB Bjorn Kapsted.
In with the new: Sr. RB/DB Josh Moore, Jr. RB/DB
Harrison Arciprete, Jr. FB/LB Josh Trainque, Jr. OL/DL
Eric Scouten, Jr. OL/DL Brandon Niccoli, Jr. OL/DL
Kyle Nasif, Sr. WR/DB Bryan Cumming.
When the Blue Knights have the ball: Option offense. …
Scored 146 points, fewest in Division 3A. … Sullender
steps in at quarterback after seeing some time there
last year. … The backfield is loaded, with Cutter and
Kinney returning and newcomer Arciprete also expecting
carries. … Harvey and Beers will be Sullender’s top
targets in the air.
DIVISION 3A
Lunenburg Blue Knights
When their opponents have the ball: 5-2 defense. …
Allowed 244 points last year. … The Blue Knights boast
a strong defensive front with Mike Birr, McPherson and
Abare at the tackles and Clements on the end. … Cutter
and Trainque will have to be watched at linebacker. …
Kinney and Beers look to lock down the defensive
backfield.
In the trenches: The Blue Knights return five starters
on offense, four on the line. … Abare will line up at
center, between guards McPherson and Birr while
Scouten returns at tackle. … Birr was a two-way starter
as a junior and lettered as a sophomore. The younger
brother of Jon Birr — one of Lunenburg’s standout
linemen last year now at St. Anselm — Birr is hoping to
make his own name by helping Lunenburg back to the
playoffs.
One to watch: Abare does it all for the Blue Knights,
serving as captain, center, defensive end and tackle
and snaps on punts. The two-year starter tore his
anterior cruciate ligament as a freshman and worked
hard to get back on the field and contribute for
Lunenburg. Abare had a scare over the summer when
he reinjured his repaired knee — partially tearing the
ACL again — and has been working hard to make it
2009: 3-8 (1-4 Division 3A)
By Jim Wilson
back to the field by Week 4. Abare is an honor student
and hoping to play next fall in the Ivy League or
NESCAC.
The quote: “We want to get the winning tradition back
at Lunenburg,” Boone said. “The players have worked
extremely hard in the offseason to prepare for this year.
Our league is very strong, but we feel we can be
competitive every week.
Schedule:
Sept. 10........................................at Frontier, 7
Sept. 17 ......................................at Murdock, 7
Sept. 24..................................at Northbridge, 7
Oct. 1........................................Narragansett, 7
Oct. 8 .................................at West Boylston, 7
Oct. 15...........................................Oakmont, 7
Oct. 22.................................................Ayer, 7
Oct. 29.............................................Hudson, 7
Nov. 5.................................Groton-Dunstable, 7
Nov. 12..........................................at Clinton, 7
Nov. 24 .................................at St. Bernard’s, 6
Key game: Sept. 17 at Murdock. The Blue Knights lost
a close one to the Blue Devils last year — part of a string
of three scoreless games Lunenburg would like to
forget. The Blue Devils need a big win over Murdock —
especially coming before an ultra-tough game against
Northbridge the following week.
2009 results:
Frontier 13.....................................Lunenburg 0
Murdock 7.....................................Lunenburg 0
Northbridge 28...............................Lunenburg 0
Narragansett 28............................Lunenburg 14
Lunenburg 42 .........................West Boylston 16
Oakmont 47 ..................................Lunenburg 7
Lunenburg 21 .......................................Ayer 14
Lunenburg 21.....................................Hudson 7
Groton-Dunstable 39 .....................Lunenburg 28
Clinton 21......................................Lunenburg 7
St. Bernard’s 24.............................Lunenburg 6
Jim’s take: The Blue Knights have one of the better
defensive lines around, but they need to find replacements
for quality skill players like Xarras and Kapsted
before they start seeking a playoff spot. Players like
Cutter and Kinney are poised for big seasons in the
backfield as Lunenburg continues on the right track of
rebuilding.
5
Follow the Blue Knights’ every game this fall
at www.telegram.com/hometeam.
Oakmont Spartans
2009: 12-1 (4-1 Division 3A); Division 3A Super Bowl Champions
Home field: Arthur I. Hurd Memorial Field. Turf field,
located at 9 Oakmont Drive, Ashburnham.
Brain trust: Coach: Dave LaRoche (26th season,
176-86-4 career). Assistants: Gary Caouette, Kevin
Murphy, John Margarita, Zach Hertel-Therrien.
Returning starters: 5 (2 offense, 3 defense).
Captains: Sr. G Tyler Baranowski, Sr. G Kevin
Mazyck, Sr. QB Luke Bakanowsky.
Top player: Jr. RB Jackson Sheehan.
Out with the old: The Spartans graduated seven
Division 3A all-stars — RB Jon Jacobs (1,282
rushing yards), TE John Mattus, WR Eric Howlett
(641 receiving yards), OL Rob Dearborn, DB Seth
Sheridan (630 rushing yards), LB Kane Bourgeois
and DL Mike Lashua.
In with the new: Jr. T James Carbone, Sr. LB Zach
Comeau, Jr. RB Mike Hiltz, Jr. WR Elan Jackson, Jr.
T Tim Marsh, Jr. TE Nico LaPoste, Sr. RB Josiah
Marchand, Jr. WR Tyler Osborn, Sr. OL Steven
Brown.
When the Spartans have the ball: Multiple offensive
sets. … Scored Central Mass.-high 535 points last
year. … Bakanowsky will look to improve on a stellar
junior year, which included the 2009 Super Bowl
MVP award and his 23rd career touchdown pass. …
Sheehan should step in to lead the backfield.
When their opponents have the ball: 4-4 defense. …
Allowed 232 points last year. … Baranowski will
anchor a young defense on the line. … With eight
open spots, competition was fierce in camp.
In the trenches: Baranowski and Mazyck return at
the guard spots.
One to watch: Bakanowsky threw for more than
1,000 yards last year as the Spartans’ offense
scored like it was a video game. Oakmont has been
hit hard by graduation, so Bakanowsky — whom
LaRoche is incredibly high on as one of the top
signal-callers to step foot in Ashburnham — will need
to lead a young crop of players in a very tough
division.
By Jim Wilson
Schedule:
Sept. 10.......................................Littleton, 7
Sept. 17................................at Tantasqua, 7
Sept. 24..................................at Murdock, 7
Oct. 1...............................................Ayer, 7
Oct. 8 ...................................Narragansett, 7
Oct. 15 .................................at Lunenburg, 7
Oct. 22.....................................at Hudson, 7
Oct. 29......................................at Clinton, 7
Nov. 5...................................St. Bernard’s, 7
Nov. 12 ...........................Groton-Dunstable, 7
Nov. 25 ..................................at Gardner, 10
Key game: Oct 8 vs. Narragansett. These two
teams put on a classic last year — amassing 90
points — and while Oakmont won’t be as strong in
2010, it will still be a good test to see just what the
Spartans have.
2009 results:
Oakmont 48 ................................Littleton 22
Oakmont 49 .............................Tantasqua 14
Oakmont 56 .................................Murdock 0
Oakmont 54 .....................................Ayer 16
Oakmont 50..........................Narragansett 40
Oakmont 47 ..............................Lunenburg 7
Oakmont 35 .................................Hudson 13
Clinton 26..................................Oakmont 24
Oakmont 41..........................St. Bernard’s 22
Oakmont 28 ....................Groton-Dunstable 21
Oakmont 16...................................Gardner 8
Oakmont 58 ................................Assabet 24
Oakmont 29 ................................Littleton 19
Jim’s take: With just five starters from last year’s
explosive offense returning, the Spartans have
some work to do. Bakanowsky should emerge as
one of the top QBs in the area, but Oakmont is going
to have to find the players to surround him with if it
hopes to make a playoff run this year.
5
Follow the Spartans’ every game this fall
at www.telegram.com/hometeam.
St. Bernard’s Bernardians
Home field: Bernardian Bowl. Grass field, 45 Harvard
St., Fitchburg.
Brain trust: Coach: Tom Bingham (seventh season,
23-37 career). Assistants: Joe Hickey, Jarad May, Nick
Fadden, Dan Chery, Mickey Meza, Mike Donovan, Niccolo
Seretto, Chuck Walkovich.
Returning starters: 9 (5 offense, 4 defense).
Captains: Sr. TE/LB Greg Donovan, Sr. WB/S Brett
Franciosi, Sr. T/DE Josh Schofield, Sr. SE/CB Brendon
Jean-Simon.
Top players: Sr. QB Jake DiBattista, Sr. G/DE Mike
Bozicas, Sr. DE Alex Ingerson, Sr. SE Garret Mahoney, Sr.
G Jake Williams, Sr. DE Alex Ingerson, Sr. LB Anthony
Novelli, Jr. DL Jake McGuire.
Out with the old: The Bernardians graduated three
Division 3A all-stars — RB Evan Brideau, LB Cam Foster
and DT Glenn Shaw.
In with the new: Jr. RB Cody Titus, Jr. FB Nate Long, Jr.
SE/S Trent Hunt, Jr. SE/LB John Gailey, Jr. WB/CB
Spencer Lyons.
When the Bernardians have the ball: Wing-T offense. …
Scored 181 points last year. …The skill positions are
strong, led by DiBattista, one of the better option quarterbacks
in the area. … Mahoney, Jean-Simon and Donovan
will help out with the passing game. … Franciosi, Titus
and Long have varsity experience in the backfield.
When their opponents have the ball: 4-4 defense. … Allowed
180 points last year, second-fewest in Division 3A. … St.
Bernard’s returns just four starters, but has plenty of
players who saw defensive time last year.
In the trenches: Schofield is one of the more dominant
linemen around and will return for his third starting
season at defensive tackle and second at offensive
tackle. … Bozicas has started at guard, center and
defensive end last year. … Williams has started a few
games at center and will fill in with the defensive line.
One to watch: Donovan has started for three years on the
defensive line and the last two on the offensive line. He
led the team in tackles as a junior, and Bingham called
him one of the best leaders he has seen in his 15 years at
2009: 4-6 (1-4 Division 3A)
By Jim Wilson
the school.
The quote: “We are returning a lot of experience in the
skill positions, and much of that success will be centered
around DiBattista,” Bingham said. “Jake is an excellent
athlete who has been behind Taylor Lively the last three
years. Jake has a tremendous work ethic, and we look
forward to seeing that hard work pay off out on the
football field for his senior season.”
Schedule:
Sept. 10..............................................Gardner, 7
Sept. 17.......................................Narragansett, 7
Sept. 24 ..................................at Shepherd Hill, 7
Oct. 1.................................at Groton-Dunstable, 7
Oct. 8 .................................................Hudson, 7
Oct. 15.............................................at Clinton, 7
Oct. 23..............................................at South, 4
Nov. 5...........................................at Oakmont, 7
Nov. 12 ..........................................Holy Name, 7
Nov. 24 ..........................................Lunenburg, 6
Key game: Oct. 1 at Groton-Dunstable. The Crusaders
dealt the Bernardians a close loss last year, but St.
Bernard’s knows a win here would set them up nicely
heading into tough games against Hudson and Clinton.
2009 results:
Gardner 19 ..................................St. Bernard’s 14
St. Bernard’s 20...........................Narragansett 14
St. Bernard’s 34............................Shepherd Hill 7
Groton-Dunstable 13......................St. Bernard’s 12
Hudson 28 ..................................St. Bernard’s 14
Clinton 20.....................................St. Bernard’s 0
St. Bernard’s 33 ......................................South 0
Oakmont 41 ................................St. Bernard’s 22
Holy Name 32 ...............................St. Bernard’s 8
St. Bernard’s 24................................Lunenburg 6
Jim’s take: The Bernardians have some talent at the
skill positions, and that could keep them in the mix for the
league title.
5
Follow the Bernardians’ every game this fall
at www.telegram.com/hometeam.