SE PA Football Preview 2009 Bicen-Indpnce-Indepndts

Bicentennial-Independence-Independents
Lower Moreland has its sights on a daily double
By Gorden Blain
With seven starters returning on offense and nine on defense, Lower Moreland has the players to make a strong bid for the Bicentennial-Independence leagues championship daily double. The Lions, who compete in both leagues, also remain a PIAA District 1-12 AA playoff contender after it lost the semifinal to Ben Franklin in 2008. “We’re looking forward to it,” says head coach Mark Mayson. “Our goal is always to be competitive and take it from there.” The backfield running back tandem of RB John Founds (5-10, 180, Sr.) and RB-LB Mike Trentalang (5-10, 180, Sr.) return after combining for more than 1,000 yards rushing last season. Mayson has to find a QB to replace Frank McGarry, who graduated and led the Lions balanced attack in rushing last season. Frank Gleason (6-0, 180, Jr.) and Bryan Gerhart (6-0, 180, Sr.) are in the mix. WR-DE Steve Turetsky (6-1, 185, Sr.), WR Vince Senick (6-2, 200, Sr.), FB Sean Duffy (5-8, 200, Jr.), OL-LB Mark Lesser (6-3, 225, Sr.), OT-DT Tyler Saitta 6-3, 225, Sr.), LB Nick Grimaldi (5-10, 190, Sr.) and DBs Julian Vega (5-9, 175, Sr.), Ryan O’Connel (5-9, 180, Sr.) and Tom Parisse (6-1, 175, Jr.) are returning starters. The Lions own a distinct size advantage over its Bicentennial opponents and with its veteran lineup, are serious challengers to Academy of the New Church and Pennington in the Independence League.


Academy of the New Church has playmakers on both sides of the ball that will give Independence League opponents fits. RB Desmond Lites (5-9, 175, Sr.), WR Warren Gillis (6-3, 190, Sr.) and RB Shawn Wilson (5-8, 175, Jr.), a transfer from Northeast Catholic, give the Lions a strong group of speedy playmakers. The quarterback position is up for grabs between Desmond's younger brother Malcolm Lites (5-8, 165, Jr.) and Lucas Pronesti (6-4, 175, Sr.). Head coach Andrew Davis hopes to convince basketball standout Savon Lloyd-Goodman (6-5, 200, Soph.) to return to play split-end and DE. OLB Nigel Adams (6, 170, Sr.), LB-OG Alec Horan (5-11, 175, Sr.), ILB-FB Reece Ayers (5-9, 190, Jr.) and DTs Jarrid Andrew-Bryant (6, 215, Sr.) and Ekene Mwokowe (6-5, 185, Jr.) give the Lions a strong group of veterans on defense.

RB Tony Johnson (5-4, 155, Sr.) returns for Springfield Township after running for more than 800 yards last season. Head coach Chris Shelly says the Spartans defense is strong, led by returning TE-DE Sean Daley (6-2, 185, Sr.) and LB-FB Max Vido (5-10, 155, So.). Shelly expects sprinter Victor Miles (6-1, 175, Sr.), who joins the team this season, provides a deep threat in the passing attack. But the Spartans need a QB to emerge to be a contender for the Independence League championship.

One of the top running backs among the small schools in southeastern PA is Woodrow Vorters (5-7, 175, Sr.) of Bristol. A four-year starter, Vorters has rushed for 3,474 yards and scored 57 TDs in his career. A veteran-oriented team, the Warriors have size and experience on the line of scrimmage and athletic veterans in the skill positions. C-DL Paul Cullura (5-10, 270, Sr.), TE-DE Eric Wade (6-2, 195, Sr.), WR-DB Thomas Bradley (6-0, 190, Sr.), one of the Warriors’ top athletes who had 24 receptions for 378 yards last season, FB-LB Tyler Bliss (5-10, 185, Sr.), LB Andrew Persaponco (5-9, 160, Sr.), RB Tyree Barnes (5-8, 160, Jr.), who had 585 yards rushing in 2008, and LB Chris Mack (6-1, 210, Sr.) return. The Warriors expect Bradley and Mack to be impact players this season for head coach George Gatto. But the Warriors need a QB to operate the wishbone offense after last season’s starter Anthony Pinelli graduated and backup QB Derron Thompson transferred to Harry S. Truman. This is the first season in eight years a Pinelli brother isn’t the Bristol QB.

Jenkintown took a major step forward in 2008 by winning nine games and reaching the PIAA District 1-12 Class A championship game after just four wins in 2007. The Drakes believe they can remain a winning playoff team under coach Hal Smith, despite 10 starters who graduated from last season’s team. RB-LB Shawn McCarthy (5-10, 180, Sr.), who rushed for 1,366 yards and 11 TDs, WR-DB Aden Twer (6-0, 205, Sr.), who had 36 receptions for 619 yards and 7 TDs,TE-DE Erik Stumpo (6-3, 240, Sr.), who had 27 receptions for 368 yards and 5 TDs and OG-DL Conor Milstein (5-10, 240, Sr.) are returning starters. Kevin Hull (6-0, 190, Jr.), who last season backed up Conor Beltz who passed for 1,485 yards and 16 TDs, is a first-year starter at QB.

With returning starters in skill positions and on the line of scrimmage, Morrisville is on the doorstep of a rare winning season. Since head coach Jim Gober returned to Morrisville in 2002, the Bulldogs best season was 5-6 in 2006. The Dogs have a playmaker in QB Matt Cookson (6-1, 185, Jr.), who passed for a single-season school record of 1,398 yards. Three-year starters FB-LB Matt Beyer (5-10, 200, Jr.) and OL-LB Zack Markgraf (6-1, 220, Sr.) return along with WR Eugene Figueroa (5-11, 170, Sr.), WR Julian Walker (5-9, 160, Jr.), RB Mike Jones (5-10, 180, Sr.), OL-DL Pat Syron (6-0, 230, Sr.), OL-DL Anthony Reyes (5-11, 240, Sr.) and OL-DL Kyle Kinslow (5-10, 290, Sr.). The Bulldogs expect OL-DL Chris Geffard (6-4, 320, Sr.), a transfer from New Jersey, to make an impact.

At Calvary Christian, former Philadelphia Eagle Mike Reichenbach is the head coach and his son QB-S Mike Reichenbach (6-3, 175, Sr.) is a three-year starter at QB and safety who has drawn recruiting interest from West Chester and East Stroudsburg. C-LB Ryan Freeman (5-10, 220, Sr.) and TE-LB Jordan Tarnoviski (6-2, 200, Sr.) are three-year starters. Teaming with Reichenbach in the Cougars’ spread offense is RB Ian Richardson (5-9, 165, Jr.), who rushed for more than 600 yards last season to lead the Cougars in rushing. Richardson, WR-DB Kris Bires (5-10, 155, Jr.), NG-OG Jake Gordon (5-11, 195, Sr.) and S-RB Jake Heilman (5-10, 175, Jr.) are two-year starters. Reichenbach expects FB-LB Pat Franks (6-1, 200, Sr.) to make an impact. The Cougars need to develop linemen to hold their own with Bicentennial opponents.

Varsity football returns to New Hope-Solebury for the first time in 59 years. The Lions, who will compete as an independent team this season and then join the Bicentennial League in 2010, have four Bicentennial teams on their schedule. They were 7-1-1 last season against junior varsity teams. Head coach Jim DiTulio expects RB-FS Julian Kaminoff (5-11, 165, Soph.), QB-DE Marco Maltese (5-11, 180, Soph.), WR-DB Bryant Andrews-Nino (5-9, 155, Sr.), C-DE Tyler Hendricks (5-11, 185, Sr.) and OL-DL Matt Hughes (6-2,260, Sr.) to emerge as the top players. “Most teams will be bigger, stronger and faster than us,” says DiTulio. “If we play smart football, we can be competitive.”

QB Jack Detmar (6-3, 210, Sr.) takes the offensive reigns for The Hill School with a strong core of returning starters on the offensive line. Srs. John Alexander (6-4, 280, OT), Jay Knighton (6-2, 255, C-DT) and George Cornelson (6-2, 220, G) and Trevor Mack (5-10, 185, RB), who head coach Marty Vollmuth expects to be the Blues playmaker, return. Mack, who is a major college football prospect at free safety, has drawn interest from Connecticut and Temple. Knighton is a DT prospect that has Vanderbilt, Kansas and Connecticut interested. Vollmuth expects Jrs. Ousman Barry (6-2, 215, DE-FB) and Mohammed Barry (5-10, 180, RB-WR), who are brothers, and Kenny King (6-1, 215, LB-RB) to emerge this season. The Hill School finished second in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League in 2008 after its only league loss was to champion Blair Academy 26-14.

ILB Eric Wainwright (6-1, 230, Sr.), TE-DE Brian Kornhaus (6, 210, Sr.) and QB Brian Kanikua (6-2, 200, Sr.) are the only three starters who return for Valley Forge Military Academy. Wainwright has drawn recruiting interest from Northwestern and Delaware. Trojans head coach Mike Korom expects important contributions from post-graduates Daryl Klotz (6-1, 225, MLB), Geidea Goba (6-5, 250, OT-DT) and Danny Berisha (5-9, 185, RB).

The top players returning for Perkiomen School are center David Rajtik (6-1, 205, Sr.), RB-Db O.C. Hightower (5-10, 165, Sr.), RB-LB T. J. Daniels (5-10, 200, Sr.) and WR-DB Julian Gentile (5-6, 150, Sr.). After four players from the 2008 team moved on to college football teams, head coach Kevin Manferdini doesn’t expect the Indians to move past Delaware teams St. Andrews and Tower Hill in the Tri-State Prep League championship race. Manferdini does expect the Indians to be more aggressive on defense, which is dominated by underclassmen who like to hit.

George School head coach John Gleeson should have back RB Franklin Cueves (5-11, 185, Sr.), RB Jake Skolnick (5-10, 150 Sr.), WR Ian Wiggins (6-3, 170, Sr.), Lamar Milton (6-0, 190, Sr.) and OL-LB Matt Brown (5-8, 170, Sr.) this season for the Cougars who are competing in the Tri-State Prep League.

Bicentennial/Independence Leagues & Independents
Favorites
Bicentennial: Lower Moreland
Independence: Pennington School
Main Contenders
Bicentennial: Bristol and Jenkintown
Independence: Lower Moreland and Academy of the New Church
Preseason Player of the Year
RB Woodrow Vorters (5-7, 175, Sr.) Bristol

2008 Standings
Bicentennial
Lower Moreland 4-0, 8-3
Jenkintown 3-1, 9-3
Bristol 2-2, 6-6
Calvary Christian 1-3, 3-6
Morrisville 0-4, 2-9
New Hope-Solebury 0-0

Independence
Academy of the New Church 5-0, 7-2
Lower Moreland 3-1, 8-3
Jenkintown 3-2, 9-3
Pennington 2-3, 4-5
Bristol 1-3, 6-6
Springfield Twp. 0-5, 4-7

Tri-State Prep League
Perkiomen School 2-2, 5-3
George School 1-3, 2-6

Mid-Atlantic Prep League
The Hill School 4-1, 5-4

Independent
Valley Forge Military 1-8