For a long while, the Bishop Ludden football team competed within the Class C ranks, doing so with small roster numbers and the lack of a JV program. Still, it found a fair amount of success and, in 2007, went all the way to the state Class C championship.
This fall, the Gaelic Knights start over, having joined the Class D ranks – but that doesn’t make things easier for head coach Mike Rogers and his staff.
Numbers remain modest – just 18 players on hand when practices started Aug. 15 – and Ludden is competing in a D North-West division full of strong, established programs, including Weedsport, Sandy Creek, Onondaga and Watertown IHC, who have combined to win half of the last 16 sectional Class D titles.
Not only that, but the East division in Class D includes more strong programs such as Dolgeville and West Canada Valley, not to mention Herkimer, a dominant Class C side in recent years who, like Ludden, moved into the D ranks.
Thus, matching last fall’s 4-4 record might not prove that simple. What the Gaelic Knights do have, though, are experienced players all over its lineup and an aerial approach that might stretch out Class D opponents accustomed to facing ground attacks.
What’s also helped, said Rogers, is the participation of each of the 18 players throughout double sessions of practices. Also, Rogers noted the fact that most of these players have seen action at the varsity level since ninth and 10th grade, so nothing is a surprise.
At the controls of the offense is junior quarterback Sh’ikem Lee, who started every game as a sophomore in 2015. At 6-foot-4, Lee always has possessed the physical gifts, including a strong right arm.
Now, said Rogers, he knows the game better, and has improved his touch and accuracy. For his part, Lee said he worked in the off-season on getting rid of the ball faster and building up the trust of his teammates.
Within that passing game, Ludden can create a major of match-up problems with 6-foot-3 junior Joe Connor at wideout and senior Keandre Sanders on the other wing, helped by Savon Williams.
Sanders also ran for more than 500 yards last fall, though most of the running duties will go to senior Kevin Burkhardt. A four-year starter, Burkhardt has somehow managed to never miss a game or practice, displaying remarkable durability despite going full-time both ways.
Checking in at 300 pounds, Joe Walsh provides an anchor to the Gaelic Knights’ pair of lines, which features eight men in a constant rotation. They include returning starter Kyle Besner and Noah DeTullio, along with Dan Caccione and Alex Carbonaro, who could prove a breakout star.
The line rotation should keep fresh players on the defensive front, while at linebacker Ludden is loaded with the likes of Burkhardt, Lee and Besner all present. Meanwhile, Connor, at free safety, and Sanders, at cornerback, can cover so much ground between them that opponents might find it difficult to establish their own passing games.
Ludden is introduced to the D North-West division when it takes on Watertown IHC/Sackets Harbor Sunday in the Kickoff Classic at the Carrier Dome. The Gaelic Knights only have two true home games, against Beaver River Sept. 9 and Sandy Creek Sept. 30. It also finishes the regular season at Bishop Grimes Oct. 14.
So even though some might think Ludden gained an opportunity by moving down one class, ample evidence suggests that it will prove just as tough for the Gaelic Knights wading through the Class D ranks.
