Two straight years of going to the Section III Class A championship game, and not winning it, has made the East Syracuse Minoa football time one hungry unit.
“We’ve been there (to the Carrier Dome) enough times,” said running back Ny-Zheir Jefferson. “I don’t want this year to end without a championship.”
Getting that title will require the usual amount of hard work and preparation, most of it centered around trying to find something comparable to the record-setting numbers Jeremy Perry put up a season ago.
All Perry did in 2015 was run for close to 2,000 yards. carrying ESM to the sectional final before Whitesboro contained Perry, holding him to 112 yards, and claimed the title by a 30-12 margin.
Perry is gone, but ESM head coach Kevin DeParde remains confident, saying that his team can get the same kind of production from its skill players without turning one-dimensional as it did when Perry got on a roll last fall.
Greg Buck takes over as the Spartans’ primary tailback. He isn’t new to the backfield, having gained nearly 800 yards in 2015, and his numbers should go up, especially with Jefferson present at fullback.
The 5-foot-10, 245-pound Jefferson almost serves as a sixth lineman, giving ESM even more blocking ability. Plus, any time Jefferson has the ball, he combines that power with quick feet to prove even more elusive.
Even with Buck and Jefferson present, the Spartans hope not to lean on them too much. Cody LaRoche, Sam Jenkins and Mark Willett provide more backfield depth.
Meanwhile, at quarterback, it’s Jeff Loder taking over after Jake Rodman graduated. Even here, though, ESM has some depth, with both Loder and fellow senior Evan Roberts likely to see action while 6-foot-2, 185-pound sophomore Dan Garris waits for his turn.
Though ESM isn’t likely to throw the ball too much, it does have a pair of experienced receivers on hand as starters Carter Smith and Darian Crossman return. To make room for Tom Ghika and Malachi Underwood at the wideout spots, Crossman can line up at tight end.
Last season’s tight end, Gabe Holloman, is moving from tight end to guard. At 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, Holloman blends in well to a line that also returns Tyler Lindquist at the other guard spot and Joe Monteleone at tackle. Devin Harrigan takes over at center, while Jordan Peach is the other tackle.
ESM has to feel good about its defense going into the season. Seven starters return, including Holloman and Rahkim Thomas at the end spots, anchoring a four-man front that features returning tackle Chris Todd and a new starter, sophomore E.J. Buck, who at 255 pounds could push offensive linemen around.
Impressive as Jefferson is at fullback, he’s just as good at linebacker, lined up next to junior Sam Jenkins. On most play, the Spartans will use just two linebackers, with two others shifting between linebacker and safety.
Loder was already a two-year starter at safety before adding quarterback duties this fall. Both he and Smith return as part of a strong secondary that also has two veterans at cornerback, Ghika and Buck, with yet another sophomore, Justin Ceracini, joining them.
To open, the Spartans go north, to Carthage, to face 2014 state Class A champion Indian River. Challenges in the Class A American division should come from a Sept. 23 visit to Jamesville-DeWitt and an Oct. 14 regular-season finale with Fulton.
As of now, though, ESM has just six scheduled games. With Oswego deciding to only field a JV team this fall, the school is looking for a possible opponent for a game on Oct. 7. though nothing has yet been scheduled.
Given all the sophomores on his roster, DeParde said his team’s growth from the start of the season to the end o f it should be substantial, but something else must happen if ESM wants to avoid the frustration of going deep into the playoffs, only to miss a sectional title again.
“We’ve got to play fast and aggressive,” said DeParde. “if we do, we’ll be okay.”
