A hallmark of the Baldwinsville football program in its three decades under head coach Carl Sanfilippo’s guidance is the sheer consistency of its results.
With the exception of a couple of seasons here and there, the Bees can almost be counted on to finish at or near the top of the standings of whatever Class AA division they get put into, and at least threaten a Section III title run.
The expectations for more good results in 2018 haven’t changed in B’ville. What is different, though, is the way to get there.
“We’re more no-name than in the past,” said Sanfilippo. “But we’re ahead of what we thought it would be. we’ll put our best people in there, and wait for the others to step up.”
A strong senior class departed from the 2017 side that reached the sectional AA final at the Carrier Dome before falling to Cicero-North Syracuse, the only team to beat B’ville last fall.
The likes of Ben Dwyer, Cameron Majchrzak, Gabe Horan, E.J. Edmonds, Aquari Warner, Jack Graham and Patrick Coe have all graduated, leaving plenty of new faces, including at quarterback.
No single player has yet taken Dwyer’s starting spot, but Pat May, Trey Blasi and Braden McCard all are taking snaps in practice, still trying to claim the starting job for next Friday’s opener against Corcoran.
It’s far more settled at running back. Mike Letiza, a junior, steps into the all-important tailback spot that Edmonds and Warner shared, but it helps that John Hernandez returns at fullback.
Dwyer helped B’ville become more of a passing team than it was traditionally known far. Whether it stays that way depends as much on how tight end Alex Hiltbrand, plus wide receivers Christian Treichler and Dan Fabrizio, work with whoever starts under center.
The Bees do not have overwhelming size on its offensive line, and just one starter is back – Billy Loadwick, who will line up at left tackle.
Imposing senior Alex Garcia (340 pounds) returns at right tackle, having seen action in 2016 as a sophomore.Dom Sposato and Zach Moore take over at guard, flanking new center Devan Osier.
B’ville has more proven players back on defense, including May, an All-Central New York selection last fall at safety. His presence in the secondary will give cornerbacks Cameron Fabian and RamelloWilliams time to settle in.
As usual, B’ville’s running backs also make for effective linebackers, which is why Hernandez and Letiza are entrenched there, joining McCard and Dan Staley who, like Garcia, is back as a senior after previous experience as a sophomore. Garcia and Loadwick line up at defensive tackle, next to ends Hiltbrand and Luke Eberl.
Though the Class AA divisions were shuffled again, B’ville remains in AA-2 with C-NS, and they’ll meet Oct. 5 at Bragman Stadium, capping a tough stretch where the Bees play four times on the road in five weeks.
One casualty of the league changes was B’ville facing Liverpool in the regular season, since now they’re in separate divisions. But the two sides do scrimmage against each other Saturday at Pelcher-Arcaro Stadium with West Genesee and CBA also present.
Sanfilippo said his players were a “cerebral” group, as eager to learn about the game as play it. Whether good thoughts can translate into better results is something the Bees are about to find out.
