With the exit of Skaneateles, the Class B West football division is guaranteed to have a new regular-season champion in 2019, and a trio of local teams is bent on seizing that honor.
It was Marcellus that claimed second place in B West behind Skaneateles in 2018 before a first-round Section III playoff loss to Oneida, and the Mustangs believe that it has figured out the key to playing beyond late October.
Head coach Nick Patterson said that, aside from the usual off-season training program, his players will condition and weight-train twice a week during the season, too, and not just to build physical strength and help avert injuries.
“It’s for mental (strength), too, because it’s tough to think when you’re tired,” said Patterson.
Sean Tierney, already a standout in lacrosse, takes over at quarterback for Brayton Johnson, with running back Matt Kermes sure to see more carries due to Rob Seeley’s graduation.
The left-handed Tierney has no shortage of solid targets to throw to, whether it’s returning starters Jared Sammon and Joe Esposito or newcomer Aiden Hull, up from the JV ranks. Either way, Patterson said his team would ideally like a 60/40 run/pass balance.
A relatively experienced Mustangs offensive line features returning starters Nick Kaczor and Kyle Brown at guard, with Jake Taylor at tackle. They’re joined at center by Ryan Stoyell and at tackle by William Goldsworthy.
Unlike many teams, Marcellus offers a 3-3-5 defensive formation, which Patterson said allows for more disguised coverage schemes and takes advantage of the players’ quickness and aggression.
Wilvon McKee is at middle linebacker, flanked by Trevor Widrick, with Esposito and freshman James Kaczor battling for the other spot. Kaczor, Brown and Goldsworthy should start on the front line, with Tierney joined at safety by Kermes and Brian Suarez, while Sammon and Hull line up at cornerback.
Westhill also has championship ambitions, and remain quite hungry following a 5-3 campaign in 2018 and a close loss to Vernon-Verona-Sherrill in the opening round of the sectional playoffs.
One thing coach Adam Griffo and his staff can rely on is a deep roster with more than 30 players on it, larger than some years.
“It’s a good change of pace to have that depth,” said Griffo. “It’s an adjustment for the coaches to rotate players in and out.”
No rotation is needed at quarterback, where Garvin Kinney returns to start. He’ll often hand the ball off to Riley McNitt, who takes over prime duties at running back after Marcus Welch graduated.
Similarly, Westhill’s top receiver from 2018, Tom Howard, departed, but there’s some depth here as Jose Gonzalez, Dimiti Ascioti and Jeff Darnell lead the returning cast.
There’s enough skill depth, in fact, to have Trevor O’Hern move from the backfield to offensive guard, a choice he volunteered to make. He joins an offensive line that already has Ben Helfeld and Keyshawn Anthony at tackle, Sean Petrie at center and Gino Valerino in the other guard spot.
Anthony now lines up at middle linebacker, part of a strong unit with McNitt and O’Hern. Helfeld, who made 48 tackles a season ago, leads a front line with Mo Abraham, Eric Houck and Abdullah Abraham flanking him. Adam King and Jalen Anderson return at safety, joining Gonzalez, who starts at cornerback.
The big story in Solvay was the recent decision by head coach Todd Lisi to take the athletic director’s job at Homer. The Bearcats tapped defensive coordinator Dan Salisbury to replace Lisi.
Before coming to Solvay, Salisbury was a long-time assistant at places like Liverpool, and now he is charged with helping the Bearcats improve upon last year’s encouraging 4-4 mark and break a decade-long sectional playoff drought.
“These guys had some success last year,” said Salisbury. “It’s up to us to teach them how to finish every game.”
Solvay could be quite potent on offense. Brock Bagozzi returns at quarterback, having thrown for 1,455 yards a season ago, and his top running back, Jaimen Bliss, is also back, having gained nearly 1,000 total yards in 2018 and scored 11 touchdowns.
Bagozzi could throw to a number of receivers that includes Blaine Franklin, Tyreeq Black, Brendon Carolina, Justin Scott and Zach Bowen. There’s experience in the front line, too, with Carter Lee, Elijah Wright and Brad Lando returning, flanked by Jake Kemp and Nate Mialazzo.
Nick Sims and Dietrich Haase join a defensive line anchored by Lee and Wright. At linebacker, every starter – Bliss, Franklin and Block – return, with Bowen and Lee adding further depth.
Carolina and Tarbell work in Solvay’s secondary with Javen Green and Justin Osgood, and Ethan Bigelow could prove an important weapon as he handles all of the Bearcats’ kicking and punting duties.
