ONONDAGA COUNTY – Honors and accolades flooded to Christian Brothers Academy last December when its football team completed an unlikely ascent from a 3-3 regular season to six straight post-season wins and the state Class A championship.
Few will be as surprised if the Brothers, who open its 2022 season this Friday against Shaker at Utica University, find glory again, even though it got promoted to the Class AA ranks as a result of its 2021 success.
True, 16 seniors graduated, including standouts like Dan Anderson and a majority of the offensive line. What stays, though, is a tremendous core of skill players and raw but talented personnel on both lines.
It starts with senior quarterback Jordan Rae, who threw for 2,207 yards and 26 touchdowns last fall while also rushing for 323 yards and six scores.
Syair Torrence, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound junior wide receiver and linebacker, spent most of his off-season attending prestigious college camps across the country, and will draw every top opposing defensive back, which should open things up plenty for fellow receiver sAmarri Pitts. Jason Brunson, James Bell and freshman Darien Williams.
Top running back Jamier Handford (594 yards, 7 TD’s a year ago) returns, joined by Tez Thomas and Joel Gonzalez, with nationally ranked long snapper Leo Tallarico settling into a new H-back role.
Up front, plenty of shuffling has taken place around senior guard Gavin Hanson. Three sophomores could start, with Dean Webster at center and Anthony Kirkman, who started as a freshman on the defensive line, moved to join newcomer Matt Hawn at tackle as Matt Capella is the other guard.
Defensively, the strength is at linebacker, where Torrance’s speed and football smarts complement Brunson and senior standout Tristan Korfonta. Pitts and John Massaro lead the secondary, while Tallarico, Avery Costello and Merino Merola all return on the front line.
One side that watched CBA’s state title run with plenty of interest was Fayetteville-Manlius, whom the Brothers beat in the opening round of the sectional playoffs – a mere two weeks after the Hornets won the first meeting 31-26.
With CBA moved out, F-M, who opens Friday against visiting Auburn, fully expects its own championship push in 2022, and at the heart of it is senior running back T.J. Conley, who gained 1,161 yards on the ground and 220 receiving yards a season ago, netting 16 TD’s.
Teams will key on Conley, especially with a new quarterback, D.J. Concannon, replacing Chris Hoalcraft. But the Hornets expect to use Conley, Denim Hall, George LaCombe and Rob Madden at both running back and wide receiver to keep defenders guessing, while Jonah Ruthig takes over at tight end for Max Gentry.
Were it not for a torn ACL suffered by Tyler Dixie, F-M would have returned its entire offensive line, but Liam Malgieri, Mike Surowiec, Nick Ricciardello and Jack Keeney all are still on hand.
LaCombe leads a group of senior linebackers flanked by Jack Dixon and Owen Rohan, while Ruthig and top wrestler Jackson Schwab start up front. Hall and Madden are returning starters in the secondary, joined by Anthony Giuffrida.
Head coach Dan Sullivan said the Hornets can contend for a championship again if it has the proper mentality and an ability to maintain its technique late in games when fatigue can set in.
Over at East Syracuse Minoa, a big change took place when long-time head coach Kevin DeParde stepped down, but his replacement, Brad Keysor, is an ESM alum with head coaching experience at Bishop Grimes and Southern Hills.
Keysor’s main task is to try and restore the Spartans’ winning legacy after it went 4-5 a season ago.
Nick Commisso is tasked with replacing Tyler Bell at quarterback. “He has a good arm, is very smart and understands the offense,” said Keysor.
Dan Gilkey steps it at running back, while Mikah Combs, Damon Jones and Josh Rozak all will see action at wide receiver.
An experienced ESM offensive line includes Jayden McIntyre and Ian Schroeder, who could also start on the defensive line with Mekhi Carroll.
Gilkey, who returns at linebacker, has help from newcomers Joe Atkinson and Andrew LaMarche, while Combs, Jones and Brayden Galway anchor the Spartans’ secondary.
A tough opener Friday against Corcoran, who moved down from Class AA, will give ESM a good indication of where it stands – and what it ill need to improve.
