Bring in a new coach for a football team and you can expect some big changes.##M:[more]## But when the outgoing coach is a former collegiate quarterback (such as High School South’s Lou Solomon, a Clemson alumnus who left WW-P last year to coach at his high school alma mater) and when the incoming coach is a former collegiate offensive lineman (such as Todd Smith, South’s new head coach) you shouldn’t be surprised when the changes turn out to be more of a back-to-basics approach than a radical makeover.
The run-and-shoot offense that carried South to a combined 5-15 record in the last two years is out. “We’ve totally changed the offense,” says Smith, looking forward to the season opener this Saturday, September 10, at home against Nottingham. “We’ll have an I formation and we’re likely to run more than we’ll pass. The size and type of kids we have can contribute more to that kind of offense.”
“We have some depth on the line, and we are pretty comfortable at tailback,” says Smith, mentioning Ryan Lupo and Stuart Adams at that position. Lupo was listed on last year’s roster as a 5-7, 155-pound sophomore. But Smith says things have changed: “He’s not that small anymore.” This year’s roster lists him at 6-0, 195.
The biggest change on offense has been at quarterback. Last year’s starter, senior Brian Morris, has been moved to fullback, which will enable him to also stay on the field for defense, as an outside linebacker. Taking over at quarterback will be junior Colin Dampier.
Brandon Manley, says Smith, has been “fantastic” in early practices as a wide receiver and defensive corner back. “One kid who has surprised me,” the coach adds, is guard (and possibly also inside linebacker) Derek Greczyn.
Fans of High School South can also expect to see some changes on the defense. “Last year we played a combination of 5-2 and 4-6 defensive alignments, says Smith. “It got pretty complicated. This year we’ll have a 4-4 defense.”
On football teams, the offensive linemen — such as Smith — are often considered the most orderly players in their approach to the game. Smith, who grew up in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, comes literally from a law and order background. His father is a retired police officer; his mother works at Rutgers. From Hunterdon Central High School, Smith attended the College of New Jersey, where he was an offensive tackle on the football team and threw shot and discus in track.
After graduating in 2001 he spent a year as a running back coach at the college. “I learned a lot about the game,” he says of that experience. “It’s a lot different watching from the sidelines.” At WW-P he began coaching winter and spring track, and jumped at the chance to coach girls’ cross country when an opening arose. “We were 37-3 over three years,” he says, “so we didn’t do too badly.”
When Solomon jumped at the chance to return to Franklin High School, Smith put in for the South football job. What is the difference, if any, in coaching young men as opposed to young women? “In some circumstances,” he anwers, “athletes are athletes, whether they are boys or girls, and the motivation is simiilar. But in other cases you have to treat them as individuals and the same approach won’t work for everyone.”
One element that’s key to a lot of winning teams is senior leadership and Smith is happy with what he has seen so far at South. The number of athletes particpating at the varsity level is “OK,” says Smith, despite being substantially less than at arch-rival North. “And there’s a lot of seniors, 17, and we have some good leadership going on.” From that pool comes four captains: Morris, the quarterback turned fullback, lineman Drew Lachenmayer, two-way tackle Adrien Schriefer, and running back E.J. Burgess.
“They are turning it on for us,” says Smith, who no doubt hopes that the biggest change of all at South in 2005 will be in the record at the end of the year.
High School North:
More Physical
High School North’s football team knows what it’s like to enter a season with high hopes. It can look back to just a year ago, when it jumped out to a 3-0 record. Then the going got tough, and the team finished with a 6-4 record. But the Northern Knights finished the year on a high note with a thrilling 20-14 overtime win against cross-district rivals South.
The Knights open the season with a home game on Saturday, September 10, at noon against Hightstown and with a new quarterback — junior Zach Weale, who already has had real-game experience. Weale replaces Jeff Torralba, the Sunshine Football Classic MVP in 2005. Last year Weale quarterbacked the team on the third offensive series of every game.
“He got some experience last season,” says head coach Art Stubbs. “He’s always been a very smart player and shows great poise. He’s a natural leader.”
The catcher on the Knights baseball team, Weale is used to calling the plays and taking command of a game. Stubbs hopes that the strong-armed Weale will lead a balanced offense into the state playoffs. “We do expect to throw the ball a little more (than last season),” says Stubbs. “Zach is an excellent athlete who has also started in baseball and basketball.”
Hand-in-hand with a passing game goes strong protection, and this year Weale will have the benefit of five seniors on the offensive line — Steve Schmidt, Bill Godfrey, Chris Webb, Sean McLoone, and Bharat Avireni. The five — all returning from last year — are joined by top reserve Matt Daruwala.
“They found out last year the level they need to play at,” says Stubbs. “They’ve been in the weight room. They’re more physical, solid, and bigger than last year.”
The coach adds that the line needed to make a adjustment this year to the style of play of their new quarterback. Weale is a more traditional pocket passer, while Torralba was a more mobile quarterback who could make plays on the run.
“We’ve had to adjust to that and it’s changed the way we practice,” says Stubbs. “I think we pass block better than we run block.”
Weale also has several weapons around him, including wide receiver Conor Hayes and running back John Blassingame.
Stubbs, in his fourth year, points to his coaching staff, where there has been little turnover, as another of the team’s strengths. “The coaching staff has jelled and we’re very much on the same page,” says Stubbs.
His staff includes offensive coordinator Steve Jablonski, defensive backs coach Gary Leonhardt, quarterback/receivers coach John Gargano, defensive line coach Bill Martin, and defensive coordinator Brian Walter.
The schedule for the for the coming weeks is as follows: Saturday, September 24, 11 a.m. at Hamilton West; Saturday, October 1, noon, home against Nottingham.
But the big game this year comes at home against High School South on Saturday, October 29, at noon. The annual homecoming game is on Saturday, November 5, 2 p.m. against Allentown
.
Girls’ Tennis
High School South (1-0). Defeated Ewing, 5-0, September 7. Singles winners: Joelle Nitzberg, 7-5, 6-1; Annie Scharfstein, 6-1, 6-3; Nisha Javeri, 6-0, 6-1.
Doubles winners: Cynthia Hu and Julie Ifinogova, 6-0, 6-1; Carey Wills and Jenna Stanton, 6-0, 6-1.
High School North (1-0). Defeated Hopewell Valley, 3-2, September 7. Singles winners: Jackie Wong, 6-1, 6-0; Jackie Tsang, 6-3, 0-6, 6-1.
Doubles winner: Sinthu Ranjan and Natasha Sastri, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
