Section II, Class AA football is leaner and meaner this year.
Troy and Queensbury dropped down to Class A, leaving 13 AA teams to contend for a berth in November’s Super Bowl. And last year’s Super Bowl combatants, LaSalle and Guilderland, each lost significant players to graduation.
Those factors open the door for several teams to take a shot at the Sectional title including Saratoga Springs, Bethlehem, Schenectady and Columbia. But the coaches know any team has a chance to make a run.
Class AA is loaded with very strong teams, said Saratoga coach Terry Jones. `Every week is going to be a challenge.`
`I think there was a tremendous amount of parity last year, and I think there’s more parity this year,` added Ballston Spa coach John Bowen.
Here is a closer look at the Class AA field.
Empire Division
Albany Falcons
Head coach: Brian Spicer
Key players: Jake Valentine (senior QB/DB), Darrell McKnight (senior WR/LB), Dominique Daniels (senior RB/LB), Curtis Holloman (senior RB/DB)
Outlook: Spicer is hoping to get the Falcons acclimated to his style of play quickly as he takes the coaching reins from Joe Burke. `I really like what they’re doing (in practice),` said Spicer. `It’s not easy coming in and learning a new system.` Albany will need some early wins in order to have a shot of making the playoffs. `With everything we’re doing, we’ll be learning as we go, but we can’t afford to dig ourselves too deep of a hole,` said Spicer.
Ballston Spa Scotties
Head coach: John Bowen
Key veterans: Matt Clark (senior TE/LB), Mark Seager (junior QB/DB), Chris Callanan (senior OL/DL), Van Huyben (senior OL/LB)
Key newcomers: Keenan Shannon (senior RB/DE), Shane LaChance (senior RB/DB/K), Nick Gallo (junior OL/DL), Mike Riani (junior OL/DL)
Outlook: The Scotties lost some speed around the edges with the graduation of tailbacks Eric Marciano and Steve Duncan. `You’re going to have to replace that speed, and that’s not going to be easy,` said Bowen. `We’re going to have to be more creative in terms of distributing the ball.`
Bethlehem Eagles
Head coach: Ron Smith
Key players: Randy Bowers (senior QB/DB), Kyle Niehaus (senior WR), Casiem Maxwell (junior RB), Sam Smith (senior WR/K), Teddy Abriel (junior OL/DL), Sean Murphy (senior FB), Sam Gallup (senior RB), Vince Adams (senior OL), Kevin Phelps (senior OL)
Outlook: A slow start cost the Eagles a chance to make the playoffs last year, but two crossover victories at the end of 2007 and the return of several key players give them confidence entering this season. `I think this senior group has experienced a lot together,` said Smith. Bethlehem has several weapons including Bowers, Maxwell and Murphy, but the defense will have to step up in order to propel the Eagles toward the top. `We’ll have to see how they do,` said Smith.
CBA Brothers
Head coach: Matt Gormley
Key players: Andrew Vivian (senior QB/DB), Jack Reilly (junior RB/DB), Devin O’Brien (senior OL/LB)
Outlook: CBA’s 27-man roster is one of the smallest in class AA, but Gormley said the level of talent is high. `We don’t have a lot of numbers, but the people we have are ones we feel that we can put on the field and they will contribute,` he said. If they avoid any key injuries, Gormley said the Brothers are hoping to make it back to the playoffs. `Going in, we’re certainly not looking at (reaching) the top of the charts, but I think we’ll be somewhere in the mix,` he said.
Guilderland Dutchmen
Head coach: Dan Penna
Key players: Jason Lawrence (senior FB/DL), Devan Van Auken (senior OL/DE), Cody Betton (senior OL/DL), Mike Kennedy (senior OL/DL), Bobby Falcone (senior QB/DB), Ryan Smith (sophomore QB/DB), Jesse Terzian (senior RB/DB), E.J. Genzano (senior SE/DB/K)
Outlook: Let’s begin with what the Dutchmen won’t have ` the dynamic duo of running back Paul Booker and quarterback Drew Smith. The graduation of those two players who were responsible for most of Guilderland’s offense in 2007 leaves a big hole for Penna to fill. `As much as we know other teams have placed a target on our backs, we also know we’re a totally different team,` he said. `If we were racehorses last year, we’re plow horses this year.`
The thing Guilderland has going for it is a veteran offensive and defensive line anchored by Van Auken, Betton and Kennedy. `We have several returners on both lines, and we have several skill guys who have been working hard in the off-season,` said Penna.
Saratoga Blue Streaks
Head coach: Terry Jones
Key veterans: Leejay Pollacchi (senior RB/DB), Adhem Elsawi (senior OL/DL), Collin Mulholland (senior QB), Eric Hayden (junior OL/LB), Tony DeLoatch (junior RB/DL), Ford Plowman (junior RB/LB), Will Dreyer (senior TE/LB), Ben Cook (senior RB/DB), Ryan Woodcock (senior LB), Zach Hartmann (senior WR/LB), Max A’Hearn (junior OL/DL), Dave Schewe (senior OL/DL), Harrison Kim (senior OL/DL)
Key newcomers: Kyle Willmott (sophomore WR/DB), Dillon Walczak (junior WR/DB), Hunter Hinds (junior RB/DL), Regan Delancey (sophomore OL/DL), Khalid Elsawi (junior OL/DL), Shawn Sweeney (junior WR/DB), Joe Scully (junior WR/DB), Ryan Seymour (junior RB/DB), Kyle Montgomery (senior DL)
Outlook: The Blue Streaks are in good shape entering the 2008 season with seven veterans returning to the offense and six starters back on defense. `From what we’ve seen (in the preseason), there’s been tremendous improvement,` said Jones. `We’re playing with a lot of confidence.` The strength of Saratoga’s offense will be its running backs with DeLoatch and Pollacchi leading the way, but don’t sleep on its aerial attack. Mulholland will have some talented underclassmen to throw to this year including Willmott, Walczak, Sweeney and Scully.
Shenendehowa Plainsmen
Head coach: Brent Steuerwald
Key players: Anthony Curto (senior FB/LB), Tyler Dehmer (senior QB/DB), Suhayb Banks (junior RB/DB), Mike Daly (junior SE/DB), Andrew Kalish (junior QB/DB), Austin Lane (junior OL/DL)
Outlook: Shen’s roster is loaded with juniors ` an abnormality with a Steuerwald-coached team. Still, the expectations from outside the program are that the Plainsmen will contend in the division. `The juniors have to hit a high level of performance for us, but they’ve worked hard in practice,` said Steuerwald.
Liberty Division
Colonie Garnet Raiders
Head coach: John Preston
Key veterans: Sean Peer (TE), Bill Westfall (OL/DL), Ishmael McCann (RB), Mike Wutzer (OL/DL), Greg Kehrer (FL/DB), A.J. Monin (FB/LB)
Key newcomers: Mike Branche (QB), Matt Hamilton (RB), Chris Cossart (OL)
Outlook: The Garnet Raiders aren’t back to square one, but they’re pretty close. `We graduated something like 30 seniors last year, so we’re young,` said Preston. `But they’re working hard in practice, and I fully expect that we will get better as the season goes on.` Preston is taking over for Mike Ambrosio, who is taking time off from coaching. He was Ambrosio’s offensive coordinator for the last several years.
Columbia Blue Devils
Head coach: Anthony Servidone
Key players: Jim Madden (senior RB/DB), Bobby Smith (senior QB/DB), Alex Tesoriero (junior RB/K/LB), Shane Reed (senior WR/DB), Bobby Peluso (senior RB/LB), Ian Bridegroom (senior OL/LB)
Outlook: The Blue Devils went from one of the least experienced varsity teams last year to one of the most veteran-laden lineups this year with the return of most of their starters. `Our outlook is very high,` said Servidone. `We want to start on the right foot and go week to week.` If Columbia’s offense is stopped short of the goal line, the Blue Devils can turn to Tesoriero to kick field goals, since he is one of the most accurate kickers in Class AA.
LaSalle Cadets
Head coach: Al Rapp
Key player: Marquis Terrell (senior RB/DB)
Outlook: The defending Class AA champions are in full rebuilding mode. `We graduated nine (starters) on one side (of the line) and eight on the other, so we have a lot of holes to fill,` said Rapp. Terrell was one of Section II’s top running backs last year, but finding holes to run through may be tougher for him this year than last year. `I think he’s feeling a little frustrated right now because the holes haven’t been there so far,` said Rapp. `If our (offensive) line comes together, I think we’ll be in the hunt.`
Niskayuna Silver Warriors
Head coach: John Furey
Key players: Pete Furey (senior WR/LB), Danny Peters (senior QB/LB), Gregg Rahn (senior QB/WR/DB), Joe Twitty (senior RB/DE), Tom Lamanna (senior OL/LB), Peter McGuirk (senior OL/DT)
Outlook: The Silver Warriors should have a well-balanced offensive attack with Peters directing the aerial game and Twitty leading the ground game. `We’re a good squad,` said John Furey. `We have a lot of skill guys, and our (offensive) line is coming together nicely.`
Schenectady Patriots
Head coach: Carm DePoalo
Key players: Marc Thompson (RB), Nick Ottati (QB), Marcus Brandon (TE)
Outlook: This could be the team to watch in the Liberty Division. After finishing with their first winning record last year, the Patriots return several key players on both sides of the ball. Thompson is a dangerous running back, while Brandon is a threat to catch a deep pass from Ottati. The only question is can the Patriots keep the momentum going from last year’s 5-4 finish.
Shaker Blue Bison
Head coach: Dennis Bender
Key players: Mark Ambrosio (senior QB/DB), Parker Armsby (senior WR/DB), Andrew Boldish (senior OL/DL), Jaquell Chandler (junior TB/LB), Nick Huban (senior RB/LB)
Outlook: Bender likes the personality of this year’s team, especially his large group of seniors. `This is the best group of kids I’ve been around. They have such a bond they’re a very close-knit group,` he said.“