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PAGE 4 • Northern New York Newspapers FALL SPORTS PROFILE, 20111
Malone Gridmen Look To Improve On Last Year
By JOHN GOKEY
MALONE – The Franklin
Academy varsity football team
seeks to improve upon its 2010
regular-season record of 4-3, 5-4
overall, for the 2011 campaign.
Tough to do with the loss of
key position players such as
quarterback (Jordan Cosgrove),
running back (Darren Fullum,
Brad Doe and Jason Stepnoski)
and linemen (Andrew Poupore,
Sam Moore, Brandon Lavoie
and Cody Gibson).
The Malone team will witness
junior Mitchell Gallagher
take the reigns of the gridiron
group, calling the offensive
plays at quarterback, while also
directing the defense from the
middle linebacker position. Gallagher
spent the 2010 season
with the varsity as a sophomore,
gaining needed experience
for this season and next.
Gallagher completed 19 passes
By DAVE SHEA
OGDENSBURG - There are
rebuilding projects and there is
the wholesale reconstruction
which was ongoing as the OFA
Football team recently completed
its second week of preseason
practice.
Head Coach Matt Tessmer
and assistants Charlie
McCormick, Tony Williams and
Brett Monnat were engineering
plans to replace the leadership
provided by one of the most
successful senior classes in
school history. A senior class
which led the 2010 Blue Devils
to 10 straight wins and regular
season and postseason Class B
honors
Six of the graduated seniors
combined on a 27-5 record and
four of those seniors: running
back Eric Barr (19), quarterback
Jared Morrow (13), slotback
Joel King (11) and Kris
Folsom (9) combined to score 51
touchdowns last fall.
“We have to replace almost
all of our skill people and the
strength of this year’s team will
be in the line,” said Tessmer.
“Our line play should be very
good and we have a lot of very
good athletes who are working
very hard. We are looking at a
lot of people at different positions
and this is a very good
group.”
Junior Nate Angel is getting
a very long look as the leading
candidate to follow Morrow
who put up astounding total
for 263 yards with three touchdowns.
Junior John Picaro is
expected to be the back-up
quarterback, but will see more
action as a wideout. Picaro will
compete with senior Ryan
Jacques (1 rec-26-yards, TD)
and juniors Cody Collins, J.P.
King, Dylan Fleury, James
Shattick and the speedy Harvey
Smith for the wideout spots.
Stepping into the backfield will
be returning players Taylor Hilyard
(71 carries- 325 yards, 2
TD’s), Daryn Johnston (9-9),
Zach Peck (17-161, TD) and
Korey Prue (12-55, TD) as varsity
newcomers Shawn Mulverhill
and Tryek Sneed attempt to
break into the starting lineup.
Replacing the four graduated
linemen shouldn’t be all that
difficult for the FA coaching
staff of Greg Marshall, Cory
West and Brian Doe, as the
offensive numbers as a threeyear
starting quarterback. Morrow,
who has moved on to
Hartwick University, threw for
19 touchdowns and ran for 13
scores as a senior.
“Nate Angel is throwing the
ball well and has worked very
hard,” said Tessmer who looks
for co-captain Christian Lesperance,
a senior running back
and record-setting sprinter in
track-and-field, to lead the
emergence of a new group of
playmakers in the offense.
The team’s other captains
are two-way linemen Brad
Seguin and Dave Dalton and
split end-linebacker Zach Grenier.
Other seniors counted
upon to fill the leadership roles
are: Nick Steenkamer (RB/DB),
Andrew LeBeau (OL/DL), Marv
Petell (SE/DB) and Nick Crawford
(SE/DB). Second year
juniors coming off fine rookie
campaigns are: Zach Sharpe
(RB/LB), Christian Simmons
Huskies return a solid core of
bulk up front. Returning for
their senior season will Austin
Kerr, Curtis Beaudry, Matt Cooley,
Brandon Picaro, Mike Sharrow
and Doug Marshall.
Kesley Head, Cody Prue,
Robert Shaw and Duncan Marshall
will attempt to break into
the starting lineup and have
been working as a unit with the
returning linemen to solidify
the offensive line.
Ends that will help in the
offensive scheme will be the
Dunleavy brothers, Austin (6-
76) and Jon, as well as Devin
Fleury and Jason Twigg.
Defense seemed to be a problem
for the Huskies in 2010, as
they surrendered 164 points
during the season. In the games
that the FA team lost, they gave
up 50 points to Saranac Lake,
40 points to OFA and 24 points
to Potsdam, during the regular
OFA Football Faces Rebuilding Season
TOUCHLESS CAR WASH
(OL/DL) and Jake Garrison
(OL/LB). Another junior in
Dave Troiano (OL/DL) who
missed all of last season undergoing
successful treatments for
Hodgins Lymphoma and he
will be a major addition. A very
versatile second-year sophomore
in Josh Liebstein will see
action at split end and defensive
back while developing his
quarterback skills.
A junior class with excellent
credentials includes: another
three-position player in Alex
Farrell (QB, SE, LB), Konnor
Murdock (SE/DB), Paul Mallette
(SE/DB), Nick Perrigo
(RB/DB), Hunter Planty
(RB/LB), John Morrison
(OL/DL), D.J. Swan (OL/DL)
and Nate Sarkin (OL/DL).
Promising sophomores moving
up from the JV level are: Dylan
Hoover (RB/DB), Jon Tayler
(SE/LB), Keegan Clark
(OL/DL) and Kevin Goolden
(OL/DL).
season, and 22 points to the
Sandstoners in the Class A
playoff game.
Setting the tone up front on
the defensive side of the ball
will be returning players Doug
Marshall, Dalton Patterson,
Brandon Picaro, Korey Prue
and Kellan Wheeler. Newcomers
Alex Charland, Matt Ellison,
Kelsey Head, Danny
Sanchez and Steve Watkins are
working hard to earn a starting
spot. Joining Gallagher in the
battle for a linebacker spot are
Kerr, Hilyard, Johnston,
Charles Debyah, Dylan Fleury,
Cameron Guerin, Mulverhill,
Shaw and Sneed.
The defensive backfield will
miss the quickness of Cosgrove,
but the FA coaching staff looks
to Smith to step into his spot.
Also looking to gain a starting
role in the defensive backfield
are Jacques and Peck, as well
as King, Shattick, Nate Monette,
Cody Boyea and Cody
Collins.
The Huskies open at home on
Sept. 3 against AuSable Valley
at 1:30 p.m.
Raiders Eye Grid Recovery
By ALAIN St. PIERRE
MASSENA - Looking ahead to the 2011 Northern Conference
season, Massena Central varsity football coach has no interest in
looking back to last year.
After seeing the Raiders struggle through low numbers and
serious injuries to a 2-7 overall record, you can’t really blame
him.
“It was a rough one but we have a great group of kids this year
and we’re putting last year behind us,” said coach Anthony
Diagostino. “This is definitely a younger group. We like the way
the guys are working hard in practice and we’re pretty
impressed with how they’ve performed during the different
drills.”
“And,” he added, “our numbers are up from last year, which is
great.”
Diagostino enters his fourth season at the Raider football
helm with a team that features a solid core of 12 veterans and
another 19 newcomers hoping to make an impact at the varsity
level.
Returning seniors being counted on for their leadership
include; Josh Blanchard (RB/LB), Thomas Boudreau (OL/DL),
Cody Coggeshall (RB/LB), Trevor Convertini (SE/DB), Brayden
Cunningham (OL/DL), James Delosh (RB/DB), Josh Miller
(QB/LB), Troy Myers (QB/DB), Johnny Square (RB/DB) and
Arrow Tigglear (SE/DB). Veteran juniors Jordan Hart and Kioweren
Rourke are also expected to anchor the Massena hopes on
both sides of the trenches.
Varsity newcomers hoping to earn playing time include;
seniors - Jake Beebe (SE/DB), Joe Clute (OL/DL), Collins Jacobs
(SE/DB) and Bradley Mayette (TE/LB), juniors - Tanner Ashlaw
(TE/LB), Luke Benedict (SE/DB), Brian Berry (OL/DL), Steven
David (OL/LB), Ben Light (OL/LB), Jordy Mitchell (RB/DB), Isaiah
Perry (RB/DB), Trevor Secore (OL/DL), Tyler Simms
(SE/DB), Sam Sprague (OL/LB), Jacob White (OL/DL) and Nick
White (OL/DL).
The Raiders will compete as part of the Class A Division during
the regular season along with Potsdam, St. Lawrence Central
and Malone. They kick-off the season on Friday, September
2, at OFA starting at 7 p.m.
174 East Main St.
Gouverneur
Hours:
Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm
Friday & Saturday 11am-10pm