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PAGE 8 • Northern New York Newspapers FALL SPORTS PROFILE, 20111
Strong Numbers, Move To Class C Boost Canton Hopes
By JOHN TURCOTTE
CANTON - Austin Weakfall,
a former player and assistant
coach at St. Lawrence University,
begins his third year as
head football coach at Canton
Central after taking over the
Golden Bear program in 2009.
Coming off a 2-7 finish last
year, Canton has some of its
best numbers in recent years
with 32 in camp. Weakfall welcomes
back senior Zach Zeller
(First Team All NAC) to
anchor the tight end and linebacker
corps while junior veterans
Jay Proulx and Jack
Elberty are competing for the
starting nod at quarterback.
Seniors Nash Bessette and
Dan Holcomb are linemen to
watch on both sides of the ball
while classmate Eb Foote provides
speed at the running
back slot as the number of
Canton seniors on hand this
year has grown considerably
since last season.
“Finally we have guys who
have been in the program a
few years and understand our
offensive and defensive philosophy.
We’re getting some
junior and senior leadership,
some depth and continuity,
and at all levels the numbers
are growing,” said Weakfall
who likes what he’s seen of
several veterans in the early
going and looks for the seniors
to shine in their final year of
football.
“We have good team speed
at the skill positions and Jack
Elberty and Jay Proulx (Second
Team All NAC) will both
see time at quarterback. Jay is
a vocal leader and will also
play other positions on
offense. He’s our guy on both
sides of the ball. Defensively,
Zach Zeller is battling back
from injury and should be
with us by the third or fourth
game. Right now he’s like having
another coach on the field.
Nash Bessette has grinded it
out in the weight room and I
also look for a good year from
Dan Holcomb, he’s a bigger
version of Nash. Eb Foote is
fast, quick and shifty. He’s our
scatback.”
Other returners include
seniors Adam Widener
(OL/DL), Ryan Dean (FB/LB),
Pat McGaw (TE/LB), Josh
Smith (WR/DB) and Sam Wilson
(FB/LB).
Newcomers are senior
Nathan Roberts (OL/DL);
juniors Nicholas Snyder
(OL/DL), Jon Pinckney
(OL/DL), Josh Pierson
(WR/DB), Cody Peters
(WR/DB), Richard Martin
(FB/LB) and Nate Miller
(OL/DL); sophomores Justin
Thurber (WR/DB), Dathon
Thurber (WR/DB), Pat Thompson
(OL/DL), Ryan Denny
(RB/LB), Austin Herne
(OL/DL), Thomas Lumbard
(OL/DL) and Zach Markel
(OL/DL); and freshmen Payton
Vanbibber (RB/LB),
Hunter Yeardon (WR/DB),
SLC Football Young But Experienced
By ALAIN St. PIERRE
BRASHER FALLS - Underclassmen once
again dominate the St. Lawrence Central varsity
football team roster.
But that doesn’t mean the Larries head into
the 2011 Northern Conference season lacking
experience.
“We’re going to be young again but we have
quite a few kids back from last year who
gained a lot of valuable playing experience
and that should help out,” noted coach Bill
Scharf, who enters his third season at the varsity
helm.
“We’ve already noticed a difference in practice
this year. They’re picking things up more
quickly because it’s not new to them anymore
and we’ve been able to work more things in,”
he added.
The Larries, who went 1-8 overall in 2010,
only return one senior but 12 juniors on the
roster are back after making lead contributions
last fall. The rest of the 2011 lineup consists
of first-year sophomores and a pair of
seniors making their varsity debuts. The SLC
lineup will benefit from mergers with the
Brushton-Moira and Parishville-Hopkinton
Central school districts. Each neighboring district
is providing a pair of student-athletes
this fall.
Josh Gonzalez is the only returning senior
and will be counted on to anchor what is
expected to be a much improved offensive line
as a tackle. The core of junior veterans
includes Devon Euto, who took over as starting
quarterback by the middle of last season
and is slated to reprise his role as the top SLC
signal-caller, Camren Campeau (TE), Jessi
Greer (RB), Corey LaBarge (RB/WR), Brandon
LaShomb (OT), Kyle Montroy (C), Todd Ramsdell
(WR), Troy Ramsdell (OT), Triston Riley
(C), Cody Rogers (OL), Sean Rosia (OL) and
Tyler Smith (TE/RB).
Newcomers to the varsity ranks this season
include; seniors - Eric Deshane (DL) and Erny
Munford (TE/DL), juniors - Cody Burns (OG),
Charles Hartson (TE, DB), Cole LaFlesh (RB)
and Dakota Vallance (RB/WR), sophomores
Devon Agen (TE/RB), David Barney (OT),
Gavin Chase (OT), Adam Dishaw (DL), Eric
Hull (DL), Mike Burns (QB), Oden Robertson
(RB), Nathan Johnson (C/DL), David Plante
(RB/WR), Hunter Ramsdell (DT), Tayler
Richard (TE), Kris Tabor and Jacob St. Mary
(DB). Offensive tackle Chris Gray is the lone
freshman on the team.
“Our numbers are up and the competition
within the team has stepped up. Kids are
working hard to get starting jobs. They know
that the guy that puts in the extra effort is
going to have the edge,” noted Scharf.
“This year, we’re also more well-balanced.
The last couple of years, we’ve had either
strong linemen or strong running backs. We
have both this year,” he added.
The Larries, who will be competing in the
Class A Division along with Massena, Potsdam
and Franklin Academy this season, were
slated to make their debut, September 2, on
the road against Seton Catholic of Plattsburgh
but that game had been cancelled with the
announcement that Seton Catholic will not be
fielding a team.
According to Scharf, the Larries are not
likely to be able to find a replacement team
and will draw a bye, pushing their season
opener to Saturday, September 10, in Malone
against Class A rival Franklin Academy. Also,
for the first time in several years, the Larries
will be competing in the Section 10 Class A
playoffs this fall.
Garrison Barcomb (FB/LB)
and John Romanelli (OL/DL).
The Golden Bears open
their 2011 season on Friday,
September 2 with a nonleague
game at Lowville Academy.
Merger agreements have
been discontinued with
Heuvelton and Hermon-
DeKalb, so Canton moves
from
from Class A to Class C for
sectionals, joining OFA,
Saranac Lake, and Ausable
Valley in that division. Canton
will have a modified program
but will not field a JV team.
Assistant varsity coaches
include Bill Porter and Fred
Rycroft. Sparky Newman will
coach the modified team,
assisted by Dave Webster.
Gouverneur Football Relying
On Newcomers To Step Up
GOUVERNEUR- Entering the 2011 North Country Football
Conference Section 7-10 campaign, Gouverneur Central School
Head Coach Sean Devlin and his assistant Justin Young will be
looking for someone to fill the big shoes of the graduated Zach
Cummings, the team’s leading rusher and top defensive player.
Cummings gained 910 yards on 132 totes last fall and scored six
touchdowns at running back for the Wildcats who finsihed 3-5
overall, 3-4 in regular season play and 2-3 against Class B schools.
He also led the team in tackles.
Also graduated from the program are Kevin Fuller, Alex Wedlock,
Jared Knowlton, Richard Jesmer, Corey Prashaw, Don Whiteford,
Tyler Douglass, Richard McIntosh, Cameron LaPlant and
Dan Slate. Whiteford and Wedlock were the second and third leading
defenders and Jesmer was the top receiver.
“We lost some very good players,” said Coach Devlin. “We’re going
to be young. We only have seven or eight starters back from last
year’s team including four starting linemen. We’re not big but we’ll
have some quickness.”
Coaches Devlin and Young do return their starting quarterback
in Shane Gould. Gould passed for 376 yards going 30-for-66 on the
season with three touchdowns
“Shane played well last year at quarterback and junior running
back Levi Love had some nice plays as Zach’s backup last year, said
Devlin whose team also returns senior offensive-defensive linemen
Kyle Bigwarfe, Lucas Bulsiewicz, Benjamin Mulvaney, and Jacob
VanOrman; senior offensive lineman-linebacker Brenden Ward;
junior offensive-defensive lineman Brandon Washburn; senior
widereceiver-linebacker Nathan Guesford and junior runningbacklinebacker
Dustin Earlywine.
“Our linemen might not be big. But they can move well and
they’re athletic. Our game this season will be based on speed and
getting to the holes quick,” Devlin noted.
Newcomers to the team are: Hunter Ayen (Jr. DE/TE), Kacy
Barley (Jr. WR/DB), Justin Cummings (Jr. FB/LB), Curtis Fuller
(Jr. FB/LB), Troy Gates (Fr. TE/DE), Brandon Geer (Jr. OL/DL),
Joseph Hamilton (Jr. OL/DL), Mark Horne (Jr. QB/DB), Seth Moon
(Jr. OL/DL), Daniel Neuroth (Jr. OL/DL), Michael Roll (Sr. DL),
Ricky Sides (Sr. OL/LB), Tanner Spilman (Jr. RB/DE), Anthony
Way (Jr. RB/DB), Skyler Way (Sr. WR/DB), Aaron Wing (Sr.
OL/DE), and Cody Woods (Jr. WR/DB).
“This group has been fun to work with. They’re working hard
and looking to improve every day,” commented Devlin.
Best of Luck Team Team
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