Football Looks To Be A Contender In 2011
C.W. Post has been on an upward climb since playing its first season as a member of the PSAC in 2008. The Pioneers have posted 5-2 records in PSAC East play the last two seasons, and have their sights set on improving upon that mark and winning a PSAC championship as they enter the 2011 season under 14-year Head Coach
Bryan Collins.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
The Pioneers look to reload on go-to playmakers and have a hole to fill with the graduation of all-conference signal caller Erik Anderwkavich, but hope to usher in a new era with redshirt freshman Steven Laurino (Boise, Idaho.). Laurino, who got a lot of snaps during spring season, has a very strong arm and is one of the fastest players on the team, also making him a running threat. Though he is young, he possesses the maturity to make good decisions on the field.
Freshman Tyler Heuer (Oceanside, N.Y.) is also going to battle for snaps at the position. Heuer, who played for former Pioneer QB standout Rob Blount at Oceanside, passed for over 2,100 yards his senior season and completed a record 34 touchdown completions while rushing for an additional 790 yards and nine touchdowns.
Running Back
The running game is one of the biggest strengths this season and is highlighted by the return of sophomores Anthony Brunetti (Bayville, N.Y.) and Jeff Mack (Bronx, N.Y.) as well as junior Thomas Beverly (Wyandanch, N.Y.), the 2009 PSAC East Rookie of the Year and All-Conference selection.
After adjusting to a one-back system, Brunetti had an outstanding freshman season, where he ran the ball for 589 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 5.3 yards a carry.
Mack showed great potential in his first season after coming back from a leg injury. His explosive speed on the gridiron in the second half of the season resulted with 206 yards on 38 carries, scoring his first collegiate touchdown at Cheyney.
Beverly looks to regain his form from his freshman year when he rushed for 1,094 yards and 11 touchdowns. He battled through injuries last season but returns healthy this season.
Wide Receiver
The receiving corps returns all but two this season and will give Laurino a lot of options to throw to down the field.
Sophomore
Joe Botti (Holtsville, N.Y.) and junior
Grayson Laurino (Boise, Idaho) are two steady performers returning to the offensive line of scrimmage.
Botti had a good experience in his first season and returns as the leading receiver after hauling in 33 passes for 663 yards and six touchdowns. He caught a season-high 10 balls for 227 yards and two touchdowns at Kutztown that included a 71-yard strike from Anderwkavich late in the fourth quarter.
Laurino made the change from quarterback to receiver and was third on the team in receptions with 29 catches for 390 yards and six touchdowns.
The Pioneers will also be looking at Kyle Hardy (Matawan, N.J.) and Sean Persch (Gap, Pa.) to step up and take over as deep threats. Both players saw action in all 11 games and each recorded a touchdown pass against Mercyhurst.
Juniors Ryan Derham (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) and Matt Sheehy (North Brunswick, N.J.) along with redshirt freshman Chris McGrane (Lynbrook, N.Y.) will also be counted on to make contributions.
Senior R.J. Kuhn (Sayville, N.Y.) stepped away from being a back-up at quarterback last season to move over and earn himself a starting position at tight end.
Offensive Line
A young offensive line will bear the weight this season as only two starters return: seniors John Siopa (Centereach, N.Y.) and Kevin Martin (Patchogue, N.Y.). Siopa and Martin, who were both named Consensus Draft Services Preseason All-America selections, have been starters throughout their careers and have been recognized as All-Conference in previous years.
Siopa moves over from right guard to center and will bring strength and stability to the middle position.
Martin will occupy the left tackle position. Martin is a good player and has gained valuable experience in his three years on the O-line.
Junior Chris Williams (Syosset, N.Y.) spent time at the guard and tackle positions last season while junior Rob Scheuerer (Farmingdale, N.Y.) moved from the D-line to the O-line. Both should see time as reserve guards.
Sophomore John Corrigan (Stockholm, N.J.) had a good spring and continues to get bigger and stronger. Junior Willie Mayoral (La Habra, Calif.) transferred in spring of 2011 from East Los Angeles Community College and has built a solid base from the spring season. Redshirt freshman Michael Calicchio (Brooklyn, N.Y.) brings great size to the position with his 6-foot-10 frame, and his athleticism will help him earn a starting spot on the O-line.
DEFENSE
Defensive Tackle
The defensive line features four seniors that are solid up front. Abrom Shepard (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Kadeem Huggins (Corona , N.Y.) are penciled in at the two defensive end positions. Lou Scala (Coram, N.Y.) and Andrew Jackson (Middletown, N.Y.) return to block the inside line of scrimmage with Scala at tackle and Jackson at nose guard.
The defensive end position will feel the loss of All-American Xavier Brown. Shepard, who is described by Collins as very underrated but a steady performer at his position, returns as a starter this year. He was second behind Brown with 5.5 sacks last season. Huggins has great pass rushing skills and is tall and rangy.
Redshirt freshman Herb Flores (East Meadow, N.Y.) along with incoming freshman Jason Thompson (Cambria Heights, N.Y.), will provide backup for Shepard and Huggins.
Scala and Jackson possess great quickness and will pose matchup problems up front. Scala was third on the team in tackles last season with 73 (26u, 47a) along with two sacks, a forced fumble and a safety. Meanwhile, Jackson was solid on the line with 42 tackles (14u, 28a), including 7.5 for loss as well as three sacks and a fumble recovery.
Freshmen Golden Ukonu (North Babylon, N.Y.) and Derek McMichael (Bay Shore, N.Y.) can both provide bulk and depth. Both Ukonu, at 6-foot-5 and 364 pounds and McMichael, at 6-foot-2 and 320 pounds, bring size that the Pioneers have been lacking. Also add in freshman Kevon Foster (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who was an All-City and All-Borough player at Ft. Hamilton in Brooklyn.
Linebackers
One reason C.W. Post had great success on defense last season was because of its veteran linebackers; seniors Billy O'Connor (Sayville, N.Y.) and Ronnie Modik (Levittown, N.Y.). Both were also named Consensus Draft Services Preseason All-Americans along with Martin this year.
O'Connor, who had a breakout season last year and led the entire PSAC with 125 tackles (58u, 67a), has seen his time on the field increase over the course of his career and returns as one of the more experienced linebackers in the league. He reads the offense well and has the skills to defend against the run.
Modik also had a breakout year and was second behind O'Connor in total tackles with 104 (39u, 65a). He added five interceptions to his season stat sheet. Modik is a player that makes big plays in the middle.
Sophomores Rob Bright (East Meadow, N.Y.) Maalik McVea (Freeport, N.Y.) will have reserve roles and provide good, young talent.
Safety
Junior Sean Smith (Farmingdale, N.J.) was limited by injuries last season but is ready to resume his role as the starting strong safety. Smith registered 33 tackles (16u, 17a) in 2010 and looks to break out this season.
Behind Smith is sophomore Chris DiIorio (Holtsville, N.Y.), who stepped in for Smith and gained valuable experience. DiIorio made 43 stops last season, including a season-high seven in the Pioneers' triple OT win at West Chester, and will battle for time on the left side.
On the right side, redshirt freshmen Jauvan John (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Kamron Palmer (Brooklyn, N.Y.) will compete for the starting job.
Cornerback
Junior D.J. Young (Highland Mills, N.Y.) will hold the left side of the defensive backfield for the Pioneers while junior Ciwan McCoy (North Babylon, N.Y.) will fill the right side. Both Young and McCoy got valuable playing time last season and looked solid in matchups against the conference's top receivers.
Special Teams
Freshman Marc Montana (East Amherst, N.Y.) will take over full-time placekicking responsibilities and will also handle punting. Junior Lorenzo Tattoli (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.) will remain the long snapper with Modik providing backup.
On the kick returns, Collins has tabbed McCoy as the man for the job. McCoy averaged 24.1 yards per return last season, including an 82-yard return for a touchdown against Millersville. Persch, Mack and Botti will back up McCoy.
Jauvan John is penciled in as the leading punt returner while McCoy and Hardy will also fill in.
Schedule
The PSAC East is arguably one of the toughest divisions in Division II football and C.W. Post will have its work cut out for itself.
The Pioneers open their season at home against longtime NE-10 rival, American International on Sept. 3, and will embark on a two-game swing to western Pennsylvania against California (Sept. 10) and Mercyhurst (Sept. 17). Both Cal (Pa.) and Mercyhurst were NCAA participants last season and return as the top two schools to beat in the PSAC West.
From there, the Pioneers will open conference play in the friendly confines of Hickox Field to host Shippensburg (Sept. 24) and West Chester (Oct. 1).
C.W. Post heads back out on the road at Millersville (Oct. 8) and East Stroudsburg (Oct. 15) and comes back for a rematch at home against Kutztown (Oct. 22), who prevailed with a hard fought 50-48 win against the Pioneers last season.
The squad will play its final road game of the regular season against Bloomsburg on Oct. 29 and will be in search of its first-ever win against the perennially-ranked Huskies.
The Pioneers finish out the regular season at home against Cheyney (Nov. 5) and Slippery Rock (Nov. 12).