REGION 5 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

CORRY BEAVERS

HEAD COACH: Homer DeLattre

2008 RECORD: 2-2 region (third), 6-4 overall

PLAYOFF APPEARANCES IN LAST FIVE YEARS: 1 (2006 as Class AA team)

DISTRICT TITLES IN LAST 10 YEARS: 0

PIAA FINALS APPEARANCES: 0

OFFENSE

Averaged 27.5 points per game last season

RANK

Amongst 5 teams in region: 2

Amongst 10 teams that compete in the two District 10 Class AAA regions: 4

Corry joined West Middlesex as the only two District 10 teams, regardless of classification, to average at least 27 points per game and still miss out on the postseason in 2008. Two all-region picks including, first team quarterback and region player of the year, Scott Frisina return in hopes of improving on that number and sending the Beavers to the playoffs for the second time in four years. Frisina, a third-year starter, led the team in passing (2007 yards, 25 touchdowns) and rushing (608 yards, seven touchdowns) last year and enters his senior year needing less than 2,000 passing yards to eclipse 5,000 for his career. Senior second team all-region wide receiver Craig Marti led the team in all receiving stats last year (36 catches, 674 yards, nine touchdowns), while junior Cory Owens (25 catches, 294 yards, four touchdowns) is another experienced starter and senior Braidy Westfall replaces first team all-region choice Nicholas Upperman (24 catches, 351, seven touchdowns) as the third starting receiver. Due to an injury, Westfall didn’t play much last year, but is a very good athlete and had a strong offseason, according to DeLattre. Senior Adam Zimmerman finished second on the team in rushing (149 yards) in 2008 and is the fullback, with Mitchell Anderson (18 catches, 298 yards, two touchdowns), also a senior, the tailback, and junior Justin Miller, a converted receiver, and senior Kelsey Crawford the top backups at the two spots. Crawford is also the backup quarterback and can play receiver if needed. In senior center Brandon Miller and junior tackles Dustin Taubert (right) and Alec Gluvna (left), the Beaver offensive line returns three players that started every game in 2008, while senior Tyler Volk (right) and sophomore Dylan Swanson (left) are the new guards.

DEFENSE

27.0 points per game allowed last season

RANK

Amongst 5 teams in region: 4

Amongst 10 teams in two District 10 Class AAA regions: 7

Defense was the main reason that Corry didn’t go to the postseason last year as it gave up more points per game than any other District 10 team that finished with a winning record and allowed at least 29 in both of its two region losses. With that in mind the Beavers will switch to a stack defense and eight players that had at least 15 tackles, including two second team all-region picks, will be part of the new look, although the team must replace two first team all-region performers. Brandon Miller (42 tackles, two sacks), the team’s SAM linebacker, is one of the all-region picks that returns, while Zimmerman (63 tackles, two sacks) is also back as the WILL, Justin Miller (15 tackles) is the MIKE and the outside linebackers are Crawford (44 tackles) and Anderson. Safety Owens is the other all-region selection that returns, although both of last year’s starting cornerbacks, including first team all-region honoree Michael Brown (42 tackles, four interceptions), graduated and Marti and Westfall are the new starters. On the line Taubert (31 tackles, two sacks) and Gluvna (27 tackles, two sacks) return as the defensive tackles and Swanson is the new nose tackle.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Senior David Hajec returns as the starting kicker and Richard Akers is the new punter with Marti, who returned a kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown in a 28-27 Beaver win over Bradford last year, Owens, who also has experience being deep on both kicks and punts, and Westfall the three return men.

OVERVIEW

The Beavers main concern coming into this season is a lack of depth as the majority of their starters will have to play a lot on both sides of the ball. That said, led by Frisina, Corry has the look of a team that should challenge for a postseason berth and very possibly a region crown.

WARREN DRAGONS

HEAD COACH: Brad Wright

2008 RECORD: 0-4 region (fifth), 2-8 overall

PLAYOFF APPEARANCES IN LAST 5 YEARS: 2 (2005, 2006)

DISTRICT TITLES IN LAST 10 YEARS: 0

PIAA FINALS APPEARANCES: 0

OFFENSE

Averaged 14.0 points per game last season

RANK

Amongst 5 teams in region: 5

Amongst 10 teams that compete in the two District 10 Class AAA regions: 8

Last year was the first time since 2000 that Warren averaged fewer than 20 points per game and while two first team all-region picks from that unit graduated, six starters do return, including junior Matt Stapleford, who made a successful transition to quarterback (1685 yards passing, 12 touchdowns), after being a second team all-region receiver in 2007. Stapleford  also led the team with 237 yards rushing, adding a touchdown, last season and was the only Dragon to rush for at least 100 yards in a game (106 in a victory over Iroquois). Junior fullback T.J. Latimer gives the backfield a second returning starter, although he was actually more of a threat in the passing game (21 catches, 197 yards, three touchdowns) last year and senior Curtis DeLattre is the new halfback. At wide receiver Warren must replace two-time first team all-region choice Mitch McTavish (54 catches, 606 yards, four touchdowns last season), although senior classmates Cody Bupp (22 catches, 301 yards, one touchdown) and Travis Larsen both have starting experience.  Senior Colter Johnson and junior Andrew Morrison are the top two tight ends and while first team all-region tackle Pat Zigler graduated, senior Michael Jaskolka is back as the other starting tackle and junior center Drew Johnson gives the line a second returning starter. Each of the other three spots on the line will be filled by juniors with Logan Morley joining Jaskolka as a starting tackle, Brett Ball one of the guards and either Brady Grosch or Eric Buck the other.

DEFENSE

28.0 points per game allowed last season

RANK

Amongst 5 teams in region: 5

Amongst 10 teams that compete in the two District 10 Class AAA regions: 8

While Warren’s offense experienced some growing pains in its first year under Wright, the defense actually allowed exactly 12 points per game fewer than it did in 2007 and gave up less than 35 points per contest for the first time since 2003. As is the case on offense, the defense must replace two first team all-region selections (defensive back McTavish. linebacker Coti Snyder), although two second team choices are back. Drew Johnson is one of the all-region picks that returns and he’s joined at defensive end by senior Dylan Winslow, while defensive tackle Cole Cerra, also a senior, gives the line a third returning starter. Defensive tackle Jaskolka and nose tackle Morley complete the defensive line, while second team all-region pick Larsen is back as one starting outside linebacker with Morrison the other outside starter and Latimer a returning starter at middle linebacker. Even without McTavish the secondary could be a strength as cornerback Delattre and safety Stapleford are both returning starters and while Bupp didn’t start last year, he did return an interception 32 yards for a touchdown in the team’s season closing victory over Northwestern and joins Delattre as a starting cornerback this year.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Johnson was a first team all-region kicker last year, nailing six field goals, including a 47-yarder vs. East, and also returns as the team’s punter, while Larsen and Bupp have experience on returns and will handle the duties again this year.

OVERVIEW