Greczyn happy in role
By: Bob Nuse
In a lot of sports, the last thing anyone wants to do is be labeled as a utility player.
Derek Greczyn welcomes the moniker.
"I like to think of myself as a utility player," said Greczyn, a senior who plays linebacker and also plays along the offensive line for West Windsor-Plainsboro High South. "I’ve gotten used to it and I like being able to help out wherever the coaches need me. I’m not the biggest guy out there, but I feel like I can help out in different places.
"I’ve started at left guard and then center and now I’m floating between center and right guard on offense. You just have to know the plays and be able to get into a rhythm."
In addition to helping out on the offensive line, Greczyn is a starter at linebacker for the Pirates. He’ll line up there Saturday when WW-P South hosts Nottingham in the Central Jersey Group III semifinals. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
"I’m playing inside linebacker with Brian Morris this year and that’s worked out real well," the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Greczyn said. "I started playing there towards the end of last season. Before that I had moved around a lot on defense and played in different spots. I played some defensive end and some nose guard. I think they like me as a linebacker this year and that’s fine with me.
"I just do what the coaches want me to do. I played center on offense last year, but this year we had Joe Everingham and he’s a talented junior who can play there. And we’ve also had Simon Ribansky there. So I move around and help where needed."
The Pirates, who are 9-0 this season, have been successful in a large part because the attitude Greczyn has is shared with most of the players. Individual accolades get tossed out the window in the interest of team success.
"Derek has played both guard spots and he’s also played center as well," said WW-P South coach Todd Smith, whose team will be looking to win its 10th game for the first time in school history. "We knew he would have to be a main contributor for us. When I took the job over I figured he would be a key player for us on both sides of the ball until we could fine someone to take his place and let him just concentrate on one. I thought we had someone, but we keep going back to Derek."
Greczyn has settled in wherever needed each week and this week he’ll try to help the Pirates to their first sectional final since 1987, when they lost to Franklin, 35-17, in the CJ III final.
"It’s been an unbelievable season for us," Greczyn said. "The last two years we weren’t doing so hot. To be undefeated at this point is fantastic. We felt like we had the pieces there to be a good team. At the beginning of the season, Coach Smith said he expected us to be in the playoffs and we were all kind of thinking, ‘What is he talking about?’ But after we beat Nottingham in the first week, everyone started to get on the bandwagon."
That win South had over Nottingham is the only game the Northstars have lost all season. They come into Saturday’s game riding a nine-game winning streak, including an overtime win over Willingboro in their CJ III opener last week.
"It was in week one when we played them and that seems like a long time ago," Smith said. "I think they’re a team that has just gotten better and better. They’ve won nine in a row and they’re playing real well right now. We’ve also won nine in a row and I think we’re also getting better. It’s the two best teams in the CVC and we get to play against each other."
Like Colts Neck a week ago, the Pirates will be playing a team that does many of the same things they do. But they’re a different team than the one South saw in September.
"There are some similarities," Smith said. "They run a 4-4 on defense just like we do. And they have linebackers who fly around and make plays. They also have two pretty big defensive tackles who are nice players. They play pretty good defense. On offense, they run a lot of different stuff. After our game with them, they made some changes. They try to go two-platoon as much as possible and they had a middle linebacker who they moved to fullback and he’s stayed there and done a nice job.
"So they’ve made some changes for the better and they’re a different team than the one we saw in the first week of the season."
But the Pirates are also a different team. One that is brimming with confidence and riding a nine-game win streak as well.
"Last week was great," Greczyn said of the Pirates’ 24-21 win over Colts Neck. "When (Ryan) Lupo scored that touchdown to give us the lead, it was great. I was playing guard at the time and Drew (Lachenmayer) and I had the defensive tackle and we blew him off the line and Ryan made the next guy miss and he was off.
"This week is going to be interesting. They’re going to come in revved up. We’re familiar with each and it’s going to be a great game. We’re looking forward to it."
And Greczyn will be ready to play. No matter where it is he lines up on the field.

