NEW EGYPT: Warriors football thinking positive

By Bob Nuse, The Packet Group
   Luke Sinkhorn is hoping the New Egypt football program takes a step forward in his second year as head coach.
   ”This is my second year and we’re looking to be more competitive,” said Sinkhorn, whose team was 2-8 a year ago. “We want to improve offensively and hold onto the ball so that we don’t have to have our defense on the field so much of the time. We want to be in more of the games than we were last year. Our offense has to improve and do a better job of keeping the defense off the field.”
   The Warriors return 12 lettermen, including eight starters, but as usual the biggest problem they face will be depth.
   ”We have some experience, but after that we have a big drop off,” said Sinkhorn, whose team will open the season Friday night at Maple Shade. “We probably have 14 or 15 guys with decent experience from last year, Those are the guys that we will rely on and some of them will be playing a couple different positions. The depth just really drops off after that. Group I is a different animal. You have to get creative and try to do some different things.”
   Dylan Wills is the quarterback this season, while Jamel Smith will be counted on to anchor the running game. Other returning starters for the Warriors are Rigo Morfin, Lyle German, Joe Puza and Shawn Reynolds on the line, as well as Tyler Miller, who plays linebacker and running back, and Pascal Dieujuste at tight end and on the defensive line.
   ”Dylan split to at quarterback last year and got some time before he got injured,” Sinkhorn said. “Our running back, Jamel Smith, will be called on to make some big plays on both sides of the ball. We have some sophomore that we expect to rise to the challenge as well.”
   The shift to the West Jersey Football League should not pose a big change for New Egypt, which will have a few different foes. Bordentown and Florence have moved to another division, but New Egypt will still play in the same division as former foes Burlington City, Maple Shade, Palmyra and Riverside.
   ”For us, it is not too much different,” Sinkhorn said. “We play a couple of new teams but it is pretty much the same for us in the division.”