By Wayne Witkowski
Two returning rushers — quarterback Jordan Winston and running back Joe Mannino — who are both headed to NCAA Division I programs and a third starter also Division I-bound means things should bode well for Allentown High School’s football team.
But the Redbirds broke in a new offensive line in the Sept. 3 opener at St. Joseph High School of Hammonton and its defense needs to perform better than last year for the team to lock up another winning season under coach Jay Graber and a satisfying ending to the season in the NJSIAA playoffs.
Allentown plays its home opener Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. against West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North.
“I think we’re progressing well. There are still a lot of things to work on,” Graber said, as he prepared his team for his seventh opening game as head coach against the six-time Non-Public, A South champion St. Joseph’s, which came in riding a 21-game win streak outscoring opponents, 469-55, last season.
Playing against St. Joseph’s was a typically tough season opener for the Redbirds, who last year opened at Pennsylvania power Archbishop Wood Catholic High School. Allentown finished 6-5 after losing to Brick Memorial High School, 28-7, in its Central Jersey, Group IV opener — its fifth straight trip to the state playoffs under Graber.
The Redbirds have been opening their season a week early.
“I think it’s a good challenge,” senior tight end and linebacker Rick Mottram said of the opener. “We start off with tough teams because that’s what we’ll see every week in the playoffs.”
For now, Allentown is working on other elements of the game.
“We’re working on our defensive game. We gave up a lot of points and yards last season,” Graber said. “To be successful, you have to play good defense. And we’re also working on special teams. We gave up a lot there.”
The key will be the play of the offensive line, where Ryan Huth is the only returning starter. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound right tackle, who doubles on the defensive line as a tackle, is headed to Princeton University next fall, where he is expected to play as an offensive tackle.
As for the other Division I recruits, quarterback Winston has verbally committed to Oklahoma State University for a college baseball career as a pitcher. Mottram, a tight end who is also an outstanding linebacker and has led the Redbirds in tackles the past two seasons, will play college football at Bucknell University.
“It’s just a great program that is on the rise,” Huth said of Princeton, where he’ll study finance.
Mottram said he made his decision because, like Huth, he felt Bucknell offers a good balance of athletics and academics and is nationally regarded for its engineering program, which will be his major.
For now, they are concentrating on the season at hand.
“We have some real good players coming back,” Graber said.
“Lack of leadership was big last year, but this year the seniors are stepping up,” Huth said.
Huth said the line showed signs of coming together in the preseason.
“We just have to get our blocks down pretty good. It’s a fast-moving group that can keep the defense off balance,” Huth said.
His brother — 6-foot-3, 180-pound sophomore Drew Huth — starts at the opposite left tackle. The guards are 5-foot-10, 215-pound junior Cameron Capone on the left side and 6-foot, 235-pound sophomore Mike Pugliese on the right. Antonio Triscari, a 5-foot-10, 210-pound senior, starts at center, while Mottram again starts at tight end.
Nick Campbell, a sophomore, also will provide some blocking at fullback. Junior X’zavier Harris is back as starting wide receiver and sophomore Joe Bellotti is the other wideout.
“[The line] is a lot different and it takes time. They’re getting better every day. They’re quicker and smooth this year,” Winston said. “The receivers [also] are a lot better.”
He said this year’s team may throw a little more, so good pass blocking will become more important.
Winston said the development of the line resembles previous seasons when last year’s quality veteran line was more than two years in the making.
“We don’t have a lot of experience but once they get the feel for the varsity level, we’ll be OK,” Mannino said.
Winston said despite new starters up front, he knows many of the players.
“We’ve been together the past five seasons so when we all get used to each other, it’ll be great,” he said.
Defensively, 6-foot, 320-pound senior Joe Bailey will start at tackle opposite Ryan Huth, while Triscari and 6-foot-1, 215-pound senior Colin Roy are the ends in the 4-3 set.
Sophomore Jha’Quil Brown will start at linebacker with Mottram, while the other spot is a tossup between juniors Max Boyle and Malcolm Milton.
Aydon Chavis, a senior coming off a solid baseball season, starts at cornerback with Harris. Bellotti and senior Ryan Locke are the safeties.
“They need to read the keys,” Graber said of the emphasis on defensive improvement.
Freshman Chris McCrae will handle all kicking and punting duties, and Graber said he has looked sharp in practice.