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Bits and Pieces 48

 November 29, 2001

 

I can tell people are chomping at the bit to head out and watch the two high school football championships on Saturday. And who can blame any of them? Four undefeated teams will fight for two championship trophies and let’s take a brief look at both games and all four teams.

We’ll begin with the Division II game between the defending champion Delmar Wildcats and the Middletown Cavaliers who won the three titles prior to that.
The Wildcats and the Cavs played only one common opponent in their eleven 2001 games so far and that was the Hodgson Silver Eagles. Delmar won in the playoff game last week 42-16 while the Cavs had a tougher time against Larry Cylc’s Eagles winning 20-13 earlier in the year.
The main debate with these teams centers on team speed. Most prognosticators claim that Delmar is the speedier team but many also claim that Middletown’s speed is overlooked. The Cavs, on paper, are a larger team, but a few of the larger guys listed aren’t starters so there isn’t a real difference in size. So until we get both of these teams out on a combine or on a track with a stopwatch, figuring which team is factually faster is difficult also. Having seen both teams in action, the Wildcats appeared faster and most importantly on defense. Watching the Wildcats track down Hodgson’s Lenzi Davis on the option was impressive. While the Wildcat defensive line might be a bit slower than the Cavs, the linebackers and corners more than make up for that and are quicker than the Cavs linebackers and d-backs. So that seems to wash even as well.
Middletown’s Rashaun Lively came into his own in the first round of the playoffs against St. Elizabeth and his performance will be critical again this Saturday. Gary Earl will also be relied upon to come through again with another 100-yard type of day.
Calling the plays for the Cavs is Mike Potts, the 6’4" junior, who came to this program highly touted three years ago. He is the best passer that will play in this game. But who will be his counterpart this week? Freshman Wildcat quarterback Brandon Hudson did not play in the second half of the Hodgson game because he suffered a concussion in the first half. It didn’t seem to matter though as senior backup QB John Webster came in and helped lead the team to three second-half touchdowns.
If there is any major difference in these two teams it’s in the kicking game. Delmar’s Cody Collins was the Henlopen South second-team all-conference kicker who was perfect in six extra-point attempts and was drilling 45 yarders in practice. Michael Hunt was the second-team punter who blasted a 60 yarder in the playoff game.
So, now get ready for this, we’re calling Delmar to win this game strictly on the strength of their kicking game. Forget all of that other stuff, it’s the special teams that will enable the Wildcats to win their second straight title. The game time is noon on Saturday at Delaware State University and it will cost you six bucks to watch.

 

The Middletown Cavaliers
(11-0)

No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Class   

54

 No. Name Pos. Ht.  Wt. Class
2 Gary Earl RB/LB 5'9 200 12 48 Billy Church FB/LB 5'8 145 10
3 Rausheen Lively HB/DB 5'9 180 11 52 Tyler Reynolds C/DG 6' 245 12
4 Shawn Tolson E/DE 6'4 195 12 53 Dan Edwards G/LB 5'6 175 12
5 Robert Gale HB/DB 5'8 155 12 54 Todd Fountain T/DE 6'2 215 12
6 Peter Baldwin SB/DB 6'2 190 12 55 John Pursell T/LB 6'1 215 11
7 Dan Black TE/LB 6'1 175 12 56 JB Lakey C/DG 6' 200 12
8 John Middash SB/DE 5'11 180 11 58 Matt Conroy G/DE 5'9 185 12
9 Ron Brown SB/DB 5'9 165 12 59 Dan Nabb C/DG 6' 220 12
10 Brant Hylinski SE/DB 5'8 170 11 60 Brett Wharton G/DG 6'1 200 12
12 Shawn Rodgers QB/DB 5' 150 9 65 Seth Riblett G/DG 5'8 180 11
14 Corey Wolfe QB/DB 5'8 150 10 66 Mike Falkowski T/DG 6' 205 11
15 Mike Potts QB/DB 6'4 185 11 67 Desmond Bryant C/DG 6'5 215 10
17 Brett Gibson QB/LB 5'10 175 11 68 Molly Simonsen K/DG 5'7   12
19 Curtis Mercer HB/LB 5'8 194 12 70 James Le Compte G/DG 6' 315 12
21 Shawn Baynard HB/DB 5'7 145 9 71 Matt Ford G/DG 5'11 240 12
24 Billy Nardo SE/DB 5'7 134 11 72 Mike Bradford T/DE 6'3 195 12
27 Nathan HAas SB/LB 6' 175 12 76 Stephen Grant G/DG 5'9 300 10
29 Mike Hungerforf SE/LB 5'11 155 12 80 Tom Price TE/LB 6' 195 12
34 Andy Snapp SB/LB 5'6 155 11 88 John Stainback TE/DB 5'10 160 11
36 Rusty Sartin TE/DE 5'7 175 12 98 Justine Coleman K/DE 5'8   10
44 Mike Grant FB/LB 5'8 185 12            

Head Coach: Bill DiNardo
Assistant Coaches: Ed Manlove, Donovan Alderman, Stan Burris, Brian Reph, Joe Lahutsky, Jim Comegys, George Hantzopoulus, Brian Morris

 

The Delmar Wildcats
(11-0)

No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Class    No. Name Pos. Ht.  Wt. Class
1 James Stewart RB/LB 5'10 158 12 47  Scott Price RB/DE 5'10 220 11
4 Jonathan Ellis QB/DB 6'2 162 11 52 Andrew Lecates G/DT 5'8 140 9
6 Keyontae Willis RB/DB 5'10 159 12 58 Josh Farr G/DT 5'10 175 12
9 Sean Hudson RB/DB 5'11 165 12 62 Justin Gillette C/DE 5'10 153 10
10 John Webster QB/DB 5'11 158 12 63 Brandon Smith T/DT 6' 225 12
12 Gabe Ellis E/DE 6'1 152 10 64 Chris Marr G/DE 6' 160 12
14 Brandon Hudson QB/DB 5'9 155 9 65 Jonathan Workman G/DT 5'10 180 11
16 Jason Glasgow QB/DB 5'9 140 10 66 Jacob Dattilo G/DT 5'10 179 12
19 Cody Collins K 5'10 157 10 68  Daniel Hudson G/DT 5'10 165 10
20 Ricky Williams RB/DB 5'10 149 12 69 Andrew Giordano G/DT 5'10 162 11
21 Troi Handy RB/DB 5'7 145 12 70 Kyle McCune G/DT 5'10 160 11
22 Vince Stewart RB/DB 6'1 178 11 71 Johnnie Andrews T/DT 5'11 190 12
25 Jeff Wright RB/DE 6'1 168 12 72 Travis Hearn C/LB 5'11 165 11
28 Chip Cuffee RB/DB 5'11 149 11 73 Jay Heater T/DE 5'11 172 11
29 Mark Johnson RB/DB 5'7 141 12 74 Billy Owens T/DT 6' 190 11
30 Trey Jackson RB/DT 6'2 225 10 75 Robert Remo T/DT 6'4 220 12
31 Maurice Stewart RB/DB 5'10 170 11 76 Matt Caffey T/LB 5'10 178 11
32 Sam Warren RB/LB 5'9 159 11 78 Chad Culver G/DT 5'10 159 11
33 Wesley Smith RB/LB 5'9 139 10 82 Demeris Cannon E/DB 6'3 175 11
34 Zarar Shauket RB/LB 5'10 180 11 83 Maurice Warren E/DE 6' 164 11
35 Adrian Harris RB/LB 6' 168 9 84 Michael Johnson E/DE 5'10 157 11
38 Freddie Baker RB/LB 5'9 145 8 86 Brandon Adkins E/DE 5'11 155 12
40 Preston Lindsey RB/LB 5'10 151 10 88 Shaun McLain E/LB 5'10 160 11
44 Lawrence Sinagra RB/LB 5'11 172 12 97 Brad Vanderwende K 5'11 180 10
46 Michael Hunt E/DE 6'3 215 11            

Head Coach: David Hearn
Assistant Coaches: Mike Dorsey, Bonny Ellis, Chad Jones, Jonathan Ellis, Dave McDowell, Ed Vickers, Odell Jones, Woody Payne, Dale Harper, Jeff Melvin.

 

The Division I game will only cost five dollars to see (because I guess Delaware State is just SO amazing of a complex that they rate the extra buck) at Baynard Stadium. Get there early to try to find a place to park.
The Newark Yellowjackets have, of course as everyone knows by now, won four consecutive championships and will take on the Dover Senators who last won a title in 1988.
There isn’t much doubt that the faster team here is Dover. If you don’t believe that, go to the track and field section where you will see a few of the team’s players listed as state champions. One of them is Jason Lilly who holds a state record.
But Dover’s speed won’t be able to overcome the vicious Yellowjacket defense led by Kevin Wiggins. I would say Brandon Snow as some others seem to want to say all the time, but I’ve seen the Jackets play three times and he wasn’t a factor at all. That’s not to say that he won’t be on Saturday or perhaps the reason he wasn’t a factor was because he was targeted by offensive coordinators all year however.
The Jacket's Steve Selk, Austin and Drew Kisner, John Parkinson, and Pete Callahan are five other reasons the Jacket defense is tough. And Lilly’s speed is mostly wasted because the Senators don’t pass very well. Even if they did pass very well, Collins Evans would be chased all over Wilmington trying to elude swarming Jackets.
Offensively, not many people doubt that the Senators Pierre Bowers is the man. But Drew Kisner isn’t chopped liver either and neither is Austin Kisner. I thought that Brandon Snow wasn’t used enough as a ball carrier all year, but he is a nice sized blocking back at 6’2 218. That can be intimidating for sure.
Newark has the main advantage in this game offensively because of their passing game. Erec Spiese was my choice for first-team all-state player (yes, I am a voting member of the DSBA) and he has a couple great targets in John Parkinson and Steve Selk at ends and will also dump off to the Kisners to change the pace occasionally.
Newark’s weakness is that they are penalty prone. In all three games that I saw they had at least 10 penalties each. But, in the past few years this has always been a problem that has been overcome.
There are a few teams that both teams played this year and here is the comparison- Newark beat Glasgow 34-6, Dover beat Glasgow 16-12; Newark beat Christiana 35-0, Dover beat Christiana 48-14; Newark beat St. Marks 39-20, Dover beat St. Marks 26-0; Newark beat Caesar Rodney 29-3 and Dover beat Caesar Rodney 44-2. I know that in the Newark-St. Marks game, the 20 points that the Spartans scored were on the second string defense. Also in a 50-6 Newark win against Brandywine (just to make a point) the Jackets third string was in the game in the middle of the second quarter as Newark had a 36-0 lead.
Both teams are very large on the line and both have all-state candidates at those positions so it might appear that the run games will cancel each other out and actually might not be the factor that they have been all year. This would lead to a conclusion that the passing game will be the key factor in this game and that would lead us to think that Newark will squeeze their fifth football championship trophy into their showcase early on Monday morning.

The Newark Yellowjackets
(11-0)

No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Class   

70

9

83

 No. Name Pos. Ht.  Wt. Class
2 James Senkus QB 5'11 159 11 68 Justin Eggleston L 5'10 187 10
3 Steve Spiese QB 6'1 158 10 69 Anthony Owens L 5'11 216 11
10 Chad Smith QB 5'9 189 11 70 Greg Moore L 6'3 234 12
12 Erec Speise QB 6'3 210 12 71 P.J. Lloyd L 5'10 232 10
13 Dan Perkins QB 6'3 175 10 72 John Stringham L 6'1 203 10
1 Brad Needham RB 5'4 133 12 74 Ernie Smith L 6'2 257 11
5 Sam Cotton RB 5'10 158 11 77 Ryan Martin L 6'3 209 10
6 Steve Williams RB 5'11 158 11 78 A.J. Colbert L 6'4 362 11
20 Brennan McKone RB 5'8 154 10 79 Tom Jacob L 6'3 293 11
22 Garth Spencer RB 5'7 150 12 4 Todd Fangman R 5'6 141 10
23 Art Steimer RB 5'9 162 12 7 Justin Levering R 5'11 165 10
24 Reggie Harris RB 5'3 130 11 8 Ed Sugalski R 6' 164 10
26 Ryan Kirchenbauer RB 6' 154 12 9 Jared Frost R 6'1 165 10
27 Andrew Ficarra RB 5'11 166 12 11 Pete Callahan R 5'11 153 11
30 Austin Kisner RB 6' 200 12 14 Kyle Welch R 6'1 152 10
31 Andrew Hodgkins RB 5'11 160 10 15 Ryan Vance R 6' 155 10
32 Quay Cobb RB 5'10 191 11 16 Ryan Walsh R 6' 134 10
33 Brandon Snow RB 6'2 218 12 17 Matt Smoot R 5'9 146 10
34 Drew Kisner RB 5'11 184 11 18 Peter German R 6'1 175 10
35 Howard Rice RB 5'9 186 10 21 Matt Angeloni R 6'1 166 11
36 Chris Leamy RB 5'9 194 10 25 Hristo Hristou R 5'11 131 10
37 Eddie Lucas RB 5'10 171 11 80 Kyle Walker R 6' 176 11
50 Jim Unsworth L 5'9 182 12 81 Darren Undercuffer R 6'1 154 11
51 Antonio Gonzalez L 5'10 249 12 82 Greg Collins R 6'3 196 12
52 Darrell Harvey L 5'8 195 11 83 Eric Trent R 5'11 199 10
53 Mike White L 5'7 231 12 84 Rasheme Waters R 6'3 215 12
54 Joey White L 5'9 240