LINCOLNDALE – When the effort and enthusiasm began to evaporate near the end of a Wednesday morning workout, Somers/North Salem coach Anthony DeMatteo quickly hit the pause button.
Uh, oh.
He brought the players in close enough to feel the frustration and reminded them all of the long-established standard here. Problem solved. When the drills restarted, the urgency was right back where it needed to be and teammates were holding each other accountable.
That’s what happens when a team is accustomed to playing for championships.
A loss to Rye in last fall’s Class A championship ended a run of three NYSPHSAA titles and four Section 1 championships. It was not for a lack of trying. That disappointment has inspired a new level of hunger within this group.
“I see that with the kids and with the staff,” DeMatteo said. “We were on an unbelievable run and were fortunate to have some great players but there is a sense of comfortability that comes with that. Even though we don’t feel we could’ve changed anything that happened last year, we gave it everything we had, there is a different energy, a different feeling in the air this preseason.
“You know, it’s nice to be the hunter as opposed to the hunted.”
Names to know
Tristan Iglesias, Sr., QB; Dean Monachelli, Sr., WR/DB; Hudson Ruby, Sr., OL/DL; Cameron Violante, Sr., WR/DB; Luke Balancia, Jr., RB/S; Jayden Abruzese, Jr., RB/LB; Alex Gallino, Jr., G/LB; Carmelo Gioffre, Jr., G/DT; Connor Kasdan, Jr., C/DL; John Seeger, Jr., TE/LB; Christopher D’Ippolito, Jr., WR/LB; Troy Rossi, Sr., WR/CB; Bekim Sinanaj, Sr., WR/CB; Cole Kennedy, So., T/LB; Tayton Castro-Prado, TE/LB; Chris Fink, Sr., G/DL; Ryan McAuley, Sr., G/DL; Derek Kuchinsky, Sr., S; Ryan Selimaj, So., WR/FS; Evan Murolo, So., WR; Jayden Reynolds, Sr., C/DL; Ryan Bateman, Sr., TE/LB.
Schedule
Sept. 3 at Mamaroneck
Sept. 10 at Brewster
Sept. 18 at Mahopac
Sept. 25 vs. Peekskill
Oct. 2 vs. Rye
Oct. 9 vs. Lakeland
Oct. 16 vs. Yorktown
Oct. 23 at Carmel
Takeaways
It would be a mistake to believe last season was a down year for Somers, which lost three games. The Tuskers lost the season-opener against Iona Prep, which finished 11-1 and repeated as CHSFL AAA champion, and then dropped a pair of games to Rye, which finished 14-0 and won the NYSPHSAA Class A title. New headliners will emerge quickly from a loaded junior class.
Iglesias proved to be a true dual threat at quarterback last season. He might also be the best receiver on the field, so don’t be surprised if he occasionally lines up wide and becomes a target for Tuskers quarterback in waiting Dean Klatsky. The offense is expected to be more explosive but will need Abruzese and Balancia to run with authority.
Somers relied heavily on a small group of headliners last season but is coming back with more depth, especially on the defensive side of the ball. A competitive scrimmage will speed the necessary transition, but it’s going to be a couple of games before all of the roles are well defined and each newcomer is comfortable.
Talking points
“We’ve had an unbelievable preseason,” DeMatteo said. “We’ve done triples and now doubles and had a joint practice with Monsignor Farrell. We’re going to New Canaan (Connecticut) to scrimmage along with Iona Prep. We want to put the kids in uncomfortable situations as early as possible to they grow into the players we know they can be.”
“A lot of guys were on the JV last year, but we have plenty of names,” Gallino said. “I mean, you go over the film and you see a bunch of JV guys making crazy plays on the varsity level yesterday against Farrell. … The biggest thing about Somers football is the culture. It’s instilled since we’re as young as can be, right? DeMatteo’s always talking to the younger teams. He’s looking at our fourth grade team and talking to them, so it doesn’t take long for people to get acclimated to what this team is and what we want.”
“I think there is definitely a new mentality, a different hunger to win,” Iglesias said. “Last year, falling short, it’s a feeling that’s not good, obviously, and this team has another chip on its shoulder and really wants to get it done.”
Mike Dougherty covers high school football for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Somers football replaced the regrets from last season with hunger
