2008 In Review: The Ironmen were 11-1, winning the Parochial Group 4 title by beating Bergen Catholic, after beating St. Peter's Prep and Paul VI. They scored 486 points for a 40.5 average, while allowing 93 points for a 7.75 average, including three shutouts. Wins included national power DeLaSalle (California), Bergen Catholic, and St. Joe's (Montvale). Their lone loss came to St. Xavier (Ohio).

Departures: G Jack Templeton - Brown, RB Dillon Romain - Blair Academy (prep), QB Brett Knief - North Carolina for baseball, LB Nick Vetterlein - Wagner, LB Steve Pedhoretzky - Southern Connecticut, C Matt Strizak - Pace, LB Dylan Jagiello - Franklin & Marshall, K Patrick Murray - Delaware, WR Trace McDermott - Marist or Montclair State for baseball or wrestling.

Offense: Don Bosco runs the multiple spread and returns five starters, plus another who may only play defense. The new quarterback will be junior Gary Nova (6-foot-1, 200). Senior Tony Jones (5-foot-7, 185) will be back for his final season, after missing some time with an injury. Junior Paul Carnevari (5-foot-11, 205) will play fullback in two back formations.

Senior Jimmy Clark (5-foot-10, 170) is a returning starter at wide receiver. Others who are in the race at the other wideouts are senior TJ Franzese (5-foot-9, 190), senior Chris Burrell (5-foot-6, 165), sophomore Leonte Caroo (6-foot-0, 180), senior Steve Sweeney (5-foot-10, 160), senior Matt Miele (6-foot-1, 185), and senior Joe Ricciardi (6-foot-0, 180), and senior Pat Donadio (5-foot-7, 140). Returning at tight end is senior Ryan Cobb (6-foot-1, 210). Seniors Steele Divitto (6-foot-3, 220) and Bryan Murphy (6-foot-3, 230) will also play.

The line currently has two returning starters in senior tackle Brandon Sacco (6-foot-4, 255) and senior guard Peter Miele (6-foot-0, 250). Competing at the other tackle are seniors Kurt Schmitz (6-foot-4, 255) and Billy Miele (6-foot-0, 210). Senior TC Sweeny (6-foot-2, 255) is the frontrunner at the other guard and he'll be pushed by junior Andrew Benvenuto (6-foot-1, 245) and others. Center is between seniors Shane Scannell (5-foot-11, 230) and Adam Kurtz (6-foot-2, 255). There's also a possibility that senior James Kittredge (6-foot-4, 255), a starter at tackle last year, may figure here - but he may only play defense.

Defense: The Ironmen play a 4-4 and return seven starters. Divitto and Murphy are back at the ends. Kittredge will hold down one tackle, while Sacco, sophomore Keith Hamilton (6-foot-3, 220), sophomore Mike Strizak (6-foot-1, 225), senior Anthony Leone (5-foot-11, 225), and senior Kevin Scanlon (5-foot-7, 235) are in the race for the other tackle.

The two inside linebackers are returning starters senior Paul Sakowski (5-foot-10, 210) and Carnvari. Carnevari moves over from end. At outside linebacker there is a battle among Franzese, senior Chris Corvino (6-foot-1, 220), and junior Tom Schlett (5-foot-9, 180). Also figuring here are seniors Andrew Parilla (6-foot-1, 185) and Mike Maggio (5-foot-9, 175), starters at cornerback.

The secondary has experience at all three positions. Senior Christopher Brady (6-foot-0, 180) is at cornerback and senior Daniel Chun (5-foot-10, 180) at safety. The other corner will be either Parilla or Maggio.

Special Teams: Sophomore Aidan Murray will kick extra points and junior Max Buchanan will kick off. Punter is open. Jones, Burrell, and Franzese are the return men.

Schedule: They open at home with national power DeLaSalle of California, followed with a bye week, and then a trip to Alabama to play powerful Prattville. Then, it's Passaic, Clifton, at Kennedy, Bergen Catholic, at Passaic Tech, St. Peter's Prep, and at St. Joe's (Montvale) on Thanksgiving.

Question Marks: A new quarterback and replacing up to three offensive linemen.

Recruiting: Divitto has committed to Boston College. Murphy and Sacco committed to Pittsburgh. Kittredge committed to Vanderbilt and Cobb committed to Virginia. Brady committed to Yale.

Jones has 1-A interest and he's worked hard, both athletically and academically. Clark has 1-AA, including Ivy interest. Franzese has 1-AA interest and he made two big catches against DeLaSalle. Burrell has 1-A speed and can make a nice slot receiver. Sikowski is a leader of the defense and a heck of a player, according to Head Coach Greg Toal. The Miele triplets have the ability to play somewhere. Chun and Schmitz can go Ivy or the NESCAC.

Among juniors, Carnevari and Nova are the leading candidates. Caroo is a sophomore with loads of potential.

Coach's Comments: "It depends on a lot of things. We have an experienced defensive line. Hopefully, we'll have a good defense and everything starts from there. We will have a new quarterback and only two guys back on the offensive line, so we have a whole lot of ifs." - Head Coach Greg Toal