Team Preview: Pascack Valley Indians

2011 In Review: The Indians were 9-2, losing to Old Tappan in the North Jersey Section 1 Group 3 semi-finals, after beating Ramapo. They scored 330 points for a 30.0 average, while allowing 183 points for a 16.63 average, including two shutouts. Wins included Old Tappan, Ramapo, and River Dell, while their other loss was to St. Joe's (Montvale).

Departures: TE/LB Mike Niego - baseball at UConn, K Zach Costa as a walk on, RB Jordan Roses - track at Lafayette

Offense: Pascack Valley runs a multiple I and returns four starters and two who played. Returning for his third year at quarterback is senior Kyle Schneider (6-foot-3, 210). Tailback may have a committee of senior Chris Garcia (5-foot-8, 155), junior Jaleel Felton (5-foot-8, 150), junior Jake Morra (6-foot-0, 180), and senior Kyle Zenk (5-foot-11, 180). Garcia was a defensive starter last year. Fullback has seniors Jimmy Butler (5-foot-9, 185), Bobby Culhane (6-foot-1, 190), and Mike Begen (6-foot-0, 175) in the running, with Butler seeing time last year.

Wide receiver has senior Kevin Illian (5-foot-11, 180) returning. In the running for the other wideout are senior Nick Soravilla (6-foot-1, 160), senior Billy Beattie (5-foot-10, 170), senior Colin O'Shea (5-foot-9, 160), and junior Brendan Morrissey (5-foot-10, 160). Tight end has senior Mike Manente (6-foot-1, 195), senior Hans Belmonte (5-foot-10, 185), senior Ryan Foley (6-foot-0, 175), and sophomore Greg Collier (6-foot-0, 175) competing, with Manente starting defensively a year ago.

Two starters return to the line in senior tackles Jeff Domville (6-foot-1, 235) and Nick Choman (6-foot-2, 205). One guard will be senior Gaetano DeSantis (5-foot-11, 190), who saw action. The other guard is between senior Dylan Bader (5-foot-9, 180) and junior Jake Creagh (5-foot-10, 180). Center has seniors James Shapiro (5-foot-9, 105) and Kyle Schroeder (5-foot-11, 210) battling it out.

Defense: The Indians run a 3-4 and return four starters and four who saw time. The frontrunner at nose guard is senior Trent Mayfield (5-foot-10, 195), who saw time, with a push from Bader. The tackles will be Culhane and junior Mark Rigney (5-foot-11, 215).

The outside linebackers return in Manente and Choman. The inside linebackers will be senior Jake Comito (5-foot-9, 175) and Morra, with Comito seeing time last year. Pushing them will be Creagh and Zenk.

In the secondary, Illian returns at safety and Garcia is back at cornerback. However, Garcia may not see as much action because he will be carrying the ball on offense. That would leave Soravilla and Felton at the corners, with Soravilla seeing action last year. Beattie is the other safety and he had his share of snaps last season.

Specials: O'Shea will be the kicker and Manente will punt. In the return game, Zenk and Felton will return the kicks and Soravilla and Garcia will return punts.

Schedule:

Friday, 9/7, at Clifton, 7PM

Friday, 9/7, Old Tappan, 6PM

Saturday, 9/22, at Bergenfield, 1PM

Friday, 9/28, DePaul, 6PM

Saturday, 10/6, at Passaic Valley, 1PM

Friday, 10/12, Wayne Hills, 6PM

Friday, 10/19, at Demarest, 7PM

Friday, 10/26, Ramapo, 6PM

Friday, 11/2, West Milford, 6PM

Schedule is courtesy of www.maxpreps.com and www.gridironnewjersey.com

Question Marks: Inside linebacker, only because of inexperience. How the team develops as a whole.

Recruits: Schneider is a 1-AA/D2 prospect. Manente may be 1-AA and he may develop into a punter at this level. Choman, Domville, Soravilla, and Illian are D2/D3.

Morra, Rigney, and Felton are prospects, with Felton possibly going the track route.

Coach's Comments: "We're a work in progress. We have the pieces, but we have to get better. The schedule is tough and we'll see where we're going to be. We have to be ready." - Head Coach Craig Neilsen