Published: Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Trumbull coaches celebrate the dawn of new football season
Trumbull County coaches huddled to evaluate teams.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN — Tuesday's Warren Sports Hall of Fame's 2007 Coaches' Huddle was designated a New Year's celebration.
That is, unofficially, it marked the beginning of another high school football season.
At the outset of the WSHOF's event at DiLucia's Banquet Center, one blaring noisemaker signaled the kickoff.
The signal from Liberty coach Jeff Whittaker was verbal and much quieter.
"I'm still hungry every August," said Whittaker, who begins his 14th year at Liberty, where the Leopards went 12-1 in 2005 and 9-2 last season.
Whittaker will have a mix of 65 sophomores, juniors and seniors report beginning Thursday.
Big losses to Division I schools were Ryan Gillum (Syracuse), Jonathan Wells (Miami of Ohio) and Kenny Jackson (OU).
Liberty has a quarterback battle among three candidates.
Liberty's losses in 2006 were to Hubbard, the second time being in the playoffs.
"We lost a lot of players in terms of graduation, but we still have a lot of quality kids coming back, so we have an opportunity to be good," Whittaker said.
Johnson back at Niles
Tim Johnson returns as head coach of Niles after serving in the same capacity about 15 years ago.
His five-year stint came before Bill Bohren and Phil Annarella, who was the Red Dragons' coach the last four years.
Johnson will welcome 56 players, 17 of whom are lettermen.
Leading Niles, which lost only to Poland before falling to Walsh Jesuit in the playoffs will be TB/OLB Nate Ganyard, a 6-0, 210 two-year starter.
"Offensively, we'll have our tailback and top receivers back, so it's going to be similar to last year," Johnson said. "Defensively, we've changed some, but we'll still be a 3-5 stack.
"We try to keep the learning curve down. A lot of times, when there's a new coach, it takes a while to pick up on things. We didn't want that to happen, so we changed as little as possible."
After a week and one-half, Niles will scrimmage Hubbard.
Howland, which was 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the Metro Athletic Conference in 2006, has 25 lettermen back.
Howland has many seniors, juniors
"For the first time in the last two years, we're going to be a predominately junior-senior team," said coach Dick Angle, who will have 18 seniors and 18 juniors.
Two-year starters include TE Josh Lott (6-2, 225) and DT Reese Mowery (6-2, 245).
"Being third-year starters, we're going to look to them to be the leaders and the mature guys," Angle said.
A pair of 500-plus yard tailbacks are Dante Marsh and Nathan Cope, while linebackers and two-year letterman are Eric Jones (5-11, 190) and Tyler Scott, a 6-3, 205-pounder who will only be a junior.
Angle expects MAC tri-champs Canfield, Poland and Niles to be the strongest teams in 2007, although he anticipates his Tigers to be a contender.
Mineral Ridge's Don Leone begins his second year after the Rams went 6-4.
The former assistant under Thom McDaniels said he has 17 seniors back after losing only two starters — All-Ohioan Nick Dominic and Mark Greene.
Ciavarella returns
Leone said that it's ironic that, originally, Phil Ciavarella was the team's kicker, but broke his collarbone. That's when Dominic took over and ended up making All-Ohio. Now, Ciavarella is back.
"If someone beats him out, I'd be surprised," Leone said.
"We absolutely expect to go to the playoffs and our kids believe that. Mineral Ridge has had the tradition of going to the playoffs, so our goal is to go as deep as we can."
Lessons as first-year head coach Leone included play-calling and game management.
"It's also other things as an assistant you're not accustomed to — dealing with public and media. There are so many distractions, yet you've got to focus on football on game night and that is the hardest thing to do."
bassetti@vindy.com
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Trumbull County coaches huddled to evaluate teams.
By JOHN BASSETTI
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN — Tuesday's Warren Sports Hall of Fame's 2007 Coaches' Huddle was designated a New Year's celebration.
That is, unofficially, it marked the beginning of another high school football season.
At the outset of the WSHOF's event at DiLucia's Banquet Center, one blaring noisemaker signaled the kickoff.
The signal from Liberty coach Jeff Whittaker was verbal and much quieter.
"I'm still hungry every August," said Whittaker, who begins his 14th year at Liberty, where the Leopards went 12-1 in 2005 and 9-2 last season.
Whittaker will have a mix of 65 sophomores, juniors and seniors report beginning Thursday.
Big losses to Division I schools were Ryan Gillum (Syracuse), Jonathan Wells (Miami of Ohio) and Kenny Jackson (OU).
Liberty has a quarterback battle among three candidates.
Liberty's losses in 2006 were to Hubbard, the second time being in the playoffs.
"We lost a lot of players in terms of graduation, but we still have a lot of quality kids coming back, so we have an opportunity to be good," Whittaker said.
Johnson back at Niles
Tim Johnson returns as head coach of Niles after serving in the same capacity about 15 years ago.
His five-year stint came before Bill Bohren and Phil Annarella, who was the Red Dragons' coach the last four years.
Johnson will welcome 56 players, 17 of whom are lettermen.
Leading Niles, which lost only to Poland before falling to Walsh Jesuit in the playoffs will be TB/OLB Nate Ganyard, a 6-0, 210 two-year starter.
"Offensively, we'll have our tailback and top receivers back, so it's going to be similar to last year," Johnson said. "Defensively, we've changed some, but we'll still be a 3-5 stack.
"We try to keep the learning curve down. A lot of times, when there's a new coach, it takes a while to pick up on things. We didn't want that to happen, so we changed as little as possible."
After a week and one-half, Niles will scrimmage Hubbard.
Howland, which was 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the Metro Athletic Conference in 2006, has 25 lettermen back.
Howland has many seniors, juniors
"For the first time in the last two years, we're going to be a predominately junior-senior team," said coach Dick Angle, who will have 18 seniors and 18 juniors.
Two-year starters include TE Josh Lott (6-2, 225) and DT Reese Mowery (6-2, 245).
"Being third-year starters, we're going to look to them to be the leaders and the mature guys," Angle said.
A pair of 500-plus yard tailbacks are Dante Marsh and Nathan Cope, while linebackers and two-year letterman are Eric Jones (5-11, 190) and Tyler Scott, a 6-3, 205-pounder who will only be a junior.
Angle expects MAC tri-champs Canfield, Poland and Niles to be the strongest teams in 2007, although he anticipates his Tigers to be a contender.
Mineral Ridge's Don Leone begins his second year after the Rams went 6-4.
The former assistant under Thom McDaniels said he has 17 seniors back after losing only two starters — All-Ohioan Nick Dominic and Mark Greene.
Ciavarella returns
Leone said that it's ironic that, originally, Phil Ciavarella was the team's kicker, but broke his collarbone. That's when Dominic took over and ended up making All-Ohio. Now, Ciavarella is back.
"If someone beats him out, I'd be surprised," Leone said.
"We absolutely expect to go to the playoffs and our kids believe that. Mineral Ridge has had the tradition of going to the playoffs, so our goal is to go as deep as we can."
Lessons as first-year head coach Leone included play-calling and game management.
"It's also other things as an assistant you're not accustomed to — dealing with public and media. There are so many distractions, yet you've got to focus on football on game night and that is the hardest thing to do."
bassetti@vindy.com
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Tuesday's Warren Sports Hall of Fame's 2007 Coaches' Huddle was designated a New Year's celebration.
That is,...
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