The HERALD Sharon, PA published Tuesday, August 27,1996
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Football  '96



WILMINGTON

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Wilmington seeking 3-peat in District 10






The 'Hounds Hammer became the Wilmington High School football team's calling card en route to the '95 Class AA Mercer County Athletic Conference and District 10 championships and a berth in the PIAA quarterfinals before being eliminated by Tyrone.

While compiling a dozen consecutive victories, Wilmington amassed a turnover ratio of plus-21. In the end, the 'Hounds (12-1) outscored foes by a composite 26-5. margin and outgained them 275.7-135.4 per game, the latter figure leading The Herald's coverage area.

So it's not surprising that defense again will be the focal point for 18th year head coach Terry Verrelli (103-70) and the Greyhounds.

``I honestly believe, and I tell the kids the same, you've gotta build a great defense and it has to be one of best defenses in the league if you want to be a playoff team, a championship-caliber team,'' Verrelli said. ``It has to start there. You can get away with people, maybe offensive linemen, who are not quite ready. But you can't hide defensive players. The defensive line is our number one concern, and then the offensive line's the second (concern). We have enough skill people that we should always have a threat, but if you can't stop the other team, you're never gonna be a championship team.

``I think, at this point, it's pretty clear: We've got to have interior (offensive) line play and we're young there _ we have two experienced kids (6-foot-1, 200-pound junior guard Justin Koi and 6-2, 220-pound senior tight end T.D. Mitcheltree, 21 catches for 297 yards); the rest of them are brand new kids. So it's a matter of teaching them and having them ready, right off the bat, that's the tough part.

``But up front,'' the vetern Verrelli continued, ``they can't be average kids; they've got to be able to play, so right now we're searching (the 40-player roster) and teaching some of the younger kids to get 'em ready.''

Even though Verrelli spoke of offense, defense preoccupied his preparations.

``The line is the key to anyone's defense,'' he continued. ``Those big guys in the middle of the defensive line have to be able to play; if they can't, your defense is suspect.''

And although he admitted `` ... last year's defense _ in fact, last year's team was (a surprise), to be honest ... '' Verrelli felt his '96 edition will be solid on both sides of the ball in terms of skill-position people.

``Secondary-wise, we're solid (with 5-9, 140-pound junior Demetrious Rich and 6-0, 155-pound junior Shawn Bauer), and linebackers, we have a couple (5-10, 185-pound senior Sam Koi and 5-9, 160-pound senior T. J. Meese), and we have to fill a few in, but how well and how quickly they learn and how well they play will determine (the Greyhounds' fate).

``We're on the verge of being a good team,'' Verrelli said, tempering his remark by adding, ``but that's something I probably can't say one way or another. It'll really depend on how those (younger) kids keep coming along.''

Included among the Greyhounds' key skill-position people is junior quarterback Todd Smargiasso (6-1, 180), who completed 34 of 60 passes for 551 yards, 5 touchdowns and no interceptions in seven games before sustaining a season-ending broken leg against Kennedy Christian.

Also, the 'Hounds have ``good athletes with excellent speed who can catch the ball'' in Rich, Bauer and junior Jon Tekac (6-0, 185), who filled Smargiasso's void by completing 26 of 56 passes for 480 yards, 5 TDs and 4 interceptions.

Senior Wyatt Campbell (5-9, 155) again will handle Wilmington's kicking.

``He's turned into a tremendous kicker. It's nice to have a big punter and kickoff person,'' Verrelli related. ``That's a part of the game people want to neglect, but every coach understands the true value of a solid kicker.

``We feel our running game should be solid and our passing game should be pretty good, but for those times when you need to buckle down and get a few extra yards, that's when your line comes in,'' Verrelli emphasized, concluding, ``You can't be a championship team without being solid in all phases of the game _ you can't hide from it.''

Wilmington has won four district titles (D-7 in '87 and '88 and D-10 in '94 and '95).

Assisting Verrelli are: Bob Mitcheltree, David Welch, Brian Cooper, Scott Shearer, Alan Kirk and Bill Viccari.

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Updated August 29, 1996