published Tuesday, August 27,1996
BROOKFIELD
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Brookfield to key on running game
Head coach Ron Iarussi endured a baptism of fire during his initial Brookfield High School football season a year ago, as the Warriors ended 2-8.
However a dozen returning lettermen should help make Iarussi's second season proceed more smoothly, though whatever the outcome, the '96 Warriors will offer opponents a vastly different look from that of the past two seasons.
Rob Davies _ who threw for approximately 4,000 yards and matriculated at Baldwin-Wallace College _ and his drop-back style, as well as the single-back offensive scheme will be replaced by multiple formations (out of an off-set I), a roll-out style passer and a 2-back set with `` ... a lot more emphasis on the running game,'' as Iarussi explained.
The Warriors will be led by seven returning offensive starters, including tailback Frank McCabe and fullback John Sincek, a pair of seniors and two of the Warriors' quartet of 2-way starters. The offensive returnees anchoring the interior will be a pair of seniors in Eric Boyce _ moved from guard to center _ and tackle Dave Lowry. They will be joined by junior tackle Dave Seese, who started four '95 games.
Junior Chris Gerber has the unenviable task of replacing the record-setting Davies, but Iarussi praised, ``He's done a real nice job. He's a real hard worker and he's made a lot of improvement. He worked during the off-season, his arm's stronger and he's gotten a lot quicker.''
Whereas the Warriors would offer Davies pocket protection, allowing him to throw approximately 70 percent of the time last year, Iarussi said this year, `` ... we're gonna play-action and get Chris on the corner; he's a little quicker (than Davies).''
But Brookfield's style transformation is contingent upon line play, and that's still a work in progress, according to Iarussi.
``We've got some experienced linemen back, although we're still young. We've had to move, kind of shuffle some of them around. The key thing for us is to get them to jell together. Hopefully, with the experience we have in the backfield, we will run the ball, but we're still going to throw the ball, too. (But) the whole offensive line's got a ways to go.''
Sophomores Tim DeMay and Jeff Achenbach will be the Warriors' wide-outs. DeMay broke a 5-yard hitch pattern in the Struthers scrimmage and turned it into a 65-yard touchdown, Iarussi pointed out.
Defensively, Brookfield will operate out of a 4-3, `` ... with our strongest point right now being our linebackers,'' Iarussi said, referring to junior Shawn Johnson, who started eight '95 games in the middle, and outside backers Sincek and Lowry.
``We're young up front and in the secondary,'' Iarussi said, with Boyce, at tackle, being the only interior returnee. The secondary is ``all new,'' though it will include DeMay, Achenbach, McCabe and senior Ronnie Riccadona.
The other returning lettermen looking to contribute are defensive end Steve Rotunno and offensive lineman Scott Axtell, while senior Pete Carpec will handle the punting and placekicking duties.
Iarussi cited ``depth and inexperience,'' as the club's shortcomings, noting, ``We don't have much depth (34 players in grades 10-12), so we have to stay healthy to be successful,'' concluding,
``The TAC-8 (Trumbull County Athletic Conference) is gonna be real, real competitive this year. I don't see any one team that's outstanding. Champion has a lot of people back ... Liberty has great skill people ... Hubbard has a great offensive line and a great tailback (Frank Harris). But if we do the things we need to do, we'll be real competitive and we'll surprise some people.''
Assisting Iarussi are Vihnce Colaluca, Dom Leone, Adam Elhaddi, Joe Lattanzio, Shawn Hammond, Mike Faber, Bo Reichart, Jason Black, Rich Pavone, Chris Fahndrich and Bob Stefanovsky.
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Updated August 29, 1996