The Herald, Sharon, PA Published Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1997
Football '97

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  • GREENVILLE
    1997 season preview


    Trojans don't dwell on past

    The '96 Greenville High School football team advanced to the PIAA Class AAA Western Regional championship game before bowing to Blackhawk, but that's ancient history as far as social studies teacher and head coach Bob Stone is concerned.

    Entering his 20th year at the Trojans' helm, Stone (153-40-6) makes no pretense of his sentiments.

    ``I hate to keep using the expression `last year,' because that's in the past,'' the veteran mentor reasoned.

    With that philosophy, Stone and his veteran staff will approach the '97 campaign in hopes of continuing Greenville's gridiron tradition, but it will be no mean feat, as 21 members of _ there's that term, again _ last year's 13-1 Northwest Conference and District 10 championship contingent have graduated.

    ``We lost, offensively, I think, nine out of the 11 starters, and defensively, I think we lost 10 of 11 starters, so, no question, there'll be a lot of new faces in the starting lineups this year,'' Stone said.

    But the foundation on which offensive coordinator Brian Herrick can rebuild is formidable in the person of tailback Joe Korcinsky.

    Korcinsky amassed 2,330 yards rushing (166.4 yards/game) and 254 points (including 41 touchdowns), both county bests in '96. His yardage total is third-best in Herald coverage-area single-season annals, and he enters the season eighth on the all-time list (3,313 yards rushing). His touchdown total a year ago was second only to former Trojan star Andy Blatt's 44 in county history.

    The characteristically conservative Stone emphatically expressed his feelings on the concept of Korcinsky being a marked man.

    ``We're not gonna change much. We're gonna do things the way we always have. I mean, we've always been a tailback-oriented football team and I suppose, if you can gang up and stop the tailback, why, you're gonna give us a lot of problems, maybe force us to do some other things that we don't wanna do _ like throw the ball.

    ``But I think we've worked on our passing game the last few years; I think we've had a little more variety than we used to have. I guess other people do what they think they have to do, and we'll just have to try to play chess with 'em and see how it comes out.

    ``I'd hate to think that any football team we would ever have is strictly a 1-man outfit. And despite the fact that Joe is undoubtedly an excellent running back, I think Joe would tell you that there are 10 other kids there, and we would hope we're never just a 1-man show, because any time you do that, you're way out on a limb,'' Stone summarized.

    The quarterback slot will remain in the family; although 2-year starter Andy Mason graduated, his younger brother, Cliff, will step in under center.

    Regarding the numerous other vacancies, Stone said, ``We do have some kids who appear to have stepped forward,'' citing linemen Casey Young, Joe Myers, Matt Korcinsky and Matt Olsen.

    `That's what high school football is all about: They're around for a while; then they graduate; then it's somebody else's turn. Well, I guess the success of your program depends on how those `somebody elses' step up and do the job,'' Stone said. ``Last year we had a lot of experience coming back, so we could move a little faster; the kids already knew a lot of the things that we went over. But this year that isn't the case _ we're very inexperienced _ so we have to take a little longer to learn.

    ``I like being around the kids. This is a good group of kids. They're nice kids. It's a challenge, (and) I guess I enjoy a challenge. Some years it's a bigger challenge than others; but then, of course, the rewards are bigger, too ... '' Stone continued.

    Greenville has a stranglehold on the NWC crown, but Stone admitted, ``Maybe this is a shortcoming on my part, but to be honest with you, I don't pay a whole lot of attention to the other teams and who they have back and that kind of stuff. As a matter of fact, during the season I can only refer to players on other teams by (uniform) number; in many cases, I don't even know their names. So it's really difficult for me to assess other peoples' situations at this point in the season because I really know very little about them. We have our own problems; I can't be concerned about other people at this point.''

    Primarily preoccupied with maintaining the Greenville grid program that he has been involved with for more than 3 1/2 decades, Stone and his staff, including veteran defensive coordinator Gary Hull, place a self-imposed pressure on themselves.

    ``Regardless of last year's success, I've always felt that we have a great football tradition here. So in my own mind, there's a little pressure every year _ I don't care what the past year produced _ but there's a little pressure every year to produce. And I don't think that's bad; I think tradition is good. I think it gives the kids an idea of what's expected of them, not only by me, but by everybody in town. Tradition's a good thing, but it does cause a little pressure. I guess we put it on ourselves. We want to meet expectations, but we have to be realistic about it.''

    Stone made no predictions, choosing instead to reiterate the program's standard pre-season goals.

    ``Our first goal, obviously, always is to have a representative football team. My own goals after that _ and I think the kids feel, pretty much, the same way _ in order: We would certainly like to win a conference championship; after that we would certainly like to go through an undefeated regular season; if we can accomplish that, we'll be in the playoffs; then, of course, we'd like to win a District 10 championship. And after that we'd like to go as far as possible in the state playoffs, if we should be fortunate enough to get that far.''

    Wins and losses aside, though, the one constant in the Trojans' tradition remains steadfast, in Stone's mind.

    ``Ed Snyder (fourth all-time in county annals with a 152-66-10 ledger during three stints at GHS) was an outstanding coach and I think he developed this football tradition we have in Greenville. The philosophy of our football program is strictly his, and we happen to think it's correct, and we're just trying to continue in that same vein. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Ed Snyder.

    ``Ed's been very instrumental in what coaching success I've had, and,'' Stone said in conclusion with a wry laugh, ``This is an easy program to step into.''

    In addition to Hull and Herrick, Kirk Smith, Terry Cooper, Gary Zane, Mark Hayes, Mark Karpinski, Dave Henderson and Rick Zilla will be assisting Stone.




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