The Herald, Sharon, PA Published Thursday, Sept. 3, 1998
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  • 1998 season preview


    ABell's expectations are high for the '98 Eagles

    Entering his second season as Grove City High School football coach, Jeff Bell is setting his expectations higher than he did prior to his first year.

    Considering the team went 7-4 and made it to the District 10 finals, which ended in a 35-6 loss to PIAA western quarterfinalist Greenville a year ago, those expectations may seem a little high.

    ''This year, our goal as a team is to try and take it one step further. Each year, naturally, our first goal is to win the league championship, then after that is the District 10 title,'' Bell said. ''We haven't been able to do that. We won the league championship last year, so our goal this year is to go one step further and win that (D-10) title. It's going to be tough, but that's our goal we're working towards.''

    With his expectations for the team so high, it is quite fitting that Bell's personal ones are lofty as well and they tend to overlap. For example, foremost among those goals is to have the program improve each year.

    ''I'll be disappointed if we don't. I said that last year,'' Bell said. ''Coming in as a first-year coach, I read it in the paper and I was like, 'Why did I say that I'll be disappointed if we don't make the playoffs?' But I will. I'll be disappointed if we don't make the playoffs. So will those 48 kids I have in the locker room.''

    Having one year under his belt, Bell was told by his coaching brethren it would make the second year easier. But Bell is having none of it -- he doesn't want to be a one-year playoff wonder, so to speak.

    ''Really, I think it's been a little bit more difficult,'' Bell said. ''After last season, I have higher expectations. We're just trying to push them a little bit more this year and try to be a little bit better than what we were. Every coach wants to be better every year, so that's why we're pushing a little bit harder.''

    For Bell to make another run at the District 10 title game, he'll have to rely on a group of skill players with little or no varsity experience. Gone are leading rusher Anthony Errera (622 yards, 8 TDs) and backfield mate Jason Russell (522 yards, 6 TDs). Also gone is two-year starter under center Justin Bell.

    ''Our skill people are young,'' Bell said. ''We don't have a whole lot of experience there. We have some good experience on the line. And last year we had experienced skill people and we were young on the line. That's a different situation.''

    But Bell admitted he would rather be experienced at the skill positions. After all, it's not too often an offensive lineman makes a game-breaking play.

    ''A good skill kid that has athletic ability, if you do the right things and have a good line, that enables them to do good things on the field.''

    Bell has a three-horse race with 6-foot-1, 150-pound senior Ryan Bonner the only QB with varsity action. The others are junior Nate Kingsley (5-9, 160) and sophomore Andy DeGroff (5-10, 140). They will be hard-pressed to replace the 719 yards and 6 TDs Justin Bell contributed last year.

    ''They've all been working really hard,'' Bell said. ''They all do certain things very well. Right now, I'd feel confident putting in any one of the three on the field. There are certain things each one does better than the other. Any one could start any game for us. That's a good place to be, also.''

    Errera and Russell formed a powerful one-two punch in the backfield. Senior running back Julian Pierce, new to the Eagles program this year, should get the bulk of the carries in their absence.

    Bell is high on the sophomore class saying, ''we've had a couple of young kids who have really impressed the coaching staff.'' And that's what makes his job the most rewarding.

    ''That's what makes coaching high school football something to look forward to,'' Bell said. ''You never know how these young kids are going to react. You watch them run, lift weights. But when you get the equipment on and see them go against the juniors and seniors, you never know how they'll react. But there are some sophomores who have really opened up the coaches' eyes. That's what we need. We need some of them to step up and fill some holes.''

    On the other side of the ball, Bell is faced with a similiar situation. He must replace the competitive whirlwind known as Matt Tomeo -- an outside linebacker who was the defense's emotional leader.

    Assisting Bell are Brad Trezona, Brian Trezona, John 'Bubba' McCall, Ken Isles, Harry Jones and Jeff Hatten.


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