Wesley Opens Training Camp
DOVER, Del. - The Wesley College football team will have a much different look in 2009. Gone is a talented senior class that combined to win 45 games and made the NCAA Playoffs all four years.
But the cupboard is far from bare for Head Coach Mike Drass, who enters his 17th season guiding the Wolverines with 130 wins, seven Atlantic Central Football Conference Championships and two final four appearences.
The Wolverines road to a fifth straight NCAA appearance and fifth straight conference title will not be an easy one. The season opener features a showdown with Christopher Newport, coming off an NCAA appearance and ranked in the preseason rankings by several outlets. Also in September are games against Division II scholarship program North Greeneville, preseason top five Delaware Valley, and a LaGrange team that made the postseason in 2008.
The regular season finishes with a four game home stand, starting with Webber International and followed by rival Salisbury, Division II scholarship Lake Erie and Ohio Dominican, who is ranked in the NAIA in the preseason.
Christopher Newport, Delaware Valley and Salisbury are all ranked in the various Division III preseason polls, as is Ohio Dominican in the summer's NAIA rankings. Also on the docket is a game against LaGrange, coming off its first playoff appearance in school history, and two Division II opponents in Lake Erie and North Greenville.
On offense, 11 players return who have started games in their career. The defense, meanwhile, sports nine such players.
Dangerous wide receiver/return specialist Larry Beavers moved on to the Carolina Panthers, but Offensive Coordinator Chip Knapp will have plenty of weapons at his disposal.
ACFC Offensive Player of the Year Shane McSweeny (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) returns at quarterback. As a sophomore in 2008, he finished second in Division III in pass efficiency (181.2) after earning the starting role in the season's second game. He threw 18 touchdowns and just four interceptions, completing over 67 percent of his passes.
The battle for the backup position will be a heated battle in camp between sophomores Justin Sottilare (Columbia, Md./Oakland Mills), John Cirri (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) and Tim Lamirande (Adelphia, N.J./Howell), with freshman Chris Cummings (Newark, DE/Newark) in the mix as well.
Two of the Wolverines' top six rushers of all-time return in the backfield. Seniors Mike Pennewell (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna) and Aaron Jackson each have 1,000-yard seasons to their credit. Both players toted the rock 131 times in 2008 and combined to rush for 18 touchdowns.
McSweeny, Pennewell and Jackson should all benefit from an experienced offensive line that returns five players with starting experience. Matt Ferguson, 6-5/295 (Dover, Del./Dover), playing as a graduate student, was named a Preseason All-American by The Sporting News at tackle. Senior Evan Pritchett, 6-1/275 (Baltimore, Md./Sparrows Point), juniors Anthony West, 6-3/315(Laurel, Del./Laurel) and Ken McDonald, 6-4/255 (Glen Burnie, Md./Old Mill) and sophomore Jesse Trump, 6-2/285 (Mount Holly/Rancocas Valley) have all started in the past and have the ability to play multiple positions on the line. West and Trump bring size to the table, while both Pritchett and McDonald have shown athleticism as members of the men's lacrosse program.
Looking to gain more time this season will be senior Tom Fox, 6-2/235 (Middletown, Del./Middletown) and sophomores James Buettner, 6-7/270 (Dundalk, Md./Patapsco) and Matt Loveland, 6-3/290 (Mount Holly, N.J./Rancocas Valley). Fox comes into camp as the heir apparent to four-year starter Pat Bell at center.
Wesley's receiving corps will have new look as both starting receivers and the starting tight end have moved on. Both Beavers and tight end Jon Lanouette finished among the Wolverines' all-time leaders in every receiving category.
Lanouette's replacement, junior Sean McAndrew (Lanoka Harbor, N.J./Lacey Township) has shown promise when pressed into action. Last season, he had 10 catches for 221 yards and also caught a Hail Mary at the end of the first half in the Wolverines NCAA First Round shutout win at Muhlenburg. Sophomore Travis Douglas (Vineland, N.J./Vineland) is expected to see an increased role. Both players are multi-sport athletes at Wesley. McAndrew was a member of the school's conference champion men's basketball team and Douglas holds Wesley's record in the shot put.
Junior C.J. Bacote (Burlington, N.J./Lenape Regional) is the most experienced option at wide receiver after hauling in nine passes last year, but finished the year strong with a third of that production in the NCAA Second Round against Mary Hardin-Baylor.
A pair of players who spent last year in the secondary is expected to contribute heavily. Junior Marcus Wilson (Pennsauken, N.J./Camden Catholic), an All-ACFC safety in 2008, will play both ways. At 6-3, 212 lbs., Wilson will bring a combination of both size and speed to the position. Meanwhile, sophomore DeAndre Fowlkes (Paulsboro, N.J./Paulsboro) will shift to offense full-time in 2009 and is the fastest Wolverine running a sub 4.4 40.
Junior Leonard Stevenson (Nanjemoy, Md./Lackey) and sophomore Reggie McIntyre (Glen Burnie, Md./North County) are expected to make a big push for playing time.
At fullback and slot, junior Gene Knight (Baltimore, Md./Overlea) returns after missing last season due to injury and had 18 receptions in 2007. Sophomore Hassan Alston (Randallstown, Md./Newtown) should see a bigger role, while special teams ace Yvenel Sainsume (Lincoln, Del./Milford) moves from the secondary for his senior season.
On defense, six starters return on a unit that finished 16th in Division III in total defense a year ago under the guidance of Defensive Coordinator Tom Smith.
Up front, Wesley should be solid in the middle with D3football.com All-South Region tackle Mike Ward, 6-1/290 (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) and fellow senior Carlos James, 6-1/272 (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck). The duo combined for 65 stops a year ago, including eight for loss.
Senior Josh Nevid, 6-2/235 (Woodbury, N.J./West Deptford) returns at defensive end after leading a balanced pass rush with four sacks and nine tackles for loss. Across from Nevid, junior Jeff Dorsey, 6-2/245 (Baltimore, Md./Woodlawn) and sophomore Chris Mayes, 6-3/230 (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) will compete for time. Dorsey registered three sacks as a reserve in 2008 and Mayes had a pair a pass rush specialist in 2007.
Sophomore Paul Gilstrop (Lindenwold, N.J./Paul VI) and junior Eric Adams (Ocean, N.J./Ocean Township) should see plenty of action in the trenches, as well. Adams was a regular member of the line rotation in 2008, tallying 34 tackles and Gilstrop moved up the depth chart as the season wore on.
Three starters also return to the secondary. Wilson was joined on the All-ACFC team last year by fellow safety Aaron Benson (Swarthmore, Pa./Strath Haven). Benson, who was named a team captain along with McSweeny and Ferguson, emerged as a sophomore to finish second on the team in tackles, tackles for loss and interceptions. Sophomore Mike Brandenburg (Edgewater, Md./Archbishop Spalding) and junior Benny Price (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) will see extensive action, as well.
At corner, junior Reggie Millner (Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney) had a productive first year as a starter in 2008 and will be looked to for bigger things in 2009. Junior Dakevis Howard (Wilmington, Del./Concord) is expected to contribute at both corner and safety. Both Justin Strickland (Owings Mills/Calvert Hall) and Jarrett Williams (Bartow, Fla./Bartow) will play larger roles as sophomores.
While the line and secondary are full of experience parts, the story is different at linebacker, where all three starters from last season are gone.
Sophomore Mike Asiedu, 6-3/212 (Yonkers, N.Y./Gorton) was a pleasant surprise as a freshman, making 16 tackles as a reserve. He had 1.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble against rival Salisbury and a sack in the playoff win over the Mules and should step into a starting role in 2009.
Senior Zach Johnson, 6-0/225 (Marydel, Md./North Caroline) has improved steadily throughout his career and will fight for one of the starting and could take another of the starting spots. Junior Chuck Cohen, 5-9/210 (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) also saw heavy action in 2008, making 14 tackles and is also a favorite to land a starting nod.
Other players fighting for time include sophomores Joe Cifelli (Princeton, N.J./Princeton) and Kirk Brooks (Baltimore, Md./Mount Saint Joseph) and freshman Dean Hammel (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp).
On special teams, McAndrew was named All-ACFC at punter and the Wolverines set and NCAA record by allowing a negative-five yards on punt returns for the season.
Junior Collin Blugis (Odenton, Md./Arundel) is a two-year starter at placekicker, who was chosen All-ACFC as a freshman.
Classmate Mike Hanf (Cherry Hill, N.J./Camden Catholic) is projected to be the long snapper.
Wilson averaged 19.7 yards per kick return in 2008 and Fowlkes is expected to see time there as well.
