Hawks Football Poised for Winning Season

There is a buzz surrounding the Manchester High School varsity football team that hasn’t been felt here in years.   

Needless to say, players, fans and coaches are anxiously awaiting Friday’s 7 p.m. opener when the Hawks host South Plainfield.

There are plenty of reasons for the soaring expectations in 2011:

• Manchester is coming off only the second six-win season in the school’s 36-year history, which included qualifying for the state playoffs.
• The Hawks return 19 full- or part-time starters from last year’s squad.
• Tailback Joe Johnson rushed for 1,414 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also intercepted five passes from his safety spot.
• Quarterback Tim Rogers accumulated 1,200 yards and scored three touchdowns.
• The Hawks return four of five starters on the offensive line – including a pair of good-sized tackles.
• Tom Sokol came back out for football after skipping his junior season and brings with him 23 points from the place-kicking spot and a 30-yard, per punt average.

However, head coach Gerard O’Donnell promptly tempers the exuberance by noting: “We haven’t won anything yet.’’

He reminds those predicting a Shore Conference Class B South title and a Top 10 Shore ranking that Manchester was pounded by Lacey, lost to Barnegat and was an upset victim at the hands of Pinelands Regional in 2010.

“What we need to do this season is something that sets us apart,’’ said O’Donnell, in his fifth year as head coach.

And that is the challenge for the 2011 Hawks, who have inched toward credibility by going 5-5, 5-5 and 6-4 the last three seasons.

“If we don’t have success it will be our own fault,’’ Rogers said. “It’s time for us to stop making excuses.’’

“The coaches have put us in the right positions, they have given us the necessary skills and now it is time for us to execute,’’ added defensive tackle Tyler Martin.

Manchester was competitive in its three preseason scrimmages against New Egypt, Wall and Jackson. New Egypt was a state tournament qualifier last season and Wall figures to be one of the Top 10 teams in the Shore Conference.

“These kids have the work ethic,’’ O’Donnell said. “But what I want to see is the mindset where we only worry about our business. That is the next step this team needs to take.’’

The players believe last year’s success and another year of maturity will bring the desired results.

“We think we have enough pride to compete with anybody,’’ said offensive tackle Brian Pugliesi. “But we also know we can go farther than we did last year. We had more people in the weightroom all winter than we did in any of my years in the program.’’

O’Donnell said the team will need to make its biggest improvements on the defensive side of the ball. Playing undisciplined football at times, Manchester was terrible in short yardage situations. Opponents converted on third-and-short 60 percent of the time.

“And that 60 percent was after we improved dramatically in the second half of the season,’’ O’Donnell said. “From weeks five to 10 we weren’t too bad, so you can only imagine how much we struggled during the first four games.’’

The Hawks play a base 4-3, one-gap, read-and-react defensive scheme.

“I tell the kids all the time, I want them to do no more than I ask, but nothing less,’’ said O’Donnell, who is the defensive coordinator.

O’Donnell said Manchester with go with an eight-man rotation on its defensive front.

Barrington Rose, Kevin Bond, Anthony Cook and Damon Marini will share time at the two defensive end spots.

Ken Johnson and Sokol will share time at tackle with Tyler Martin and Chris Chillemi.

At left linebacker, the Hawks will use Russ Rogers, Keith Decher and RoeMello Muldrow. At middle linebacker will be Steve Bick with Dan Tuma at right linebacker.

The secondary consists of Johnson and AJ Thomas at strong safety and Jaquil Brown and Nick Galletta at cornerback.

“We need to pay attention to detail and avoid the big play,’’ O’Donnell said.

Offensively, Manchester will operate behind a veteran offensive line.

Pugliesi and Ken Johnson will be the tackles with Steve Bick and Zack Helme at the guards. The only newcomer on the line will be center Vinny DiPaola.

“Vinny is a very smart player and has done a good job,’’ Pugliesi said.

If the line plays up to its potential, the Hawks figure to have a balanced attack.

“If we can run the football it makes life a lot easier for me,’’ Tim Rogers said. “With Joey Johnson we’re going to be a little more slanted toward the run … and that’s fine with me. If we can run the ball, we have a chance to have more success in our passing game.’’

Russ Rogers will handle the chores at fullback with Sokol at tight end. Rose, Cook and Jalen Hunter will be the pass-catching threats at wide receiver.

Manchester has made its biggest improvements on special teams. Sokol gives the Hawks a proven kicker.

“We made our first two PAT kicks last year and then it was down hill after that,’’ O’Donnell said.

“Special teams killed us against Barnegat last year and we gave up a touchdown on the opening kickoff against Haddonfield in the playoffs,’’ Pugliesi said. “In practice and scrimmages our special teams have been much better.’’

“We have another weapon,’’ Rogers said. “We know if we get inside the 25 we still have a chance to come away with points.’’

Like Manchester, South Plainfield returns a veteran team and figures to be a good opening-day test for the Hawks.

“We’ve put the time and the work in,’’ Pugliesi said.

“It’s all up to us now,’’ Rogers added.

The Manchester varsity football schedule is available online.