Mounties: Big Expectations for 2011

MONTCLAIR – Ever since the final seconds went off the clock last December, the talk has been about 2011 for the Montclair Mounties.
The future is now for the Montclair football team who lost 19-0 to Randolph for the 2010 Group 4 North 1 state sectional.

With a big group of returnees for the 2011 season, Montclair is considered the favorite to return to what is now MetLife Stadium for the state sectional championship game.  And this time win it.

In between the 2010 state final loss and the start of the 2011 season, three Mounties have announced their decisions to go to college: lineman Julian Pinnix-Odrick to Rutgers while both tight end/linebacker Avery Ellis and running back/defensive back Stephaun Marshall committed to Temple University.

Montclair head coach Joe Fiore put it succinctly when he described one of the key ingredients for a state title. "Stay healthy," said Fiore, who had a couple of players get hurt last season.

The Mounties know they can score, as they averaged almost 30 points per game and accumulated 356 points in last season’s dozen games, but Montclair also gave up a little more than 25 points a game, or 304 points. "We've got to get better in that area," said Fiore about the team’s defense. "Hopefully, with one year under our belts, we'll do that."

When you think of Montclair, you think of senior Khalif Herbin who accumulated more than 3,000 all-purpose yards, whether it was passing, running or special teams. "He's gotten better, bigger, stronger and smarter," said Fiore. "He's just a better football player."

Herbin at quarterback will be handing off to Marshall, who had 500 yards on the ground last season, along with senior Tyrone El and junior Michael Million.

If Herbin or junior backup quarterback, Nate Crutchfield, throw the ball, the top receiver will be senior Mike Smith who had 380 receiving yards last season. Herbin is also a great target and caught a dozen passes from Crutchfield for 318 yards.

Other receivers catching balls this season are junior Russell Walton, a transfer from Don Bosco Prep, senior Darin Davis and junior C.J. Sears.

Senior Donte Bellamy returns this season and is moved from the offensive line to play a hybrid of fullback and tight end.

A key element is the offensive line, with six players returning – many having three years of experience – led by Pinnix-Odrick who is at the crucial left tackle. The other line members are junior Brandon Taylor, sophomore center Greg DeFranco, senior right guard Daniel Cano and senior right tackle Sean Nickson, a three-year starter. The two other linemen are juniors Amos Campell and Sam Zeff.

Montclair goes with a 4-4 (four linemen and four linebackers) defense and is led by Pinnix-Odrick at defensive end as a three-year starter on the line. Taylor is a two-year starter at defensive tackle. Two seniors, either Alec Bowers or Terrence Carroll, will start at nose guard while the other defensive end spot will have either senior Chris O'Neal or sophomore Austin Stevens.

One of the leaders on the defense is Bellamy at linebacker, a three-year starter. The other linebackers are Ellis at middle linebacker, Marshall and senior Rashawn Barrett.

El leads the defensive backfield at cornerback while senior Michael Korngay is slated at free safety. The other players in the mix in the defensive backfield are Walton and Silas.

If the Mounties do win the state title this season, it would be the first state title since 2002 when they defeated Morristown for the Group 4 North 2 title.

In addition to a state title, Montclair is the favorite to win the Super Essex Conference American division title. The division could be decided in the second and third week of the season at West Orange (Sept. 17) and at Seton Hall Prep on Sept. 25. The Mounties lost to both teams last season.

Montclair 2011 football schedule:

Sept. 9             at St. Peter's Prep, 7 p.m.
Sept. 17           at West Orange, 1 p.m.
Sept. 24           at Seton Hall Prep, 1 p.m.
Oct. 1               Irvington, 1 p.m.
Oct. 15             Belleville, 1 p.m.
Oct. 22             East Orange Campus, 1 p.m.
Oct. 29             at Columbia, 1 p.m.
Nov. 5               Livingston, 2 p.m.
Nov. 23             at Bloomfield, Wednesday, 6 p.m.