Raiders Seek Redemption

After it struggled to reach the end zone for most of last year following a come-from-behind 26-24 opening season victory at Cranford, the Scotch Plains-Fanwood football team did manage to score 67 points in their final two games and finished the season with a second triumph.

The team Scotch Plains defeated to wrap last year – Super Essex Conference foe Belleville – is the squad the Raiders had their game scrimmage against Friday morning.

Like last year's sectional consolation contest – both teams are again situated in North 2, Group 3 – the site was moved from Belleville to Scotch Plains. Unlike last year, however, Scotch Plains did not perform well versus Belleville according to head coach Steve Ciccotelli, now in his 20th season with the Raiders.

"If we play like that we'll only win two games again," Ciccotelli said. "It was a step backward from our last scrimmage."

Scotch Plains will host Westfield Sept. 11 at 1 p.m. in the season-opener for both, and like last year, it will be the underdog. Westfield has won the last two games in the series, including a 30-6 triumph at Scotch Plains last season.

With quarterback Dan Kerr and running back A.J. Murray – both seniors – returning from last year's 8-3 North 2, Group 4 semifinalist squad, the Westfield Blue Devils will be hungry to top the Raiders a second consecutive year in Scotch Plains.

Ciccotelli said his defense was ahead of its offense after scrimmages on the road against Bishop Ahr, East Orange Campus and Union. Leading the 4-4 defense is senior end Matt Manns (6-4, 255).

"Matt is a quiet leader who leads by example," Ciccotelli said. "He's starting to do things real well on both sides of the ball."

Manns is one of five returning starters on defense, including senior linebacker Neville Hall, junior linebacker Anthony Letteiri, senior tackle Michael Tufaro and senior cornerback Quinton Blackwell.

"Hopefully we can open some holes for Quinton," Ciccotelli said. "He has good vision, can make people miss and runs hard."

Manns, at left guard, is also one of four returning starters on offense, including Blackwell at tailback, senior John Howarth at center and Tufaro at right guard. Senior wide receiver Sean Coloney and Hall at fullback played some last season as well.

At quarterback is junior Steven Alleman, who was the junior varsity quarterback last season and occasionally filled-in for then-senior Gary Binkiewicz on the varsity squad.

"He's a smart quarterback who is not intimidated," Ciccotelli said. "He can throw the ball."

Blackwell showed ability at times last year to be the kind of quarterback that could break a play and get in the open field for a big gain.

"On offense we have to win the battle up front," Ciccotelli said. "If we win that, we'll get in the end zone.

Ciccotelli said that after nearly three decades as a football coach, he still looks forward to football season. "I wouldn't do it if I didn't have the drive, it wouldn't be fair to the kids," he said. "I was excited about starting practice and I'm excited to be at practice and to still be coaching. It hasn't left me yet."

Situated in the Mid-State 39 Conference's West B Division this year along with Delaware Valley, North Plainfield, Voorhees, Warren Hills and Somerville, the only one of those teams Scotch Plains faced last year was Warren Hills.

"We had a tough schedule last year and, again, we don't know much yet about these other teams we'll be playing this year," Ciccotelli said. "We know we have Westfield in our opener. We'll take it one game at a time. There are four teams (DV, NP, Voorhees and Somerville) that we don't know a lot about."

Non-conference opponents are Westfield, Rahway, Cranford and Elizabeth.

On Tuesday, Manns, Blackwell, Hall and Kyle Berwick – all seniors – were named team captains.

Stay tuned to the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Patch for a preview of the Raiders' home opener against Westfield next Saturday.

SCOTCH PLAINS' MUTLTIPLE-I OFFENSE:

LG Matt Manns, senior, (6-4, 255)

LT Dan Lynch, junior, (6-2, 275)

C John Howarth, senior, (6-0, 190)

C Ian Krieger, junior, (5-11, 210)

RG Michael Tufaro, senior, (6-0, 260)

RT Ray Lowery, senior, (5-11, 215)

TE Alex Daboub, senior, (6-0, 205)

TE Andrew Miller, junior, (6-2, 190)

QB Steven Alleman, junior, (5-11, 165)

QB Connor Thompson, senior, (5-10, 165)

FB Neville Hall, senior, (5-11, 210)

FB Anthony Letteiri, junior, (5-11, 195) 

TB Quinton Blackwell, senior, (5-9, 165)

TB Anthony Byers, junior, (5-9, 170)

WR Sean Coloney, senior, (5-11, 170)

WR Matt Jegede, junior, (6-4, 175)

WR Moussa Channaoui, senior, (6-1, 170)

PK-P John Murphy, sophomore, (5-10, 165)

SCOTCH PLAINS' 4-4 DEFENSE:

E Will Bryant, senior, (5-11, 190)

E Alex Daboub, senior, (6-0, 205)

T Dan Lynch, junior, (6-2, 275)

T Michael Tufaro, senior, (6-0, 260)

E Matt Manns, senior, (6-4, 255)

LB Neville Hall, senior, (5-11, 210)

LB Anthony Letteiri, junior, (5-11, 195) 

OLB Andrew Miller, junior, (6-2, 190)

OLB Kyle Berwick, senior, (5-10, 160)

CB Quinton Blackwell, senior, (5-9, 165)

CB Anthony Byers, junior, (5-9, 170)

CB Connor Thompson, senior, (5-10, 165)

CB Moussa Channaoui, senior, (6-1, 170)

S Matt Jegede, junior, (6-4, 175)

S Sean Coloney, senior, (5-11, 170)

SCOTCH PLAINS RAIDERS

Head coach: Steve Ciccotelli, since 1991. 20th season.

Conference: Mid-State 39

Division: West B

Section: North 2, Group 3

Last sectional title: 1990

Record in 2009: (2-8)

Record through the 2000s: 63-48 (.568)

Football Field Surface: Field Turf.

Steve Ciccotelli is a 1967 Johnson Regional graduate,

who was previously a head coach at Johnson and Sparta and

an assistant for one year at Penn State in 1988. He led Scotch Plains

to the 2003 North 2, Group 3 championship game.

SCOTCH PLAINS RAIDERS 2010

Sept. 11 Westfield, 1 p.m.

Sept. 17 at Rahway, 2:30 p.m.

Sept. 25 Delaware Valley, 1 p.m.

Oct. 1 at Cranford, 7 p.m.

Oct. 9 Somerville, 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 15 at Voorhees, 7 p.m.

Oct. 23 North Plainfield, 1 p.m.

Oct. 29 at Warren Hills, 7 p.m.

Nov. 6 Elizabeth, 2 p.m.

2009 SCOTCH PLAINS RAIDERS (2-8)

(A) Scotch Plains 26, Cranford 24

(A) Linden 35, Scotch Plains 0

(H) Warren Hills 12, Scotch Plains 6

(A) Immaculata 41, Scotch Plains 0

(H) Phillipsburg 40, Scotch Plains 0

(H) Westfield 30, Scotch Plains 6

(H) Summit 42, Scotch Plains 14

(A) Rahway 34, Scotch Plains 0

(A) North Hunterdon 39, Scotch Plains 19

(H) Scotch Plains 48, Belleville 6

Home: 1-4

Away: 1-4

Points for: 119

Points against: 291

Shutouts: 0

Overtime: 0-0

SCOTCH PLAINS RAIDERS RECORD

FOR THE DECADE OF THE 2000s: (63-48, .568)

2009 - (2-8)

2008 - (4-6)

2007 - (7-4), reached North 2, Group 3 semifinals

2006 - (4-6), reached North 2, Group 3 quarterfinals

2005 - (3-7)

2004 - (6-5), reached North 2, Group 3 semifinals

2003 - (10-2), reached North 2, Group 3 final

2002 - (6-4), reached North 2, Group 3 quarterfinals

2001 - (8-3), reached North 2, Group 3 semifinals

2000 - (8-3), reached North 2, Group 3 semifinals

Made state playoffs (7 times):  2000-2004, 2006, 2007.

Championship game appearances (1): 2003-lost.

Present head coach: Steve Ciccotelli, 20th year.

Head coach for the past decade (1): Steve Ciccotelli 2000-2009.