Scotch Plains-Fanwood Faces Westfield in Season Opener

After a sub-par performance in its game-scrimmage versus visiting Essex County foe Belleville Friday morning, the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School football team needed to get its act together this week in preparation for Saturday's 1 p.m. home opener versus archrival Westfield.

"We played much better in our last scrimmage," head coach Steve Ciccotelli said. "I don't why we didn't play well. We have to look at it as a staff because we expect more out of this group."

In contrast, Westfield excelled more often than not in its game-scrimmage at home Friday afternoon against Bergen County opponent Pascack Valley.

"From our first through our third scrimmage we're getting better," Westfield head coach Jim DeSarno said. "I thought we blocked well. Defensively, our first group did a nice job."

For those keeping track, the final scores of the two scrimmages were Belleville 13, Scotch Plains 10 and Westfield 27, Pascack Valley 19.

Matt Manns, at end, is one of five returning starters on defense for Scotch Plains. The others are senior linebacker Neville Hall, junior linebacker Anthony Letteiri, senior tackle Michael Tufaro and senior cornerback Quinton Blackwell.

Manns, Hall, Blackwell and senior outside linebacker Kyle Berwick were named captains. Taking over at quarterback is junior Steven Alleman.

Scotch Plains is coming off a 2-8 season and has had only one winning campaign in the last four. The Raiders are in the Mid-State 39 Conference's West B Division, which also includes Delaware Valley, North Plainfield, Voorhees, Warren Hills and Somerville.

Westfield is sparked on offense by returning seniors Dan Kerr at quarterback and A.J. Murray at running back. Two other returning starters on defense include senior ends Nick Matthews and Garrett Pryor.

Murray and senior right guard and defensive tackle Jesse DiMartino were named team captains. DiMartino is in his first year as a two-way starter.

Westfield went 8-3 last year for its fourth consecutive winning season and third straight playoff appearance. The Blue Devils reached the North 2, Group 4 semifinals for the second time in three years and captured the Mid-State 39 Conference's Watchung Division title. Westfield is in the conference's East A Division this year along with fellow Union County schools Union, Elizabeth, Linden and Plainfield and Somerset County teams Immaculata and Watchung Hills.

In the middle of last season, Westfield went to Scotch Plains and came away with a convincing 30-6 triumph. The Blue Devils have won three of the last four games in the series. Saturday's game will be a non-conference contest for both.

"We've got to go back to square one," Ciccotelli said. "We have a thing – practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.We have to get back to that attitude. Today [against Belleville] we made mistakes that we made in practice and we have to eliminate that."

While it was a game-scrimmage effort – for the most part – that the coaching staff was disappointed with, Ciccotelli did see a few positives.

"On defense, I thought we did all right," Ciccotelli said. "Then we gave up those two long wheel routes that set up both of their scores. We adjusted and talked about it at halftime and still didn't correct, so that was disappointing. Our defense, overall for most of the game, played well."

NOTES: This is the first time in years that one team has hosted two games in a row in the series. It is also the first time in recent memory that the two teams played each other in their season-openers. The earliest the two met in the regular season was in their second game.

"Since I've been here I can't remember a year when we played them first," said Ciccotelli, now in his 20^th season at the helm of the Raiders. "It's such a rivalry game and probably better to play later in the year, like most rivalry games are."

DeSarno, now in his fifth season at the helm of the Blue Devils, agreed. "We've kind of played them always toward the end of the year," he said. "I think it's helped both teams at times in terms of momentum."

SCOTCH PLAINS VS. WESTFIELD

Since 2001:

2009: Westfield 30, Scotch Plains 6 – at Scotch Plains

2008: Westfield 35, Scotch Plains 12 – at Westfield

2007: Scotch Plains 28, Westfield 14 – at Scotch Plains

2006: Westfield 28, Scotch Plains 21 – at Westfield

2005: Scotch Plains 32, Westfield 29 (OT) – at Scotch Plains

2004: Scotch Plains 27, Westfield 0 – at Westfield

2003: Scotch Plains 27, Westfield 6 – at Scotch Plains

2002: Scotch Plains 13, Westfield 10 – at Westfield

2001: Westfield 21, Scotch Plains 19 – at Scotch Plains

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