Sports
Clarkstown South Football Counting on Strength of Returning Players
Vikings hope to build upon the growing pains of past season.
The best measure of success is not always wins and losses.
"Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. The wins will come, but being a better person each day, that's something to treasure," Clarkstown South football coach Mike Scarpelli says as he is about to embark on a ninth year with the Vikings.
"But," cautions the former South player and 1992 graduate, "winning does feel better than losing."
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Clarkstown South, which is climbing back up the mountain after falling one win short of reaching the sectional championship game in 2007 -- losing to powerhouse North Rockland in the semifinals -- has a solid group of returnees to count upon.
The Vikings hope to get their first win of the season on Sept. 11 in a road game against Mount Vernon and, just like district-rival Clarkstown North, are already looking forward to the annual Supervisor's Cup on Friday night Oct. 15.
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The so-called Clash of Clarkstown, noted Scarpelli, is a fun game, but intense, good stress, not so much bad stress.
"And it's for bragging rights for the rest of your life," the coach added. "It's a great game, beserk, it's nuts."
Scarpelli is completing his first summer camp working alongside his friend and North Coach Joe Trangone, another South graduate.
"Joe and I both played at South and the summer camp, it makes you realize that once the competition is over, we're just human beings. It's the first time doing this and we're really bridging the gap. It's great."
The Vikings, who went 2-7 last season but shut out playoff-bound Mamaroneck, are genuinely optimistic.
"We were in every game (in 2009)," Scarpelli said. "We're always very competitive. We lost to Ramapo by one touchdown. When we played North Rockland we were 1-4 at the time and they were 5-0 and we led 14-0 early. Last year we had growing pains."
The Vikings have a number of key returnees, directed by senior quarterback Tommy McGuire. Among his weapons are expected to be seniors Nickolas Manfredi (halfback/linebacker), junior Frank Tucek (receiver/linebacker), senior linemen Ryan Leonard and P.J. Fitzsimons and junior lineman Kevin Giordano.
Seniors Neil Munroe (halfback/linebacker) and Nii Laryea (lineman) will also provide valuable help in the climb up the mountain, along with outstanding sophomores Zack Johnson (receiver/defensive back), Charles Venezia (linebacker/halfback) and Thomas Lent (linebacker).
"We'll just take it a day at a time," said Scarpelli, who then took a distinct philosophical bent. "Ten years down the road, no one will remember how much yardage you had. I tell the kids if someday you had to write your own obituary, you'd want to be remembered more for the kind of a person you were and for the team that you were a part of."
Clarkstown South H.S. Football Schedule:
Sat 09/11/10 @ Mount Vernon High School
Thu 09/16/10 Suffern High School
Sat 09/25/10 Ramapo High School
Sat 10/02/10 @ Carmel High School
Sat 10/09/10 North Rockland High School
Fri 10/15/10 @ Clarkstown North High School
