Last year went winless in eight games and is looking to rebound this fall.
Bears Coach John Consorti feels his squad can bounce back and garner some victories this year if the team comes to the field with the right attitude.
“The major thing is the attitude and the belief that we can win,” Consorti said. “We were in a position to win a few games last year but I felt we came up short in those games because we didn’t have the right mental approach. That will be the number one thing this year for us—the mental approach.”
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Two things that will help this year’s squad gain that mental approach are the return of two of Consorti's former assistant coaches, Larry Petriccione and Brian Conroy. Petriccione was the head coach of Walter Panas last season and was an assistant to Consorti for four seasons before that.
“They will both bring valuable experience to our staff,” Consorti said. “Petriccione has been a head coach in football and Conroy has been a head coach in other sports, so that should help us out a lot.”
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Conroy was a co-coach of the year in League III-A in softball this past spring at Valhalla.
Looking to help the Bears at the quarterback position is senior returnee Ryan Hooper. Hooper will be the main thrower at the position with fellow senior returnees Andrew Goldstein and Colin Orr also expected to see time under center.
“We will be using a few different packages so depending what package we are using will dictate who will be playing quarterback,” Consorti said. “It has nothing to do with how someone is playing; we are using different quarterbacks to match up best with the package we are running at that particular moment.”
When they are not at quarterback, Goldstein will be the feature running back with Orr playing an important role in the backfield as well.
The line will be led by senior returnees, center Brendan O’Connor, guard Kevin Meyers and tackle Justin Cebel.
Briarcliff will look to work in junior returning guard Max Mason and sophomore newcomer tackle William Hou on the line.
“Brendan, Kevin and Justin, we are going to rely on to anchor the offensive line as Max and William get used to playing on the line,” Consorti said.
The line will be looking to block and open holes for Goldstein and Orr, plus allow who is ever under center at the moment plenty of time to throw to returning senior wide receivers, Jon Marrero and Jackson Plimpton.
“We have two good receivers in Jon and Jackson but with the sets we are running, we are looking for two more,” Consorti said.
Defensively, O’Connor will be the key on the Bears line at his defensive tackle position as Briarcliff will use the preseason to figure out what other two players will be joining him up front.
As for defensive ends, Hooper and Goldstein return and Consorti expects the same solid effort he got from them a year ago.
Leading the linebackers will be Meyers, with Cebel joining him at the position after playing on the defensive line a year ago.
Looking to perform in the defensive backfield are Orr, Marrero and Plimpton.
“We like those three guys back there, we just need to look for one more player to join them,” Consorti said.
Junior returnee Russ Cocozza and newcomers, sophomore wide receiver/defensive back Kevin Wolff, sophomore guard/defensive end Eric Weinrach and sophomore wide receiver/defensive back Vinnie Brucceleri are also expected to contribute to the Bears’ cause this season.
Briarcliff will open its season at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 10 at Irvington.
