Conestoga Football Will Be Relying On Defense This Season

It’s interesting how one season an offense can carry a team and the next a defense can be the cornerstone. That will be the case this season for ’s football team. The Pioneers relied on a high-octane offense to buoy themselves last year. This season, a defense with a year’s experience will be the foundation of the Pioneers.

Conestoga coach John Vogan and his team will find out quickly just how good that defense is. The Pioneers first two Central League games are against league powerhouses Garnet Valley and Ridley.

“Yes, we’ll find out right away how good we are,” Vogan said. “I think that obviously, defensively, we weren’t very good last year. We played a lot of first-year starters on defense and they’re all back. We got roughed up a little there, but the kids got a year of experience and I think we’re going to play better defense.

“Offensively, we have a new quarterback, a couple of new linemen and some new wide outs. We’re talented, but just the exact opposite of what we were last year, when our offense was very good and our defense was very young. We will find out fast. We start off really hard, with Owen J. Robert, Garnet Valley and Ridley.”

Joe Viviano, a towering 6-foot-5, 190-pound junior, will take over the quarterback chores. He’s rangy, athletic, with quick feet and throws a very good ball. He reminds Vogan of former Conestoga quarterback Bill Flatley, only a little taller.

The defense will have both size and speed. The meat of the Pioneers’ defense comes up front in seniors Geoff Hegg (6-foot-4, 265 pounds), Robert Campbell (6-foot-3, 240 pounds) and Patrick O’Donnell (6-foot-1, 270). They’re space eaters that will clog a lot of holes.

Conestoga is a school that experienced a mass rush of athletic success this past spring, something unprecedented in high school athletics in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Conestoga became “State Championship High,” after the Pioneers’ baseball team, coached by Vogan, won the PIAA Class AAAA state championship for the first time in school history, the boys’ lacrosse team won its second-straight state title, and boys’ tennis team also claimed a state title.

“I think it’s a good thing what happened to the school last spring, but as long as these guys don’t put so much pressure on themselves to feel they need to keep up with that, we’re going to be okay,” Vogan said. “My philosophy has always been to only worry about the next game that we play; we can only go one step at a time. I don’t want the kids to feel that the only way to measure success is a state championship. There are other ways to measure success, a Central League title, a district playoff berth, then go from there. Small steps. I’ve never ever gotten away from that philosophy. Our focus will be trying to beat Owen J. Roberts in our season opener, working on one game plan and one game at a time.”

Conestoga Fact Box

Coach: John Vogan 11th season (81-36 career record).

Last year: 6-4 overall

Key Players: Joe Viviano (Jr. 6-foot-5, 190, QB), Andrew Destefano (Jr. 5-foot-10, 170, CB/WR), Riley Pritchett (Jr.  6-foot-2, 205, TE/OLB), Nick Prespitino (Jr. 6-foot, 180, ILB/ RB), Jerrell Clarke (Sr. 5-foot-10, 185, RB/ILB), Geoff Hegg (Sr. 6-foot-4, 265, OL/DL), Robert Campbell (Sr.  6-foot-3, 240, OL/DL), Patrick O’Donnell (Sr.
6-foot-1, 270, OL/DL), Grant Garbutt (Sr. 6-foot-2, 195, TE/OLB).

Games to watch: at Garnet Valley 9/9, Ridley 9/16, Haverford 10/28, at Upper Darby 11/4.

Conestoga Schedule

Sept. 2         at Owen J. Roberts 7:00 pm

Sept. 9         at Garnet Valley 7:00 pm

Sept. 16       Ridley 7:00 pm

Sept. 23       Penncrest 7:00 pm

Sept. 30       at Springfield 7:00 pm

Oct. 6 at Lower Merion 3:45 pm

Oct. 14        Marple-Newtown 7:00 pm

Oct. 21        at Radnor 7:00 pm

Oct. 28        Haverford 7:00 pm

Nov. 4         at Upper Darby 7:00 pm