2014 High school football preview

Public schools

DeWitt Clinton 

Governors (1-0)

Coach Howard Langley (10th season)

2013: 5-5, lost to New Utrecht, 26-24 in the first round of the PSAL Championship division playoffs

Key players: Jr. QB Brandon Harris, Sr. LT Chris Velasquez, Sr. RT Davonte Hunter, Sr. WR/CB Joe Kennedy, Sr. WR/FS Chesley Carter, Jr. RB/ILB Edward Nunez, Sr. DT Jakashi Miller, Sr. Remy Lynch, Sr. C Kenneth Cuello.

Coach’s take: Langley calls Harris “critical to the success” of the team’s offense, and he is expecting growth from the second-year starter, who showed the ability to run and pass last season. Velasquez will guard Harris’ blind side, while Hunter will man the front side. Miller, 240 pounds, and Mount Saint Michael transfer Lynch, 225 pounds, will be the run stoppers of the team’s 3-5 defensive front, while Carter, Kennedy and Nunez will be the playmakers on offense. Nunez also anchors a strong linebacking corps.

Langley said this is his most promising group yet in his tenure at Clinton, which is a plus for the team because only 12 teams will make the PSAL playoffs this season rather than 16. 

Late coach Joe Prezioso will be honored at homecoming on Nov. 2, but the Governors always have their eye on their annual clash with Kennedy Campus.

“It’s so close in proximity that it’s always the big talk in the borough,” Langley said.

The Governors got the season off to a strong start with a shutout win over Campus Magnet on Saturday.

2014 schedule:

Sat., Sept. 13 at Fort Hamilton, noon

Sat., Sept. 20 vs. Flushing, noon

Sat., Sept. 27 at Harry S. Truman, noon

Sun., Oct. 5 at Port Richmond, 11 a.m.

Fri., Oct. 10 vs. Midwood, 3 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 18 vs. Thomas Jefferson

                  Campus, noon

Fri., Oct. 24 at Lincoln, 7 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 2 vs. Lehman, noon

Sun., Nov. 9 vs. Kennedy Campus, noon

Kennedy Campus Knights (1-0)

Coach Andy Lancberg (fifth season)

2013: 7-4, lost to Erasmus Hall, 34-6, in the quarterfinals of the PSAL Championship division playoffs

Key players: Sr. OG/DE Charlie Garcia, Sr. RB/LB Rasheed Pierre, Sr. TE/DE Tyshawn Boykin, Sr. WR/CB Jaire Blackwell, Sr. MLB/C Damien Diaz, So. QB P.J. Franklyn.

Coach’s take: Lancberg calls Garcia the “heart and soul” of the team and someone he hopes the whole team can exemplify, as he is a team captain and an honors student. Pierre, a three-year starter, “will really turn heads,” according to Lancberg. 

“He’s the full monte,” the coach said of his senior tailback, who will be the focal point in the team’s offense. Boykin, a 6-foot-4, 245-pounder, will be a handful for opposing defenses, while Blackwell is the speedster on the outside.

Franklyn is filling the shoes of all-city standout Anthony Cruz, but Lancberg thinks his new quarterback will be fine.

“He’s my Colin Kaepernick,” Lancberg said. “There’s a lot of what ifs, but it’ll be good to see these kids grow and climb that mountain in dramatic fashion.”

The Knights won their first game in dramatic fashion, as they beat Thomas Jefferson Campus, 26-20, in overtime Friday night.

2014 schedule:

Sat., Sept. 13 at Boys and Girls, noon

Sat., Sept. 20 at Port Richmond, noon

Fri., Sept. 26 vs. Lehman, 7 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 4 vs. Campus Magnet, 7 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 12 at Canarsie, noon

Sat. Oct. 18 at Flushing, noon

Fri., Oct. 24 vs. Curtis, 7 p.m.

Fri., Oct. 31 vs. Harry S. Truman, 7 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 9 at Clinton, noon

Private schools

Fieldston Eagles

Coach: Gus Ornstein (10th season)

2013: 5-4

Key players: Sr. QB Henry Miller, Sr. RB/MLB Jack Upton, Sr. LT/DE Sam Green, Sr. C/DL Stephen Lese, Sr. WR/CB Kyle Axelrod, Sr. WR/FS Nick Hershey, Sr. OL/DL Adlai Coleman

Coach’s take: The Eagles will play in the newly-formed Metropolitan Independent Football League with Riverdale Country, Pennington (N.J.), Montclair Kimberley Academy (N.J.) and Hackley (Westchester). Ornstein, a 1994 Fieldston graduate, also became the school’s athletic director this year.

He will guide a senior-laden team that centers around Miller, who is coming back from a broken collarbone last season, and Upton, who is being recruited by Division III colleges.

Ornstein said the offense will give multiple formations and will “try to throw as many different looks” at opposing defenses as possible. Upton will sometimes be the lone back or a receiver if they use an empty backfield.

The key to the team’s 4-3 defense is the defensive ends, especially Green, whom Ornstein calls one of the team’s fastest players.

“We’re not a huge team,” Ornstein said, “but we’re pretty athletic and we use our speed to create as much havoc as we can.”

2014 schedule

Sat., Sept. 13 vs. Christ the King

    (L.I.), 2 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 20 at Hackley, 1 p.m.*

Sat., Sept. 27 vs. Riverdale Country, 

          1 p.m.*

Thurs., Oct. 2 at Montclair Kimberley

         Academy, 3:30 p.m.*

Sat., Oct. 11 at Pennington, 3 p.m.*

Sat., Oct. 18 vs. Ardsley, 3 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 25 vs. King (Conn.), 3 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 1 at Horace Mann, 1 p.m.

*conference game

Horace Mann Lions

Coach: Matthew Russo (fourth season)

Last season: 6-2 (4-1 in Hudson Valley Football League)

Key players: Sr. RB Michael Lighten, Sr. OL/DL Ian Mason, Sr. OL/DL Pablo Melana-Dayton, Sr. LB Steve Boland, Sr. LB Will Zeitler, Sr. CB Ian Lee, Sr. K/WR Harry Seavey.

Coach’s take: The Lions are led by a very large senior class, with Lighten a key component in the team’s offense. Russo said he liked his team’s showing in its scrimmage at Blind Brook and that the team emerged healthy. 

“Our season so far has been terrific,” Russo said. “The kids are working hard consistently and playing the game fast.”

Russo said the team is taking things one game at a time, but pointed to local rivals Fieldston and Riverdale Country as two of the Lions’ bigger games.

“We respect those teams and always have fun playing against them,” the coach said.

2014 schedule

Sat., Sept. 13 vs. Harvey (N.Y.), 4 p.m.*

Sat., Sept. 20 vs. Newark Academy, 

          2:30 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 27 at New York Military

            Academy, 2 p.m.*

Thurs., Oct. 2 at Forman (Conn.), 4 p.m.*

Sat., Oct. 11 vs Dalton, 3 p.m.*

Sat., Oct. 18 vs. Dwight-Englewood

    (N.J.), 2 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 25 at Riverdale Country, 2 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 1 vs. Fieldston, 1 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 8 HVFL Bowl Game, TBA

*league game

Riverdale Country

Falcons (0-1)

Coach: Lance Ramer (third season)

2013: 4-4

Key players: Sr. QB/DB Jordan Dubin, Sr. WR/LB/DB Karl Ehlert, Sr. OL/LB/DL Ian Blow, Sr. TE/DL DeWitt Goss, So. WR/RB/DB Avery Hoffman, Jr. OL/DL Nat Pollack, Jr. RB/LB Michael Barrett, Fr. WR/RB/DB Ernie Robertson.

Coach’s take: Ramer believes the strength of his team is its leadership, including Dubin, a captain, who guides the offense.

The Falcons led 14-0 in their season-opener against Long Island Lutheran after the first quarter but couldn’t hold the lead in an eventual 46-34 loss. Dubin had three touchdown runs, including a 77-yarder to open the scoring, and he also had two touchdown passes, including a 55-yarder to Ehlert.

“The boys have been working extremely hard, both on and off the field,” Ramer said. “We are focusing on simply getting better each and every day.”

The Falcons will also play in the newly-formed Metropolitan Independent Football League.

2014 schedule

Sat., Sept. 13 at King (Conn.), 3 p.m.

Sat., Sept. 20 at Montclair Kimberley 

              Academy, 2 p.m.*

Sat., Sept. 27 at Fieldston, 1 p.m.*

Thurs., Oct. 2 St. Dominic’s (L.I.) at

      Stony Brook, 2:30 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 11 vs. Hackley, 3 p.m.*

Sat., Oct. 18 vs. Pennington, 4 p.m.*

Sat. Oct. 25 vs. Horace Mann, 2 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 1 vs. Newark Collegiate 

                Academy, noon

*conference game