Football - News Football - News
News | Roster | Schedules--Results | Archives
8/20/06-Football
Highly-touted St. Mary's hungry for new grid season
BY MIKE ROSENBAUM OF THE OBSERVER AND ECCENTRIC
One year ago, Orchard Lake St. Mary's had the type of season most schools can only dream of enjoying. The Eaglets were 11-1, won their league championship, made the state playoffs and won two playoff games before losing to the eventual state champion -- Birmingham Brother Rice -- in the regionals.
But there are high expectations on the Orchard Lake campus. Losing to Catholic League rival Brother Rice -- after beating the Warriors twice in the regular season -- doesn't sit well at St. Mary's. Then, there's the 'what if?' factor, as in, 'What if quarterback Justin Siller hadn't missed that final Rice game with a hand injury?'
There's no definite answer to that question. But there is a new season and another shot at state glory.
Porritt says that the 2005 results aren't a factor this season, although senior captain Dionte Allen admits that he thinks about last year's regional loss "all the time...But it's over now. All you can do is come back this year and work your hardest."
This year's Eaglets are not only a consensus choice as one of Michigan's top teams, but have also gained attention in national rankings. But head coach George Porritt says the hype won't bother his players.
"That's part of being at Orchard Lake St. Mary's," Porritt says. "We get high expectations. And we put that on ourselves a little bit. That's a tough thing but it's a traditional thing here."
St. Mary's high ranking is based primarily on the Eaglets' impressive array of returning ballhandlers -- quarterback Siller plus receivers Allen and Taurian Washington. The bad news for opponents is, however, that the Eaglets' defense should be as impressive as the offense.
St. Mary's returns five senior starters on defense, including 6-foot-1, 220-pound end Blair Hollis, linebackers Alex Delisi (6-2, 221) and Laurence Treadway (5-9, 185), plus defensive backs Allen (6-0, 175) and Christopher Mitchell (5-8, 170). Additionally, senior Ricky Thomas (6-2, 250), a transfer who started for Warren DeLaSalle last year, will help anchor the defensive line.
Other key defenders include junior linemen Jason Semmes (6-3, 207) and Carl Goeckel (6-1, 230), senior linebacker Steve Settimo (5-10, 180), junior
linebacker Donald Coleman (6-0, 210), senior safety Nick Sloney (5-11, 170) and Siller (6-4, 205), who'll see action at safety.
"We've just got to be consistent" defensively, Porritt says. "We played good defense last year. We've got to get a little bit better. Hopefully with the leadership of Alex Delisi in the middle for us, and Dionte Allen out at the corner, that should give us some good leadership and hopefully we'll play great continuity defense -- play as a team."
Delisi doesn't expect any changes in strategy.
"We have the mentality -- hard-nosed football -- so that's not going to change," he adds.
Offensively, despite the presence of speedy, playmaking wideouts Allen and Washington (6-2, 190), the Eaglets' offensive philosophy won't change either. The strong-armed Siller will take some shots down the field, but St. Mary's primary goal is to dominate opponents on the ground.
"We're going to run the ball first," Porritt confirms. "But we know we've got some explosive receivers, so we've got to get them the ball, also."
Primary ballcarriers include junior Dominique White (5-8, 175) and Mitchell, both of whom saw action as reserve running backs last season.
St. Mary's key challenge is to replace an all-senior offensive line.
"That's a concern for us," Porritt admits. "We've got some young guys working hard and trying to prove themselves. That's a big issue for us. Our offensive line's got to improve fast and get the continuity going."
Likely offensive line starters include senior Derrick Humphrey (6-3, 285), juniors Matt Sargent (6-2, 235) and Mike Bauer (5-11, 210), plus Thomas and Delisi. The tight end will be senior Pat Carroll (6-1, 185).
Two Eaglets' seniors have made Division I college commitments. Allen will attend Florida State while Washington will play for Ohio State next year. Siller has at least eight D-I scholarship offers to date. Other top college prospects include Delisi, Hollis, Thomas and Mitchell.
The Eaglets begin the season with a challenging non-conference schedule.
"Our schedule's real tough," Porritt says. "Starting out with Martin Luther King and Grand Ledge and Toledo St. Francis, and then go into our league. That's going to be tough. It'll be one game at a time and hopefully we can survive."
St. Mary's survival is likely, but Allen believes the team's attitude will be the key, rather than raw talent
"I think everybody on our team knows that we've got to work hard, no matter what players we have," Allen explains. "I see a lot of leadership from young kids -- freshmen, sophomores. And they're working real hard."
The Eaglets open the season at home against Detroit King this Saturday.
Copyright 2006, St. Mary's Preparatory, Orchard Lake, Michigan. All rights reserved.
No logos, photographs, or graphics on the site may be reproduced without written permission.