Williamsville East football
Flames don't want another regular season letdown
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Michael Silvestri, front row, right and Tyler Durinka, Mike Langfelder and Zach Stubbendeck, back row, will serve as Williamsville East's varsity football captains. Also pictured, front row, left, is Joe O'Gorman, a preseason All-WNY kicker. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Depending on when you saw Williamsville East play football last year, you were either really impressed or extremely disappointed.

The Flames opened the 2006 season 3-1, including a Week Two 21-14 win over Sweet Home, its first victory over the Panthers in six years. But two weeks later, East, then ranked sixth in Western New York, dropped a 34-15 decision to Kenmore East, who at the time hadn't won a game and finished the year with only two league wins. The next week, East trailed Starpoint, 20-7, took a 21-20 lead but lost 26-21. Then the October snowstorm came, wiping out East's last two regular season games and a chance to send the Flames to the Federation playoffs for only the third time in school history.

The players know what needs to happen so a lull like last season does not occur again.

"It shows that you can't take any games off," said East senior quarterback Zach Stubbendeck, who with Mike Silvestri, Tyler Durinka and Mike Langfelder is the Flames' team captains.

"If we lose a game, it could be like last year," added Silvestri, a fullback and linebacker.

"It's more motivational than anything," added Durinka, a Class A North first team defense pick last year and a preseason All-WNY selection this fall. "If we don't play as a whole, we're not going to do anything."

East coach Henry Fumerelle said this year's goal is three-tiered: be competitive and win every game, qualify for the Federation playoffs and win at Ralph Wilson Stadium. But with only three returning players on offense and four on defense, how new players in new positions will react in game-type situations is still a mystery.

"It concerns me a little bit because the last three years I've been bringing back a minimum of six players on each side of the ball," said Fumerelle.

"But most of the guys in our program, even though they didn't start, still contributed in different personnel groupings."

One position that immediately stands out for the Flames is the size of the offensive line. The average weight of an East starting offensive lineman is 255 pounds. Two of the starters, Durinka, at left tackle, and right tackle Nick Becker, tip the scales at over 300 pounds with Durinka at 301 and Becker at 319.

The 6-foot-4½ Durinka is also extremely athletic. In the Flames' 36-8 Week Four win over Williamsville South last year, Durinka picked a DaeShaune Clark fumble out of the air on a fourth-and-2 and rushed 60 yards for a touchdown. About eight colleges including Syracuse University, University at Buffalo, Miami University of Ohio and Hofstra University are interested in him.

The rest of the East offensive line is comprised of sophomore left guard Ben Khechen (6-foot-2½, 272 pounds), senior Nate Davidson (6-foot-2½, 215 pounds) and sophomore Will Kelly (5-foot-10½, 190 pounds) or MP Joseph (5-foot-11, 195 pounds) at right guard.

"I think we'll be pushing people off the ball," said Durinka, who is entering his third year on varsity. "We have quick guys that can pull and we can also bring it straight up the middle. I think we're going to be shocking a lot of people."

The offensive line will be making holes for junior running backs J.L. Ivey, who saw time as a sophomore, Mike Langfelder, who started at cornerback and slot receiver last year, and Dan Egan. Ivey, Langfelder and Egan have 4.6 40-yard dash speed. Ivey and Langfelder are returning Class A North honorable mentions.

Behind center will be Stubbendeck, who will make his debut as the starting QB after serving as Joe Schriever's backup last year. The 6-foot-4½ Stubbendeck improved his skills immensely by attending two quarterback schools. He also held his own with all-state players from New Jersey at an invite-only camp at Hofstra.

"He has a great arm, height, and his feet are much quicker," said Fumerelle. "He's really put himself in a position to be successful."

"I love to be the leader on the field, the guy everyone looks to make the play or the right call if needed," added Stubbendeck.

Other offensive positions have been filled by Silvestri (fullback) and seniors Dan Rizzo (wide receiver, Class A North honorable mention last year) and Austin Barnett (tight end). Senior Justin Barkowski will back up Barnett at tight end. Junior Jordan DiBernardo will see time as a receiver.

The defense will be made up of Barnett and Barkowski at defensive end, Durinka and Khechen at tackle, Silvestri, Joseph, Kelly or seniors Max Cohen and Brad Teal at linebacker, junior Phil Missana and Ivey at cornerback, Rizzo at free safety and Langfelder at strong safety.

East's best player might be ju- nior kicker Joe O'Gorman, a Class A North first team offense and All-WNY honorable mention last year and a preseason All-WNY selection. O'Gorman, who has been the team's kicker since he was a freshman, set a school record last year with three field goals in one game.

In the offseason, O'Gorman won a couple kicking combines. In practice, he has been hitting field goals from 47 yards away. O'Gorman will handle all East kicking duties this season (punts, field goals, PATs, kickoffs).

"Statistically, one out of five plays in high school is kick related and since I believe we have the best kicker in Western New York, it's a big advantage for us," said Fumerelle.

East will see how good of a team as they travel to Albion for a 7:30 p.m. start on Friday.

"They've supposed to win it all this year," said Fumerelle. "But it's a war every week in our division. We can't slip up."

"We're going to have to take it one game at a time," added Langfelder.

The rest of the East coaching staff is John Kling, C.J. Barth, and Steve Chiarmonte on varsity, Joe Shifflet and Dan Troy on JV and Jon Fiegl, Abbott Starett and Ken Cummins on modified.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com

EAST FOOTBALL SCHEDULE