Williamsville North football
Spartans marching on the same page
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Linemen Jerome Fields, left, and Andy Steinhaus captain Williamsville North football this fall. Photo by Patrick McPartland Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Roster numbers are slightly down for Williamsville North (40, usually 47) but unlike recent years, there are no cliques, said Spartans head football coach Mike Mammoliti.

"We'd like to have more kids for depth but we're pretty happy with what we've got," said Mammoliti. "The guys we have are less interested in what their numbers are or how many catches they get but if they win the game. It's a big, big change from the past."

"We haven't really had anyone (this year) who is along for the ride," added senior lineman Andy Steinhaus, a returning Class A North honorable mention pick. "Everyone is out there trying to be better football players."

"Whether they do good or bad, they're always giving the best effort that they can," said junior lineman Jerome Fields, a returning Class AA North second team selection. "There's no slacking this year."

Mammoliti saw the team come together as early as November when offseason weightlifting conditioning began.

"An offseason motto the coaching staff has is 'strong, smart and together'," said Mammoliti. "It seemed like more guys were involved throughout the duration of the program, which has helped the team get a lot stronger."

Steinhaus (6-foot-3, 250 pounds) and Fields (6-foor-2, 260 pounds), the team's co-captains, are the cornerstones of the Spartans' offensive and defensive lines. Steinhaus and Fields return at right and left offensive guard and defensive end and tackle, respectively. The rest of the offensive line are juniors - 6-foot-2, 240-pound Mike Herberger at center and 6-foot-2, 245-pound Eric Hirtzel and 6-foot-6, 247-pound Jason Heim at tackle.

Steinhaus said the offensive line has been communicating a lot during plays at practice.

"We all trust each other," he said. "We only have to worry about our assignment."

The line will try to make holes for sophomore running back Jim Gaines (6-foot-3, 189 pounds) who at 13 started at free safety as a freshman. (Gaines has a birthday late in the year.)

"He went through the selective classification and is physically on par with anybody," said Mammoliti.

Gaines, along with the offensive line, will be keys to the team's run first, pass second philosophy, said Mammoliti.

The fullback duties will belong to either junior Sean Nowak or senior P.J. Abbarno. Abbarno started at outside linebacker last year and backed up at fullback. This year, both will see time at fullback or outside linebacker.

The receiving core is led by 6-foot-3 senior Josh Barrett, a transfer from Saskatchewan. Barrett's father, Danny, is the new assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach for the University at Buffalo. Most recently, Danny Barrett was head coach and assistant general manager for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. Josh Barrett will also start at cornerback.

Seniors Austin Benschadle, Farid Kustiro and Mike Toth are battling for the other starting receiver position. When they're not in the lineup on offense, Benschadle (defensive back), Kustiro (defensive back) and Toth (linebacker) will be starting on defense.

Junior Tarik Zeid, one of the strongest players on the roster (dead lifts 450, second highest squad at 405), is penciled in at tight end.

Splitting reps at quarterback has been juniors Tom Cirbus, son of former UB football coach, Craig, and Anthony Longarzo. Both split time on JV last year.

Both bring different types of attributes to the position.

"Tom's more of a pocket passer and picks up the game easily," said Mammoliti. "Anthony goes outside of the pocket and throws the ball well on the move."

The starting front four Spartans on defense are Fields and junior Ernest Jacobs, a transfer from Williamsville East, at defensive end and Steinhaus and a yet-to-be determined player at tackle. Nowak, Toth, Abbarno, Herberger, and juniors Steve Pekarski and Steve Larkin are vying at linebacker. The secondary has Gaines at safety, Barrett at cornerback, and a yet-to-be determined player at the other cornerback spot.

Mammoliti said the team's defense is athletic which will enable players to run to the football.

North, 1-2 in Class AA North and 3-4 overall last year, opens at 2 p.m. Saturday hosting Jamestown. Despite contending with Class AA powerhouses like Orchard Park and North Tonawanda, Mammoliti thinks his team can play with anyone.

"For us, the mentality of not feeling we're in a ball game is long gone," he said. "I think we have talent and good character but only time will tell how long that will go."

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com

NO RT H FOOTBALL SCHEDULE