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Williamsville South football
But if there's one coach who knows about turning around a football program, it's Kurzanski. In his first year coaching at Oakfield Alabama in Oakfield, N.Y., his team finished 4-4 after going 0-8 the previous year. Under Kurzanski, Oakfield-Alabama went to the playoffs eight straight times. His first year coaching at Canisius High School saw a two-win improvement (2-7 to 4-6). Last year he led St. Mary's of Lancaster to a 7-3 record and an appearance in the Monsignor Martin Association Class A final. "We're trying to change the culture and give the kids a message of optimism and hope," said Kurzanski, who also had previous stints as an assistant with North Tonawanda and Williamsville North. "We're trying to instill that if the kids put forth the effort every day, the harder it is to give up."
"It's tough to have a new coach in your senior year but you know the program is going in the right direction," he said. "Coach brings a winning mindset," added co-captain Andrew Esposito. South returns three players on offense and defense. Back on offense is Esposito at wide receiver and running back and juniors DaeShaune Clark (5-foot-11½, 212 pounds) at quarterback and Yahs Williams (5-foot-9, 190 pounds) at running back. Kurzanski said Clark might be the best pure athlete he's ever coached. Williams was timed at 4.51 in the 40-yard dash this past spring. Returning on defense is cornerback turned linebacker, junior Chris Hauser, Esposito at cornerback, and Williams at linebacker. Erbacher (6-foot, 185 pounds) would have been a returning starter but he tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in practice days before Week One last year. He tried to play with a brace in Week One but had to leave the game. Erbacher is penciled in this season as the starting left offensive tackle and linebacker. The rest of the offensive line is senior left guard Jerry Green (5-foot-10, 190 pounds), sophomore center Kevin Gerlach (6-foot, 240 pounds), sophomore right guard Dillon Gallagher (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) and junior right tackle John "Reed" Kelley (6-foot-2, 235 pounds). Others on defense are Kelley and Gallagher at defensive ends, Joe Chiodo and Tom Darnley at defensive tackles, Mike Walter at linebacker, Clark and Esposito at cornerback, and 6-foot-5 Tim Krempa at safety. Senior Jake Keim will backup a secondary position. Joining Esposito in the receiving core are Krempa as well as Keim and senior Matt Handley. Hauser can also play at receiver and will serve as backup tailback. South opens at 2 p.m. Saturday at Kenmore East. South scored on the last play of their Week One meeting with the Bulldogs last year to win 28-22. Looking up and down Section VI Class A North, Kurzanski knows there isn't an easy game on the schedule. "Albion is the best team in our league but there's Sweet Home, Grand Island is always tough and Kenmore East is on the rise," said Kurzanski, who is the Billies' fourth head coach since 1998. "It's not an easy division. It might make my job harder but it's not impossible to improve this team. We'll try to get it done." "These kids work hard every day," he added. "They're full of pride and want to get better." They also want to win. "It would mean everything," said Erbacher. "I've been playing since seventh grade and we've only won a few games." e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com SOUTH FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
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