Experience is always a plus in any successful venture, and with 48 letterwinners and 20 starters returning to the fold this fall, experience is translating into excitement for the 2008 edition of Massachusetts Maritime Football.
And with nearly 50 newcomers set to venture to Buzzards Bay as well, Head Coach Jeremy Cameron heads into his fourth campaign with great depth on both sides of the ball as he looks to keep the momentum of the last two seasons moving forward. Cameron's crew captured three triumphs in 2007 and had five other contests decided by a total of 24 points, a clear indication that the Bucs' fortunes are headed in the right direction.
"We've made progress, but we have more work to do," Cameron says. "This group of upperclassmen will play a key role in the direction of this program, both this year and in the future, and I am confident that their leadership will help us stay on course."
Cameron has tabbed a pair of those veterans to key leadership roles, as seniors Kyle Audette (Dartmouth, Mass./Bridgton Academy) and Colin Teehan (South Boston, Mass./Boston College) will serve as co-captains for the Buccaneers this fall. Cameron describes this duo as "individuals who understand the example that needs to be set on and off the field for this program to continue to move forward."
Here's a look at how things are shaping up for the 2008 edition of Massachusetts Maritime Football:
OFFENSE. A total of 20 starters return on the offensive side for the Bucs, led by senior quarterback Joe DeFrank (Morgantown, Pa./Twin Valley), who posted a 51 percent completion percentage while throwing for 1,366 yards and eight touchdowns a year ago. Junior David Hike (Riverview, Fla./Riverview) will compete for the top spot with DeFrank after appearing in five contests last fall and posting 163 passing yards and one score, while junior Michael Marshalka (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) and sophomore Evan McDermott (Andover, Mass./Andover) will also be vying for the signal-calling spot.
Sophomore Douglas Dyke (Plainville, Mass./King Philip) returns as the top rusher for the Bucs last fall, as he gained 661 yards and crossed the goal line six times to lead the team in that category. Fellow sophomore Keith Rudolph (New Bedford, Mass./New Bedford) gained valuable experience as well during his rookie campaign, rushing for 208 yards and a pair of scores, while junior Joseph St. Pierre (Beverly, Mass./North Shore Tech) lends additional experience after appearing in all 10 games in 2007, averaging nearly three yards per carry with one touchdown. Sophomore Darryl Foote (Wareham, Mass./Wareham) will also be vying for a spot in the offensive backfield this season.
Teehan led the Bucs' receiving corps with 39 receptions for 441 yards and a pair of touchdowns last season, while Rudolph proved to be a top two-way threat for Cameron in hauling in 25 catches for 245 yards and three scores. Sophomore Darryn Elder-Gotty (East Longmeadow, Mass./East Longmeadow) presents a large target for Cameron, as his 6-5 frame enabled him to average 19.5 yards per catch as a rookie, while senior James McFarland (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) and junior Timothy Murphy (Weymouth, Mass./Archbishop Williams) provide additional depth after combining for nearly 100 receiving yards in 2007. Juniors Kevin McCarthy (Tewksbury, Mass./Tewksbury) and Brendan Fearon (Shelton, Conn./St. Joseph), along with sophomore Mike Tanner (Andover, Mass./Andover), lend experience to the receiving unit as well.
Seniors Chris Roulier (Carver, Mass./Coyle-Cassidy) and Jeffrey Bossart (Quincy, Mass./Archbishop Williams) anchor a group of five returning veterans on the Bucs' offensive line, which also includes junior William Hafferty (Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich) and sophomores Pat Duran (Bridgewater, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) and Matt Whitney (Middleton, R.I./Middleton).
DEFENSE. Audette combines with juniors Brandon Payne (Marion, Mass./Old Rochester) and all-NEFC pick Jim Erlwein (Livingston Manor, N.Y./Sullivan West) to create a formidable linebacking corps for Cameron this fall, as Payne recorded 66 total tackles (40 solo) with a pair of fumble recoveries and Erlwein added 63 stops with 10.5 tackles for losses of 38 yards, including three sacks. Audette was limited to 35 tackles (26 solo) due to injury, as he added 7.5 tackles per loss and a pair of fumble recoveries, while senior Joe Loughry (New Freedom, N.Y./Susquehannock) and sophomore Greg Wiggin (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) combined for 17 stops a year ago. Senior Aaron Getty (Plainville, Mass./King Philip) and sophomore Stephen Alves (Tewksbury, Mass./Tewksbury) combined for 19 total tackles in 2007 for the Bucs, while junior Matthew Wiszowaty (Clearwater, Fla./Countryside) and sophomores Patrick Fitzsimmons (Bourne, Mass./Bourne) and Jonathan Poyau (Brockton, Mass./Brockton) also provide depth at the linebacking spot.
Senior Derek Parent (Springfield, Mass./Science & Technology) anchors the Bucs' defensive line after recording 42 total tackles (28 solo) in 2007, while junior Chris Paze (Bridgewater, Mass./Bridgewater-Raynham) added 35 total stops and one sack. Seniors Andrew Wilkens (Springfield, Mass./Science & Technology) and Jonathan Nunez (Springfield, Mass./Science & Technology), along with sophomore Ryan Gillan (Foxboro, Mass./Xaverian) combined for 21 total tackles last fall for Cameron, while the sophomore trio of David Cenedella (Townsend, Mass./North Middlesex), Sam Jackson (Wrentham, Mass./King Philip) and Peter Avitabile (Bourne, Mass./Bourne) provide additional depth on the d-line this season.
Junior Mike Dangoia (Bridgewater, Mass./Bridgewater-Raynham) led the Buccaneer secondary last season with five interceptions while adding 55 total tackles (37 solo) to go with four break-ups and three forced fumbles, and the trio of senior Howard Hayes (Westport, Mass./Dean) and juniors Nick Stralka (North Kingstown, R.I./North Kingstown) and Alex Butler (Buzzards Bay, Mass./Bishop Stang) combined for four picks to go with 36, 35 and 33 total tackles, respectively. Senior Tommy Mahoney (Malden, Mass./Malden Catholic) teams up with sophomores Andy Hirko (Uxbridge, Mass./Holy Name) and Mark Conroy (Foxboro, Mass./Foxboro) for additional experience in the defensive backfield.
SPECIAL TEAMS. Sophomores Jake Bickley (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug Regional) and Jarad Horey (Ledyard, Conn./Ledyard) return to handle the placekicking duties this fall, as Bickley converted three field goals as a rookie while Horey made 10 of his 11 extra-point attempts in 2007. Senior Mike Sarapas (Plainville, Mass./King Philip) will handle the punting chores for the Bucs after averaging 34.5 yards per attempt last season, including a long of 73 yards. Sarapas pinned opponents inside of their 20-yard line on 14 occasions as well as year ago.
The fourth season of the Jeremy Cameron era of Massachusetts Maritime Football kicks off on Thursday, September 4th when the Bucs head to Throggs Neck, N.Y. to take on New York Maritime in a non-league match-up that begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT.