Catch us if you can

With nearly its entire front seven returning from its highly-ranked defense, Toms River East is looking forward to defending its American Division title.

     Most fans of Shore Conference football would probably not be surprised to learn that Toms River East had one of the top offenses last season. In fact, they probably expected it since the Raiders have been one of the more productive offenses in the Shore for the past several seasons. What people might not expect to hear is that their defense was even better.
     A top-five defense for much of the season, the Raiders posted two shutouts and allowed only two teams to score more than seven points against them on their way to a school-record tying 10 wins and the Shore Conference American Division title. In 2007, the Raiders will have nearly their entire front seven back, a bad sign for each of the six teams hoping to dethrone them.
     “Our defense is a lot faster and a lot stronger,” said senior linebacker Tyler Groves. “If we can mesh together it will be a whole different ball game.”
     Groves, along with seniors Ryan Dolan and John Smicklo, look as if they can be one of the more dominant groups of linebackers in the Shore. Groves and Dolan each started last season while Smicklo started at defensive end.
    “I like it at linebacker a lot,” Smicklo said. “I’m more free and I get to run around and hit people more. Tyler and Ryan are both great linebackers so it should be great to play with them.”
     While Smicklo moves off the defensive line, the Raiders will have two great defensive tackles in Mike Murphy and Mike Colucci. Both are seniors who started last season. Murphy is 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds and has received interest from Duke and Maryland, according to Raiders head coach Charlie Diskin. Colucci comes in at 6-foot-1 and 280 pounds. Tim Gray will also be in the rotation at defensive tackle in East’s 4-3 front. The defensive ends will be Dan Anderson and Victor Ponaski.

“This senior group has been together since we went undefeated as freshman and it’s really a close knit group,” Colucci said. “With our whole front seven back we’re looking to carry the defense because we do have some new people in the secondary.”      The defensive backfield is one area where there is not much experience, as all four starters are new. However, athletic ability and speed should not be a problem. Rashun Prince, Ray Cochran and Nico Steriti will be in the rotation at cornerback, while the safety rotation will include Brett Yajcaji, Jude Baldaccini and Eric Ryder, a hockey and lacrosse player who is playing football for the first time.      “(Defensive coordinator) Jim Dempsey does a great job with this group,” Diskin said. “We’re known for being fast and we’re probably, as a team, faster than we’ve ever been.”      Senior Frank Cermatori returns to his placekicking duties while Smicklo will again be the punter, where he shined last season and was named to the DigitalSports Legends of the Fall team and was selected

Senior captain Mike Murphy leads a veteran group of linemen on both sides of the ball for Toms River East.

as second
team all-state by the Associated Press.    
     While the offense has the luxury of a veteran offensive line, it will be breaking in players at quarterback and running back to replace Jared Morris and Brady Doyle. Stepping in at quarterback will be senior Ryan Sandberg, who might not have Morris’ ankle-breaking moves but is still pretty fast in his own right, as he was timed at 4.69 seconds in the 40-yard dash, according to Diskin.
     “Jared was a great quarterback and Vito (Steriti) before him so I’m just happy to step in and take over the position,” Sandberg said. “I have great players around me and I’m excited.”
     “He went to a lot of quarterback camps in the summer and he has gotten better every day,” Diskin said.
     Dolan saw plenty of time at running back last year and ran for 348 yards and four touchdowns. He will maintain that position while Chris Miller will step into the fullback role left by Doyle. Miller had only 10 carries last season but the coaching staff believes he can step right in and be a big playmaker.
     “He has some big shoes to fill but he has had a great preseason,” Diskin said.
     Seeing time at the halfback position in Diskin’s multiple wing offense will be Cermatori, Yajcaji, Baldaccini and Steriti.
     The offensive line will be Ryan Szumel at left tackle, Joe-John Kuchta at left guard, Murphy at center, Ponaski at right guard and Colucci at right tackle. Smicklo will play tight end, just as he did a year ago. Darren Tymczak will also see time at tight end. Prince and Cochran will be the starters at split end.
     Teams will be circling the Raiders on their calender all season and East knows it will have a bullseye on its chest as long as they hold the title. They say bring it on.
     “There is nothing better,” said Groves, “than a challenge.”

BIG SHOES TO FILL: Chris Miller takes over for Brady Doyle at fullback and will have to replace a player who was powerful and shifty, but also brought an unmatched level of emotion to the game.

X-FACTOR: The defense should be fine but will the offense be able to operate at a high level with a new quarterback and a new featured ball carrier? Can the Raiders handle being the hunted rather than the hunters for the Shore Conference American Division title?

IMPACT NEWCOMER: Ryan Sandberg will take over at quarterback for the Raiders, who have had an impressive lineage under center with recent stars such as Jared Morris, Vito Steriti and Colin Gaynor.

PIVOTAL GAME: Ask the Raiders and they might tell you it is their scrimmage against Cherokee, who handed them their only loss last season in the South Jersey Group IV playoffs. In the regular season, it looks to be on Sept. 20 against Jackson, which appears to be East’s main threat to repeating as American Division champs.

E-mail: badders@digitalsports.com