Robinson Rams

2008 Concorde District Preview

Concorde District Predictions:

Chantilly: 8-2
Westfield: 7-3
Oakton: 7-3
Robinson: 6-4
Centreville: 4-6
Fairfax: 3-7
Herndon: 2-8

Chantilly:
What's next:
There's no question that Chantilly has the right amount playmakers, but what will trouble head coach Michael Lalli is a quarterback to get those athletes the ball. It starts with Torrian Pace, a senior running back, who will be one of the top running backs in the region, let alone the district. Splitting time with Pace in the backfield will be Kevin McGrath, a solid runner who only lacks in experience. Juniors Kris Martin and Mike Farris will be able to make plays at wide receiver, while Mike Ryan - a senior tight end - continues Chantilly's recent history of quality athletes at the position.
All-Gameday offensive lineman Isaac Sine will be the leader at linebacker for the Chargers and will be leading the charge for a youthful defense. But the most intriguing part of the Chantilly defense may be the Abatemerco triplets. Brian, Danny and Travis may all be starting by the time Chantilly opens its season.

Mark it on the Calendar:
(10/10) at Robinson - Last season, Robinson knocked Chantilly out of the playoffs and this year the two will meet again in district play with the Chargers looking to settle the score.

The Up and Comers:
Martin and Farris both spent time on junior varsity last season, but this year they will be the ones counted on to make plays in the passing game. Both are taller options, but will have to hope that a prominent quarterback emerges in order to the Chargers to win games.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
The playmakers at the offensive positions are the Chargers biggest asset, but the team is also strong at linebacker and defensive back. The most blatant question mark for Lalli will be replacing four seniors on the defensive line. Chantilly will find out very early whether the line will hold up as the Chargers face the big offensive line of Langley in week one.

Record Prediction: 8-2

From the Coaches Mouth:
"If we stay healthy and develop a productive passing game, with an improved defense, we should be competitive in the district and challenge for the title."

Westfield:
What's next:
To say the least, head coach Tom Verbanic has a few holes to fill.
In June, Westfield graduated 48 members of its state championship football team. Among that bunch was North Carolina State bound quarterback Mike Glennon and all-Gameday running backs Steven Tabot and Brian Kennedy. Not to mention four other all-Gameday selections (Tucker Karl, David Skahn, Chris Leon and Johnny Pickett) have departed.
The key for the Bulldogs will fall on the offensive line, but more importantly on Tyler Barfield. Barfield returns after an all-State showing last year and is one of three returning offensive lineman that will play a pivotal role in protecting Danny Fenyak, the 6-foot-4, pocket passing, strong-armed quarterback.
Barfield, Tyler Delph and Jacob Ryder, the three returning offensive lineman, may also see time on the defensive line - a rarity for a Westfield team that hardly ever has two-way players.

Mark it on the Calendar:
(9/19) at Chantilly - Chantilly is potentially the only team ranked higher in the district than Westfield, and when these two cross-town rivals meet, more than bragging rights could be on the line.

The Up and Comers:
Delph and Barfield both return after stellar junior years but the diamond in the rough on this team may come from behind the two. Running back Dillon Doty will have a tough time filling the shoes of Tabot and Kennedy, but he'll have an experienced offensive line in front of him, which should give him plenty of room to run.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
There is the obvious discrepancy of returning starters with Westfield having graduated 48 seniors from last year's state championship team. But the positives come in the trenches. Both Delph and Barfield will have a chance to play college football and with Ryder also on the line, Westfield will have a chance to control the tempo of games.

Record Prediction: 7-3

From the Coaches Mouth:
"We're going to have a lot of new faces and a lot of kids competing for playing time, but we're looking forward to it and, you know, hopefully we can be competitive with everyone else in our district."

Oakton:
What's next:
Last season, the Cougars used a rotating quarterback carousel. This season will be different. In the words of head coach Joe Thompson, "nothing, I hope nothing resembles last year. I can tell you straight forward that I will not look to rotate guys."
But don't let that fool you, Thompson still has a lot of quarterbacks to choose from at a deep position. Chris Coyer is the best of the list, a senior that stands 6-foot-3, weighs 215 pounds, but most importantly runs a 4.6 40-yard dash and clocked in at 4.2 in the shuttle.

Mark it on the Calendar:
(10/31) vs. Herndon - The Cougars may be looking to avenge a big loss last year as Herndon kept Oakton out of the playoffs and sent them home a little early last year.

The Up and Comers:
Tight end Wade Reynolds has the body of a college tight end - 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds - and with even a little development could become one of the best tight ends in the area. Reynolds is certainly athletic enough, but he may also play quarterback in addition to handling the kicking and punting duties as well.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
While most of the schools in the district graduated a vast amount of starters, Oakton did not. Bringing back so many starters will benefit the Cougars. To get it on paper, they return nine starters on offense and eight starters on defense. There is only one new starter in the Cougars lineup, which means for Oakton to excel in the district, those same players that finished 5-5 last year will have to improve in the offseason.

Record Prediction: 7-3

From the Coaches Mouth:
"The optimist says that we'll be better than we did last year. I think we're capable of being a better team than we were last year."

Robinson:
What's next:
Head coach Mark Bendorf knows the importance of a solidified front line, but after losing four starters on the offensive line and three on the defensive line, Bendorf's main focus will be improving those areas. Ryan Holder, a potential all-region selection, is the only returning defensive lineman and Dan Golman is the lone returnee on the offensive side. Good thing for Robinson is that they don't need much help elsewhere. Quarterback Timmy Meier returns for his third straight year behind center and three-year letterman wide receiver Xavier Duncan returns as Meier's favorite target. Alex Murray (870 yards, eight touchdowns on 155 carries) and Wynton Fox (374 yards, three touchdowns on 51 carries) will take over the duties of running back Peter Ferrara, who ran for more than 1,000 yards last season.
On the defensive side, leading tackler, and future big-time prospect Brian Laiti returns as the fourth Laiti brother to play under Bendorf and will be grouped with many other new playmakers in the defensive back seven. His 125 tackles last year will be a boost to the defense.

Mark it on the Calendar:
(9/26) at Westfield - Robinson will take on Westfield in week five, but it's not the game that's important, but instead the end of murderer's row. With Lake Braddock, Stone Bridge, West Springfield, Anacostia and the Bulldogs in five consecutive weeks to open the season, we'll know very soon where Robinson will fall.

The Up and Comers:
With Duncan drawing most of the coverage, the door is wide open for sophomore Matt Zanellato to have a big year. Standing at 6-foot-3, the young wide receiver is a large target for Meier and should provide a spark in the passing game by not only making big plays, but also forcing defenses away from Duncan. As a testament to his playing ability, he was the first freshman to ever see varsity playing time during Bendorf's reign, which started in 1992.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
With Meier and Duncan both three-year starters and a dual-headed rushing attack, the Rams will be very balanced on offense this year, and on defense the playmakers are also there. The only questions are along the offensive and defensive lines. With a five-week gauntlet to open the season, the inexperience of the Rams could be a factor in digging themselves an early hole.

Record Prediction: 6-4

From the Coaches Mouth:
"We have to be ready every week. People will be out to get us."

Centreville:
What's next:
At 6-foot-6 and more than 250 pounds, Luke Bowanko is a monster lineman in the run-focused offense directed by head coach Gerry Pannoni. Bowanko is heading to UVA next year, but for now, he'll be spending most of his time opening up holes for fullback Justin Conway and running backs Terrence Kennedy and James Byun.
The rest of the offensive line includes Mike Upham and David Wisda, who are both potential college-level players, as well as Holland Anderson and Chris Dean.
Running back turned wide receiver/defensive back Brandon Carpenter will add an additional outside threat on offense.

Mark it on the Calendar:
(10/3) at Robinson - While week 10 against Westfield may draw more than 10,000 fans, the true measuring stick for the Wildcats will come against Robinson. The Centreville team lacks depth and the physical nature of the Rams will put the Wildcats to the test.

The Up and Comers:
Kennedy never saw much time on the freshman team, but suddenly burst onto the scene on the junior varsity squad last year. His development has continued through the summer and look for this two-way player to have an impact on both sides of the ball. The good news for Pannoni, Kennedy's older brother plays defensive end for Ball State, so athletes run in the family.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
Centreville every year has plenty of athletes with size. Kennedy, Denny, leading tackler Eric Gray and soccer star Calder Street, all have the size and speed. Throw in tight end Zack Glatter, who has been in contact with Syracuse and Harvard to play at the next level, and the Wildcats team is scary-athletic. The main question is whether or not that talent can produce wins.

Record Prediction: 4-6

From the Coaches Mouth:
"We want to be playing through November."

Fairfax:
What's next:
In his second year as the head honcho at Fairfax, head coach Chris Haddock will continue to try and implement his Wing-T offense and work for that elusive first Concorde District victory. The core of the team will be across the front line. A group lead by Josh Patterson that also includes Mike Larkins, Ian Davies and Mike Gritz will be leaned on heavily as the Rebels well look to routinely run the ball. Mike Kim and Ioqi Lewis will be the playmakers entrusted with the ball while 'Big' Ben McLennon - as dubbed by Haddock - will be a staple in the backfield. But without a real home run threat, Fairfax will look to grind out most games and attempt to outwork teams.
Alex Price will provide help in the defensive secondary, but will also serve as the team's defensive leader. Price may even dabble at wide receiver as the Rebels attempt to take the offense to the air, but still count on a heavy dose of run from Fairfax.

Mark it on the Calendar:
(8/29) at Woodson - Fairfax hasn't beaten its next-door rival Woodson in almost five years, and with this matchup being the one to open up the season, Fairfax will find out very soon how their season will pan out.

The Up and Comers:
With Abdullah Amin entrenched at quarterback for the Rebels, last year's junior varsity starter Jack Bechert will have to find a new position. But look for Haddock to find a spot on the field for the three-sport athlete.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
Running game, plain and simple. With the three-pronged attack of McLennon, Kim and Lewis in the backfield and four returning starters on the offensive line, the Rebels will look to drive the ball. The only problem is they're missing a speed back. Throw in a lack of depth at wide receiver and Fairfax may be lacking a little in offensive diversity.

Record Prediction: 3-7

From the Coaches Mouth:
"We really want to go out with a Concorde District win before we leave the district and even compete for a playoff spot... The Concorde is the Concorde."

Herndon:
What's next:
Fans got a glimpse of Zack Ozycz and the Herndon offense near the end of last season, and what they saw was a winning ballclub who beat the likes of Oakton and Robinson. With the junior quarterback growing increasingly comfortable under center, head coach Joseph Sheaffer will now continue to open up more of his offense. Expect to see more use in the passing game as long as the Hornets can find weapons on the outside.
Senior Jared Johnson, who stands at 6-foot-6 and weighs 215 pounds can't help but find a place on the field, but the question is where. In only his second year of organized football, Johnson will be placed on the defensive side of the ball as he's a potential star.

Mark it on the Calendar:
(8/29) vs. Park View - The last two years, Herndon has gotten off to a poor start. The team opens with Park View, a team located just down the road, and while it may not be a statistically significant game, it will play a key role in the Hornets' playoff chances.

The Up and Comers:
Mostafa Morrad started less than seven games last year, but the big offensive lineman will play a key role in the Hornets offense this year. With the versatility to play four different positions on the offensive line - guard and tackle spots - as well as the potential to play on the defensive side of the ball, Morrad provides talent at an already deep position. You may even see Morrad line up as a tight end in some formations.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
Start at running back Devon Thompson and work down. The junior may play both sides of the ball and see even more time on offense than he did last year. And with both lines fairly deep, the Hornets will just look to find a compliment for Thompson on offense and defense, at wide receiver and linebacker.

Record Prediction: 2-8

From the Coaches Mouth:
"We need to get off to a better start this year and continue to show improvement each week. We feel that with early success we can build confidence and that we will improve on last season record and compete for a playoff berth."

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