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WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. September 2, 2004: In the earliest football season opener this reporter can ever remember, the White Plains High School Tigers kick off the 2004 football campaign Saturday afternoon against an up-and-coming Saunders squad in Yonkers.
For the last month, the Tigers have been holding three practices a day in sweltering August heat preparing for the Class AA campaign. Last year the League Champion, the Tigers are looking at developing a new offensive line to open up the holes for a regiment of strong running backs and talented receivers raring to go. WPCNR talked with Head Football Coach Mark Santa Donato Wednesday morning on his 2004 Tigers:
“We graduated 19 players and at least 12 starters have gone on. The entire line has graduated out. So we’re regrouping in a couple areas especially the line. We’re very inexperienced up front, but they’re coming along,” the man who creates White Plains Tigers said discussing how his team looks going into Saturday’s opener. The coach said they had just today cut down to one practice a day. He said there was a lot of teaching going on and that was the reason for the three-a-day workouts. Photo by WPCNR Sports
Who’s coming back.
“In our perimeter people, we have some good kids back like Mike (Night Train) Lane, he’s back as a running back and receiver; there’s Gary Morello, and he’ll be running the football. Paul Scotman our fullback is back. Senior Kevin Avery is playing quarterback and Conor Gilmartin-Donohue is also doing a good job at quarterback/corner back.
Of his two quarterbacks, Santa Donato is giving Avery the nod:
“ Kevin’s the senior. He’s the most experienced as far as knowing the scheme, but Conor’s an excellent quarterback. He’s a junior, and he’s right there also. God forbid, Kevin gets hurt or something, I think that Conor Gilmartin can come in and do a great job. He’s a big kid. He’s a tough kid. Conor’s going to play defensive end for us, and he can also play tight end.”
Game Experience Lacking.
The coach said that the team lacks game experience, but he’s confident: “I feel we’re going to be o.k. but we’e going to need a couple of games under our belt, experience-wise. We’re very concerned about the first game. We want to make sure we don’t make too many mistakes, and get by the first game against Saunders in Yonkers.”
The Line
On the line, Junior Gerard Bryant (5-11, 225) is back. He is described as a back up lineman last year and along with Akin Benton 5-8, 205 pounds both are expected to anchor the line. Keith Simone at 6-4, 200 and Jimmy Russell (5-11, 200) are splitting duties at center.
WORKING OUT THE DEFENSIVE SETS AT LOUCKS FIELD WEDNESDAY. Photo by WPCNR Sports
“These guys are all young guys who are filling in for us. At Tight end, we’ve got Tommy Lee (“Mr. Lee”) at 6-1, 200. So, we’re asking a lot out of these guys experience-wise. Conor Gilmartin-Donohue will also play defensive end. Not only did we graduate a lot of players, we graduated a lot of experience. We had three year starters in a lot of spots, and we had four-year starters in some other spots. So it’s just hard to make for that experience this quickly,” Santa Donato stressed.
“You have got to play to get the experience, and I think they’re going to be fine once we get some playing time under our belts. Our size is not bad, We’re a little smaller than we were last year, there’s no question about it, but I think more the experience (is a factor). They’re a good bunch of kids. They’re working real hard.”
A fleet of backs.
Santa Donato said “ The offensive line is the key to the game, and we do have some good running backs. We have Ike (“Nuke”) Nduka at 6 foot, 205 at tailback. He’s sort of our next Spencer (Ridenhour), But, if the line doesn’t open the holes, it’s going to be tough for us.”
Avery can throw.
Santa Donato said that “Depending on how things go, we might throw the ball a little bit more. We threw pretty successfully last year, and I think we can still throw the ball. We’re going to try and get the ball out to some of our faster guys on the perimeter. Both quarterbacks (Avery and Gilmartin-Donohue) can throw.”
The receiving corps has four experienced targets to throw to. Coach Santa Donato pointed to 6 foot Shawn Jimison (who showed an ability to run routes and bring the ball in in big games last season), Mike Lane (another receiver who can make the third down Conerly to Schnelker, or Namath to Sauer play). Connor Lantier and Tommie Lee are good “go-to’s” at tight end.
“All these guys are solid receivers, and blockers when we bring them in tight. So, again, on the perimeter we’re in good shape,when you talk about receivers, and backs and defensive backs.” The Coach said.
THE TIGERS AT PRACTICE WEDNESDAY MORNING. Photo by WPCNR Sports
The Offensive Trademark.
The coach said the Tigers might run “a little more option this year: But, we’re basically an I-Team coming-right-at-you kind of team when we run the football. I think we might try and get the ball to the fullback (Scotman) a little bit more this year, because Paul Scotman (5-9, 225, Alan Ameche-Jim Taylor size) is a good runner, and he has good backup in Mickey Morello, also a good kid up from the Junior Varsity.”
The Ferocious Tiger D.
How about defense? “Our linebacker corps is new, but they’re good kids. Paul Scotman’s had some experience there and Tommie Lee, those are our inside backers. I feel again, it’s just a matter of playing time. Not making too many mistakes early, and I think we’re going to be o.k.”
The coach is not planning any changes in the defense:
“We’re going to be running the same defenses that we ran last year, “ Coach said. “Three of our defensive backs are back (Lane, Nduka, Gary Morello) Connor Lantier is going to get in there and run free safety. Ike Nduka is going to move from Free Safety to Strong Safety, replacing Spencer Ridenhour. So our schemes are basically the same. We run a 50 kind of a front. We move people around a little bit. We like to move the line. As long as the kids get their reads and keys down, I think we’re going to be fine.”
Santa Donato said last year Senior Evan McGuire ( now playing football at Cornell), called the defensive signals, and “he was like having another coach on the field. He would line up the front and make the checks. So, we’re being very patient with these kids, because we know they have a lot to learn.”
Donato says Tommy Lee and Paul Scotman at linebacker, he hopes will be sharing the defensive signal calling: “We’re trying to get both guys to do the checks, in case somebody got hurt. I have one guy able to do our checks.”
WHITE PLAINS TIGER CHEERLEADERS ARE GETTING READY, TOO. The Varsity and Junior Varsity Cheerleading Squads were working out, too, readying for Saturday’s action. Photo by WPCNR Sports.
Cheerleader Coach, Joe Corabello is planning sone new cheers this season and expects to enter the Tigerettes in possibly three cheerleader competitions. Photo by WPCNR Sports
It Gets Rough Early.
The Tigers have a tough first three games, and Coach Santa Donato is nervous: “ We’re not discounting anybody. We have Saunders. Then we have Gorton, and then we have New Rochelle. So hopefully we can be successful in the first game, and start getting ourselves together, start jelling as a team. It’s a matter of nerves with the kids, and experience, and once they get a couple of quarters under their belt, they’re going to be o.k.”
A Spencer Report.
Asked how Mr. Tiger, Spencer Ridenhour, now with Penn State was doing down in Pennsylvania, Coach Santa Donato was very enthusiastic:
“Spencer’s doing real well down there. He’s impressed. He’s doing very very well. You can’t ignore Spencer. He’s got such a great work ethic, I don’t think the Penn State staff can ignore him. I’m sure they’re going to find a place for him.”
A new kind of team.
Asked if he liked working with a younger team as opposed to a veteran team, Santa Donato said both had their points: “It’s definitely a challenge to get these young guys ready to go. Last year, you’re still coaching, but it was much more subtle nuances you were going over with the kids. Right now we just have to get the basics down with these guys. We had so many veterans last year we could really tweak things a little more. We’re trying to keep it simple right now, not do to much to confuse the guys, until they start getting some experience.”
Coach Santa Donato is assisted by his offensive coordinator Mike Stevens, in his fourth year; Mark Armagitta handles the defense, as he has done for Santa Donato for 13 years; and Pasqual Palumbo, Special Teams Coordinator. “Those guys do all the work, “ Santa Donato stressed.
Every Tiger a Smart Tiger.
But for the man who creates White Plains Tigers, the bottom line is achievement in life. Santa Donato said the Tigers graduated 19 seniors last year and 18 of them are going to college.
Those seniors attending college from the football class of 2004 and playing football in school this year are: Mike Johnson (Cortland State), Mike Devere (Alfred State), Raeshone Foote (Western Connecticut State), Ryan (“The Reason”) Smalls ( Utica College), Spencer Ridenhour (Penn State), John Corretti (West Point), Garbriel Robles (Iona College), Joe Vitanza (Sacred Heart University), and Evan McGuire (Cornell University).
2004 Tigers attending college, but not playing football are Sean McLaughlin (University of Maryland), Kyle Eifler (University of Massachussetts), Roberson Joseph (John Jay College), Mike Della Posta (Brooklyn Poly Tech.), Jason Indelicato (Ohio State University), Kevin Dulanto (Mercy College), Anthony Fuca (Westchester Community College), and Keith Shaw (Herkimer Community College).
$748,000 in Aid & Scholarship Monies.
Coach Santa- Donato noted that the Football Class of 2004 of 19 graduates won $748,000 in Scholarship and Financial Aid, and since 1992, 90% of his football players have gone on to higher education, receiving $3.9 Million in Athletic/Academic Scholarship and Financial Aid Monies in twelve years.
The White Plains Tigers kick off the season in Yonkers at Saunders High School Saturday afternoon at 1:30 P.M.
The 2004 White Plains High School Tigers Football Schedule:
September 4: at Saunders, Yonkers, NY. 1:30 P.M.
September 11: Gorton at Parker Stadium, White Plains, 1:30 P.M.
September 18: New Rochelle at Parker Stadium, White Plains, 1:30 P.M.
September 24 (Friday Afternoon): at Lincoln, Yonkers. 4 P.M.
October 2: Mount Vernon at Parker Stadium, White Plains 1:30 P.M.
October 9: at Roosevelt, Yonkers. 2 P.M.
October 16: at Ramapo, 1:30 P.M.
October 23: Playoff
October 30: Playoff
November 6: Playoff
November 25: Stepinac at Parker Stadium, White Plains. 10:30 A.M. E.S.T.
