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| Spartans exude confidence as they prepare to battle Morris' best |
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File Photo by Anna Murphey/New Jersey Herald
Sparta’s Zach Passerelle tries to weave his way through the Parsippany Hills’ defense during a game in September. The Spartans will play powerhouse Roxbury on Saturday.
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By ADAM REGAN
aregan@njherald.com
When Roxbury’s Angelo Mangiro stares across the line of scrimmage at Sparta’s offensive line Saturday, the 6-foot-5, 290-pound roadblock won’t get the typical response he usually garners. The Gaels’ line, which has outweighed every front it’s faced this season, will be looking at stone cold stares.
Spartans coach Pat Shea labeled his guys upfront as “justifiably confident” heading into one of the area’s most-anticipated games of the season, which will deal more with pride than standings.
“The guys on our line have been playing together for a while and they’ve had success,” said Shea, whose team sits 7-1 and can’t do anymore, having already played eight games, to make its case for a first-round home playoff game. “They have reason to be confident no matter who they are playing.”
Even if it’s Morris County’s top-ranked team with a line that averages 243 pounds.
Mangiro, a can’t miss high-level Division I recruit, is its centerpiece. On offense, the junior has paved the way for a running attack that has put up 238 yards per game.
Despite seeing double-teams every other play as a defensive tackle, Mangiro has 52 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.
Most offenses have taken early hints and ran away from him more times than not. The Spartans, on the other hand, aren’t about to change their game plan that has kept defenses guessing all season.
“He’s really good and really big,” 220-pound Spartan guard Sam Hansen said. “But we can’t change up too much. He’s just somebody else on the field.”
Other than double-teaming Mangiro, a necessary evil, Shea plans to run at him as much as any other lineman. With Mangiro frequently lining up at different places on the line, he may get more opportunities for tackles than he’s used to from Sparta’s five-headed running attack.
The Spartans were led by junior tailback Julian Farinola’s 95 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-13 win over Morris Hills last week. However, several other backs besides mainstays Mike Radeloff and Zach Passerelle have surfaced in past weeks. Junior Steven Viegas has scored a touchdown on the ground and another through the air the last two games.
“There’s no telling how many (running backs) we have,” senior offensive tackle Carl Frauenpreis said. “Every week it’s a different person stepping up.”
He expects nothing different against Mangiro and the Gaels. Frauenpreis said, if anything, running at Mangiro should be conducive to big gains.
“He’s not that fast (from sideline to sideline),” Frauenpreis said. “I think we’re faster.”
Deviating from a game plan that has produced a 100-yard rusher in five of seven weeks would be a grave mistake, Shea said.
“We’re going to try to stay ahead of schedule and move the chains like we always do,” Shea said. “We’re going to go with what’s been successful.”
Roxbury (8-0) should give the Spartans a good idea of what to expect in the North 1, Group 3 playoffs where they’ll be undersized on the line in every game with the likes of powerhouse Wayne Hills and Lakeland in the bracket.
“This should be a good test for us,” Hansen said. “We’re just going to go out and play our best. If we win, great. If we lose, it’s just going to put more fury into us going into the playoffs.”
High Point (3-5) at Vernon (1-7), today, 7 p.m.: A lot more is at stake in this matchup of former SCIL foes than one would think. For two young teams that are still learning how to win, the final game of the regular season and a consolation game could mean a lot to their psyches. The Wildcats are already rolling downhill after a Joe Beltran field goal in the final seconds led them to a 17-14 win over a tough Parsippany Hills team. Jim Delaney’s squad showed it was more than just playing out the string as it didn’t let a crucial turnover on downs late in the game kill it. Behind three straight sacks from Matt Heyman, Bo Scannovino and Billy Smith, the Wildcats rebounded to get the ball back and set up Beltran for the game-winner. The Vikings, who have managed just 27 points this season, will look for at least a few scores with which it can build on next season.
Favorite: High Point
Butler (7-1) at Hopatcong (5-3), today, 7 p.m.: The Chiefs will wait patiently through the weekend as Wallington, Cresskill and Emerson play their eighth games to see if they will hang onto the seventh seed in the North 1, Group 1 playoffs. Meanwhile, they’ll get a taste of Butler’s prolific offense which is averaging 35 points a game behind Kansas-bound receiver Andrew Turzilli. Hopatcong senior quarterback Brian Schneider is coming off huge game against Boonton where had a hand in all of the Chief’s scoring, throwing for two touchdowns and running for the game-winner late in the fourth quarter.
Favorite: Butler
Mount Olive (0-8) at Jefferson (3-5), today, 7 p.m.: With a win against the hapless Marauders, the Falcons have a chance to reach .500 against Morris County competition in its first season in 35 years playing outside Sussex County. Frank Strumolo has rushed for 606 yards and seven touchdowns on 155 carries. The Marauders, who were routed by Delbarton, 35-0, last week, present a great opportunity to improve upon those numbers.
Favorite: Jefferson
Lenape Valley (8-0) at Hanover Park (4-4), today, 7 p.m.: Despite having the NJAC Freedom Division crown and the top spot in North 1, Group 2 locked up, Patriots coach Don Smolyn said he would not rest his starters this week. “We’re going to finish what we started,” Smolyn said, referring to finishing the regular season undefeated. That means senior running backs Jim LaBell and Travis Ressa, who combined for 201 yards in the division-clincher against Madison, will be released against a Hanover Park team that has lost three of its last four after starting 3-1.
Favorite: Lenape Valley
Hackettstown (3-5) at Warren Hills (4-4), today, 7 p.m.: Playoff berths will be a minor footnote in this season’s installment of the “Beater Board Battle.’’ Warren Hills is clinging to slim playoff hopes, relying on the results of a few other games to go there way. Meanwhile, Hackettstown had their dreams dashed by Kittatinny last week. The business that needs to be attended to is the rivalry’s dead-even 39-39 (with five ties) deadlock. Star running back Auxence Wogou ran for 199 yards and three touchdowns for the Tigers in a 26-7 win last season, but was bottled up by Kittatinny and managed just 21 yards last week. The Blue Streaks have won two straight thanks to 25- and 34-point outbursts against North Hunterdon and Voorhees, respectively.
Favorite: Warren Hills
South Hunterdon (1-6) at North Warren (2-5), today, 7 p.m.: Thanks to North Warren’s lackluster 2-5 season, Kevin Van Laar’s highly productive season has gone unnoticed for the most part. The senior running back has rushed for 1,036 yards on 184 carries. In an overtime win over Manville last week, Van Laar posted his third 200-yard performance of the season, going off for 236 yards on 37 carries. South Hunterdon notched its lone win of the season against Roselle Park last week. The Eagles have been outscored, 194-67, this season.
Favorite: North Warren
Chatham (5-3) at Kittatinny (5-3), Saturday, 2:30 p.m.: Despite sporting identical records, Chatham finds itself in the state playoffs while Kittatinny is on the outside looking in. Last week marked the first time this season when running backs Joe Hogh and Nick Molteni didn’t combine for over 200 yards. They sure came close, though, combing for 184 in a win over Hackettstown, the team’s fourth straight.
Favorite: Kittatinny
Madison (5-2) at Newton (2-6), Saturday, 2:30 p.m.: In the run-heavy Freedom Division, wideout Brian Winfield is an anomaly. The 6-foot-5 senior has put together a fine season out of Newton’s run-and-shoot offense. Last week he caught three balls for 84 yards and two touchdowns. It was the first time this season he and senior halfback James Nance (119 yards on 17 carries, two touchdowns) put it all together in one game. Madison, which was denied a piece of the division crown with a loss to Lenape Valley, seeks to improve its seed and clinch a first-round home game in North 2, Group 2.
Favorite: Madison
Delbarton (5-3) at Pope John (8-0), Saturday, 2:30 p.m.: Lions coach Vic Paternostro said he expects to be on the sideline Saturday after a battle with the flu forced him to leave at halftime of what became his state record-breaking 362nd career win. A solid Delbarton team, which got 190 yards passing and two touchdowns from Vernon native E.J. Schneider last week, awaits. In his last two games, Pope John junior Matt Pepe, who missed the first four games of the season with a hip injury, has amassed 308 yards and six touchdowns. Both teams will be doing a bit of scoreboard watching as the Lions look to retain the top seed while current No. 2 seed St. Joseph (Montvale) plays Bergen Catholic. Delbarton has a slim power-point edge on Bishop Ahr and Camden Catholic, which will be playing their eighth games this weekend.
Favorite: Pope John
Parsippany (0-8) at Wallkill Valley (3-5), Saturday, 2:30 p.m.: All things considered, the Rangers can still match last season’s mark of 5-5. Judging from Newton’s 42-6 rout of Parsippany, Wallkill Valley will be one step closer after Saturday. Junior running back Kevin Cook (771 yards on 113 carries) is in pursuit of a 1,000-yard season. With two solid games he could have it.
Favorite: Wallkill Valley
St. Anthony (5-2) at Sussex Tech (0-8), Saturday, 1 p.m.: Since restarting the football program last season, the Mustangs have one victory. It was provided by St. Anthony, which used an ineligible player. The Friars may not be as forgiving this season. Quarterback Sylvester Wright is completing passes at a 66-percent clip while running back Jidamon Sparkman is averaging 9.4 yards per carry.
Favorite: St. Anthony
Created: 11/5/2009 | Updated: 11/5/2009
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