OFA Seeks Repeat Of '09 Formula
A football team doesn't go undefeated throughout its league season and the sectionals without wholesale contributions throughout the roster.
The OFA Blue Devils, who went 7-0 (9-2 overall) winning the Northern Football League Class C and the Section 10-7 Class C crowns, will need the same type of efforts as they return to the Class B ranks the fall.
"Our schedule is brutal with our B opponents Peru, Beekmantown, Gouverneur, Saranac Central and Plattsburgh High and facing Malone, Potsdam and Massena," said OFA Coach Matt Tessmer who will have his team at home in a scrimmage with Malone and Watertown High on Saturday starting at 11 a.m.
"It is a big challenge but we have a very good core group, some talented first year players and a lot of players who have the athletic ability to play different positions. But we graduated a lot of people who really had good years last season so we need the first year players to adjust quickly to the varsity level."
Leading the "core group" are senior captains Jared Morrow (QB-DB), Kris Folsom (RB-LB), Nick TenEyck (OL-LB) and Eric Barr (RB-DB) and senior lineman Tim Barr, a three-year starting two-way lineman.
Morrow, a four-year varsity player and three-year captain, has already thrown for more touchdowns and yards than anyone in school history and earned third team all-state honors last season after throwing for 1534 yards and 20 touchdowns. TenEyck, at 6' 4" 280 pounds, is also established as a definite collegiate prospect and as a natural line corps leader to succeed Cam Allison (NAC Lineman of Year and Don Petty Award recipient) who earned an NCAA Division I Scholarship to Eastern Michigan University. Folsom and Barr are the top candidates to replace Conor Ives who rushed for almost 800 yards last season.
Other returnees with starting experience are: Owen Luckie (Sr, SE-QB-DB), Drew Thornhill (Sr SE-DB), Nevin Parish (Sr RB-LB), Joel King (Sr RB-DB), Ryan Bouchey (Sr OL-DL) and Dave Dalton (Jr OL-DL). Seniors looking to expand their contributions are: Greg Denner (SE-DB), Nick Steenkamer (RB-DB) and Zach Sweeney (OL-DL).
Moving up from the junior varsity level are: Christian Lesperance (Jr RB-DB), Tyler Knowlton (So RB-LB), Christian Simmons (So OL-DL), Dustin Harper (Jr SE-DB), Zach Grenier (Jr SE-LB), Brad Seguin (Jr OL-DL), Andrew LeBeau (Jr OL-DL), Jake Garrison (So OL-DL), Nate Angel (So QB-LB), Zach Sharpe (So RB-LB), Josh Liebstein (Fr SE-DB), Nick Crawford (Jr SE-DB) and Zach Anderson-Petell (Jr SE-DB).
"Jared Morrow has done everything you could ask a quarterback and we have some good receivers. We have people who can get downfield and we need to develop a deep threats to replace Gene Bouyer (second team all-state) so we can stretch the field offensively," said Coach Tessmer who is combining with coaches Charlie McCormick, Tony Williams, Brett Monnat and Louie Kiah and longtime manager Rick Amo to prepare the Devils for a season opener at home against Malone on Sept. 3. "We are also looking at a lot of people defensively who show promise and some of last year's starters could end up playing different positions."
JV Schedule Changed: The OFA Junior Varsity Football team, coached by Jerry Sawyer and Matt Shaver, will play a revised schedule. The schedule was revised when Canton and St. Lawrence Central were unable to field a JV team this season.
OFA VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept. 3: Malone at OFA (7 p.m.), Sept. 11 - OFA at Peru, Sept 17: Saranac Central at OFA (7 p.m.), Sept 24: OFA at Plattsburgh High (7:30 p.m.), Oct. 2 - OFA at Gouverneur 1:30 p.m., Oct. 2 - OFA at Gouveneur 1:30 p.m., Oct 8 - Beekmantown at OFA (7 p.m.), Oct 15 - Beekmantown at OFA (7 p.m.), Oct. 22 - OFA at Massena (7 p.m.).
OFA JV FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sept 4: OFA at Malone 10 a.m., Sept 9: Massena at OFA (5:30 p.m.), Sept 16: Gouverneur at OFA 5:30 p.m., Sept. 23: OFA at Tupper Lake (5:30 p.m.), Sept. 30: OFA at Potsdam (5:30 p.m.), Oct 7 - Malone at OFA (5:30 p.m.), Oct 14: Tupper Lake at OFA (5:30 p.m.), Oct. 19: OFA at Massena (5:30 p.m.).
