5-Sep-14, The Jersey Journal
By Max Tyler
WEEHAWKEN INDIANS
HEAD COACH: Zach Naszimento
YEAR WITH TEAM: 4th
TEAM’S 2013 RECORD: 4-6
RECORD AT WEEHAWKEN: 16-14
TYPE OF OFFENSE: Wing-T
OFFENSIVE OVERVIEW:
Among the nine returning starters on offense, the Indians welcome back 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior quarterback Oliver Molano, who threw for more than 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2013 and ran for 1,080 with eight scores on the ground. “It all starts with Oliver,” coach Zach Naszimento said.
Weehawken also returns senior fullback Javier Lopez, who rushed for almost 800 yards in 2013. On the offensive line, Naszimento looks to senior right tackle Mohammed Hussan and sophomore center Shane O’Rourke to lead the way in the ground game and keep Molano upright in the pocket.
With only two first-year starters, the Indians hope to pick up where they left off from a year ago when they won two of their last three games. “I think we can score and move the football as well as we have the last three years,” Naszimento said.
TYPE OF DEFENSE: 4-3
DEFENSIVE OUTLOOK:
With nine returning starters from last year’s defense, Naszimento says his defensive players now have a better understanding of how he wants them to play.
Last year, Molano was steady at the strong safety position, which Naszimento is counting on once again. The defensive line will be a strength for the Indians this year with the return of 6-foot-1, 285-pound captain Patrick Higgins and the 6-foot, 220-pound Joan Andujar, both of whom are three-year starters. At linebacker, Naszimento sees potential in sophomore inside linebacker Brian Padron.
“I expect us to be more aggressive and more physical than last year,” Naszimento said. “They’ve all grown up mentally as well as in the weight room.”
COACH’S OUTLOOK:
While the Indians finished with a losing record last season, they remained close and competed in most games. “It was a learning curve for sure,” Naszimento said. “We’re excited about this year with the experience we gained from last year.”
The goal for 2014 is to compete for the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference Patriot Division title as well as a state sectional championship. Naszimento wants to get back to the level of success from two seasons ago when his team finished 7-3 and made the playoffs. Their schedule will provide plenty of challenges, including matchups with Cresskill, St. Mary’s of Rutherford and Secaucus.
“The kids had to grow up last year,” he said. “ We’re trying to get back to being that playoff team.”
SCHEDULE
| SEPT. 12 | AT CRESSKILL | 7 P.M. |
| SEPT. 20 | AT QUEEN OF PEACE | 1 P.M. |
| SEPT. 26 | EMERSON | 7 P.M. |
| OCT. 3 | BOGOTA | 7 P.M. |
| OCT. 11 | ST. MARY’S | 1 P.M. |
| OCT. 17 | WALLINGTON | 7 P.M. |
| OCT. 24 | SECAUCUS | 7 P.M. |
| NOV. 1 | AT WOOD-RIDGE | 1 P.M. |
| NOV. 7 | AT HASBROUCK HEIGHTS | 7 P.M. |
No comments:
Post a Comment