The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Camden aims to bounce back from rough season
Blue Devils coming off 2-win season in 2014
The Camden football team will try to return to the playoffs this fall after finishing 2-6in 2014.
CAMDEN >> The Camden football team has been very successful in head coach Aaron Fiorini’s first eight years at the helm, advancing to the Section III playoffs in six of those seasons.
Last fall was one of the two seasons that didn’t include a postseason berth and the Blue Devils are looking to avoid a third in 2015.
“We lost three games by a total of 12 points all in the last minute of those games,” said Fiorini at practice onWednesday. “The ball didn’t go our way. We didn’t have a lot of wins in the win column but we’re hoping to change that this year.”
Fiorini credited his players with keeping a good attitude through the 2- 6 campaign, as well as their work during the offseason. The head coach said the Blue Devils had their best first week of practice in
“Regardless of what the scoreboard says they’re going to go out there and grind away.”
- Camden head coach
Aaron Fiorini
his nine years thanks to their preparation over the summer.
Camden will need to continue to improve to return to the postseason.
“(We have to) just keep working and get better every day,” said Fiorini. “We try to tell these kids that if each one of them, individually, gets better every single day, we’re going to be better as a team. And they’ve been doing that.”
The injury bug also bit the Blue Devils last year and Fiorini is preparing for that possibility again this season. He said his players are learning several different positions so if one gets hurt another will be ready to slide in and contribute.
Last year’s injuryplagued campaign also gave several young players a chance to see the field and gain experience that could be valuable this fall. Third-year player J.P. Musachio is expected to be Camden’s top running back in his senior season.
“I feel like it’s going to be a good senior year,” he said. “We’ve done pretty good in the past butwehadapretty bad season last year. Hope- fully we will do better.”
Other key players back for the Blue Devils are running back/linebacker Brett Finch, quarterback/defensive back Ethan Avard and wide receiver/defensive backs Jacob Brumber and Whitney Cook. Austin Confer and Josh Coleman return for Camden along the offensive and defensive lines.
“We look like we have a very technical team this year,” said Confer. “We have more muscle this year, we have more people who know what they’re doing and all that good stuff.”
Austin Rising could be a key newcomer at tight end and defensive end for the Blue Devils along with CameronOatman. DanPalmeter also transfers back to Camden this fall and will play quarterback and safety.
“(Last year) we learned what not to do and how teamwork affects what we need to put into the game,” said Brumber.
Camden opens its season with a road game on Sept. 4 against Central Valley Academy at 7 p.m.
“We’ve got a bunch of hard-working kids that are willing to strap ‘em up,” said Fiorini. “One thing I can tell you is when (teams) play us, they’re going to get hit. When they leave they know they’re going to play Camden. Regardless of what the scoreboard says they’re going to go out there and grind away and that’s all you can ask for.”