Hoglen believes success starts up front for Hornets
The Hamilton West football team would love to correctly prove the old adage that success starts in the trenches.
The Hornets return an experienced offensive line and some talent on the defensive line as they try to bounce back from a 3-7 season that ended with six straight losses. Hamilton remains in the WJFL Valley Division, but has moved from Group III to Group IV in the state playoff picture.
“We’ve got some good young talent coming up, as long as we grow up fast we could have a good season,” coach Tom Hoglen said. “We’re the only team in the West Jersey Football League that has a bye in week one, and it’s not like we can go out and find a scrimmage because everybody else is playing. We’ll have a scrimmage and no game for two weeks after that, but maybe that extra time will help since we’re bringing along a young team.”
Fortunately for West, that youth is not on the offensive line as the Hornets get several players back from injury. Dan Ornosky, a 6-1, 290-pound senior, returns at guard after missing all of last year with a torn ACL. “He’s our top lineman,” Hoglen said.
Junior Zach Medina is a junior tackle, juniors Pat Migliaccio and Javeon Edler are in a battle for center, Gage Storer is a junior guard and juniors Jacob Darby and John Dyott are tackles. Medina and Storer started as sophomores and Edler started as a freshman before missing last season.
It’s a whole new crew at the skill positions as Hamilton has to replace its quarterback, running backs and record-setting receiver Chris Charles.
Senior Eddie Fennell, junior Ryan Hunt and sophomore Mike Nielsen are all competing for the quarterback spot.
“They each do something well,” Hoglen said prior to the start of scrimmages. “We’re waiting to see who steps up. Eddie is the guy going in, he’s got the most experience. He played the second half against Hightstown last year and started against Northern Burlington.”
Junior Joseph Aponte and sophomore Kevin Boswell will share touches at fullback, while junior Tolu Adeaga and sophomore Chase Cronce are the fullbacks.
Receivers are seniors Andy Hernandez, Louis Barrera and Will Clark, junior Dylan Hunt and sophomore Nathan Rodriguez. Tight ends feature senior Alex Cadet and sophomores Christopher Cronce (Chase’s twin brother), David Zamora and Isaac Young.
“We’ll probably use all four,” Hoglen said. “It’s one of those years where we have a lot of tight ends.”
Domonic Cooper returns as the place-kicker and will also punt.
“Last year we had young kids starting on the line for the first time,” Hoglen said. “This year we have experienced guys coming back. I would say the offensive line is the strength of our football team. We’re gonna try to mix it up offensively. I think we’ve got some pretty good size up front, we’ll come out and try to run the ball and set up the pass.”
Defensively, Hamilton returns senior Donovan Yon and junior Qua’shawn Lewis at tackles, while sophomores Tyler Williams and Joseph Muni take over at ends. Cadet and junior Andrew Nehila will rotate in at tackle.
Inside linebackers are senior Zaire Jeremie and Adeaga, while juniors Bryan Hearst and Aponte will start on the outside. Christopher Cronce will also see time on the outside. The secondary includes senior D’Angelo Hill and sophomore Isaiah Graves at safeties, and Clark, Barrera, Zach Clayton and Angel DeJesus at corners.
“I like the fact we’ve got two big D-tackles coming back with a lot of experience and our inside linebackers are back with experience,” Hoglen said. “We’re strong up the middle, we’ve got speed on the outside, that’s a good thing to have. Tom Dolina is in his second year as defensive coordinator, the kids are getting used to his system, the way he wants to do things. I think we have an improved defense.”
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