New coach Papero has star back Boswell to rely on
HAMILTON >> As he embarks on his dream job, new head coach Mike Papero is dreaming good things for the Hamilton West football team.
“If there’s not a state berth I’ll be disappointed and I think everyone in the program will be disappointed,” said Papero, Tom Hoglen’s long-time assistant who has wanted to lead the Hornets since he was holding wires on the sidelines for Keith Hartbauer’s staff as a kid. “We look at our schedule and we’re gonna be confident every game we go into. We’ve got the talent to match up with anybody. It’s gonna come down to execution. I couldn’t be more happy with our coaching staff, they’re all working their butts off. The kids have bought in, we’re ready to go.”
Papero is not the only coach impressed with his team. After a scrimmage with Montclair, legendary coach John Fiore asked Papero if he could talk to the Hornets. Fiore has won four state titles in the past seven years and has an 18year record of 146-62-1, so his opinion counts.
“He basically told them, ‘Hey, you guys took it to us, we took it to you, keep doing what you’re doing,’” Papero said. “That was a big pick-me-up for the kids. He said when he’s played teams from down here, nobody’s gone toe to toe with them and nobody’s really taken it to them. Not to say we took it to them more than they took it to us, they got the best of us, but we were right there. All camp I’ve been telling the kids, they’re gonna come down and punch us in the mouth and I was OK with that as long as we punch back. We slugged it out with them.”
Hamilton is coming off a 6-4 season in which it just missed a South Jersey Group IV playoff berth. Hoglen stepped down after 17 years and Papero inherits a team with one of Mercer County’s top running backs in junior Kevin Boswell, who rushed for 1,255 yards last year.
“We’ll find creative ways to get him the ball,” Papero said. “We’re not gonna just sit him in the backfield. Every time he touches ball it can get into the end zone. It doesn’t matter where he is on the field, it doesn’t matter what position on the field he is, when the ball’s in his hands we have a chance to score. He’s like a nuclear weapon.”
Opening the holes is a fairly experienced offensive line. Going from right to left are seniors Zach Medina and Pat Migliaccio, junior center Ish Gonzalez, and senior Gage Storer, while Jacob Darby and Connor Kasa compete for the left tackle spot. Juniors Isaac Young and Chris Cronce will be the tight ends, while senior Joey Aponte and juniors Zykeem Williams and Nate Rodriguez are receivers.
Quarterback is a battle between senior Ryan Hunt and junior Mike Nielsen.
“Ryan has a pretty big arm, he’s a real hard worker and he’s athletic,” Papero said. “Nielsen just understands the game so well, he’s got a good arm. He never seems to get rattled.”
Joining Boswell in the backfield are senior Tolu Adeaga and junior Chase Cronce (Chris’s twin) at fullback, and sophomore Xavier Edwards and Aponte at running back.
Freshman Fin Dailey, a nationally ranked soccer player who wanted to try something different in the fall, is the place kicker and is one of several who may punt.
The defensive line has junior Tyler Williams and senior Dylan Hunt at ends, while junior Joe Muni and seniors Quay Lewis and Fahad Rashid rotate between tackle and end. Jarod Stockton will also see time at end.
Papero said, “I’ll put my linebackers up there with any in the county,” as he calls Chase and Chris Cronce “the kind of guys every coach wants to coach.” Adeaga and senior Bryon Hearst are also linebackers, and sophomore Joey Laezza, whose dad Nick was a West stud in the 1990s, will see time as well.
Sophomore Andy Figueroa, Williams and Bordentown transfer Norel Hampton are cornerbacks, while junior Isaiah Graves and sophomore Elson Peralta are safeties.
“Our defense is going to be physical but disciplined,” Papero said. “We’re preaching 11 hats to the ball at all times and we’re gonna cut out a lot of the stupid mistakes we’ve been committing. They’re working their butts off, defensively. I want to set a tone every game. I told them I want other teams to watch us and take notice how we’re flying around hitting people.”
John Fiore has already noticed.
Follow Rich Fisher on twitter @fish4scores