Wilson hinges hopes on familiarity
The Wilson Area Warriors went 1-9 last season with an inexperienced team.
Inexperience won’t be a factor this season.
As the team went through the heat acclimatization period this week, spending one day inside because of stormy weather, no introductions were required as Wilson returns nine of 11 players on offense and 10 of 11 on defense.
“We have game experience — we’re growing up,” coach Chris Labatch said. “We’ve still got a lot of underclassmen, but those underclassmen got a lot of playing time last year. We’re looking on the bright side. We’ve got a good group of kids and we’re excited.”
Among the returnees are seniors Alec Snyder, Taylor Sheridan, Jacob Lutri, Kolby Flank, Nick Gara and Anthony Micci.
Among the holes to fill are quarterback and center.
Owen Pelonero and Cayden Stem are among the candidates at quarterback.
Whoever takes the snaps will get quality tutelage from Bret Comp, the former Warriors head coach, who has returned to the program after spending several years at Parkland.
Comp will be working with the quarterbacks and trying to sharpen a passing attack that last season averaged just 72 yards per game.
“When you’re a head coach, you try to get the best guys you can on your staff as position coaches, and our staff is very unified and works well together,” Labatch said. “To get a coach like Coach Comp is very exciting for us.”
Wilson opens the season at
Northern Lehigh and would like to make an immediate statement that 2019 will not be a repeat of 2018 when the Warriors lost their first seven games before breaking through for a 28-27 victory over Palmerton.
“That’s a big opener for us,” Labatch said. “The one thing you know with Northern Lehigh is that it’ll be a knock-down, drag-out football game. They’re going to come out and punch you in the face. Being in the league since 2003 when I was a freshman here, Wilson-Northern Lehigh is always a great game, a knockdown fight. My freshman year was against Northern Lehigh’s great state runner-up team, so I know what they bring up there and know what kind of kids they have. We have to match their intensity. That’s a great Friday night game.”