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Lou Hampton, Tyson Kelley, Alec Ladonis, Pete Ervin and David Kitchen are key seniors for Berwick.
S. John Wilkin/The Times Leader
Campbell
Beginning his fourth year in the area, coach Gary Campbell has caught on to what Berwick football means around the Wyoming Valley Conference.
“Who’s going to cry for Berwick? Nobody,” said Campbell, a Massachusetts transplant.
No tears will be shed for the loss of three all-state defenders – first-team selections linebacker Ryan Cordingly and cornerback Evan Crisman and second-team pick linebacker Ryan Sitler.
Or that both the offense and defense will have plenty of new starters.
Or that the starting quarterback has been lost for the season.
Berwick dealt with the latter two in 2008 and yet came away with the WVC Division 3A and District 2 Class 3A championships.
So there’s a good chance how Berwick looks on paper in the preseason won’t be how it looks on Friday nights.
ON OFFENSE
Campbell for the third time will begin the season without his starting quarterback. A.J. Mihaly suffered a season-ending knee injury during the American Legion baseball season. He might take a ceremonial kneel down if things go well in the home season finale with Dallas, but that will be the extent of his playing time.
Oddly, Mihaly was forced into the lineup last year when projected starter Nick Troxell missed the season after being hurt in a scrimmage. In 2006, Campbell’s first season, the Dawgs began the year without starting quarterback Gordon Law.
Sophomore Jared Pierce will step into the spot. Ideally, this would have been a learning year, but that won’t happen for Pierce, who Campbell says is a natural leader with a live arm.
Receiver Sean Ridall, the team’s fastest player, will also take some shotgun snaps when Berwick runs its version of the Wildcat offense.
“This is nothing new to our team,” Campbell said. “They understand now that’s a role (Pierce) will have to play and the others around him will have to step up and do their thing. It puts emphasis on a lot of other roles.”
Namely, the roles of tailback Lou Hampton and fullback Alec Ladonis, both returning starters. Both are power runners, but Hampton also has deceptive speed.
“Lou was a good workhorse and he got better as the year went on,” Campbell said. “He gained over 100 yards against Hazleton at the end of the year. He’s ready for a great season.
“We have a one-two punch. Alec is 220 and Lou is 190 right now, so we have some size in the backfield.”
Berwick also has size on the line, which will probably be the biggest under Campbell’s tenure.
Nate Hess, a 280-pound tackle, is the only returning starter back now that Tyson Kelly will be moving to the other side of the ball. Christian Whitebread, a 260-pound junior, looks as if he’ll start as well, but the rest of the unit wasn’t set.
The receiving group is also inexperienced but athletic and has speed. Tight end Casey Davenport is the top returnee after catching 10 passes for 186 yards and two TDs as a sophomore.
ON DEFENSE
The defense was outstanding last year, especially in the playoffs. The Dawgs shut out Coughlin and Abington Heights in the District 2 Class 3A tournament, then defeated Wilson Boro – a team averaging 41 points – in the state playoffs, 13-6.
Only three starters return, but they’re good ones – Davenport, Pete Ervin and Brett Bodwalk.
Davenport is back at an end spot, while the underrated Ervin will anchor the interior. Roy Dennis will play at end, a position where he made eight sacks last year.
Bodwalk will move from the line to middle linebacker where the coaching staff feels his ability can be utilized better. Kelly moves from the offensive line to the linebacking corps. Junior Caleb Fetteroff saw time last season due to an injury to a starter and performed admirably.
Senior cornerback Brandon Cope is expected to stabilize an inexperienced secondary.
OUTLOOK
Despite the losses to graduation, the Dawgs are the team to beat in WVC Division 3A and could be headed for a rematch with Abington Heights for the D2-3A title.