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Soaring Back to the Top?

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Springstead High Head Coach Bill Vonada has guided the Eagles five consecutive non-losing seasons. In 2008, SHS is expected to return seven starters on offense and seven on defense, plus its place kicker.

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: September 4, 2008

Updated: 09/04/2008 07:59 am

It doesn't seem like so long ago that Springstead High ruled the county. Only two seasons have passed since the Eagles' last playoff appearance.
However, back-to-back 5-5 campaigns have left the Eagles trailing both Central and Nature Coast for local supremacy and out of the playoff picture in Class 4A, District 8.
Like a phoenix, these birds are ready to rise again. An unusually high amount of returning players at just about every position has Springstead primed to contend once more.
"We think we're going to be a better ball club than we have been for a little bit," said Head Coach Bill Vonada. "The biggest question is how much improved is everybody else and how are we going to play on a given Friday? That's why we take it one game at a time.
"I think we'll compete. I think we'll compete in every single game. I think it's going to be a fun season."

Speeding up the learning curve

According to Vonada, beginning his 11th season, the continuity of the personnel has sped up the learning curve.
As they have for years under Vonada, the Eagles will run a triple option offense that utilizes a contingent of running backs.
Last year's leading rusher, 5-foot-9, 170-pound Mike Greco, returns for his senior year off a 786-yard season.
The same goes for versatile Ben Noury, who can play running back, wide receiver and quarterback, after he tallied 579 yards of total offense in 2007.
Seniors James Wozniak and Bryce Hollingshead, along with sophomore Devean Huff, will also see time carrying the football.
So too will senior quarterback James Mahla, back for his second full season under center. Last year he completed 73-of-152 passes (48 percent) for 967 yards with nine touchdowns against 11 interceptions.
He also finished second to Greco on the team in rushing with 100 carries for 477 yards and five touchdowns.
"He's coming along very well, he's certainly progressed," Vonada said. "There's a noticeable improvement from last year. He's more confident in what we do."
A receiving corps led by senior Domnique Roberson (31 catches, 398 yards, five TDS) could actually open up the Eagle passing game.
"Domnique certainly adds a little bit different dimension to us," Vonada said. "He forces the defense; if they've got a shutdown corner he occupies him and makes them account for him in other ways. Plus he's a solid blocker for us, which is critical in our offense."
Zach Bailey, Daniel Wilson, Philip Lakin, John McCloskey and Mitchell Fischbach will man the offensive line from left-to-right.
"I think it's going to be an amazing year," Bailey said. "We're putting in a lot of hard work bonding together, getting rid of small mistakes.
"I think it's (season preparation) moved a lot quicker (because of all the returnees). We don't have to review as much. Everyone knows what they're doing."

More versatility on defense

Defensive Coordinator Mike Garofano also has many returnees on a unit that helped Springstead permit just 20.1 points per game.
"I think we'll be a little more versatile than in past years," Vonada said of the unit. "We might be a step faster, depending on the personnel group in there.
"We've got guys that can move around, play in different spots to give us different looks. We're certainly not going to be the biggest team anybody is going to face. We've just got to improve our fundamentals every single day."
Linebacker Nate Schafer, who paced the team with 108 tackles, and defensive back Hollingshead, who recorded a team-best four interceptions, headline the Eagle defense.
"I think the defense is good," Hollingshead said. "In a lot of positions most of the guys are returning. A lot of them are wise in what they're doing. Practice moves at a faster pace because we have older guys."
Roberson, who led the team with six sacks, joins Schafer in a linebacking group that includes Wozniak, Wilson, Josh Santana, Greco, John Leverock and possibly Mahla.
Noury, Glenn Clarke, Steven Walker, Tyler Callaghan and Jake Kelley will see time along with Hollingshead in the secondary.
The defensive line has one key newcomer, senior Stanley Miele, who recently transferred from California and played for Hernando two years ago.
Vonada also pointed to the experience of Christian Quinones along the defensive front. Lou Wendelstedt, Bailey and Brendan Bisard will play there, as well.
"I think maybe they understand the scheme of the defense, the design of it, fairly well," Vonada said of the entire defense. "They've still got to get to the final step of the learning curve where it's not just understand but know without even knowing, where it's just pure reaction.
"I think we're moving in that direction but we still have some work to be done."
Like most area schools, the Eagles do have some kinks to work out in the kicking game.
Schafer will handle place kicking, while last year's place kicker, junior D.J. Neuner, concentrates on punting and kickoffs. Hollingshead, Walker, Huff and Noury will return kicks.

Tough district

It's very conceivable that Springstead could claim the county title and miss out on the regional playoffs, much as Central did last season.
With perennial playoff contenders such as Land O' Lakes and Tarpon Springs in the mix, 4A-8 has become one of the toughest districts around.
"I think there are some real tough teams in the district," Vonada said. "There are tough teams throughout our schedule. We're going worry about that when we play our first district game. That's the only way we know to approach this, take one game at a time.
"…We've got a bunch of guys we're happy to work with. They understand what it takes. You can't control what kind of athletes you have but you can control how you react. We like the way these young men have come along so far. Now we'll see how they react in pressure situations."

2008 F.W. Springstead Eagles Varsity Football Schedule
Head Coach – Bill Vonada (11th Year: 48-53 lifetime)
Date Opponent Site Time
09-05 Crystal River Home 7:30 p.m.
09-12 Nature Coast* Away 7:30 p.m.
09-19 Belleview Home 7:30 p.m.
09-26 Land O'Lakes# Away 7:30 p.m.
10-03 Bye
10-10 Brooksville-Central*# Home 7:30 p.m.
10-16 Brooksville-Hernando* Home 7:30 p.m.
10-24 NPR-River Ridge# Away 7:30 p.m.
10-31 NPR-Ridgewood# Home 7:30 p.m.
11-07 Tarpon Springs# Away 7:30 p.m.
11-14 Lecanto Away 7:30 p.m.
11-21 1st Round FHSAA PlayoffsTBA 7:30 p.m.
* Denotes Hernando County game
# Denotes Class 4A, District 8 game

2008 SPRING HILL-SPRINGSTEAD EAGLES FOOTBALL ROSTER

NO. NAME HGT WGT POSITIONSYR
02 Domnique Roberson 6'1" 170 WR/DB 12
03 D.J. Neuner 6'0" 175 PK 11
05 Glenn Clarke 6'1" 168 RB/DB 12
07 Chris Kelly 5'10" 130 QB 11
10 Bryce Hollingshead 5'9" 163 RB/DB 12
11 James Mahla 6'1" 205 QB/DB 12
14 Ryan Buckley 6'2" 160 LS/DL 10
15 Ben Noury 6'0" 185 RB/QB/DB 12
24 Steven Walker 5'10" 149 RB/DB 11
25 Devean Huff 5'3" 140 RB/DB 10
28 Joshua Santana 5'8" 183 QB/LB 10
30 Travis Rossicoe 5'5" 125 WR/DB 12
33 Scott Barron 5'11" 150 RB/LB 11
34 Thomas Watson 5'11" 140 QB/LB 09
40 James Wozniak 5'8" 170 RB/LB 12
42 Mike Greco 5'9" 170 RB/LB 12
46 John Leverock 5'7" 150 RB/DB 10
48 Brendan Bisard 5'8" 150 RB/DL 10
48 Jeff Gilbert 5'9" 147 RB/DE 10
51 Christian Quinones 5'10" 245 CT/NG 11
53 Daniel Wilson 5'11" 195 OL/LB 12
54 Nate Schafer 5'11" 195 TE/LB 12
55 Danial Cox 5'8" 185 OL/DL 10
61 John McCloskey 5'7" 167 OL/DL 10
64 Patrick Mentry 5'8" 220 OL/DL 11
67 Stanley Miele 6'3" 250 OL/DL 12
68 Brandon Rose 5'9" 230 CT/NG 10
70 Atangel Hernandez 6'2" 255 OL 10
73 Philip Lakin 5'10" 190 OL 11
74 Dylan Gearhart 5'9" 183 OL 09
75 Mitchell Fischbach 6'0" 210 OL/DL 10
77 David Stevens 5'11" 163 OL/DL 10
79 Zach Bailey 6'3" 215 OL/DL 12
80 Jake Kelley 5'9" 135 WR/DB 11
83 Lou Wendelstedt 6'2" 162 DL 10
86 Caleb Shellabarger 6'4" 155 WR/DB 11
88 Tyler Callaghan 5'6" 140 WR/DB 10
89 Cody Jones 5'6" 200 OL/DL 11

Head Coach: Bill Vonada (11th Year: 48-53 overall)
Assistant Coaches: Steve Crognale, Mike Garofano,
Terry Hoffman, Mark Lee,James Mahla, Phil McGuire,
Jeremy Olsen, Mike Poyer, Frank Vitale.
 

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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