Red Hook looking to do more with less
Turnout down 12-15 players from average year, yet Raiders coach optimistic about improvement from team that finished 4-5 in 2015
The Raiders are heading into the 2015 season banking on having more unity and a sounder team.
RED HOOK >> There’s a double edge to the small turnout for Red Hook High’s football team, but the Raiders are heading into the 2015 season banking on it helping them create more unity and a fundamentally sounder team.
“Our numbers are low. We’re looking at approximately 12 to 15 kids lighter than any average year we’ve had,” said Red Hook head coach Bill Stutz, who has
25 players on his varsity squad, “But, to that end, we have a real strong first string and we have good subs.
“Our depth is not what it has been, but what that allows us to do at practice is give numbers one and two more reps. Our staff opinion is we’re able to do more and cover more because we have a smaller group of kids.”
Red Hook opens the season 1:30 p.m. Saturday at home versus James I. O’Neill.
“We know we have a small team, but we’re pretty fast” senior Nick Michitsch said, “so we’re going to use that to our advantage and just play hard every game.
“It has its ups and its downs,” he admitted. “Our skill players get a lot of looks and a lot of touches but, then again, we have to be in good condition.”
“What it allows is more individual drills with your individual
coach and our team session doesn’t necessarily have to be as long because we don’t have as many rounds to go to get the kid their opportunity to be seen,” Stutz noted. “It’s a Catch-22. You don’t have the bodies, but you hopefully increase their ability.
“To me, what’s exciting about coaching at a small school is we have very few one-way players. Everybody has to learn at least an offensive position and at least, at minimum, one defensive position. And some kids play two or three positions, because they have to, but that’s what makes it fun for me and challenging.”
Red Hook went 4-5 last year, ending on a solid note. The Raiders led four-time Section 9, Class B champion Marlboro by 21 points at halftime, but the Dukes rallied to win.
Red Hook closed with three straight victories, knocking off a strong Bronxville team 30-28, edging Rondout Valley 35-32 and downing Goshen 34-13.
“We finished strong, but we’re not looking at last year at all,” Michitsch said. “We’re just focused completely on this year, because we have a whole new squad.”
Graduation forced a make-over of the defense and a new look to the offensive backfield. Gone are quarterback Nick Carlson and 1,000-yard rusher Dustin Ducey.
Junior Nick Morrissey, who played in three games last year, takes over at quarterback.
“You could call him a green quarterback, but he’s got that varsity year under him, so he can play to the speed of that level,” Stutz said.
Senior AJ Coolbaugh becomes the featured back.
“He split time with Dustin, but Dustin got 85 percent of the carries,” Stutz pointed out. “My goal for AJ is to help him become a 1,000-yard rusher.”
What should help in that regard is the return of four starting senior offensive linemen in tackles Pat Comerford and Vinny Flood, center Travis Coon and guard Darren Coon. Junior Evan Insogna, up from the junior varsity, takes over at the other guard slot.
“It’s a big advantage,” Coolbaugh said. “They all know the plays. It all comes down to execution. I think we’ll get it done.”
“That allows us to progress with our offense,” Stutz added.
“We’ve got some good backup kids,” Coolbaugh noted.
“We’re going to have some depth at running back. I think we’ll use that to our advantage this year.”
Michitsch will also be in the backfield.
The offseason has been important for the Raiders.
“We had 95 percent participation in the offseason,”
Stutz noted. Red Hook varsity football players Kyle Torre, left, and Stephen Sowinski goes through a bag drag drill during recent practice.
Stutz
Morrissey
“With this group, they’ve all been present and we’re really getting through things faster, which will open up our playbook a little more, hopefully.
“We graduated 16 last year and many were defensive starters,” he said. “It’s the same defense, but it’s kind of seen an overhaul, because we have kids playing the same position as JV, but it’s a varsity speed.
“I’ve got Michitsch at linebacker, I’ve got AJ at linebacker and I’ve got a big middlebacker in (junior) Connor Redmond, who is six-foot, over 200 pounds and agile. I’ve got (senior James) Mulvey and (senior) Devin Scott at safeties and I’ve got a couple of new corners. The defense is solid, but we have the depth issue.”
Red Hook played teams tough in ‘14, but missed qualifying for the postseason.
“We took the teams into the fourth quarter,” Stutz said. “Our big word this year is ‘Finish.’ That’s what we’re training at. We got to finish the game. This year, I think, we have the talent. We got to make it to the fourth quarter and make it through the fourth quarter.”
“Our strength definitely is our speed,” Michitsch said. “I think we’re going to be quicker than
a lot of teams and we’re
Coolbaugh
Michitsch
all getting into the weight room, so we’re getting up to strength, also.”
“We can beat them with speed, but we’re not going to bully someone around,” Coolbaugh remarked.
The Raiders are upbeat about the coming year.
“We feel optimistic and we don’t feel we’ll skip a beat,” Stutz remarked.
“We just have less players.”
SCHEDULE Sept.—5, O’NEILL, 1:30 p.m; 12, at Goshen, 1:30 p.m.; 19, HIGHLAND, 1:30 p.m.; 26, at Woodlands, 1:30 p.m. Oct.—2, at Marlboro, 7 p.m.; 10, at Spackenkill, 1:30 p.m.; 17, RONDOUT, 1:30 p.m. All home games in CAPS.