August 27, 1999

Senecas to take the stage for Act II

By Dave Feltner
Sports Editor

Now it's time for Act II.

And if it's anything like Act I &emdash; and indications are the potential is there &emdash; get ready for a 10-week joyride filled with plenty of offensive fireworks.

Tonight, the Calvert Senecas take the field for the first time since a 41-0 defeat at the hands of eventual state champion Delphos St. John's.

But followers of Seneca football know that last year was not defined by that loss in the state semifinals. Instead, the burning memory is of a 12-week blitz through the competition that had Calvert record keepers scrambling to find enough ink to rewrite the record books.

This year, with the bulk of that offensive team returning, the Senecas begin the same place they did a year ago &emdash; against an up-and-coming Cardinal Stritch team. The two lock horns at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Northwood High School.

The Cardinals gave Calvert all it could handle in last year's opener, leading twice, before dropping a 28-21 decision. Stritch went on to post an 8-2 record, its first winning season in years.

And guess what? The Cardinals have the nucleus of that team returning.

"They had a great season last year," Calvert coach Toby Hammond said. "They had us down 7-0 at halftime, and 14-7 in the third quarter. I think our kids are mature enough to know that we're in for a tough game.

"We are their season," he said. "We're probably the toughest team they'll play this year. We're going to have our hands full. These guys are bigger than last year, and they're a physical group of kids."

The Cardinals' roster features 10 kids that weigh more than 200 pounds, but like Calvert, it's the skill people you have to watch.

Running backs Mike DeMaria (5-10, 170) and Corey McCloskey (5-8, 160) and tight end Mike Worden (5-11, 177) were the focal point of the Stritch offense last year, and will be the focal point of a young Calvert defense.

The quarterback will be a new one, either senior Kacy Christian (6-0, 185) or sophomore Pat Manders (5-10, 135). Manders has the stronger arm, but Christian has more experience.

Like Calvert, Stritch will run a lot of single back set, and will rely on its skill people to make the big plays.

"They don't have the deep threats like we have, but they will still try to beat us with the big play," Hammond said. "The DeMaria kid is a player, and he's a fast one."

Defensively, Stritch runs an attacking base. It's a unit that likes to take chances. The ringleaders there are, again, DeMaria (outside linebacker) and McCloskey (defensive back).

"Offensively, we really have to be aware because they'll come after us," Hammond said. "They'll probably get to us a couple of times, but hopefully we'll get them a couple of times, too."

If ever there was a prepared offense, it is Calvert's.

Quarterback Nate Keller is back after piling up 42 touchdowns and nearly 3,000 yards last year.

He'll have a 1,000-yard running back (Eric Puffenberger) to work with, along with a receiver who caught 10 TDs a year ago in Bart Fisher. They'll be working in Hammond's patented run-and-shoot offense.

"It's the same thing we said all last year," Hammond said. "In order for us to be successful, we have to have a good balance. We have to be able to run and throw the ball. We don't want to be throwing the ball 35 times a game."

Both Calvert and Stritch were impressive in the teams' only scrimmage of the preseason. Stritch downed both Northwood and Toledo Libbey, while Calvert hanged five quick touchdowns on Liberty-Benton in just over a quarter of football.

"With only one scrimmage it's really made it hard for us to develop depth," Hammond said. "We've only got one starter back on the line (Eric Baugher), and it takes time to develop that unit. We didn't have that time this year.

"One of the reasons we had so much success last year &emdash; besides the obvious one being talent &emdash; was that those kids were so unselfish. There's a saying that goes 'amazing things can occur if no one cares who gets the credit.' "

It's an act that will be tough to follow. The first step will take place tonight.