It's easy to be optimistic in the preseason, Alexander's Head Coach Tim Sawyer notes during a recent practice at The Field of Dreams while the Trojans sprint and leap and twist and turn and bang into each other during a series of warm-up drills.
Sawyer likes what he sees of his squad, which is inheriting back-to-back successful seasons that gave Alexander shots at sectional titles.
His boys are tough, working hard, have some talent and, most importantly, coalescing as a team.
"We had a tremendous summer," Sawyer said. "We have a really tight team. They like football. They like each other. They care about each other and they want to be the best they can be, so it's exciting."
The squad of 27 includes 11 seniors and 15 juniors. Jared Browne returns as the starting QB, Derrick Busch is at tight end, Connor Roberts at wide receiver, Zach Jasen at fullback and Jake Wozniak at halfback. Sawyer also can stack his lines with Josh Hylkema, Riley Kusmierski, Rick Amico, Sean Bennett, Matt Grover and Brett Nichols, none of whom start the season under 190 pounds.
Hylkema, a junior at 235 pounds, is an interesting case. He only started playing football last season, and has, Sawyer said, fallen in love with the game.
"He's really changed," Sawyer said. "He's gotten bigger. He understands the game better."
But as Sawyer surveys the Genesee Region, he sees potential trouble every week. It will be a tough season.
- Notre Dame: "They were very young last year and they got a ton of players back. They're going to be really tough."
- Attica: "Always tough. Marchetti (Damian) will be his third year starting at quarterback for them. McCulloch (Hunter) is coming back to the running back spot for them. So Attica is going to be really good."
- Elba: "Always challenges everybody. They play tough defense."
- Holley: "Holley is much improved. I know they are. We were in the combine in March and Holley had 13 players there. Nobody better take Holley for granted."
- Pembroke: "Coach Diminuco (in his second year), the longer you're there and have more continuity, the expectations become more clear. I think Pembroke is going to have a really good line. They were very young last year, but they've got boys who can play."
"That's the neat thing," Sawyer said. "I think overall, the strength of the league this year means on any given week, you're going to get a challenge."
That said, Sawyer added, "We've got high expectations."
"We were in sectional finals two years ago and semi-finals last year and we want to get back and win a sectional title," Sawyer said. "You can do that without winning the GR, but we'd like to do both. That's our ultimate goal, be GR champs again and win a sectional title.
"The kids have been working hard for it," Sawyer added. "It's in our sights. I've had groups in the past that will, you know, that will rattle off these goals, but they haven't acted up to it by their work ethic, but this group has been working hard. If that's what they want to do, I think we've got a shot at it, but you better be prepared to play every week in the GR."
