Senior captain Cameron Alves during a recent preseason training session (PHOTO BY Jason Snow/Brockton Enterprise) |
BY Jason Snow
THE BROCKTON ENTERPRISE
EASTON – Probing his players' rows of stretches, Eli Gardner urged an extra rep over a cut corner.
"Leave no doubt," exclaimed the Stonehill College head football coach, who enters his eighth year on the job.
Welcome to the first day of practice.
It's a new season for the Skyhawks, who went into last year out to prove they belonged in their inaugural run as a Division 1 program. After a competitive showing last fall, 2023 is all about reinforcing it.
"This team knows we have a lot of pieces to fit in the puzzle," said junior linebacker Marc Christian Georges, a Stoughton High alum. "We feel that with our record and potential, that this year, we've got to come with a more positive and confident ability on the field, knowing we can handle what's coming our way."
THE NO HUDDLE
Entering its second season in Division 1, the Skyhawks graduated five fifth-year players from last year's team − most notably, lineman Joe Bastatne and corners Kevin Porch and Masyn Lorick. This year's preseason roster lists 28 seniors (including fifth years), 21 juniors, 21 sophomores and 24 freshmen.
"We're locked and loaded. We're ready to face anything that comes about," senior cornerback Devin Fortes, a Brockton High alum, said. "We have no doubt in our minds that we can compete at the Division 1 level. We're looking forward to it."
Skyhawks defense going through drills at a recent preseason session. (PHOTO BY Jason Snow/Brockton Enterprise) |
2022 RECAP
The Skyhawks finished with a 4-5 record last year. Three of the five losses came by 7 points or less.
The team averaged 30.6 points and 23 points allowed per game. It generated 3,443 yards of total offense on the season (601 per game, 5.7 per play). Defensively, the Skyhawks relinquished a total of 42 third-down conversions on 125 chances.
"I think what we gained from last year was, hopefully, a lot of foundational knowledge of what we do and justification of what we do works at the Division 1 level. You don't know until you know," Gardner said. "I think, now, it's all about continuing to recruit and develop our guys with this sense of urgency that comes with playing Division 1 football."
NAMES TO KNOW
No. 0, Jermaine Corbett, running back: This senior earned all-conference honors last season, averaging 110 rushing yards per game for a total of 788 in seven games played. Against Wagner, a 50-10 win, Corbett had 227 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries.
No. 73, David Satkowski, center: This fifth-year senior was an All-NEC selection last season, starting every game and anchoring an offensive line that ranked first in the conference in rushing offense.
Junior WR Chris Domercant breaks up the field during a recent preseason training session for the Skyhawks (PHOTO BY Jason Snow/Brockton Enterprise) |
No. 5, Chris Domercant, wide receiver: This 6-foot-2, 180-pound junior is poised for a breakout season after playing just three games last season due to injury. He had 158 yards and two TDs and the Skyhawks went 3-0 with him in uniform.
No. 16, Ashur Carraha, quarterback: This junior enters his second year as the Skyhawks' starter. As a sophomore, he threw 14 TDs and seven interceptions. He completed 54% of his throws and amassed 1,565 yards.
No. 51, Sam Murphy, linebacker: This senior is one of four team captains (Satkowski, receiver Cameron Alves and lineman Thomas Walsh) and will headline the Skyhawks' defense as a three-year starter. He made 41 total tackles, 2.5 for loss, and recovered one fumble last year.
THEY SAID IT
GARDNER ON FAMILIAR FACES ON OFFENSE: "We have a lot of experienced football players that know our scheme, and know what we're trying get to accomplished and how we're trying to get it accomplished. It allows us to start fast, play with great tempo and execute. We're all excited about the guys we have coming back."
GARDNER ON NEW DEFENSIVE PERSONNEL: "We have some really great young talent, and we knew we did last year with some of those guys. ... We're not skipping a beat talent-wise, even though we graduated some great leaders in Kevin (Porch) and Masyn Lorick (both cornerbacks). But those guys set a great expectation for the younger guys, and they're taking the torch and running with it."
SATKOWSKI ON YEAR 2 IMPROVEMENT: "We had a bitter taste in our mouth after last season. We felt there were a lot of games we let slip away. Now in Year 2, that stuff is in the past but we can build upon that and keep competing."
