Fallsnewspress.com - Woodridge football looking to stay on top

by Michael Leonard

Sports Editor

Peninsula -- The 2009 season was the best in school history for the Woodridge football team.

The Bulldogs won their first division title, earned the school's first playoff berth and made it all the way to the Division IV regional finals before bowing out to eventual state runner-up Chagrin Falls.

For head coach Eric Ervin, it was mission accomplished after inheriting a program that barely had a pulse.

So what is the challenge for Ervin as he enters his seventh year as head coach?

"The challenge is to keep it going," Ervin said. "When you get a football team to a certain spot, you want to maintain it. There's a difference between a good football team and a good football program."

The difference this year for Woodridge is the loss of several key players, most notably quarterback Anthony Westren and running back Anthony Kelly.

"Losing the two Anthonys left us with some big shoes to fill," Ervin said.

Ervin said his team has had "a tough camp" injury-wise, but has made a ton of progress, including a good showing in a scrimmage against Tallmadge.

"We had some question marks at the start of camp, but most of those question marks have turned into exclaimation points," Ervin said.

While the Bulldogs lost a good senior class, they have 19 seniors in camp this year. Woodridge has five starters back on offense and seven back on defense.

Woodridge will retain its four-wideout spread offense look this season and continue to play a 4-3 defense with a heavy emphasis on blitzing.

Filling Westren's shoes at quarterbak will be senior Jon Robinson, who brings a much different style to the quarterback position.

"The No. 1 thing is his athleticism; the No. 2 thing is his desire," Ervin said. "He wants to keep the focus on good quarterbacks we've had."

Sophomore Sean McCoy and freshman DeJante Fellows will serve as backup quarterbacks.

After Kelly's one-man show last year, the running back duties will be handled by committee this year. Ervin said sophomore John Reid, senior Jawann Canty and senior Aaron Johnson all will see time in the backfiled.

Johnson also will be a key cog in the Bulldogs' wide receiver corps, which Ervin said should be a strength of the team.

Senior AJ Graham is Woodridge's top returning receiver, while Ervin calls senior wideout Chris Matthews "a big leader." Woodridge got a boost when senior Damon Antoine transfered from Akron Firestone over the summer, as Ervin nots Antoine is a major big-play threat.

Juniors Dallas Futch and Dan Fay and sophomore Anthony Mong and Nelson Perry also will see time at wide receiver.

On the offensive line, Woodridge has three of its five starters back, anchored by a three-year starter in senior right tackle Jared Page (240 pounds). Senior Randy Foster (225) will get the start at left tackle this year, while senior center Dillon Shroyer (185) also returns.

The starting guards are new as juniors Ryan Laher (230) and Matt Mencer (185) will start. Junior Aaron Fink (240) also may see time on the line.

Ervin said his defense was a bit underrated last year, but this year will have to take the lead early as the offense develops.

Anchoring that defense will be a pair of solid defensive tackles in senior returning starter Dan Penino and junior David Beach, who transfered in from Medina.

Two-time All-PTC defensive end Bryan Peters is back for his senior year and will anchor a heavy pass rush. Page, junior Zach Bissell, Mencer and Foster all will see time on the defensive line.

Ervin is very high on senior Marcus Thomas, who will start at "Will" linebacker.

"He's worked very hard this offseason to get bigger," Ervin said. "When he gets there he lowers the boom."

Junior Keion Artice will get the nod at "Sam" linebacker, while Graham will move from the secondary to the "Mike" linebacker position this year.

A pair of senior starters return to the secondary this year in strong safety Sebastian Dodds and free safety Josh Conner. At cornerback, junior Ceon Kelly has the edge to start at one spot, while Matthews, Antoine and senior Steve Canty also will see time.

Ervin's coaching staff remains intact. Offensive coordinator Jeremy Maxa is back for this seventh year with Ervin, while Ian Kost (defensive coordinator), Dennis Dever (special teams coordinator), Steve Young (linemen) and Phil Marter (linebackers) all are back.

Woodridge will open its season at Navarre Fairless Aug. 27 at 7 p.m.

E-mail: mleonard@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3113