Moorestown Looks to Capture Constitution Division in 2011

For the second straight season, the will open their regular season schedule against division foe Paul VI, this time on the road. The opening game of the 2010 season saw Moorestown fall to the eventual division champions by a score of 41-30 at home, sending them to a 7-3 overall record and a 3-1 division record. This will be head coach Russ Horton’s 10th season as head coach and 20th overall in the program.

“We will be relying heavily on our senior leadership this season, especially along the offensive and defensive lines, in which we lost every starter from 2010," Horton said. "Only one lineman did not graduate but he has been moved to another position."

Moorestown will need the steady, reliable arm of senior quarterback Andrew Lisa if they wish to contend in the Constitution Division of the West New Jersey Football League. Lisa completed 158 passes for 2,240 yards and 24 touchdowns last year.

“I am just trying to be that leader on offense this year, taking over the game and making smart decisions," the quarterback said. "We have the talent all over the place. Being able to put the pieces together, work as a team, and winning a state championship this year are some of my goals."

Paul VI finished the 2010 season with a 4-0 division record, which was not lost on Moorestown heading into their week one game.

“Being able to come out strong is the biggest thing. Taking over the game early, having the momentum on our side, especially since the game is away, and not turning the ball over will help us not just in the Paul VI game, but in each game this season,” Lisa said.

Moorestown’s schedule is full of tough games this season, which makes the opener against Paul VI even more important. After Paul VI, Moorestown has games against perennial powerhouse Williamstown, Kingsway, Camden Catholic, and Timber Creek.

“If you look at our schedule, we don’t really have a rivalry game anymore," Horton said. "In years past, you would look towards the Holy Cross Thanksgiving Day game, but we don’t play on Thanksgiving Day anymore. We just have to take our schedule one game at a time and not look ahead because if we do we are going to be in trouble. All of our games in the beginning are real tough. It’s not an easy schedule.”

The 2010 Moorestown defense recorded nine interceptions and 13 sacks, two numbers that Horton and his defensive leaders look to improve upon in 2011. The team returns its leading tackler in linebacker Alex Melekos, who will have the help of Brent Ogle and Tim Mahaney, all seniors.

“We really need to improve our run defense this year. If we can improve our run defense then we will have a successful season,” Ogle said.

The Camden Catholic game will be a big test for Moorestown this season and it will be on a larger stage since it is the Quakers homecoming game.

“The Camden Catholic game is going to be a lot of fun. It’s on a Saturday afternoon, with all of your friends and family there, but it should be exciting,” nose tackle Drew D’Avino said.

As long as the defensive line plays well, Moorestown should be a defense to be reckoned with in 2011.

“I personally want to finish the season with at least five sacks. As a defensive lineman, I haven’t gotten any sacks and I think that it’s a good thing to shoot for. I don’t know if I will reach it, but I can if I work hard,” D’Avino said.

The preseason in football, like all other sports, does not necessarily determine how well a team will fare during the regular season. This is something that Horton and his coaching staff are using to their advantage. The Quakers had one very good scrimmage and two scrimmages where they did not perform well in the preseason.

“We were very disappointed in the Cherokee scrimmage and the Lenape scrimmage," the coach said. "We did not play well at all. It pointed out a lot of weaknesses and that’s what we are trying to fix."

Overall, Coach Horton and his staff are looking to improve their offensive run game and not rely as heavily on the pass as they did in 2010. On the other side of the ball, the staff is looking for success at stopping their opponents’ run game in order to be successful in 2011.