North Stafford Wolverines: Most players back for new season

STAFFORD — Sept. 5 proved to be the high point of the season for North Stafford football in 2008. They started with a win against Gar-Field, 16-12. It was head coach Joe Mangano’s first game leading the Wolverines, who previously coached the same team he beat in the season opener.

Unfortunately for his new club, the victory wasn’t a harbinger of things to come. Win No. 1 wouldn’t lead to more, as North Stafford lost the remainder of their games. Plenty of negatives can be taken away from a year in which they finished 1-9 and at the bottom of the Commonwealth District.

However, it should be noted that last year’s roster was filled with youth – 16 of its main starters were either freshman or sophomores. Add in the fact that 20 of 22 starters will be returning for this coming season, and there is plenty for Mangano and his club to look forward to.

“We basically have our whole team returning,” he said. “The bad news is that last year, we weren’t very good. The good news is that most of our group is intact. We have a lot of key components that are returning. But we’re still very young right now.”

Among those returning include running back and defensive back Sean Walker, running back Torry Hart as well as lineman Adrian Hart.

Leading the offense will be rising junior Marcus Morrast, who played every game behind center in his first year as a starter.

Last season was a true learning experience for Morrast, as it was for many of the Wolverines’ inexperienced players. And the skills he gathered certainly added up from the first game to the last.

“It was a huge difference (from the first game to the last),” Morrast said. “You pretty much learn everything as the year progresses.”

Even though the losses added up as well, the team’s hard work never wavered.

“I tell people that if they ever came to our practices, you would have no idea that that we were a 1-9 team,” Mangano said. “Even before we played Stafford (Nov. 7), that whole week of practice the players acted like they were getting ready for the playoffs.”

Mangano notes that the biggest concern going into 2009 is the defense, which allowed a total of 358 points during the course of the 2008 campaign. More specifically, he sees added importance in stopping the opponent’s rushing attack.

“If you can’t stop the run, especially in high school, you’re not going to win very many games,” Mangano said. “We’re aware that was a cause of our lack of experience and lack of strength.”

The team is currently participating in 7-on-7 drills and will head to James Madison University on July 12 for a four-day team camp. As for pre-season camp, that starts on Aug. 10.

“We feel ready,” Morrast said. “Especially after doing some of these drills and practices together, we feel comfortable about what we have.”

Brian Wright is a contributing writer for the Stafford County Sun. Reach him at info@staffordcountysun.com.