Corey Lavin
Senior quarterback Corey Lavin and the Monarchs open the 2010 season September 3 at Springfield College

King's Football Prepping for Season - Monarchs 2010 Preview

8/23/2010 3:30:22 PM

AUGUST 23, 2010

KING'S GRIDDERS PREPPING FOR 2010 CAMPAIGN - MONARCHS' SEASON PREVIEW

Jeff Knarr
WILKES-BARRE -- The King's College football team will enter a new era in 2010 as new head coach Jeff Knarr and an entirely new coaching staff will take to the sidelines for the first time. Knarr will take on the challenge of rebuilding King's program after the team posted a 7-23 mark for each of the past three seasons. Knarr looks to return King's to the high level the program had reached as the Monarchs qualified for the post-season on five occasions from 2000-though-2006.
                  
Knarr, who helped the turnaround at Muhlenberg College as a long-time assistant, will face the task of putting together an offense that was decimated by heavy graduation losses. King's lost nine of its 11 starters, including its leading rusher, top-two receivers, and four offensive linemen. On the flip side, the Monarchs will have a much more veteran presence on defense, but the unit must adjust to the newly implemented 3-4 base defense Knarr has installed.
                  
The following is a pre-season position-by-position look at the Monarchs as they enter training camp.                  
                  
The Quarterbacks
Corey Lavin
King's massive personnel losses on offense will be lessened due to the return of the team's starting quarterback  Corey Lavin (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial).  A fifth-year senior, Lavin chose to return to King's  after receiving a NCAA medical redshirt in 2007. Lavin became the starter in week-nine of the 2008 campaign and has started the last 12 games for King's. At 6-foot, 220 pounds, Lavin is extremely strong and athletic, with a hint of Tim Tebow in his style of play. Last season he completed 131-of-262 passes for 1,675 yards and a school-record 18 touchdown passes. 

Junior Joe Kirchon (Marlton, N.J./St. Joseph's Hammonton) was the top reserve a year ago while sophomore Mike Daly (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) looks to challenge for the back-up spot.  

The Running Backs
Brandon Murray
King's traditionally strong ground game will literally start from scratch as the Monarchs lost their top two tailbacks, including leading rusher Claude O'Connor (944 yards) and starting fullback Doug Mucha. Senior Brandon Murray (Drexel Hill/Upper Darby) enjoyed a solid rookie year as a reserve in 2007 but has battled injuries throughout much of his career. He stands as the most experienced runner with 153 yards on 50 carries in his career. Sophomore Adam Kudlacik (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany Hills) and juniors Matt Spencer (Furlong/Central Bucks East) and Sean McGowan (Lake Ariel/Holy Cross) will also look to compete for the position.

King's could get a lift from the addition of sophomore Eric Ofcharsky (Tafton/Abington Heights), a transfer from NCAA Division II Kutztown University.  At fullback, junior Dan DiClementi (Wolcott, Ct./Holy Cross) is the frontrunner after being the top reserve a year ago and looks to fend off the challenge of junior Jordan Haddock (Coal Township/Shamokin), who transitions from the linebacker position.

The Receivers
Glenn Ford
The Monarch core of receivers took a big hit as King's lost its top two pass-catching split ends, including MAC all-star Mike Verbitski who set several King's records a year ago. In addition, the Monarchs graduated starting tight end Justin Dalton. Junior Glenn Ford (Neptune, N.J./Red Bank Catholic), pictured right, is a big target at 6-3, 225 and is the top returning receiver after making 11 catches in 2009. Senior tight end Ken Loomis (Maple Shade, N.J./Paul VI) was second on the depth-chart last season and posted three catches with two touchdowns in 2009. Versatile senior Jay Torres (Lebanon/Lebanon) returns after playing five full games before a season-ending injury in week-six. Torres has been the team's top return specialist but can play both the wide receiver and tailback positions.

Senior John Cuiffo (Bushkill/East Stroudsburg North) is a one-time back-up quarterback at King's who saw ample time as a safety a year ago. The athletic 6-2, 220-pound Cuiffo, however, has been moved to offense again, but will be cross-trained to play both wide receiver and tight. King's will also be counting on the talents of sophomore David Abdalla (Dunmore/Valley View) who transferred in January from NCAA Division I AA Monmouth University. Abdalla possesses tremendous speed and will be expected to stretch opposing defenses.

The Offensive Line
Mike Stampone
The offensive line will also be completely retooled after the graduation of four senior starters, including MAC all-stars Brandon Cogley and Zach Dunn.  Senior left tackle Mike Stampone (Bethlehem/Nazareth), pictured left, stands as the lone returning starter and his experience and leadership will be critical in mentoring his younger linemates. Other returning players looking to earn starting berths or significant playing time include junior Colvin Ford (Levittown/Truman), senior Phil Marinelli (Wilmington, De./St. Elizabeth), sophomore Seth Powers (West Islip, N.Y./St. John the Baptist), and massive 6-8, 405-pound junior Mike Blessing (Kingston/Wyoming Valley West).

Sophomores Matt Gregory (Lawrence, N.J./Lawrence) and Matt Schule (Philadelphia/Father Judge) also hope to earn time in the rotation. Schule is the younger brother of 2010 King's graduate Jim Schule, a four-year member and team captain of the Monarch basketball team.

The Linebackers
Ryan Cordingly
King's has a history of fine linebackers but this year's unit will take on a bigger role than ever as King's changes to a 3-4 base for the first time. Fortunately for the Monarchs, there is more depth at linebacker than any other position on the field. Leading the unit is talented sophomore Ryan Cordingly (Berwick/Berwick). A year ago Cordingly (right) earned a starting spot early on and did not disappoint, leading the team in tackles after the first five games. A leg injury, however, forced him to miss three of the last five games. Despite the lost playing time, Cordingly still finished third on the team with 57 tackles.

Junior Tyler Hagan (Glendora, N.J./Paul VI), a projected starter in 2009, played in just two games a year ago and his healthy return  this season will be an added bonus for the Monarch defense. Sophomore Ryan Kelly (Boonton, N.J./Parsippany Hills) played in all 10 games as a rookie, starting the final five contests where he posted 43 tackles. Junior Mike Selby(Collegeville/Lansdale Catholic) played in nine games with two starts and made 18 tackles. Sophomores Kile Coty (Beacon Falls, Ct./Woodland) and Mike Briggs (Seymour, Ct./Seymour) are also expected to fit into the mix.
 
                    
The Defensive Line
Ryan Nelson
King's defensive line is talented and experienced at the top, but depth could be a concern. Junior defensive end Ryan Nelson (Stockertown/Nazareth), pictured left, has started 20 straight games for the Monarchs and was second on the team in 2009 with 61 tackles and team-best 11.0 tackles for loss. Senior tackle Craig Geibert (Doylestown/Central Bucks East) enters his fourth year as a starter and made 36 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss last season. Senior Vince Pabst (Greentown/Wallenpaupack Area) , who can line up at either end or tackle, played in all 10 games with three starts and tallied 29 tackles.

Also expected to see a spot in the rotation is senior end Nick Beinke (Woolrich, N.J./Gloucester Catholic). Bienke played mostly at outside linebacker as a junior, but did occasionally line up at defensive end.  Sophomores Ron Garrett (Columbus, N.J./Northern Burlington) and Jacob Lehnowsky (Mountain Top/Crestwood) hope to earn time up front.
                  
Edwyn Edwards
The Secondary
King's secondary returns quality experience with three veterans leading the way. The unit will be led by the healthy return of senior safety Edwyn Edwards (Copiague, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) who missed the entire 2009 campaign with a leg injury during training camp. Edwards, who has junior eligibility after being granted an NCAA medical redshirt, started 13 straight games at cornerback for the Monarchs before being moved to free safety position. At 6-3, 205 pounds, his unique combination of size and speed allow him to cover a great deal of ground while also combining hard hitting. Edwards had 26 tackles with three fumble recoveries, a  forced fumbles, and an interception in 2008.

Other returning starters include junior cornerbacks Mike Schifalacqua (Sinking Springs/Wilson-West Lawn) who made 49 tackles in 2009, while junior strong safety Jim McHugh (Delran, N.J./Delran) posted 29 tackles. Sophomores Andrew Yablonsky (Hazleton/Hazleton Area), Evan Crisman (Berwick/Berwick), and Don Binckes (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) are expected to battle at cornerback while senior Denzel Smith (New Haven, Ct./Hillhouse) provides depth at safety.

The Special Teams
Ryan Cain
The King's special teams graduated two-year starter Andrew DeRito at both punter and kicker. Junior Ryan Cain (Huntingdon Valley/LaSalle), who handled the kickoff chores last season, is the front runner for both positions this year while Torres is back as a return specialist. Murray is also an experienced return specialist for the Monarchs.                 

Season Outlook:
King's will again face a rugged schedule with four opponents who earned post-season berths, including  two that  qualified for the 2009 NCAA Division III national playoffs. Perennial Division III power Springfield kicks off the season slate on September 3 while the Monarchs make their home debut September 11 against Bethany (WV) as part of the newly introduced MAC-PAC Football Challenge. The series has members of the Middle Atlantic Conference squaring off against members of the President's Athletic Conference for the next two seasons.
                  
The Monarchs also face traditional rivals in defending MAC Delaware Valley and fellow NCAA national qualifier Albright. The Monarchs travels to traditional MAC power Lycoming on October 2 while King's Homecoming is October 9 against Widener. ECAC bowl winner Lebanon Valley visits King's on October 23 while the annual Mayor's Cup Game against city rival Wilkes is slated for November 13. William Paterson, a member of the rugged New Jersey Athletic Conference, is also back on the non-conference schedule.
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