Experience may count for Warriors
CHERRY TWP — Fifth-year Moniteau coach Bob Rottman figures his team has paid its dues the past couple of seasons.
Now it’s time to collect.
“These guys who played for us as freshmen and sophomores are juniors and seniors now,” Rottman said. “That makes a difference.”
The Warriors won only three games combined over the past two years — including a 1-8 record last season — but return eight starters offensively and 10 defensively. Included in those numbers are Moniteau’s two most productive players from a year ago.
Quarterback David Dessicino threw for 767 yards and rushed for 406. He produced four touchdowns through the air and four on the ground. Matt Martino rushed for 523 yards and five scores and caught 11 passes for 91 more.
“I look back to last year and we were in a lot of games during the first half. Things would get away from us in the second,” Rottman said. “But these guys have gotten so much stronger. Our stamina should be better to play for four quarters.
“Honestly, our participation in the weight room was the largest and most intense of any team since I’ve been here.”
Hunter Stalker and Matthew Baptiste join Martino as returning running backs. Two tackles — Mike Boozel and Zander Holt — and two guards — Logan Campbell and Colton Thomas — return as starters up front.
Stalker had 15 catches for 140 yards last season.
“We can’t play scared,” Baptiste said. “If opposing teams are bigger than us, we just have to dig in and play hard.”
Boozel looks to be one of the anchors on the offensive line.
“We’ve got the experience this year and we’re all another year older,” he said. “We’re going to play faster, stronger. We have to play with more heart. This is the physically strongest team we’ve had over the past couple of years.”
Coming back as starters on defense are linemen Boozel and Holt, end Martino, Dessicino, Campbell and Thomas at linebacker, Stalker at safety, Peyton Kohlmeyer, Ashton Grossman and Isaiah Thompson at corner.
Martino had 84 tackles last season — 58 solo stops — and 3.5 quarterback sacks. Campbell had 60 tackles.
“Our front seven should be really strong,” Rottman said. “They’ve accelerated their work in the weight room. Moniteau has always played physical and that’s not going to change on either side of the ball.”
Brock Beachem is a junior tight end-defensive end who did not play last year. He was a freshman on the team in 2020.
“We need to play better as a team and be mentally tougher,” Beachem said. “In the past, we’d fall behind on the scoreboard, guys would get down and it was game over. That whole mindset has to change. We can come back and win games.”
Kicker-fullback Connor Alfreno already believes that mindset has changed.
“I can feel it,” he said.
Rottman is counting on his veteran seniors to lead the team and create much higher goals for the Warriors in 2022.
“We’ve never been better in the weight room and we’ve got plenty of experience,” the coach said. “From the first practice on, we can have no mental letdowns.
“The expectation of this team should be to get back in the (District 9) playoffs this year. This is the most talented group of players I’ve had. It’s time to elevate this program.”
