The Gridiron Gazette The Official Publication of the St. John’s Gridiron Boosters Club
Team Preview
The 2011 St. John’s varsity football team features a wide array of talented ballplayers. The offense is led by returning first-team all-conference offensive lineman senior captain Mitchell Kirsch, who is joined on the line by returning starters Alex Malchow, Ned Bent, and Max Onyenwe, all of whom are juniors. Newcomer sophomore Stephan Wolley rounds out the starting five, and junior lineman Zach Zagone will most likely see a lot of time as well. Sophomore Troy Robinson will be the featured back, while senior Billy Webb and sophomore Omar Truitt will be the primary targets. Going into the season, the quarterback will be Ben Onett, but both Truitt and sophomore Will Ulmer will also see action. The defense is led by the team’s other two captains, defensive end Olajuwon Swearinger (first-team all-conference in 2010) and cornerback Zach Quarles (the fastest timed Cadet in the past eight years). Truitt (Continued on Page 2)
New Look for 2011
The 2011 St. John’s varsity football team takes the field with a new look and a new attitude, sporting the latest in uniform technology from Under Armour, donated by St. John’s football alumnus Kevin Plank (Class of 1990). Pictures of the new uniforms can seen throughout this edition of The Gridiron Gazette. The players are excited about the new uniforms. Junior Ned Bent called them “the cutting edge of style in the world of football.” Senior Billy Webb went further, calling them “the best uniforms in the U.S.” In recent history, St. John’s has been leading the charge with new Under Armour apparel. The Cadets were one of only three high school teams nationally to begin wearing UA uniforms in 2005. It was during that season, too, that the Cadets began wearing UA cleats, a year before they went on sale to the general public.
August 2011
Volume 1, Issue 1
Welcome to The Gridiron Gazette, the official publication of the Gridiron Boosters Club. One of the purposes of the Gridiron Boosters Club is to unite the many generations of football alumni and lend support to the current St. John’s football players. We appreciate your support, whether it be through attending games, attending the Football Alumni Reunion October 15, or offering a monetary donation (or all of the above). Hopefully the Gridiron Boosters Club can be a conduit to bringing Cadets of all ages together. The Gridiron Gazette will offer monthly updates of the football program. Future editions will also include articles featuring great teams, great players, and great games (Continued on Page 2)
The deadline for placing an ad in the 2011 St. John’s Football Program has been extended to Sept. 1. Please see the last page of The Gridiron Gazette for details.
2011 CAPTAINS
Team Preview (continued from Page 1)
and senior James Manuel figure to round out the secondary. Senior Skyler Lee and sophomore Devin Williams will anchor the linebacker corps while senior Zach Price will return as a starter on the defensive line. Placekicking duties will be executed by junior Peter Rosa and sophomore Joe Giglio, both of whom have demonstrated range and accuracy. Onett and Rosa will undertake the punting duties. Kirsch returns as a solid long snapper. The team has a solid mix of veteran players and new blood; as many as seven or eight of the 22 starting positions could be occupied by sophomores. The offense, directed by Head Coach Joe Patterson, is entering its third season as a no-huddle operation. The defense, coached by Rashod Gillespie (entering his seventh season as defensive coordinator), promises a fast and aggressive style of play. Defensive back coach Tommy Daniels takes over as the special teams coordinator.
WELCOME . . .
(continued from Page 1)
from SJC’s illustrious past. The St. John’s coaching staff is serious about reestablishing the championship-caliber teams that were so common at St. John’s in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Your support will increase this likelihood and enrich the experience of the current players. Thanks! Joe Patterson Class of 1993 Head Football Coach
No. 4 Olajuwon Swearinger, No. 50 Mitchell Kirsch, and No. 2 Zach Quarles.
St. John’s Varsity Football Schedule
Saturday, Aug. 27
11 a.m.
McKinley Tech
Thursday, Sept. 1
7:30 p.m.
vs Calvert Hall (at Bowie State)
Friday, Sept. 9
7 p.m.
at St. Mary-St. Vincent (Ohio)
Saturday, Sept. 17
2 p.m.
Wilson
Saturday, Sept. 24
2 p.m.
McNamara
Saturday, Oct. 1
2 p.m.
at Carroll
Saturday, Oct. 8
2:30 p.m.
O’Connell
Saturday, Oct. 15
2 p.m.
DeMatha
Friday, Oct. 21
7 p.m.
at Good Counsel
Saturday, Nov. 5
3 p.m.
vs Gonzaga (at Blair HS)
2011 Out-of-Conference Opponents
In the past seven years, St. John’s has scheduled outstanding out-of-conference competition, including Ohio powers Archbishop Alter and Steubenville and Pennsylvania powers Altoona, Downingtown East, and West Catholic. The team has also traveled to Illinois to play the Illinois State Champion East St. Louis Flyers. This year, Week Two pits the Cadets against Calvert Hall, the oldest Christian Brothers school in America. The game will be played on a Thursday night at Bowie State University as part of the I-95 Classic. Calvert Hall enrolls more than 1,200 boys. They won the MIAA title last year after upsetting the Gilman Greyhounds. Last year, the Cardinals beat the Cadets for the first time since 2002 and went on to finish the season ranked No. 1 in the state of Maryland. In Week Three, the Cadets will travel to Akron, Ohio, to take on St. Mary-St. Vincent, well-known as LeBron James’s alma mater. The Irish boast a very
In 2008, the Cadets traveled to East St. Louis to take on the East St. Louis Flyers. The Flyers went on to win the Illinois State Title that season.
In 2010, St. John’s traveled to Steubenville, Ohio, to take on the Steubenville Big Red. Steubenville’s long history of success includes a 68game regular season win streak punctuated by 15-0 seasons in both 2005 and 2006 when they won the Ohio State title. They rank in the top twenty nationally in all-time victories.
In 2009, St. John’s traveled to play Archbishop Alter in Dayton, Ohio. Alter went on to finish the season undefeated as the Ohio State champions. It was their second straight title.
talented football program. During the past two years, they have produced 21 collegiate football players, including players who have earned scholarships at such powerhouses as Ohio State and Indiana. The Calvert Hall and St. Mary-St. Vincent games pose a substantial challenge to the Cadets, but it’s a challenge that St. John’s Head Coach Joe Patterson welcomes. “Our conference is pretty strong, so it’s important that our kids are tested early,” said Coach Patterson. “We could inflate our win column with easier out-ofconference opponents, but our goal is always the same: to put ourselves in the best position possible for conference play. Early season challenges are invaluable.” Week One and Week Four pit the Cadets against McKinley Tech and Wilson Senior High, both DC public schools. McKinley Tech finished the season strong last year, winning four out of their final five games by an average margin of more than 30 points.
Alumni Who Will Be Playing Division I Football This Fall Antwon Bailey Brandon Baylor Charles Brown Wayne Burden Anthony Coleman Kris Drummond Chris Dunckel C.J. Hammond Kortlan Jackson Dominico McIntosh Kevin McReynolds Andre Monroe Gerald Moore Korey Neal Donald Quarles Aaron Richardson Connor Sullivan Peter White DeAngelo Williams DeAnte Williams Danny Wright
RB DB RB LB WR WR DL WR OL DL DL DL DB OL DB DL TE OL LB DL WR
Syracuse University University of Albany South Carolina State Savannah State University Robert Morris University Savannah State University University of Miami Temple University North Carolina A&T James Madison University UCLA University of Maryland Ohio University Eastern Michigan Univ. Bucknell University Delaware State University Robert Morris University University of Maryland Akron University Norfolk State University Georgetown University
Offseason College Commitments
Two Cadets made formal commitments during the offseason. Commitments become legally binding in February of the student’s senior year when the student signs a National Letter of Intent.
Rising senior quarterback Ben Onett (No. 11) committed to play for the Temple Owls while rising sophomore linebacker Devin Williams (No. 44) committed to play for the Stanford Cardinal.
50 52 55 60 62 63
Mitchell Kirsch Aidan Lomotey Zach Zagone Max Onyenwe Ned Bent Zach Price
6-5 6-1 5-11 6-0 6-2 6-2
266 223 294 313 293 225
Senior Soph. Junior Junior Junior Senior
64 70 71 75 77
Alex Malchow Dermarco Royster Stephan Wolley Samuel Francois Ian Smith
5-8 6-2 6-3 6-0 5-11
242 268 315 267 309
Junior Frosh Soph. Soph. Senior
Unit Focus: THE OFFENSIVE LINE
The St. John’s Offensive Line returns starters at four of the five positions. Right tackle Mitchell Kirsch was named first-team all-conference last season after missing his entire sophomore year due to hand surgery. Kirsch is also a strong baseball player who helped the Cadet baseball team win a WCAC title this past spring. During the offseason, Kirsch has grown an inch and increased his body weight by 30 pounds. He benches more than 300 pounds and runs a lightning quick 4.62 20-yard shuttle. He received the most votes this season for captain. Alex Malchow, the returning starting center, has also put on more than 30 pounds to his frame since last season. He too benches well over 300 pounds. A constant student of the game, Malchow’s attention to detail ensures that the proper line calls are made. Ned Bent, the returning starter at left guard, bench presses 300 pounds and weighs 293 pounds. He was the winner of the Cadet Offseason Challenge. In addition to his impressive strength and agility numbers, he has posted a 4.00+ GPA during his first two years at St. John’s. As a result of winning the Cadet Offsea-
son Challenge (which takes into account attendance at workouts, grades, and athletic testing), Bent was named the fourth captain for August practices and the season opener. Max Onyenwe, who was a starter last season at guard before injuring his knee versus Steubenville, benches 350 pounds. He also tested very well in abdominal strength and arm strength. At 6-foot and 313 pounds, Onyenwe has tremendous leverage. The newcomer to the line is Stephan Wolley, a sophomore who was home schooled up until this year. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 315 pounds, he is light on his feet and possesses fantastic body control. Junior Zach Zagone and senior Zach Price (a returning starter on the defensive line) will be the first subs off of the bench. Coach Pat Ward enters his 12th season as the line coach. In each of his previous 11 seasons, he has produced a first-team all-conference lineman, including Greg Burlin, who returns this season as Coach Ward’s assistant. Both coaches had stellar college careers (Ward at Maryland and Burlin at Brown).
Become a Member of the
St. John’s
Gridiron Boosters Club
All-American
For $5,000 and over, members receive: • • • • •
Exclusive St. John’s Football Under Armour Jacket Under Armour St. John’s Football Coaches’ Performance Polo Under Armour St. John’s Football Coaches’ Hat Two Sideline Passes to all games Two full pages of ads in the 2011 St. John’s Football Program (Ads are due September 1)
All-Met
For $1,000 to $4,999, members receive: • • • •
Exclusive St. John’s Football Under Armour Jacket Under Armour St. John’s Football Coaches’ Performance Polo Under Armour St. John’s Football Coaches’ Hat One full page ad in the 2011 St. John’s Football Program (Ads are due September 1)
All-WCAC
For $500 to $999, members receive: • • •
Under Armour St. John’s Football Coaches’ Performance Polo Under Armour St. John’s Football Coaches’ Hat Half-page ad in the 2011 St. John’s Football Program (Ads are due September 1)
Varsity
For $250 to $499, members receive: • • •
Exclusive Under Armour St. John’s Football Short-Sleeve Loose-Fit Tee Under Armour St. John’s Football Coaches’ Hat A quarter-page ad in the 2011 St. John’s Football Program (Ads are due September 1)
Please mail form and donation to: St. John’s College High School Office of Alumni and Development Attn: Gridiron Boosters Club 2607 Military Road, NW Washington, D.C. 20015 Coach Patterson can be reached at 202-380-1711
Gridiron Boosters Club
Level of Giving (Circle One): All-American All-Met ALL-WCAC Varsity Other Amount enclosed: _____________ My shirt/jacket size For gifts greater than $250 (Circle One): S M L XL XXL XXXL Gifts by check should have the memo: “Gridiron Boosters Club.” For a credit card donation, please call the St. John’s Development Office at 202-364-0229