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VERO BEACH FIGHTING INDIANS
FRIDAY NIGHT MOMENT
2006
THE COMEBACK
What happened: Trailing 28-7 in the third quarter, the Indians rallied for a 45-42, fourovertime win over Palm Beach Lakes to clinch a playoff spot. Why it mattered: The Indians had been 0-93 in games in which they trailed by 20 points or more.
Key player: Patmon Ross was the lead blocker on three rushing touchdowns, blocked a field goal in the third overtime and recovered a fumble in the fourth OT to end the game.
He said it: “I’m just overwhelmed. We defined the name ‘Fighting Indians tonight,’ ” Ross said afterward.
SCHEDULE
SEPTMEBER 2 Port St. Lucie 9 Martin County 16 FP Westwood 23 West Boca Raton 30 FP Central OCTOBER 14 at Sebastian River 21 SLW Centennial 28 Wellington NOVEMBER 4 at Treasure Coast 11 Santaluces
STRENGTHS
Offensive tackles Connor Moore and Lance Roache return to anchor the line and make room for the speedy Dentist Hall and multiple receiving weapons in Jankowski’s offensive sets. Senior center Joe Hawkins will be the heart of the line. On the defensive side, junior Sean Paul returns at the cornerback position where he will work with the newcomer Dravious Wright and seniors Charles Ivory and E.J. Pryor. Transfer Nick Madden may have the early QB edge, but will continue to compete with Pryor — who passed for 256 yards and three touchdowns in the spring game — for snaps at quarterback.
7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7 7:30 7:30 7 7
DEPTH CHART OFFENSE Pos Name QB Nick Madden RB Dentist Hall RB Nate Pryor WR Charlie Miller WR Rakeem Marcelle WR Jeremy Bell OT Connor Moore OG Jacob Mingear C Joe Hawkins OT Lance Roache OG Martin Quistan K Karson Dietrich
No 15 21 2 1 80 9 51 59 55 82 79 3
Cl Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr.
Ht 5-10 5-9 5-9 5-11 5-11 5-10 6-1 6-0 6-1 6-3 6-1 6-0
Wt 195 185 170 180 175 170 255 205 275 245 255 155
WEAKNESSES
DEFENSE Pos Name DE Dwayne Hoilett DT Travis Espich DT Manny Guadalupe DE Robert Dixson LB Cole Ripple LB Lemtrius Bennefield LB Josh Gallo DB Sean Paul DB Charles Ivory DB Dravious Wright DB E.J. Pryor P E.J. Pryor
No 8 64 77 45 32 35 38 5 6 4 16 16
Cl Ht Wt Sr. 6-3 215 Sr. 6-0 285 So. 6-1 270 Sr. 6-0 220 Jr. 6-0 205 Sr. 6-1 215 Jr. 5-10 195 Jr. 5-11 175 Sr. 6-1 170 Jr. 5-10 180 Sr. 5-9 175 Sr. 5-9 175
RESERVES K.J. Marshall (10, Sr., WR), Forrest Gains (11, Sr., WR), Zach Morby (12, Jr., WR), Darius Randoplph (13, Sr., WR),), Rashard Oliver (17, Sr., WR), Jayden Richardson (18, Jr., WR), Adam Neira (19, Jr., WR), Jason Pierre (20, So., RB), Jamie Giampietro (25, Jr., DB), Chris Gonzalez (26, Jr., DB), Austin Fecher (27, Jr., DB), Matt Flanagan (28, Jr., WR), James Mason (31, Jr., LB), Jonathan Gallo (34, So., LB), Aramis Casiano (41, Jr., DB), Marcus Moore (42, Jr., DB), Peter Candarini (48, Jr., DB), Corbet Maize (50, Jr., DL), Luke Oliver (52, Jr., OL), Matt Susi (53, Sr., OL), Davis Rivas (54, Sr., LB), Jonathan Nombre (56, Jr., DL), Ivory Kizzy (57, Jr., DL), Josh Fersch (64, Sr., OL), Alex Menendez (65, Jr., OL), Chris Aquino (67, So., OL), John Kent (68, Sr., OL), James Grossman (70, Jr., OL), Darron Fish (72, Jr., DL), Scott Bacon (75, Jr., OL), Zach Hollers (76, Sr., OG), Ricky Taylor (81, Sr., WR), Josh Sanderson (83, Jr., WR), Larry Warren (85, Sr., WR), Derek Lilliquist (89, Sr., DL), Josh Early (90, Jr., TE), Brian Topp (94, Jr., TE), Kahlil Davis (96, Jr., DL), Terron Peterson (99, Sr., RB)
COACHING STAFF
Coach: Lenny Jankowski (first year) Record: 0-0 with Vero Beach, 72-45 overall 2010: 6-4, 3-1 District 7 6A Assistant coaches: Mike Watkins (offensive coordinator/ running backs), Joe Marx (quarterbacks), Marc Harris (wide receivers), Lenny Kendall (offensive line), Pete Deluke (offensive line), Robert Leslie (defensive coordinator/safeties), Bryan Rahal (cornerbacks), Bryan Crystoforski (linebackers), Teddy Floyd (defensive tackles), Pete Macdonald (defensive ends).
STADIUM BILLY LIVINGS FIELD AT THE CITRUS BOWL (5,500)
Playing surface: Grass Address: 1707 16th Street, Vero Beach Directions: Take U.S. 1 to 17th Street and head west. Stay on 17th Street, which becomes 16th Street. Cross the railroad tracks. The stadium is on the right. Parking is available on the left and right. Main office: 772-564-5400 On the Web: www. indianriverschools.org/VBHS
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH
SAM WOLFE/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS
Dentist Hall (right) runs the ball during Vero Beach’s scrimmage Aug. 19 as Dwayne Hoilett (left) gives chase.
New style of play Jankowski hopes natural talent, different offensive scheme take Vero Beach to the top By Alex Butler Special to Treasure Coast Newspapers
VERO BEACH — What Vero Beach lacks in experience, it will try to compensate for with natural talent this fall. In February, coach Lenny Jankowski arrived at Vero Beach after five seasons at Defuniak Springs-Walton High School looking to bring a new style of play to the Citrus Bowl. Jankowski, known for his offensive innovations, quickly found talent walking the high school halls. After losing 10 starters on defense and nine on offense, many slots needed to be filled during spring practice and summer conditioning. “You don’t want your best athletes roaming the halls,” Jankowski said. “You want them out there participating and doing things the right way on and off the field. “(The new additions) are high character kids.” The Fighting Indians went 6-4 in 2010 under former coach Gary Coggin. And after seasons of pounding the ball on the ground out of the Wing-T, Vero Beach will open it up with
JEREMY BELL
Senior wide receiver 2010 stats: Point guard for basketball team. Did not play football. Coach Lenny Jankowski: “He’s a guy that can do a lot with the ball in his hands. He is becoming more and more comfortable with our sport. He’s finding out he can be special in this sport too. He’s a joy to coach and a really good player.”
a spread offense Friday. The new offensive scheme will see new faces in the starting lineup, along with quickerpaced play. “The thing that’s been the biggest difference is that a guy that was the No. 3 wide receiver last year, was a third-string receiver,” Jankowski said. “In our base offensive formation, we are going to be four-wide, so your third-best receiver is one of your starters. “That’s been the thing that has really gotten the attention of the players. The skill players — or receiver types — are getting on the field and are a lot more involved in the offensive scheme. Good, bad or indifferent, that’s the way it is.” During the 2010 season, Vero Beach passed for just 666 yards, while rushing the ball for 1,437 yards. Vero Beach quarterbacks completed just 50 passes in 90 attempts. In its spring game alone — under Jankowksi — Vero Beach passed 22 times for 306 yards en route to 45 points. With so many holes to fill, competition beckons at every spot on the depth chart, Jankowski said. One familiar face, however,
will be Dentist Hall in the backfield. The senior rushed for 205 yards and two scores in 2010. John Carroll High School transfer Nick Madden is slated to start at quarterback, but continues to compete with fellow senior E.J. Pryor at the spot. Basketball players Charlie Miller and Jeremy Bell — both seniors — will line up at receiver in their first seasons on the football team. Junior Dravious Wright also is buying into the sport and Jankowski’s movement, and will start in the defensive backfield at cornerback. “These are kids that since they came out, they don’t miss a day or a workout and are the first ones there and the last ones to leave,” Jankowski said of the three newcomers. “Not only are they out there, but they are excited to be out there and I think that makes a big difference. “I approached all three kids and explained to them what we are trying to do. I said we would love to have them. It was perfect timing because nobody is ahead of anybody else because it’s all new to everybody. All three kids took me up on it and I couldn’t be more pleased.”
CHARLIE MILLER
Senior wide receiver 2010 stats: Point guard for basketball team. Did not play football. Coach Lenny Jankowski: ”He is a little bigger and stronger than Jeremy. He is a dynamic athlete and I saw his competitiveness and the way he takes over a game. He is just as likely to dominate at his receiver position as he is at his guard position in basketball.”
Along with a new coach, the team will have to replace 16 starters from last year’s talented squad. Depth is a concern at the linebacker position and the team loses 144 tackles from a year ago with the graduation of Dion Holmes. Cole Ripple and senior Lemetrius Bennefield have the most experience at the linebacker position, while Robert Dixson moves out to the edge to play defensive end. Uncertainty at these positions could lead to early mistakes for Jankowski’s team before a stable lineup materializes. Offensively, replacing Jerome Hunter’s 707 yards and 10 scores should fall in the hands of the featured back, Hall.
KEY GAME OCT. 14: SEBASTIAN RIVER
This season, the Fighting Indians make a rare trip away from the Citrus Bowl to Sebastian to battle the Sharks in a rivalry game one week before they begin District 7-6A play against St. Lucie West Centennial on Oct. 21. The county rivalry matchup — which has drawn huge crowds in recent years — features two teams with new signal callers. The game also comes after a tough matchup with Fort Pierce Central, a district champion team in 2010 that is loaded again this season. Vero Beach defeated Sebastian River 28-10 in the first regularseason meeting between the Indian River County rivals.
PREDICTION 7-3, 1-1 DISTRICT 8-8A
An inexperienced lineup will be just that to begin the season, but should benefit from five home games in September to start the season. With new quarterbacks and rapid play calling, it could take time for the offense to limit mistakes. But look for this Fighting Indians team to finish the year strong and make it out of District 7-6A as either the champion or runner-up.
COLE RIPPLE
Junior linebacker 2010 stats: 34 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss and one sack in 9 games for a defense that allowed 15.2 points per game last season. Coach Lenny Jankowski: “I’ve been impressed with him and his improvements to his game through the summer and camp. I’m expecting big things from him this year.”
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