VERO BEACH FIGHTING INDIANS
FRIDAY NIGHT MEMORIES
1946
10-0
Why it was special: The first undefeated team since the program began in 1927 included the Indians’ first Indian River Conference championship. By the numbers: Vero Beach outscored opponents 240-24 in nine games (Clewiston forfeited the season opener). The defense posted
five shutouts and allowed more than one touchdown only once. Playmakers: Six Indians were named to the all-IRC first team: senior left tackle Robert Nelson, sophomore center Sam McCall, senior quarterback Bob Rice, junior right halfback J.W. Calhoun, sophomore fullback Bill Rymer and
senior left guard Glenn Moon. Missing: The Indians and Fort Pierce High could not agree on a contract, ending a 19-year string of games. Instead, Vero Beach played host to Suwannee Conference champion Lake Butler in a Battle of Champions at Michaels Field. Vero Beach scored 20 first-quarter points and won 39-0.
SCHEDULE
August 31 Sebastian River September 7 at Martin County 14 Fort Pierce Westwood 21 West Boca 27 Fort Pierce Central October 12 East Lee County 19 at SLW Centennial* 26 Wellington November 2 Treasure Coast 8 Santaluces
STRENGTHS DEPTH AND DEFENSE
7
Vero Beach has plenty of depth thanks to a varsity roster of 60 players that doesn’t have much “dead weight.” The offense borrowed some former defensive starters to fill in spots depleted by graduation. The defense doesn’t appear to be hurting and actually looks like the strongest aspect of the team heading into the season, thanks to the amount of experience returning. Athletic receivers, though they all are new, give Vero Beach the ability to stretch the field on offense.
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
*-At South County Stadium
DEPTH CHART OFFENSE Pos Name QB Dalton Stokes RB Jason Pierre RB Nate Pryor WR Will Dawkins WR Jimmy Williamson WR Jamario Lambert LT Khalil Davis LG Darron Fish C Scott Bacon RG Chris Aquino RT Chris Flaig
No 10 20 2 1 22 9 54 72 75 67 68
Cl Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr.
Ht 5-11 5-8 5-10 5-11 5-8 6-2 6-2 6-0 6-2 5-11 6-4
Wt 180 185 175 190 165 170 245 275 250 200 285
Cl Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr.
Ht 5-10 6-1 6-3 6-3 6-0 5-10 6-0 5-10 5-10 5-9 5-9
Wt 195 230 225 230 230 195 180 180 190 175 175
WEAKNESSES INEXPERIENCE AT RECEIVER, QUARTEBACK
DEFENSE Pos Name No NG Johnathan Gallo 34 DT Ivory Kizzy 57 DE Luke Oliver 52 DE Josh Ealy 90 LB Cole Ripple 32 LB Josh Gallo 33 LB Antonio Jones-Davis 6 CB Sean Paul 5 CB Dravious Wright 4 S Andrew Stirrat 21 S Jamie Giampietro 23
SAM WOLFE/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS
Starting QB Dalton Stokes (above) and backup Ryan Hiser both moved up from junior varsity to fill the void left by 2,400-yard passer Nick Madden, who graduated. Stokes threw four touchdown passes in the kickoff classic last week.
SPECIAL TEAMS Pos Name K/P Karson Dietrich
No Cl 3 Sr.
Ht Wt 6-0 165
RESERVES Ryan Hiser (7, Jr., QB), Javonte Bagley (8, Jr., WR), Zac Morby (12, Sr., H); Raymere Richardson (13, Sr., WR), Kejuan Barnes (15, Sr., DB), Jay Curtis (16, Jr., DB), Pat Coney (17, Jr., DB), Jayden Richardson (18, Sr., WR), Chris Vitucci (19, Jr., WR), Avery Kizzy (24, Jr., RB/DB), Roodison Colbert (27, Jr., DB), Matt Flanagan (28, Sr., WR), Billy Johnson (31, Sr., LB), Roosevelt Spruill (35, Jr., RB), Alex Mulroney (41, Jr., LB), Marcus Moore (42, Sr., DB), Lavincent Osbourne (45, So., LB), Austin Folks (48, Jr., DE), Adam Kuh (50, Jr., LB), Connor Moore (51, Sr., OT), Johnny O’Brien (53, Jr., OL), Reche Thomas (55, So., OT), Whitt Chenoweth (56, Sr., DT), Matt Pachecko (58, Jr., OL), Ben Ostrower (59, Jr., OL), Josh Fersch (64, Sr., OL), Trevor Owens (65, Sr., OL), Graham Mattice (69, Sr., OL), James Grossman (70, Sr., OL), Tim Byrd (74, Sr., OL), Travious Major (76, Jr., DT), Manny Guadalupe (77, Jr., DL), Jacob Orben (79, So., OL), Cole O’Brien (80, So., WR), Tyler Hortsman (82, So., TE/DE), Josh Sanderson (83, Sr., WR), Curtis Hart (85, Sr., DL), Fredy Irias (89, Sr., DL), Johnathan Nombre (93, Sr., DT), Marquis Morgan (94, Jr., DL), Terry Jones (96, Jr., DE), Marques Lattimore (99, Sr., DL)
COACHING STAFF
Coach: Lenny Jankowski (second year) Record: 9-2 2011: 9-2, 1-1 District 8-8A Assistants: Brian Krystoforski (defensive coordinator/LBs), Bryan Rahal (DBs), Teddy Floyd (DL), Pete MacDonald (DL), Marc Harris (WRs), Chuck Brady (RBs), Robert Leslie (OL), Pete DeLuke (OL), Mickey Groody (K/P)
STADIUM
BILLY LIVINGS FIELD AT THE CITRUS BOWL (5,500)
Playing surface: Grass Address: 1707 16th St., 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
RIVALS
■■ Sebastian River ■■ St. Lucie West Centennial ■■ Treasure Coast
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH
I don’t know how good we will be Week 1, but I think we can be a pretty good football team by the time it’s all said and done.” Lenny Jankowski, Vero Beach head coach
Indians are ‘all in’
laurel.pfahler@scripps.com 772-978-2282
VERO BEACH — A one-loss regular season — headlined by firstyear coach Lenny Jankowski’s new spread offense — ended in disappointment when the Vero Beach High School football team was beaten in the 2011 regional quarterfinals. Now, the Fighting Indians say they are “all in,” committed to doing what it takes for a deeper postseason run this season. Jankowski said his team learned the importance of winning both District 8-8A games after a loss to St. Lucie West Centennial kept the Indians from the title and sent them on the road in the playoffs. To secure home-field advantage, Vero Beach will need to improve week-to-week. “This group is very goaloriented, and they have some very lofty goals they have set for our program,” Jankowski said. “It became our motto that we need to have everyone in, on the same page, working toward the same goal. I feel like, if we do that, we can accomplish a lot. ... I know everyone is optimistic in the middle of August, but I really feel
JASON PIERRE
like, if we do the things we need to do and continue to improve each week, we have a chance to do something really special this season. “I don’t know how good we will be Week 1, but I think we can be a pretty good football team by the time it’s all said and done.” Jankowski will be looking for improvement on offense early on, as the Indians still are working through some kinks with a starting lineup that has only two returning starters — Scott Bacon, who moved from tackle to center, and receiver/running back Nate Pryor. Offensive tackle Connor Moore returns, but still is coming back from an injury suffered in the spring. Once again, Jankowski has collected a talented group of receivers with help from the basketball team. Javonte Bagley and Jamario Lambert are the new Charlie Miller and Jeremy Bell — two graduated players who excelled at the receiver position in 2011. First-year offensive player Jimmy Williamson and former defensive back Will Dawkins also are in the mix, but the main issue could be at quarterback, as no candidate has varsity experience. Starting QB Dalton Stokes and backup Ryan Hiser both moved
Junior running back 2011 stats: 271 yards, 4 TDs Coach Jankowski: “Jason Pierre is a great option for us at running back. He combines speed and quickness with toughness, and that’s a good combination.”
JOSH GALLO
up from junior varsity to fill the void left by 2,400-yard passer Nick Madden, who also graduated. “We have some guys who haven’t played offense before, so we are working hard with them and they are showing they can get the job done,” Pryor said. “We have a lot of good athletes, so I think we have a chance to be better than we were last year.” Inexperience in the passing game could lead to a reliance to run more early on, as up-andcoming running back Jason Pierre is expected to get the bulk of the carries. But Jankowski said the athleticism and depth on offense should allow the Indians to “keep the tempo up” when they have the football. Defensively, Vero Beach boasts a lot more experience, anchored by returners Sean Paul and Dravious Wright, who are considered to be among the area’s best cornerbacks, and linebackers Cole Ripple and Josh Gallo, who led the team in tackles last year. “I’m excited about our defense and just seeing things kind of naturally evolve there,” Jankowski said. “We’ve got some quality players, and I see the whole defensive unit getting better each and every day.”
Senior linebacker 2011 stats: 75 tackles Coach Jankowski: “Cole Ripple and Josh Gallo ... (are) very good players with leadership and work ethic, I’ve just watched the game slow down for them.”
KEY GAME OCT. 19: AT ST. LUCIE WEST CENTENNIAL
Vero Beach seeks home-field edge for longer playoff run By Laurel Pfahler
Four new receivers bring athleticism reminiscent of last year’s wideouts, but the success of coach Lenny Jankowski’s pass-happy offense centers on whether unproven quarterbacks Dalton Stokes and Ryan Hiser can get them the ball. Running back/receiver Nate Pryor is the lone returning starter in a skill position, and there is uncertainty on the offensive line with five players competing for three spots. The defense is well ahead of the offense heading into the season.
Centennial cost Vero Beach the District 8-8A title last year, and even though there isn’t much preseason buzz surrounding Centennial — aside from attentiongrabbing defensive tackle Jaynard Bostwick — this game should be circled on the calendars at Vero Beach. The Indians will have to figure out a way to avoid Bostwick, who brought all kinds of disruption to their offense in the 2011 matchup.
PREDICTION 9-1, 2-0 DISTRICT 8-8A
The schedule works in Vero Beach’s favor with opponents like Wellington, Santaluces, West Boca and East Lee County all coming off losing seasons. Fort Pierce Central, a 2011 regional finalist in 7A, will be the biggest obstacle. The Indians appear to be the favorite in their district with Centennial losing its biggest playmakers on offense to graduation — or transfer — and Treasure Coast relying on youth after cleaning house in the spring.
WILL DAWKINS
Junior receiver/defensive back 2011 stats: 33 tackles, 2 INTs Coach Jankowski: “I think he’s going to be able to help us out on offense, but he’s a guy we feel can play on both sides of the ball, at any point in the game, if we need him.”