Sports
Walt Whitman High School's 2010 Football Preview
Wildcats look to overcome inexperience and rebuild for future during upcoming season.
2009 Record: 2-6 (No playoffs).
Head Coach: Robin Rosa (First season).
Preseason Ranking: 12th in Division I.
Top Players: Sr. TE/DE Kevin Teresky; Sr. RB/LB Kenyatta Reynolds; Sr. RB/S Chris Mallinson; Jr. RB/LB Darrel Felder; Sr. OT/DT Nico Delorio.
Position Breakdown: Duke lacrosse recruit Myles Jones, last season's quarterback, decided not to play this season, thus putting a lot of pressure on the shoulders of the team's seniors. Kevin Teresky, Kenyatta Reynolds, Chris Mallinson and Nico Delorio will have to be leaders both offensively and defensively as Whitman boasts one of the youngest squads in the county, not to mention a new coach in Robin Rosa. "My whole backfield is juniors, including my split end, and I have two sophomores starting on the offensive line," Rosa said. "On my defense I start a sophomore defensive tackle and I might also start another sophomore as safety. My inside linebackers are all juniors except for one."
Expectations: Recovering from last year's 2-6 record is hard enough without the amount of youth and inexperience on the team. Putting a new system in place and making sure each player knows his role makes things even tougher. "We're putting a whole new offense in, and a whole new defense," Rosa said. "If I can get to 4-4 it would be outstanding and 5-3 would be a playoff shot and that would be a tremendous season considering how young we are. I just don't know what to expect. " While Rosa would like to begin building for his team's future, there is still a season at hand – one the coach and his staff feel they can handle successfully if the team comes out of the gate strong in its first three games. "I really believe that the first three games of the season are the most important for these kids to get some confidence," Rosa said.
2010 Schedule: Sept. 11 – Whitman @ Brentwood, 2 p.m.; Sept. 16 – Whitman @ Ward Melville, 3:30 p.m.; Sept. 24 – Commack @ Whitman, 6 p.m.; Oct. 1 – Sachem East @ Whitman, 6 p.m.; Oct. 9 – Whitman @ Bay Shore, 2 p.m.; Oct. 15 – Northport @ Whitman, 6 p.m.; Oct. 23 – Whitman @ Central Islip, 2 p.m.; Oct. 30 – Longwood @ Whitman, 2 p.m.
News & Notes: Rebuilding is certainly a key word when focusing on the Wildcats. The current seniors will be an important part of making a good impression on the younger players, something the program has plenty of. "The commitment has been great," said Rosa of his players. "These kids have come during the summer. I've got 40 on my varsity and about 60 on my JV. I see the future as being pretty bright." Both players and coaches alike will have their work cut out for them this season, but if the Wildcats find their way early, anything is possible. "It's a lot of work," Rosa said. "I have a great coaching staff that I'm very confident in. I still say we can make some hay."
