[tps_title] Souderton Indians [/tps_title]
Souderton head coach Ed Gallagher gathers the members of the Souderton football team into a huddle at their first official practice Monday night.
Rachel Wisniewski/For Digital First Media
Souderton must replace several key players from last season to get back to postseason
FRANCONIA >> Souderton head coach Ed Gallagher knows just because the Indians made the District 1 Class 6A playoffs last season, they are not guaranteed a spot in the tournament again.
“It was great to have that taste, but a lot of guys were standing on the sideline when it happened,” Gallagher said. “So are they willing to put the time in to take that step and do it again? It’s always harder the second time as we found out over the years.” 
After a 3-3 start last season, Souderton won three of its last four regular-season games to earn its first district appearance since 2010. Big Red’s 6-5 finish was its first winning campaign since 2012. Now, having graduated many of its key playmakers — including top rusher Koby Kahn — the Indians need a new group to put in the effort to build on 2016’s result.
“We only return about three or four starters coming back but the main thing I’ve tried to put — and I know the coaches try to put into this team — is we’ve got to work hard,” senior offensive and defensive lineman Trevor Watts said. “We’re not going to out-talent many teams, we’ve got to outwork every team for four quarters and we’ll win a game. But we’re not going to have the most talent and of course we have to put in that work early so that we can be as successful if not more than last year.”
Watts is one of many reasons why both lines will be strength for this year’s Indians. The 6-3, 265-pound senior was a first team All-Suburban One League Continental Conference pick at offensive line With junior Austin Moyer — an all-conference honorable mention o-line pick.
“We could have a bunch of different records, a lot of people have been asking me through the offseason how we’re going to be and I’m like ‘Well, we’ve got some talent, we’re experienced up front and we’ll go as far as our line takes us,’” Gallagher said.
Watt and those up front will look to keep the Indians’ tradition Wing-T offense rolling — Souderton averaged 26.5 points per game last year — and open up holes for a backfield light on experience.
“You’re clearly not going to have the talent that Koby had. I mean, he was just a beast on the field but anybody can run the ball for five, six yards a play and then we can be successful at that,” Watts said. “As long as we have people that will do the right thing and follow us, I feel like we’ll be successful.”
Senior fullback Jeremy Tammaro and junior halfback Troy Moklok are part of a running attack that should balance out the carries while the quarterback position is being sorted out among senior Dean DiPisa, junior Kyle Walker and sophomore Andrew Vince.
“The backfield should be a good mix. I see five or six kids really working in,” Gallagher said. “We start three, so if we alternate a couple kids in, I really do think it’s going to be five or six to start out and maybe two or three will become the guys that get the carries.”
On defense, the Indians have a solid front seven, which returns all-conference selections Watts (third team defensive tackle), senior Tycier Goods (second team defensive end), senior Brett Vince (honorable mention linebacker) and junior Manny Brown (honorable mention defensive tackle).
“I feel like the way we put it together with a 4-3 defense instead of a 3-4 we ran last year, I think it’ll be a lot better this year,” said Goods, who move from defensive end to middle linebacker. “We have some key players that have stepped up, got way bigger than what they were last year. We’ll see, I feel like it’s going to be fun.”
By Mike Cabrey; mcabrey@21st-centurymedia.com
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