[tps_title] Upper Moreland Golden Bears [/tps_title]
Gene Walsh Digital First Media
Upper Morelands Sterlen Barr, Jr. is tackled by Plymouth Whitemarsh defender September 16, 2016.
After taste of playoffs, Bears hungry for more
UPPPER MORELAND >> Put Sterlen Barr anywhere on the field and the Upper Moreland senior is comfortable.
“I like it. I like it a lot actually. I like that they can move me here and I know what I’m doing and I’m moving to another spot and I know what I’m doing too,” he said. “So it benefits our team for guys that get hurt or something. Move me somewhere else — someone else can take my spot.”
It will not be an issue of where for Barr, who was an All-Suburban One League American Conference pick at both running back and defensive back last season, but maybe when. The Golden Bears have to figure out a way to give a surplus of quality skill players a chance to make an impact this fall. 
“We can put Barr here, we can put Barr there,” UM coach Matt Beach said. “He can play receiver, he can play running back. We’ve got some other guys who can play running back and play receiver so it’s going to be forcing the defense to play everyone which will give us those one-on-one battles that we can exploit and hopefully good things will happen.”
Upper Moreland dropped its final three games of 2016 to finish 5-7 but the Bears qualified for the District One playoffs — falling to Marple Newtown in the 5A first round — for the third consecutive season and return a veteran group set on contending in the SOL American Conference and making a further run in the postseason.
“A lot of the guys last year were really getting a lot of their first experience playing varsity football,” Beach said. “We made it to the (District 1-3A) title game the year before. We had a couple guys left over from that team but a lot of the young guys were getting their time and they got into the playoffs and they got a taste of playoff football. And you know playoffs — everything’s ramped up a notch. And it was a great experience for them.
“I think that really motivated them this offseason to really get after it because they know what they need to do to get to where they want to be,” he added.
Senior quarterback Brendan Olexa will be tasked with spreading the ball around. The first-year starter says his biggest strength is the cerebral approach he brings to the position.
“I’d say my No. 1 thing is being intelligent and just knowing what everyone’s doing on offense and defense,” he said. “Knowing what the defense is going to do. And being able, more of a pocket passer, being able to drop back and kind of pick teams apart like that.”
Barr, senior Ronnie Perrelli and junior Caleb Mead lead the backfield while seniors Cole Kitchen and Isaiah Nieves come in as the top receiving targets. The offensive line includes senior Ryan Caral, an all-conference second team pick at guard.
“Last year a lot of guys we’re just cutting their teeth on the line. We had some guys go down with injuries but this year pretty much the whole line is back on both sides of the ball except for one or two kids,” Beach said. “And that’s where the experience really kicks in and understanding of that these guys really need to get bigger, faster, stronger to compete at a high level. And I think that’s where hopefully we’ll see the most growth.”
Along with Barr, the UM defense has several all-conference selections back — Caral (third) and senior Jake Villanueva (honorable mention) at defensive tackle, Kitchen (honorable mention) at defensive back and sophomore Dai-John Dukes and senior Brett Broderick both made the third team at linebacker.
“They got a taste. And they know what they need to do and they know where they want to go and they know what they need to do to get there,” Beach said. “To get kids to figure that out and commit to that, that’s the biggest trick I think in high school sports. And they’ve been able to do that.”
By Mike Cabrey; mcabrey@21st-centurymedia.com
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