[tps_title]Council Rock North Indians [/tps_title]
Steve Sherman — DFM Photo
Council Rock North senior running back Michael Welde rushed for over 850 yards last season as a junior. Welde earned second team All-Suburban One National League honors last year.
Rock North looks to return to prominence
Council Rock North returns to the gridiron after a 1-8 season, its only win a nail-biting 13-7 triumph over Pennsbury. Their first win over the Falcons since 1999, it turned out to be the Indians’ Super Bowl.
Coach Matt McHugh is back for his second season but gone is quarterback Evan Devine and about a third of last year’s roster. A former assistant at Upper Moreland, McHugh led the team last season out of the Brandon McIlwain era. In his four years at the Rock, former Pa. Player of the Year McIlwain accounted for over 10,000 yards of offense and over 124 touchdowns. 
In its opener Aug. 25 at West Chester East, Rock’s offense will be led by senior quarterback Adam Charen, who recently moved back into the Council Rock School District after living in Texas.
“We’re ready to move forward and have a lot more successful season,” senior running back Mike Welde said. “We’re going to be winning a lot more games this year so we’re going to be a lot more fun to watch.
“I feel like we have a lot of talent. Our offensive line has a lot of experience so they’re going to be really strong. We have some new receivers, a new quarterback came in and everyone is putting in a lot of work.”
Anchoring the offensive line is junior Colin Nowmos, who is stepping in for departed center Shane Oros. Senior Mark Anastasi and junior Max Hipple take up positions at offensive guard while senior Alec Leyferman and junior Johnny Vanderslice are out on the ends at tackle. Anastasi earned second team All-SOL honors last year.
In addition to Welde, junior Rob Rinelli and sophomore Tim Gibson have shown promise carrying the football in camp.
“We have some new guys in positions that I think can really help us do what we want to do offensively with the scheme that we put in last year,” McHugh said. “It’s just a matter of fine-tuning what those guys know. Being in the second year, that’s when you see the most significant change from a varsity standpoint.”
Anchoring the receiving corps are returning seniors Fred Germano and Brandon Simmons, a first-year player. Senior Jason Walter, who earned second team All-SOL honors last year, will take up the tight end slot performed by the departed Mason Luff.
The backup quarterback last year, Germano, is a special player, McHugh said.
“He’s a heck of an athlete and a great lacrosse player,” the coach said. “He does really well in space, he has some nice soft hands, and he can catch the ball.
“We’re going to have to do well with our speed and be fundamentally sound because a lot of our receivers are undersized. But we have some speed that we can work with.”
In addition to his spot on the O-line, Anastasi will anchor the D-line, playing out on the end along with junior Coleman Closser. Fighting for spots on the interior line are Leyferman, Hipple and Vanderslice, along with sophomore Jonathan Xiong. Leyferman was tabbed All-SOL Honorable Mention in 2016.
Anchoring the defensive backfield are senior cornerbacks Andrew Cabo and Nick Muro. Both are returning starters. Battling for the safety spots are Gibson, senior Alexio Troia and junior John Kane. Walters and junior Nick Forsyth will lead the linebacker position for the Indians.
“We had a rough go at it last year but we’ve definitely turned the page,” McHugh said. “These kids have been working really hard in the offseason and have really come together as a football team. That’s what we need in 2017 – to come together as a unit and work as one, taking each game one at a time.”
After their opener with the Vikings, CR North travels to CB South the first Friday in September before playing its home opener Sept. 8 against Penn Wood.
None of those first few games will be easy as both the Titans and the Patriots were District 1 Class 6A qualifiers last season. The Indians open SOL National Conference play Sept. 15 at home against Neshaminy, which has made it to districts the past two seasons.
By Steve Sherman; ssherman@21st-centurymedia.com
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