[tps_title]Council Rock South Golden Hawks [/tps_title]
Bedesem says Hawks ready to let it fly
It was a tough season last year at Council Rock South. After dropping all three of their non-league games, the Golden Hawks got past Truman in their league opener and then didn’t find the win column again until Week 10 in their annual duel with sister school CR North. 
“We took some lumps last year with the hope that it would benefit us this season,” admitted head coach Vince Bedesem at a recent preseason practice.
The only coach the Hawks have ever had says his assistants went right back to work after South dismantled North 35-14 in the 2016 closer that finished out a 2-8 season.
No 2016 loss was tougher to take than a 35-31 defeat suffered at the hands of Abington. After taking a 28-14 lead at the half, the Hawks were clinging to a 31-28 edge with minutes to go. While Ghosts running back Daryl Davis-McNeil scored four times in the contest to keep it close, he coughed the ball up at the seven. South gave it right back however on the ensuing play and lost, 35-31.
At times, it was frustrating.
Fast forward to this year and Bedesem likes what he sees.
“What we’re seeing in these two-a-days, is a big, big difference in the ballclub,” he said. “We’re already miles ahead of where we would have been in years past.”
And this just in: the coach says his Hawks are not just going to run the ball this season.
“We’re opening things up,” he said. “We’re still going to use the option but we’re going to combine that philosophy with a few new zone-read wrinkles.”
Bedesem says South will launch its spread offense varying between the pistol and the shotgun formation and that the Hawks will throw more this year than they have in any other season.
“Besides quarterbacks and running backs, we have a lot of other guys who have a lot of talent,” said Bedesem. “When you have kids like (Nick) Gallo and (Andrew) Vera, you want the ball in their hands.
“They’re superb athletes; you want to be able to utilize that.”
With Christian Jabbar back for his second full year under center, Bedesem wants to connect his senior quarterback with guys like Gallo, Vera and senior Dillon Sharp.
Returning at the tailback position, South will hand the ball off to senior Elias Mayo and junior Chase Patterson along with fullbacks junior Sammy Vaniver and senior Jake Diaz.
Led by 6-3, 295 pound senior John Dooley, the Hawks’ O-line has the power to push defenders out of the way.
At 6-1, 230 pounds, senior Joe Erardi is back at center, Dooley has returned at guard along with Shane Anderson, a 6-2, 250-pound senior, and 6-3, 225-pound senior Spencer Haun is back at tackle. In the mix on the O-line are seniors Michael Nolter and Drew Shimer along with juniors Derek White and Shamir Parker.
Dooley is also back on the D-line along with Parker. Also returning is junior T.J. Pritz. Erardi and Anderson wait in the wings in support along with senior Tony Cattolico, who is back on Rock Way after missing last season with the Hawks.
At linebacker, South will rotate Vaniver and White along with junior Brad Kraut and senior Tyler Berghaier. Outside backers include Carter and Eric Woloshyn, who both finished last season as starters. Meanwhile, Patterson can play backer, defensive end and safety. Mayo can also play linebacker and corner.
So far, the secondary looks good.. Back on the corner is senior Ryan Kilgariff, Sharpe, Brian Frizzell, Matt Checchia and Dan Scannapieco. Playing at the safety spots are Brandon Bumm, Vera and Jabbar.
Andrew Witten — who only punted last season — will also take on the placekicking duties this year.
By Steve Sherman; ssherman@21st-centurymedia.com
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