[tps_title]St. Joseph’s Prep Hawks [/tps_title]
St. Joseph’s Prep gathers before practice on Friday, August 11th.
Steve Richards/For Digital First Media
The Prep ready to wipe slate clean in ‘17
There is only one Class 6A football champion in Pennsylvania state history. That distinction belongs to St. Joe’s Prep.
As the PIAA heads into year two of reclassification, the Hawks are once again the class of last season. They’re ready to wipe the slate clean and start over this season. 
“When we’ve won the last two we would always say. ‘We’re (last year’s) state champions, “ head coach Gabe Infante said. “This is the 2017 season. We’re not defending anything. If someone tried to walk into school and take the ’16 trophy we’d fight them to the death. We will defend that one. But the ’17 one we’ve gotta go get it like everybody else.”
The 2017 season is sure to come with some growing pains, even for a powerhouse like The Prep. SJP lost 29 seniors from last year’s team, 14 of which are playing college football at some capacity. That said, the Hawks still tout 22 seniors this season.
“It’s a whole new group of guys. Even the guys that played last year that return have to adapt to other roles,” Infante said.
All the turnover means The Prep will be relying on a different side of the ball. The Hawks featured a high-powered offense in 2016. This season the defense is more experienced and will be looked at to win games.
“We’ve got a very experienced defensive front,” Infante said. “We return seven players on defense and several of those guys are committed already. It’s a very good defense. We have to make practice very competitive and help those young guys speed up in practice. That’s our advantage.”
It’s a defensive line Coach Infante hopes will not only speed up his offensive line, but dominate his opponents as well.
“It’s great,” senior defensive lineman Ryan Bryce said. “We’ve got Rayshad Wallace. He’s the fastest guy I’ve ever seen off the ball. He’ll be a big help off the edge. Jake Feehery, he played a lot of nose guard, he’s playing end. He’ll be a great addition. He’s very strong, very tough. Then Paul Hess, first-year starter. He’s gonna be a great player too.”
Quarterback Marquez McCray is an experienced senior among inexperienced offensive linemen. He will be looked toward as a stabilizer on offense.
“We just have to keep everybody focused,” McCray said. “We have a lot of young guys so they’re all hungry. “
The Prep also has past success to look back on, which is always nice for Infante and company.
“We have a young offensive line. Talented,” Infante said. “But when we won in ’13 we had four kids start on the line that never started before. We’re in the same boat. So I try and tell them, ‘Hey, you can do it.’”
There may be some uncertainties, but one you can always count on is St Joe’s Prep to be loaded with talent. The players know that, but the coaches are keeping them in check before another season with championship aspirations begins.
“This is a new team. Last year’s team, that’s different,” Bryce said. “We’re 0-0 and we need to look at it like we didn’t win anything.”
By Steve Richards; For Digital First Media
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