[tps_title]West Chester Henderson Warriors [/tps_title]
NATE HECKENBERGER
Preston ready to put Warriors on his back in senior year
WEST CHESTER >> CJ Preston certainly fit the mold of a West Chester Henderson fullback when took the spot as a sophomore in 2015.
At just under six feet and around 200 pounds, Preston was the prototype downhill runner for the Warriors’ option run game. Last year he added an extra burst, seemingly tearing off long runs each week. 
Now, in his senior campaign, Preston will attempt to continue his progress, all while wearing a huge bullseye.
“I love having a target on my back,” Preston said. “It makes me go even harder.”
Preston broke out last fall, leading the area with 1,677 rush yards. He carried the ball 286 times, while no other running back on the team had more than 34.
If Henderson wants to return to the District 1 Class 5A semifinals and beyond, Preston will likely need some help, and the Warriors appear to have more options this season.
For starters, senior quarterback Joe Saulino, who was second on the team with 249 rush yards, is back, along with change-of-pace wing back Kavond Jones and fellow senior Ian Tracy.
Henderson coach Steve Mitten expects the duo of Preston and Saulino to be one of the most impactful in the Ches-Mont League.
“We’ll go as far as those two can take us,” Mitten said. “Hopefully guys like Ian Tracy and Kavond Jones can make big plays when defenses over-shift and over-emphasize to try to stop those two.”
Saulino threw the ball 149 times last season, by far the most for a Mitten quarterback since he took over in 2012. The Warriors were not efficient in the passing game, averaging just 4.1 yards per attempt, with seven interceptions to just four touchdowns.
Still, Henderson found success on the ground, and any improvement through the air will only open a box that will likely be stacked to stop Preston.
“I feel with me, CJ and Tracy and the line, if we get the plays down we’ll be a good threat on offense,” Saulino said.
Pierce Foster will lead the offensive line as a junior with a few new faces. Pat Keegan will join him there, and Jordan Laudato, a promising freshman, will see time at tight end.
“It’s great being able to spend time with my brothers on the line,” Foster said. “We only get to play for four years, so that’s the mindset we have every single play. We’re all together on the line. If one fails, we all fail. We all play as well as we can.”
On the defensive
Henderson has a strong history of tough defenses, and the Warriors will miss leaders at the linebacker position, Ryan Brida and Ryan DiFabrizio. Keegan and Foster will be counted on to help the transition of new help. With a talented group of seniors at the top, Mitten puts the onus on them.
“We’re looking for this year’s seniors to step up and play football like seniors are supposed to,” Mitten said. “High school football, probably more than any other sport, is dependent on seniors. Last year’s group really came together and played with excellence, taking us to the third round of the playoffs. The question is what this group will do.”
Crossover kings
Three of the Warriors’ four nonleague games, including the mandatory interleague crossover, are against Ches-Mont American Division foes. Henderson starts off at home against Oxford and then across town to West Chester Rustin. In week seven the Warriors till travel to Kennett. As a 5A school playing in the National Division, Henderson needs to garner all the wins it can out of the league for a shot at a home playoff game. The Warriors certainly haven’t forgot the scare Oxford gave them in the season opener last fall, and many of the Hornets skill players return.
By Nate Heckenberger; nateheckenberger@21st-centurymedia.com
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