Mercury Football Preview: Under Kennedy, Methacton plans to continue upward climb
The Methacton Class of 2022 entered the Warriors’ football program in the midst of a coaching change three seasons ago.
As they enter their final high school season together, the group of seniors will end their careers under another altering of regime.
Coach Brian Kennedy takes over for Dave Lotier after Lotier’s three years with the program.
Under Lotier, Methacton’s seniors helped turn the program into a winner. With Kennedy, they expect to keep it that way.
“Unfortunately it’s nothing new for our program to have a new coach,” senior offensive and defensive lineman Connor Kazel said. “Our old coach (Lotier) used to preach, ‘It’s adversity.’ It’s what we’re used to honestly. We’re used to having new obstacles pop up and working through them.
“As a senior group we plan on helping our coach (Kennedy) out as much as we can, and we know he’s going to help us out as well. It’s a mutual thing and we’re just going to do the best we can with the circumstances we have.”
Kennedy hasn’t coached the past two seasons. His last stop was as an assistant at Penncrest in 2018. He previously spent 19 years coaching at Norristown.
Lotier resigned from the job in April to spend more time with his growing family. The school district officially approved Kennedy as the head coach in late July, leaving little time for the new coach to get to know his new team before the season began.
“How many programs in the state of Pennsylvania have had three coaches in four months and get a brand new head coach, essentially one week before you get to camp, get to practice?” Kennedy said. “It’s going to be a challenge on the kids, but they’re not looking backwards. Everything they say, they don’t look at what happened, they don’t make excuses. Everything I’ve seen is moving forward.”
Pick up The Mercury’s Thursday (Aug. 26) edition for the 2021 High School Football Preview
Methacton’s seniors have watched the program grow from a team that went 1-9 in 2018 when they were freshmen to 3-7 as sophomores in 2019 and finally 4-3 as juniors last season.
The Warriors’ 2020 campaign marked the program’s first winning season since 2014, when they went 8-3. It featured the program’s second win against Pottsgrove in 12 tries since 2008 and the first victory over the Falcons since that 2014 season.
“It was great to actually have that accomplishment (of a winning record),” senior linebacker and tight end Chris Augustine said. “It’s been one of our goals for a very long time, especially seeing the slow climb and just building the foundation. … Now we’re seeing the end side of it. Our senior class, we bought in really early and it’s paid off.”
Methacton has 14 seniors listed on its roster: Augustine, Kazel, Matt Blakemore (WR/FS), Khaydon Smith (WR/CB), Jason McGinley (OLB/FB), Thomas Dickinson (OL), Giancarlo Defilippis (WR/CB), Dean Sapalidis (TE/OLB), Josh Cancro (DL), Dan Brandi (QB/FS), Sam Harding (OL/DL), Noah Stephenson (OL/LB), Yusuf Zabun (OL/DL) and Tyler Hines.
Dickey, Blakemore and Augustine are three-year starters, while Dickinson, Kazel and Cancro also return to starting roles.
“We want to continue it tremendously, and I think we have the group who can do it,” Blakemore said. “I think this has all been put together because we trust in each other and we’ve done it as one, not as individuals. Just showing up everyday, doing every sprint, don’t cut corners. Those extra fine details to get us where we want to be. I think we have the team this year to make that jump that we want to make.”
With Dickinson and Kazel back again on offense and teaming with Cancro (four tackles for loss) on the defensive front, Methacton should be strong on both lines again.
Kennedy said the skill positions appear to be the strength of the team this year with Blakemore and Dickey returning as the top receiving threats on offense and bringing a ton of experience into the Warriors’ secondary. Junior Tyler Weil-Kaspar was also a threat last season as a runner and pass catcher.
The senior group is excited to see classmate and quarterback Brandi take control of the offense after waiting his turn behind Mike Merola (Stevenson University) the past two seasons.
Brandi only saw action in limited spots, but flashed glimpses of his ability including an 80-yard touchdown run in the win against Pottsgrove.
“I think that he’s got all the potential in the world,” Dickey said. “He’s an athlete. He’s got a good arm. I think he can really surprise some people.”
Dickinson said he, Blakemore, Dickey and Augustine have played together since flag football in elementary school. Dickey remembers playing pickup football games while attending Warriors games back in those days — right around the time the program put together consecutive winnings seasons in 2013 and 2014.
With one final season together, the hope is to go out on another winning note.
“We would definitely just dream of, ‘Man I can’t wait to play on that field.’ Now we’re here,” Dickey said. “It’s surreal.”
“Just to finish out as seniors with another winning season, go positive, you can’t ask for more than that,” Augustine added.
Methacton
Head coach – Brian Kennedy
TOP RETURNERS
Offense
QB – Dan Brandi, Sr., 6-1, 165 (2 carries, 84 yards, TD)
RB/WR – Tyler Weil-Kasper, Jr. (105 total yards)
WR – Brian Dickey, Sr., 5-11, 183 (13 catches, 189 yards, TD)
WR – Matt Blakemore, Sr., 5-10, 165 (4 catches, 30 yards, TD)
WR – DJ Ballinger, So., 5-10, 160
OL – Connor Kazel, Sr., 5-10, 210
OL –Tom Dickinson, Sr., 6-5, 270
Defense
DB – Brian Dickey, Sr., 5-11, 183 (INT)
DB –Matt Blakemore, Sr., 5-10, 165 (58 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 3 INT)
DL – Tom Dickinson, Sr., 6-5, 270 (1 sack)
DL – Connor Kazel, Sr., 5-10, 210
DL – Josh Cancro, Sr. (30 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack)
LB – Chris Augustine, Sr., 6-0, 210 (57 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack)
Special Teams
K/P – Tyler Ready, Jr. (3 FG, 8 XPM)
OTHERS TO WATCH
OL/DL – Tyler Deal, Jr.,
TE/LB – Dean Sapalidis , Sr.
OL/DL – Jackson Chase, Jr.
