Football Preview: Even a pandemic couldn’t slow leader-laden Garnet Valley
CONCORD >> Six up, six down. Six challenges, six blowouts. Six chances to win, no stumbles. A championship achieved, as usual.
Such was the story of Garnet Valley’s 2020 season. It was a story of perfection, of a 6-0 rampage through the large-school division of the Central League, and of the Jags outscoring opponents, 291-56.
Yet it was also a season of mystery, for all along there was the awareness that there would be no PIAA postseason due to COVID-19 concerns. So it was for that reason during the ensuing offseason that another massive swarm of Jags, including a stunning 40 seniors, crammed the weight room, flooded the practice fields and planned not just to win a fourth consecutive league championship but to carry the Garnet Valley brand beyond Delaware County.
“This class wants to leave its mark, and they want to carry on from last year’s seniors and show them that part of this is to finish the job for them,” coach Mike Ricci said. “I honestly believe that they want to do that.”
Ricci has coached at Garnet Valley since 1986, has a record of 246-124, has reached the postseason 16 times, including the last eight. He announced in July that this will be his final season at the helm of the Jaguars, having transformed them into a District 1 juggernaut.
So just as the perfect season of 2020 was not an asterisk-worthy quirk, so would a complete-the-project 2021 goal be reasonable.
“If I had to pick one word for this class, it’s ‘leadership,’” Ricci said. “One of the things we always pride ourselves in here is senior leadership. This group is exceptional in terms of that. We have kids that are not only good athletically but are phenomenal academically.”
The colleges interested in some of the Jags, according to Ricci, provide supporting evidence. Quarterback Max Busenkell is bound for Notre Dame, one of his class’s top lacrosse players and an All-Delco last spring. Receiver Sean Gallagher has committed to Navy, also for lacrosse. Fullback Shane Reynolds is headed to Annapolis to play football. Ricci’s son, running back Matt Ricci, is also considering the Naval Academy and West Point.
“And I could go on and on about our leaders,” Mike Ricci said. “Will Wrzesniewski. Nolan Brennan. It’s just a class of selfless leaders.”
The leading will begin with Busenkell, who will be protected by Wrzesniewski, Brennan, Kieran Gallagher, Matt Wiesendanger, David Dorf, and Ben Nash on the offensive line. Sean Gallagher and Reynolds will be primary offensive threats, with receivers Luke Lassik and Ndozi Okolo, running backs Jason Bernard and Joey Checchio and tight end Bear Evans among his options.
“Our offense works really well,” Busenkell said. “With how much we practice it, we get everything down to perfection. It’s all about execution. It has nothing to do with talent. We just come in day in and day out working to perfect the offense.”
Among the key defenders will be linemen Austin Sorokanych, Matt Collins and Nick Mahoney, safeties C.J. Wood, Ryan Saunders and Sam DiTrolio, and linebackers Drew Jackalous and Joey Halloran. Much like the offense, plenty of the defenders are multi-sport standouts, from Wood and DiTrolio on the wrestling mat to Halloran in lacrosse.
“I think our defense is going to be really good,” said Sean Gallagher, who doubles as a safety. “Ryan and C.J. have been playing since they’ve been sophomores and are just two of the best safeties I have ever played with. Our other defensive backs are fast. Our linebackers are fast. Our defensive line is fast. We are going to have a fast defense, and a physical defense, too.”
If history — recent and not-so-recent — suggests anything, it could be a Central League-championship defense.
“I’ve been watching this for 17 years,” said Matt Ricci, the coach’s son. “Now I am a senior and I am a part of it. We have a ton of talent here. It’s going to be cool to see how it turns out.”
