Football Preview: With line set, Archbishop Carroll in search of more skill

RADNOR >> A year ago, Archbishop Carroll football coach Kyle Detweiler had a plethora of veterans at the offensive skill positions and few experienced linemen.

This year, the situation is reversed.

“We have to replace every single touchdown we scored last year,” said Detweiler, who enters his fourth season as the Patriots’ head coach. “The only guy we have to replace on the offensive line is our center, but we feel that having four of the five guys back from last year is a good place to start.”

The good news is that those four returning linemen — senior guards Andy Lynch (5-10, 210) and Aaron Flomo (5-7, 230) and junior tackles Jack Fry (6-4, 255) and A.J. Dilks (6-4, 255) — helped the Patriots make COVID-aided history last season by being the first team in program history to qualify for the PIAA playoffs and win a state playoff game.

The Patriots lost to Neumann-Goretti, 28-21, in the District 12 Class 3A championship game but replaced the Saints in the first round of the state playoffs when Neumann-Goretti was shut down by a COVID outbreak. Carroll beat New Hope-Solebury, 34-28, before dropping a 40-21 decision to Danville in the state quarterfinals.

“That run really showed us that we may not always be the biggest or the strongest, but if we work together we can go far,” Lynch said. “Whether you were a second-stringer subbing in when a starter was hurt or tired, whether you were a freshman just giving us a look at practice, we learned that if we work together as a team we can overcome any difficulty we face.”

That playoff run also gave the Patriots a goal for 2021.

“Getting that taste of the (state) playoffs was huge for the program,” Detweiler said. “You want to get back there and have a chance to play for the big chocolate bar.”

Flomo agreed with that sentiment.

“I want to go undefeated,” Flomo said. “I want to win a ‘chip this year.”

Those are lofty expectations for a team that has to replace its quarterback (Nick Lamey), top running back (Brennan Robinson), top receiver (Malachi Hansen) and top tight end (Darryl Simpson), and has question marks on both sides of the football.

“Last year, we knew who the best 11 were; it was just a matter of getting them sorted out,” Detweiler said. “This year we really have a lot of competition so we have to figure out who the best 11 are and worry about positions later.”

The position shuffling starts with seniors Victor Taylor and Devon Southern, who will be asked to fill some of those many open skill positions and play in the defensive backfield. The Patriots used Taylor at running back and wide receiver last year. Southern saw considerable action in the playoff game against Danville.

Senior Jonathan Majoub, junior Deveyon Fitzgerald and sophomore Hassan Bailey are being counted on at wide receiver and in the secondary. The linebacker corps is in good hands with returning starters Mason Streko, a senior, and junior Anthony Spurio.

“We have competition at every spot,” Detweiler said. “We have a lot of guys we feel confident in and a lot of new faces for sure. There’s going to be completion for quarterback, receiver, running back and up front. Defensively it’s the same thing.

We’ve got a lot of guys in different spots and we’re trying to figure out who goes where.

“We feel confident in a lot of guys in different spots. It’s just a matter of getting them up to speed because we don’t lack in talent or ability, we just lack in experience.”