Wissahickon eyeing fast start in Rory Graver’s second season

Wissahickon doesn’t want a repeat of last season. The Trojans opened the 2022 season with a 21-7 loss to Council Rock North and looked at a few unnecessary turnovers as the difference between a win and a loss.

The 2023 campaign opens with the same opponent, this time at Wissahickon at 7 p.m. Friday Aug. 25. Seniors Thomas Garvey and Jaden McLean and juniors Mel Brooks and Amari Nash made it clear that this year’s debut needs to be different.

“We want to set that tone with C.R. North,” Garvey said. “We want to blow them out of the water. I don’t want to be trailing or behind at all in that game.”

“We have to really set the tone for the season against Council Rock,” McLean said, “especially if we want to change the narrative and all of that. We have to set the tone. We have to come different.”

The frustration from dropping a winnable opener snowballed, according to the players. They lost their first seven games before finishing the season with a 1-9 record.

That frustration didn’t go to waste. The team used it as fuel. Garvey and the linemen were in the gym getting stronger from January until April while McLean, Brooks, Nash and the skill players were back to work right when the season ended.

The offseason work and the familiarity on the field entering the second season under head coach Rory Graver has expectations raised in Lower Gwynedd. A Suburban One League American Conference championship and District 1 playoff berth were among the goals this team has for itself.

“We’re becoming a lot more comfortable with what we’re doing offensively, defensively, even in our special teams,” Graver said, comparing this year to last. “We had our first special teams practice for an hour and just picked up where we left off. It’s not a ton of installing brand new stuff, it’s building off of what we laid down last year.

“Anytime you’re in a program for the second year it’s always a little bit smoother in terms of I know where to go in the school now, we know where we’re practicing now, we know what times we’re practicing. Obviously it’s a smoother year in terms of getting started and stuff and I’m just fortunate. It’s a great group of guys that are really committed.”

“Coach Graver loves all of us and treats us equally,” Brooks said. “He wants us to improve and win and all learn to win together. He makes it very easy for us to work together, spend time with each other and have a great relationship on the field and off the field.”

The Trojans expect the winning to start against Council Rock North.

MORE OFFENSIVE WEAPONS

In Wissahickon’s one win last season, it was the McLean show. Then a junior, the versatile playmaker ran for 136 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for another 39 yards as the Trojans beat William Tennent, 28-3.

While McLean has the ability to do that and more, Graver doesn’t think he will have to this season.

“I think we’re in a different boat this year where we have a really good group of underclassmen that got a lot of experience last year,” Graver said. “I don’t think it’s going to be similar to last year. We’re two deep at the majority of our receiver spots with guys I’m confident can play. We’ve got three or four running backs that I think can carry the ball for us.”

Graver pointed to a number of players who can make an impact this year, including Michael Bemis, Jason Murray Jr., Nash, Dom Sheppard, Aiden Wescott and Quentin West.

“We have a lot more skill guys talent wise,” Nash said. “We’re putting that in to play now. We just have to keep on working.”

“They can’t stop us when we’re spread and we have more than one threat,” Brooks said. “Back side, strong side, backfield, quarterback, linemen – we’re all nice.”

The linemen will be instramental to everything for the Trojans. They’ve got three senior three-year starters up front in tackles Jarret Federer and Cole Rogers and guard Garvey.

“We have an experienced offensive line,” Graver said. “To win football games, it’s no secret, you have to be good up front. I think we have the opportunity to be pretty good up front.”

“I can bounce around to whichever position,” Garvey said, “which just helps everyone learn because they can hop in at another position. We do have our set line now, which is really nice to have. The three veteran guys coming back, including me, is really helpful for our guys stepping up into that next position.”

QUARTERBACK COMPETITION

Last year’s starting quarterback, Julian Perkins, will be playing tight end and defensive end this season and Wissahickon has a four-player quarterback competition heading into the season. The four are Matt Bemis, Nolan Pounds, Jaden Randall and Evan Tolmie.

Even though last year’s starter isn’t back behind center, Graver is happy with the experience among the group. They all played JV last year while Pounds and Tolmie got into some varsity games. Randall had varsity experience at Neumann-Goretti, running for 122 yards and a couple touchdowns and throwing for 152 yards.

“It’s a competition every day,” Graver said. “We’ve got four kids out here competing. We’ll see how they do every day.”