Experienced Lansdale Catholic ready to win in ’15
LANSDALE — With a veteran group expecting success, there’s been a little more urgency at Lansdale Catholic’s preseason workouts.
“Past years, we’ve all been jogging instead of sprinting, but we’re working harder this year,” senior running back/safety Ryan Quigley said. “We’re really trying to get to that goal this year. These seniors, I think we have a shot at doing it.”
The Crusaders are ready for success now and with team returning starters at 14 positions, LC has the ability to earn a winning record for the second time in three years.
“When you have 19 seniors, you’re not playing for next year. You’re playing from their senior year and that’s the way we’re approaching it,” LC coach Tom Kirk said. “It’s the way we as a coaching staff, we’re approaching it, it’s the way the kids are approaching it.”
Lansdale Catholic dropped its first two games in 2014, but rebounded to win five of their next six before dropping consecutive games to Neumann-Goretti — the second in the Philadelphia Catholic League Class AA semifinals — to finish 5-5.
The schedule for 2015 is the same except facing Penn Charter in Week 1 down in Ocean City.
Lansdale Catholic High School football practice on Monday, Aug. 17, 2015. (Geoff Patton/The Reporter)
“We have four or five weeks before we start our Catholic League season. We open up with West,” Kirk said. “So soon enough we’ll get to see them, but we have a lot of things to worry about before we get to West Catholic.”
Quigley, last year’s PCL AA Most Valuble Player, led the Crusaders in rushing yards (873 and eight TDs on 117 carries) and receiving yards (336 and three scores on 19 catches). Another threat in the backfield — one that Kirk says goes six players deep — is senior Marlen Fenstermacher, who was third on the team in rushing with 238 yards and two touchdowns on 66 carries.
“We love running the ball. Hold the ball high and tight, don’t put the ball on the ground, just gain positive yards and maintain possession and win the game,” Quigley said. “That’s our main goal. I mean, we’re a running team, we love it.”
Top Photo: Head coach Tom Kirk at a morning Lansdale Catholic High School football practice on Monday, August 17, 2015. (Geoff Patton/The Reporter)
