Football Preview: Stable, sizable line will help Ridley’s competing quarterbacks

RIDLEY TWP. >> Notorious for producing some of the greatest quarterbacks in Delaware County history, Ridley football goes into the 2015 season with more questions than answers at that particular position.

Coach Dennis Decker, who knows a thing or two about quarterbacking at Ridley, acknowledges the concern, but believes the Green Raiders are in a good spot with two guys competing for the No. 1 job.

Since 2009 Daily Times Player of the Year Colin Masterson graduated, only once have the Green Raiders entered training camp with a returning signal caller. Most years, Decker has been tasked with grooming a quarterback in the weeks leading up to a new season.

Junior Cade Stratton and senior Jon Buckmaster are both players whom Decker labeled “smart football and academic kids.” And no matter whether it’s Stratton or Buckmaster under center Friday night when the Green Raiders kick off the year at home against Glen Mills, Decker is confident he’ll have picked the right player for the job.

“Stratt is a little more mobile and Buck probably has little bit of a better arm. I can honestly see both of them playing at times this year. We have packages for each,” said Decker, who is beginning his seventh year at the Ridley helm.

“Every time we have a new quarterback coming in at the varsity level, it’s our job as coaches to put those guys in positions to make plays. We’re not, as a coaching staff, asking those guys to win us games or asking them to throw the ball 30 times a game. We’re going to rely on our offensive line and rely on our running game to win us games, and we’ll throw the ball when we need to.”

While Stratton and Buckmaster auditioned for the job, the Green Raiders are confident they have the players to dominate in the trenches.

“Our entire offensive line are seniors and we have three of those guys coming back who played last year, so that’s going to be our strength,” Decker said.

The offensive line includes Antonio Petril and tackles Matt Cipolloni and Eric Frasoni. Seamus Boyle, another senior, will be a part of the mix. Ridley’s front five wouldn’t be an area of strength without the teachings of assistant coach Mick Bonner, whom Decker credits for whipping the boys in shape.

The real stud is Petril, whom Decker called the best nose guard in the Central League. Petril didn’t mince words when asked how he thought the unit was coming along in the dog days of August.

“We believe that, offensively, we have the best line in the league,” Petril said. “Size, skill, all-around talent. I go against those guys every day and they really work their butts off.”

It helps to have talented skill players on both ends. Senior two-way weapon Christian Dunn will emerge as a receiver and leader of the defense at outside linebacker. Junior Malik Young is a lightning-fast running back who rushed for 912 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore. Decker also expects productive seasons out of varsity newcomers Jagger Sheridan and Tahj McCafferty, both juniors tailbacks.

“I feel like we have three quality guys who can run the ball,” Decker said. “Then we’d just have to ask Stratt and Buck to manage the game and not turn the ball over.”

Notwithstanding the quarterback position, the one area Decker believes could take some time to develop is the linebacker unit. Three of the four projected starters — Pat McClintock, Ryan Grico and Greg Kimmel — are junior newcomers. Last year’s Ridley defense was arguably the best in the county against the run under new coordinator Jeff Hamson. Despite losing a pair of All-Delco performers in Mike Cropper (end) and Ryan Dougherty (linebacker), and working in several new faces, the Green Raiders will remain aggressive with their defensive schemes.

“Jeff Hamson did a real nice job last year and I don’t expect us to skip a bit there,” Decker said. “I think we’re going to win a lot of games up front on both sides.”

Don’t underestimate Ridley’s desire to get back to the postseason. The last time the Green Raiders qualified for the District One Class AAAA tournament, Dunn and the rest of the senior class were freshmen. At most schools, a two-year absence from the playoffs is no big deal, but Ridley football is no ordinary program. Excellence is a requirement.

“There is the hunger to win, no doubt,” Dunn said. “Not making the playoffs the last two years, that’s not acceptable. We’re expecting to win.”

This story appears in the Delco Times Football Preview, available on newsstands Friday.