SALESIANUM (10-3)

The Sals captured the fourth state championship in school history last season, and the first since 1993, with a 28-0 win over Newark in the title game. The title was the fourth for head coach Bill DiNardo, who won three straight D-II titles at Middletown from 1997-99. Despite the loss of a bevy of talented lineman, as well as the Offensive Player of the Year in Nick Dominelli, the Sals appear poised to make a repeat run at the title. Navigating the state's toughest regular season schedule and squeezing out at least seven wins will be the key.

OFFENSE: Junior Sal Viscount will step into Dominelli's shoes at halfback after backing him up last year, when he rushed for 664 yards, including 230 against Sussex Central in the first round of the playoffs after Dominelli left the game injured. "Sal proved himself last year," DiNardo said. "He's a game-breaker and he brings great speed to halfback. Nicky was a tough guy that could get always get you five yards, but Sal is more of a big-play player." Senior FB John Prisco also returns after delivering a series of stellar performances during the stretch run in '05. "He'll be a big-play kid too," DiNardo said. "He's a real threat blocking, and he runs the guard trap as well as any kid I've had." Look for Matt Borochaner to gets some carries at HB as Viscount's backup.

John Kuderka returns at slot-back. "He's an excellent blocker and a good receiver," DiNardo said. "It's a key position for us and we're looking for good things from him." The Sals also return two experienced receivers in Tim Pacella and Patrick Goldring.

Star tight end Andrew Szczerba made a verbal commitment to attend Penn State during the summer. "He can catch like a wide receiver and block like a tackle," DiNardo said. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound specimen will contend for Lineman of the Year, as well as Defensive Player of the Year honors.

All five starters on the offensive line graduated, leaving some big shoes to fill. Mike Phillips will be the most experienced returning lineman and he'll be counted on for leadership. Among the list of players who will get a shot at winning a job are Chris Burcham, Dominick Truono, Justin Schlotterback, Daniel Maney, and Andrew Scheiffer. "It's no secret that our success was largely based on our line last year," DiNardo said. "It's our main concern, but we have some good young guys that got experience last year."

At QB, Will Salus will take over for Ben Farley, while sophomores Jim Tucker and Fred Briedenbach will fight it out for the No. 2 spot. "Will is the front runner," DiNardo said. "He throws well, he's a good leader, and he's been in the system for three years."

DEFENSE: The Sals were at their best in the playoffs last year, allowing just 1.5 yards per carry and eight points per game in their three wins. They'll have a lot of players go both ways on the line, including Szczerba, who is an absolute force off the edge. Mike Shaw and Anthony Colagrecco will see time at the other end, and some of the teams' aforementioned offensive lineman will likely fill the inside tackle spots in the Sals' 4-4 scheme.

At LB, Phillipps and Matt Twaddell will start at the middle spots, while Bray Hansel, Prisco and Scheiffer will figure in at the outside spots. "Defensively, our linebackers will be our strength," DiNardo said. "Phillips and Twaddell will anchor us in the middle. They're both experienced kids and great leaders. Hansel also played well in the second half of the season and in the playoffs. Scheiffer is a big kid and a nice athlete. We really like him."

In the secondary, Kuderka returns at safety and DiNardo expects Pacella, Goldring, and Viscount to possibly rotate at the corners. Backup QB's Tucker and Breidenbach could also see time.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Jordan Ottinger is a candidate to punt and Dinardo likes his potential, but for the second straight year the Sals must replace an All-State kicker. Dynamite return man and receiver Bobby Sabol is also gone.

OUTLOOK: "We have a lot of question marks that we have to answer," DiNardo said. "The most important thing will be finding the right mix on the offensive line. If we do that, I'd be very disappointed if we weren't in the mix. We have a tough schedule, but we never play a game that we expect to lose. I have no doubt that these kids can do it. They've been very dedicated and the weight room has been packed to the gills."