The date was September 20, 2008, and the Ardsley Panthers had just handled the Irvington Bulldogs, 28-7, to improve to 3-0 on the season. They had clinched a playoff spot, and senior Danny Manley had rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns, giving him a mind-boggling 672 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in three games. The Panthers were riding high.
Now, almost a year later, Ardsley begins the 2009 season in search of its first win since that day. The Panthers dropped their last six contests in 2008, including a 43-7 defeat at the hands of Pleasantville in the Class B Quarterfinals.
Ardsley football lost 13 seniors to graduation this year, and while Manley is the most notable, plenty of others will be missed. The biggest shoes to fill (literally) are on the line, which lost Mike Bova, Matt Oberlander, Matt Doherty, and Chris Galletta, who is playing at Muhlenberg College.
The Panthers’ roster consists of only 23 players, two of whom are currently injured (junior FB/LB Nick Albano and senior tackle Dan Thompson). Therefore, everyone is going to be counted on to contribute, as Head Coach Colin Maier explained.
“The kids that are more experienced, once they learn one position they go to the next position,” he said. “Our kid who’s playing fullback today might be the right guard tomorrow based on the size we have on the team in numbers. Nobody’s going to stand around, everybody’s going to be utilized...We’re going to rotate guys in as much as we can.”
In order for this to succeed, the Panthers will need to be sharp mentally, which Maier feels is one of his team’s assets.
“Our strength is our ability to understand and learn new stuff...There are probably ten guys who have been playing together since sophomore year, so they pretty much understand the system, and that allows us to add to the system.”
Two of those ten are senior co-captains Skylar Griffenberg and Penn Gottfried, who will start at quarterback and tailback, respectively. Both agree that the mental aspect will work to the Panthers’ advantage.
“We’re a smart team,” said Griffenberg. “The veterans returning are really smart, and the juniors are catching on pretty well.”
Gottfried emphasized that this intelligence allows for versatility, which will be crucial so that Ardsley “can have fresh legs” throughout each game and over the course of the season.
As seniors, they realize they must step up in a number of ways.
“We have to make the team come together,” Gottfried said. “Football is kind of like a family, so we have to make everyone feel that way.”
“We have to lead by example,” Griffenberg added. “Make the plays when they need to be made, and help the juniors.”
A number of juniors have impressed Maier in the preseason, including wide receivers Tracy Williams, Stephen Franciosa, and Steven Barbone, tailback Jeff Scaperrotta, and tight end Skyler Lloyd.
The lone returning junior is lineman Dakota Dinaso, who joins an experienced offensive line consisting of senior co-captains Drew Zeyer and Jake Zelin and seniors Jack Smith and Mark Haughton.
There will be no easy Saturdays for the Panthers, who have a schedule jam-packed with tough opponents. Ardsley will open its season against Roosevelt, a Class A squad, and will take on Sleepy Hollow, Our Lady of Lourdes, and Nanuet in league play, all teams which posted winning records in 2008.
“In practice we have to pay attention to what the other teams are going to do,” Griffenberg explained. “Ardsley knows what it feels to lose a close game; maybe now we can close out a close game.”
As for team goals, the Panthers would like to get back to the playoffs and give a better showing than they did last year.
“When you can get yourself into the playoffs anything can happen,” said Maier. “If we fight and work hard every day and work to get better in practice every day, good things are going to happen.”
“I think we have the potential to win a playoff game,” said Griffenberg. “Talent-wise, we have it. It’s just a matter of getting it done.”
