The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 162

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1.9rj199T 'Witi 40 THE RECORD 1 ByJCECKESSARI Correspondent COACH Gary Mioli, sixth season 1995 RECORD 8-3 KEY PLAYERS Mike McClane, senior, quarterback Eric Horton, senior, RB-CB John Kiel, senior, wide receiver Drew Peters, senior, TE-MLfl Ryan Favre, junior, guard KEY LOSSES Mike Paolercio, defensive back Chris DeMaura, FB-CB Scott Rosenthal, OT-DL Brian Lucia, SS-RB Luke Pardi, tight end DIRECTIONS TO FIELD Pascack Road north, right on Wampum Road to field -A- -tl- ERIC HORTON linebacker. Peters had 51 tackles, seven catches, and two TDs last season. Seniors Eric Horton (5-8, 175) and Tom Gilmour (5-11, 150) form a running backdefensive back tandem. Senior Sal Luciano (5-8, 150) and juniors Andy Bott (6-1, 150) and Steve Paulos (5-8, 160) could be a trio of receivers McClane keeps his eyes on. Senior Dave Marino (5-10, 160) and junior Mike Franzese (6-0, 170) will be vying for time behind Horton (531 rushing yards, eight TDs, 39 tackles), Gilmour (140 yards rushing, four TDs), and junior fullback David Force (5-10, 175).

The Owls were 6-3 in the league, 2-0 in the playoffs. A 39-6 win over Bogota gave Park Ridge the State title. But for McClane (50 percent completions, 882 yards, six TDs), there's still more work to be done, despite what was accomplished in 1995. "You can't sit back and rely on last year," says McClane, whose 1,420 SAT score could be his ticket to an Ivy League school. "There are teams out there that want to be us." ting the line in shape.

We won't have as much size but I think well be quicker as a team." Coach Gary Mioli says replacing five of the six starting linemen will be challenging process. Since he doesn't have 220- or 230-pound athletes in the talent pool, hell be looking at the way the candidates execute his schemes and display quickness. "Well be facing guys easily over 200 pounds just about every week," Mioli says. "We can't always go strength-to-strength with guys who are so much bigger. We have to work on quickness on both sides of the ball." Favre could find himself lining up on offense alongside a host of potential starters.

Mioli is searching for a nucleus among the following: seniors Tom Driscoll (5-11, 180), Travis Stever (5-10, 185), and Jim Babcock (5-10, 180); juniors David Hughes (5-7, 165), Ben Win-gate (6-1, 205), John Halperin (5-9, 180); and sophomore Brett Rogers (5-8, 170). Hughes is the likely starter at center and senior Drew Peters (6-2, 210) is expected to be the No. 1 tight end and inside goal he target is on each jersey of the Park Ridge football team. You can't see it, but it's there, especially in the eyes of fhe other Olympic Division players who see the Owls as champions of a year ago. "We know other teams will be gunning for us because we won it all last season," says Park Ridge quarterback Mike McClane, who, as a junior, guided the Owls to an 8-3 record and a Group 1 State sectional championship.

"We are still one of the teams to beat and we have high expectations once again." The high expectations are fueled by the Owls' depth at the skill positions. If those athletes lead the way and other areas come together, Park Ridge could lind itself in position to defend its State crown in December. "We have one starting lineman returning," the 6-foot-2, 170-pound McClane says of 220-pound junior guard Ryan Favre. "After that, it will be up to the younger players to step up and do the job. We have to work on get By JOE CKESSARI Correspondent Bt didn't take long for Ridgefield senior Paul DeOrio to get his point across.

The Royals, especially the 11 seniors who haven't had much to brag about the last couple of seasons, have two goals to acheive. "We're going out for respect and revenge," DeOrio says. "We're sick of losing. Three losing seasons since I've been here." And why does DeOrio believe his last season will be different from the previous three? He credits a new attitude brought in by first-year coach Pat Dowling, jwho turned around the Wood-Ridge program. "The coaches are very upbeat," says DeOrio, a 5-foot-9, 160-pound running backstrong safety.

"They have a lot of confidence in us and I think we can feed off that. As long as we believe in ourselves and the coaches believe in us, we're going to win some games." The Royals were 2-7 last season, the best record since players such as DeOrio and seniors Bobby Gioia and Ronnie Reccine been in the program. Gioia is a 5-10, 170-pound tailback linebacker and Reccine a 6-2, MIKE MCCLANE PAUL DEORIO OWLS OWLS OWLS OWLS OWLS OWLS OWLS OWLS OWLS OWLS OWLS 14 18 6 13 35 34 20 22 39 Has. Heights 7 Wood-Ridge 27 N. Arlington St.

Mary's Bogota Weehawken Cresskill Wallington Emerson Palisades Park 8 Bogota 6 SEPT. 28 OCT. 5 OCT. 12 OCT. 19 OCT.

26 NOV. 2 NOV. 9 NOV. 15 NOV. 28 at Wood-Ridge CRESSKILL at St Mary's BOGOTA WALLINGTON at Ridgefield WEEHAWKEN at Hasb.

Heights EMERSON 1:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m.

2 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 10:30 a.m. LIS) BOBBY GIOIA the team win," he says.

"For many of us, this is it, our last high school season, and we want to go out with respect. There are teams in our league we've never beaten and we want to do something about that this year." avJ i 180-pound tight enddefensive end. Junior quarterback Jason Ken-ney (5-10, 170) will run the offense after spending his sophomore season at the controls of the junior varsity team. His running backs will be DeOrio, who was a wideout as a sophomore, Gioia, seniors Joe Marino (5-10, 170) and Dave Seo (6-1, 185), and sophomore Attila Sengul (5-10, 160). They are the players who must master Dowling's pro-style offense.

"The biggest concern when a new coach takes over is how the players will adjust to the new systems of doing things," Dowling says. "So far, they've accepted it. The kids listen. They've been towing the line for the sake of the team. These kids are used to losing and those habits are tough to break.

The seniors want to go out with a good feeling." Though the seniors will play a major part in what the Royals do this season, they can't do it by themselves. Key underclassmen are featured on both sides of the ball. Juniors Rob Kipp (6-3, 225) and Dave Palmadessa (5-11, 190), and sophomore Damion Vaughn (6-2, 215) will play important roles on the offensive line. Kipp and COACH Pat Dowling, first season 1995 RECORD 2-7 KEY PLAYERS Paul DeOrio, senior, RB-DB Bobby Gioia, senior, RB-LB Joe Marino, senior, RB-LB Ron Reccine, senior, TE-DE Dan Traficante, senior, WR-DB KEY LOSSES Tony Hroncich, OL-DL Bobby Zacharatos, OL-LB Joe Lagana, RB-LB Al Gioffre, OL-DL NEW FACES Jason Kenney, junior, quarterback Damion Vaughn, sophomore, OT-DT Dave Seo, senior, RB-DE Theo Zacharatos, senior, WR-DB Mike Greco, senior, QB-LB DIRECTIONS TO HELD To Willis Field: Take Route 46 East to Grand Ave. Make a right on Grand.

Then make another right on Linden Ave. The field in on the left Vaughn are vying for starting spots on the defensive line, while Palmadessa is challenging for a job at linebacker. "Our fate will be determined up front," Dowling says. "We're pretty good at the skill positions. We have pretty good depth there.

But ROYALS 0 Secaucus 35 SEPT. 28 at Bogota 1:30 p.m. ROYALS 14 6 OCT. 5 at St. Mary's 1:30 p.m.

ROYALS 8 Becton 14 OCT. 12 CRESSKILL 1:30 p.m. ROYALS 13 Emerson 12 OCT. 19 at Emerson 1:30 p.m. ROYALS 7 N.Arlington 18 OCT.

26 at Wood-Ridge 1:30 p.m. ROYALS 8 Pal. Park 33 NOV. 2 PARK RIDGE 2 p.m. ROYALS 14 Harrison 18 NOV.

9 HASB. HEIGHTS 1:30 p.m. ROYALS 0 Lyndhurst 42 NOV. 16 at Wallington 1:30 p.m. ROYALS 0 NewMilford 35 NOV.

28 WEEHAWKEN we're still working with the lines." DeOrio, an unselfish team leader, says he's willing to switch from strong safety to nose guard if his talents are needed to help the line mature. "Ill play wherever I have to if it means helping.