SWARM!
Last season the Indians went 7-3, capturing their first District Crown since 2003. Playing an integral role in that was the Venice Defense. Coordinated by Coach Larry Shannon, the defense was a group that played with passion, emotion, and a lot of hype.
This year’s squad should be no different. Although key losses of Andy Czuprynski, Nate Sardinas, Steven Mccord, Jimmy Laurie, Gerry Hunek, and Sean Howell will hurt, the Indians have some talent returning. Ethan Mix is back at inside linebacker and James Auxier returns as one of the starting D-tackles. Jamie Owen makes the move from the d-line, to the inside linebacker position. The one major difference Coach Shannon says is the fact we have gotten a lot faster on the defensive side of the ball. “Our greatest strength is that we are very physical upfront and we also have a lot of speed on the field.”
The Indians got their first test against Cardinal Mooney, and their hardnosed running back Steve Ierulli. The Cougars proved to be more of a challenge than expected. “We just didn’t play well against Mooney. We played hard and were very physical, but we played out of position.” Venice’s next, and perhaps biggest challenge, came in the form of the always speedy and athletic Riverview rams. The Indian D performed much better, and they proved they are a force to be reckoned with. Coach Shannon said a lot of hard work went into the weeks practice leading up to the game. “We improved on the practice field. That is where the game is won or lost. Our coaching staff did a great job of fixing mistakes and holding players accountable for doing their job.”
While this year’s defense is very talented, they are still young and it is still a work in progress. Coach Shannon feels like they have a chance to be a great defense, but there is still room for improvement. One thing that has hurt the Indians this season was the loss of Gerald Oriol to a knee injury in the spring. A talented player on the field, he is also considered one of the 2008 leaders as he has been named a Captain. “It is very tough not having Gerald on the field. Not only is he an unbelievable player, but he is one of our emotional leaders. He is working hard rehabbing his knee, and we will get him back sometime this season, that will improve our defense tremendously.” While no one can replace Gerald, helping out was the addition of Ben Steel. “Ben is a great football player who is tough to block. He plays with a lot of effort, and has been a huge boost to our defensive line.” The line is considered the strong point of the defense this year, not only having Steele and Auxier, but add in sophomores Clay Burton and Dino Fanti who both have playmaking ability.
Simple things will make this already good defense a great one. Coach Shannon’s overall expectations and goals aren’t anything out of the ordinary. “Every week there will be a new challenge from the opposing team’s offense. We have to reload every week and be up to the challenge. The number of points scored against us will measure the bottom line on the effectiveness of our defense. Our goal is to be a championship defense. Execution and belief in our defense, along with communication, great work habits, enthusiasm, effort, togetherness, and consistency, will make us a great defense.”Tonight is the next test. Braden River is a much improved ball club from last season. The Indians should have learned their lesson from Mooney. The pirates will not be underestimated, expect the Indian D to be well prepared. We will see just what the bottom line is tonight.
