BY BOB HERZOG
With a wry smile and a twinkle in his eyes, partially hidden under the bill of a NASCAR baseball cap, Manhasset coach Bill Cherry sent his team on yet another jaunt around the football field near the end of Monday’s morning session. “It’s not like the Hamptons is it fellas,” he said, chiding his team for a sluggish performance and for perhaps stealing one last weekend on Long Island’s East End beaches. “Summer’s over now, boys. It’s time to get in shape.”
For football players all over the Island, that’s surely the case, as two-a-days heat up with full pads and more contact drills each day. At Manhasset, where the old high school building is undergoing some renovation but where the wooden bleachers in the gym and the door to the football offices are decades old and look their age. What tales that woodwork could tell. “Jim Brown probably knocked on that door,” Cherry said of Manhasset’s star running back from the early 1950s, who became more well known for his exploits at Syracuse University and the Cleveland Browns.
There are no future Jim Browns on this year’s Manhasset squad, but Cherry is confident his core veterans and young linemen can keep his team near the top of Nassau Conference IV. Quarterback is an important position, as A.J. Diaz (above) must run the Indians’ spread offense now that last year’s starter, Jeff Molinari, is out for the season with multiple concussions. Top placekicker/punter Zac Koufakis has a leg injury and also will miss the season as will three other potential starters. Diaz threw some nice passes Monday and looked comfortable running the offense.
Versatile Jack Meyer will switch from H-back to center because of injury to a starter and all-County running back/corner back Jeff Izzo returns with designs on improving on last year’s totals of 924 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns.
Manhasset has some toughness inside led by all-County guard/middle linebacker John Duvnjak and defensive end/offensive tackle Brendan Denihan who played most of last season with a dislocated shoulder before having surgery.
“I’m optimistic about the season with the guys we’ve got coming back,” Cherry said.
Until the games begin, however, his players know that preseason practices will be no day at the beach.
Comments (5)
Dear all,
How come Newsday staff always ignore North Shore teams like Miller Place, Mt Sinai, Rocky Point and Shoreham during your annual reviews...
wow....are those new helmets at Manhasset?
Dig the Redskins look......although I am very surprised they passed the Politically Correct Police there.
'Set has been rocking the Redskins look since the late '90s.
Why would Newsday even blog Manhasset football? Mediocre coach in a mediocre program.
they blog Set because we are ranked number 2 and we have a great program. And Coach Cheery is a great football coach he knows the game and knows exactly what he is taking about.