August 22, 2018
2017 In Review: The Herd was 7-3, losing to Hackettstown in the North Jersey Section 2 Group 2 playoffs. They scored 194 points for a 19.4 average, while allowing 162 for a 16.2 average. Wins included Hanover Park, Madison, Lincoln, and Whippany Park, while their other losses were to Lenape Valley and Caldwell.
Graduation Losses: Nobody playing college sports.
Offense: Mountain Lakes runs a multiple Wing-T and return four starters. Quarterback has a three-year starter in senior Jack Baker (6-5, 200). The running backs have senior Mission Kercher (6-0, 180) at fullback, and seniors Matt Palazzi (5-8, 170) and Jason Luzzi (6-0, 195) as the halfbacks. Kercher and Luzzi were defensive starters.
Senior Jake Schicke (6-5, 195) returns at split end, while senior Gus Morfogen (6-2, 185) will be the tight end.
Two starters return to the line in junior right guard Chris Tsilikos (5-11, 220) and junior left guard Dan Raser (6-2, 195). Senior Conrad Christ (6-3, 260) was a defensive starter who will also play left tackle. The right tackle will be junior Declan Ambrosiani (6-7, 280) and senior Brendan Rodgers (6-0, 240) is the center.
Defense: The Herd run a 3-4 and return four starters, all of them three-year starters. Christ is back at end and Ambrosiani saw time at nose guard. Also playing on the line will be Morfogen, senior John Waggoner (5-7, 165), and senior Olin Witt (6-4, 205).
Kercher and Luzzi return at inside linebacker and the outside linebackers will be junior Wesley Dunn (5-10, 180).
The secondary has senior Drew Brennfleck (6-0, 180) back at cornerback and his partner will be senior Cameron Parse (5-11, 160). The safeties will be senior Spencer Goodbar (6-0, 160), who saw time, and senior Brian Luzzi (6-2, 170). Backing up in the secondary will be senior Trevor Glavin (5-11, 175) and sophomore Kevin Christ (6-2, 190).
Special Teams: Brennfleck is a three-year starter at both kicker and punter. The return men are Palazzi, Christ, and Luzzi.
Schedule:
Saturday, 9/8, at Madison, 2 PM
Friday, 9/14, Mahwah at home, 7 PM
Friday, 9/21, at Pequannock, 7 PM
Friday, 9/28, at Kinnelon, 7 PM
Friday, 10/5, Parsippany at home, 7 PM
Friday, 10/12, at Whippany Park, 7 PM
Friday, 10/19, Glen Ridge at home, 7 PM
Friday, 10/26, Boonton at home, 7 PM
Recruits: Four have verballed to play lacrosse in college: Palazzi to Penn, Bennfleck to Virginia, Goodbar to Williams, and Glavin to Brown. For football, Christ is D2/D3 and Kersher is D3.
Concerns: The physicality of the game and peaking late in the year.
Coach’s Comments: “We’re excited and this is a special group that played as sophomores and are now three-year starters, which is rare for this program. We like our senior group with three great captains. We have good athletes who work hard and we’re excited at what they bring as seniors.” – Head Coach Darrell Fusco