Post 90 – HS Football – Preview: Lawrenceville School

September 4, 2018

2017 In Review:  The Big Red was 4-5 and participate in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League.  They scored 144 points for a 16.0 average and allowed 192 for a 21.33 average.  Wins included Peddie and losses were to Hun School and Blair.

Graduation Losses:  WR/CB Mohammed Diakite – Penn, MLB Caleb Weber – Cornell, TE Dylan DeMarco – Bucknell, G Alex Mauro – U of Chicago, OLB Nick Wilcox – Colby (Me.), WR Dallas Martin – Bentley (Mass.), CB Isaiah Chery – Franklin & Marshall, DB Jordan Blassingame – Stonehill (Mass.), DT Elijah Thiam – Middlebury (Vt.)

Offense:  Lawrenceville runs a multiple, no-huddle offense and returns six starters.  The incumbent quarterback is senior Rob Rolfe (6-1, 180) and senior Jaden Bailey (6-0, 215) is also back.

Returning at tight end is junior Jack Cooleen (6-6, 225) and the wide receivers will be post-grad Billy Dunn (6-3, 200), senior Justin Zhou (5-11, 180), junior Jake Simpson (6-2, 200), and sophomore Bob Fish (5-7, 160).

The line returns three starters in senior three-year starter Michael O’Keefe (5-10, 220) at center, plus juniors Jack Taylor (6-5, 280) and Christian Forbes (6-4, 245) at the tackles.  One guard will be post-grad Joe Hurle (6-1, 285), who played at Jackson, and the other guard is undecided.

Defense:  The Big Red runs a multiple defense and six starters.  Back at the tackles are senior Terrance Mathis (6-1, 240) and junior CJ Vilfort (6-1, 255), while senior Harrison Berke (6-0, 185) is back at end.  Senior John Burke (6-2, 220) will play at end after starting on offense last year.  Rotating at end is junior Savon Rawlins (6-5, 215), a basketball player out for football

Returning at outside linebacker are seniors Kwesi Adu-Diawuo (6-1, 195) and Mikah Jones (6-2, 215).  The inside/middle will be played by senior Chase Johnson (5-11, 210) and junior Tim Johnson (6-0, 185).

Returning in the secondary is senior cornerback Diassa Diakite (6-0, 170).  Joining him in the secondary is post-grad Guy Springer (5-11, 190), post-grad Quinn Kieselowsky (5-11, 185), and senior Kaleb Mucius (6-1, 165), another basketball player out for football.

Special Teams:  Junior Aidan Kane and Kieselowsky are competing for both the kicker and punter positions, while Diakite is the main return man.

Schedule:

Saturday, 9/8, Episcopal Academy (Pa.), at home, 3 PM
Saturday, 9/15, at Deerfield Academy (Mass.), 2 PM
Saturday. 9/22, Choate Rosemary Hall (Ct.) at home, 2 PM
Saturday, 9/29, Germantown Academy (Pa.) at home, 2 PM
Sunday, 10/7, at Mercersburg Academy (Pa.), 2 PM
Saturday, 10/13, Peddie at home, 3 PM
Saturday, 10/20, at Hun School, 7 PM
Saturday, 10/27, Blair Academy at home, 6 PM
Saturday, 11/3, at Hill School (Pa.), 2 PM

Recruits:  Diakite verballed to Harvard.  Adu-Daiwuo has an offer from Air Force, while Dunn has an offer from Stetson.  Hurle, Kieselowsky, and Springer are 1-AA through D3.

Bailey is receiving interest from Patriot and Ivy League schools, while Rolfe is receiving Patriot League and D3 interest.  Mathis has received 1-AA and D2, while O’Keefe has D3 interest.  Berke committed to Johns Hopkins for lacrosse.

In the junior class, Taylor and Forbes will receive interest, while Cooleen will get lacrosse interest.

Concerns:  A competitive schedule and getting players ready in a hurry.

Coach’s Comments:  “We feel good about the team chemistry.  I’m in my fourth and this senior class came in at the same time.  The players are buying in and understand the expectations.  We have contributors who are ready to be leaders.” – Head Coach Harry Flaherty

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