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Catholic League preview

September 14, 2008

A dominant program must replace quality players with quality players every year. This season, seven-time defending CHSFL Class AAA champion St. Anthony's breaks in a new quarterback, junior Tom Schreiber, who steps in for James Brady, now at Ivy League Georgetown.

It's a new quarterback but the same plan for the Friars. Schreiber will be asked to run the option as the dual-threat Brady and others before him have done. That means taking some hard hits, which Schreiber did on several plays during St. Anthony's opener last Saturday against Philadelphia's St. Joseph's Prep in a 7-6 loss.

In that game, St. Anthony's coach Rich Reichert says Schreiber may have laid the groundwork for another successful season from a Friars quarterback.

"He was impressive for his first game starting as a junior," Reichert said. "He took control of the huddle and earned his teammates respect."

Schreiber, an Empire State midfielder in lacrosse during the spring, also displayed a trademark resiliency, which quickly endeared him to the Friars.

"He showed he was tough kid, and that he could play," senior running back Atiq Lucas said. "He's not afraid to take a hit for the team and get back up."

As for any added pressure as a first-year starter, Schreiber says he doesn't feel any, not with Lucas and fellow senior back Nick Mercurio returning in the backfield.

"We have Atiq and Nick who are two fast guys that we can hopefully get to the outside," Schreiber said. "And the O-line has been stepping up, so hopefully we can get some passes in there, too."

-- Corey McLaughlin

Class AAA

ST. ANTHONY'S (10-1)

Coach: Rich Reichert (22nd season)

Key Players: Jr. QB Tom Schreiber (6-0, 185), Sr. RB Nick Mercurio (5-11, 165), Sr. RB/DB Atiq Lucas (5-9, 185), Sr. K Nick Ferrara (6-1, 195), Sr. DL Nick Auriemma (6-1, 275), Sr. DL Rafiq Wallace (6-0, 205).

On the Friars: St. Anthony's, the seven-time defending CHSFL champions, enters 2008 with a returning senior backfield in Lucas and Mercurio that combined for more than 800 yards rushing last season. The run attack will be a strength for a potentially high-scoring offensive unit that Lucas said intends to keep the defense off the field as much as possible. As for the focus when the defense is on the field? Simple. "Get the ball back to the offense," Reichert said. The Friars will continue to pressure opposing offenses and look to force turnovers. They have six returning starters from last year's title team that know how to do it, including Auriemma and Wallace.

CHAMINADE (5-6)

Coach: Bill Basel (22nd season)

Key players: Sr. RB/DB Bobby Lucas (5-10, 185), Sr. QB Steve Chmil (6-1, 185), Jr. WR Michael Ehrhardt (6-4, 185), Jr. WR John Urbank (6-3, 185), Sr. LB Chris Dooley (6-2, 215), Jr. LB Brendan Fowler (6-0, 185).

On the Flyers: Chaminade experimented with the trendy spread offense toward the end of last season and is using it full-time now. Lucas, the only all-CHSFL player returning for the Flyers, is a key component along with Chmil, a smart and athletic signal-caller. The Flyers have a pair of tall receivers in Ehrhardt and Urbank, both juniors. The defense isn't as big as in years past, but Basel is counting on team speed to counter the spread offenses across the league. Fowler is a quick and shifty linebacker and Dooley doubles as a linebacker and down lineman.

HOLY TRINITY (5-6)

Coach: Tony Mascia (18th season)