Young Plainview JFK football team aims for playoffs
Plainview JFK No. 7 Kevin Pastier takes a snap and holds during a successful PAT attempt in a Nassau I football game on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015. Credit: James Escher
First there was Ryan Schenck. Then there was Nico Mueller. Now it’s Jordan Futerman’s turn as the next Plainview JFK running back seeking All-County honors.
“I do have big shoes to fill the past couple of years,” Futerman said, “but I think it’s doable.”
With Schenck and Mueller ahead of him on the depth chart, and quarterback Kevin Pastier throwing for nearly 1,000 yards last year, Futerman has had very few carries at the varsity level.
The junior spent the last two seasons -- both three-win campaigns for the Hawks -- watching and learning from his teammates.
“They really helped me learn the offense more and just showed me the ropes of varsity football,” Futerman said.
And even though Futerman has limited in-game experience as a varsity running back, the coaching staff likes his potential as the primary ball carrier.
“He’s got really good speed, sees the field well,” coach Chris Rogler said.
Futerman is not the only Hawk moving into a new role after 24 seniors graduated from last year’s 3-5 team. Last year’s JV starter Michael Schatt and varsity backup Ben Radisch will battle for the quarterback job, and 6-4 Syosset transfer Brendan Horlich gives either one a big target at tight end. Constantine Calamidas and Thanos Boulokus will share carries behind Futterman in Plainview JFK’s pro style offense.
Perhaps the most significant change is Harrison Kyriacou moving to middle linebacker and calling plays as a sophomore.
“We saw him as a freshman be able to pick up our scheme and communicate with a bunch of seniors and do a really good job,” Rogler said. “He’s very smart. He’s been playing the game forever.”
But as highly as the coaching staff thinks of Kyriacou, his move to the middle is a reminder that the Hawks are extremely young this year. That was a factor in their preseason seeding at No. 10 in Nassau Conference I.
“This group of guys has actually been working together since PAL,” Christos Calamidas said. “We work well together. I think this season we can go over .500. I think we can make it to playoffs even though our seeding isn’t great. We’ve got to just stick together.”
