Collodi’s veteran Warriors poised for WPIAL playoff run
Elizabeth Forward's Nico Mrvos hands off to Chase Whatton during a Big East Conference game against Uniontown at Warriors Stadium, Oct. 18, 2019. Mrvos and Whatton both return to the Warriors as seniors.
Elizabeth Forward football coach Mike Collodi
Mike Collodi enters his sixth season as the Elizabeth Forward head coach, and it seems that the program is setting record after record.
Last year蘑菇视频 senior class was the first in school history to have four consecutive winning seasons and the program set another record by making the playoffs for a third straight year.
Could this year蘑菇视频 team win the program蘑菇视频 first WPIAL crown?
The 2020 version of the Warriors are loaded with at least seven starters back on both sides of the ball and have plenty of experience coming off what was supposed to be a rebuilding season in 2019.
The 2018 Warriors graduated the majority of their starters from the conference championship team that went 8-2.
How did the rebuild go?
The young and inexperienced 2019 team went 7-3 with their losses being to Derry, North Catholic and Aliquippa, with all three close until late in the game.
鈥淲e had a pretty good season and had a lot of young guys,鈥� Collodi said. 鈥淥ur losses were to upper echelon teams, but this is a new year and we return a ton of guys.鈥�
While many consider EF to be the favorites in the Interstate conference, Collodi is not ready to say any specific team is the favorite.
鈥淚t is up in the air right now,鈥� he said of the conference favorites. 鈥淢ount Pleasant is always tough, South Park is always good, as well as well-coached, and South Allegheny has a Division I talent in (running back) Antonio Epps.
鈥淵ough has a new staff that is working hard and is a natural rival for us, while Brownsville and Southmoreland are bumping up from Double-A with South Allegheny.鈥�
Leading the way for the Warriors is 6-5, 240-pound All-State senior H-back and defensive end Chase Whatton, who currently has 31 Division I offers.
鈥淗e has gone through some adversity and is an extremely athletic defensive lineman,鈥� Collodi said. 鈥淐hase is very explosive and fast off the ball.
鈥淗e is a problem for anyone to block with his freakish athleticism.鈥�
Watt finished 2019 with 13 sacks and 29 tackles for a loss, and scored seven touchdowns on offense.
Senior Evan Lewis is a four-year starter in the secondary, has made the All-Conference team and is being recruited by teams in the Ivy League and Patriot League.
鈥淗e will see time at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, has been the holder, kick returner, punt returner, played corner, safety and outside linebacker,鈥� Collodi said. 鈥淲e plug him in all over and he never complains.
鈥淗e is extremely intelligent and is like a coach on the field.鈥�
Another senior returning as a starter is the 6-1, 185-pound Nico Mrvos, who is a receiver and safety.
鈥淣ico is the most-naturally gifted athlete on the team,鈥� Colodi said. 鈥淗e is extremely smooth in everything he does and can be a game breaker because he is freakishly athletic.
鈥淣ico is a great kid and I am excited to see what he does.鈥�
Collodi also pointed out two juniors in 6-3, 280-pound Nick Murphy and tailback Kyle Flournoy.
Murphy is a two-year letterman at left tackle and on the defensive line, while Flournoy is still relatively new to the game.
鈥淣ick works hard and is physical on both sides of the ball,鈥� Collodi said. 鈥淜yle came on halfway through last season and never really played football before.
鈥淣ow he has a whole year under his belt, is bigger and stronger, has great vision, has a great burst of speed and will be our workhorse at tailback.鈥�
Collodi was also quick to point out the effort of his staff.
鈥淚 am very appreciative of the staff and we have consistency which is huge,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen you try to build a program, having a great staff is huge.鈥�
What are Collodi蘑菇视频 expectations for the season?
鈥淭hey are the same as always,鈥� said Collodi. 鈥淥ur motto since day one has always been to play fast and physical.
鈥淲hen you do that, good things will happen. We will take it one game at a time, aim to win a conference title, a WPIAL title and a state title.鈥�
Elizabeth Forward opens the season on Sept. 11 at rival Yough.