Warriors seek to continue success under Collodi
Elizabeth Forward quarterback Zion White rolls to his right as he looks for a receiver聽during last year's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game against Central Valley at West Allegheny.
Elizabeth Forward Charlie Nigut runs the ball against Central Valley during last year's WPIAL Class 3A semifinal game at West Allegheny.
Mike Colloid enters his ninth year as head coach at Elizabeth Forward.
Mike Collodi has led the Elizabeth Forward football team to levels of success the program has never seen during his eight years as head coach.
The team has won four conference titles over the past five years. The Warriors had won only two conference crowns prior to Collodi蘑菇视频 tenure, 1966 and 1985.
鈥淲e have done some great things, but all of that is in the past,鈥� Collodi said. 鈥淚t is a new season, and we are going to give it our best.鈥�
It will take EF蘑菇视频 best in the Class AAA Interstate Conference as both Belle Vernon and Greensburg Salem moved down from Class AAAA, while Brownsville and Yough moved out.
Belle Vernon is the heavy favorite to win the conference and the WPIAL title.
鈥淲e lost the two worst teams in the conference and gained two pretty good teams,鈥� Collodi said. 鈥淓veryone has already given Belle Vernon the WPIAL title, and I am good with that as I like flying under the radar.
鈥淭hey have played for two WPIAL titles in the last three years and deserve the recognition.鈥�
Belle Vernon travels to Elizabeth Forward on Oct. 28 to close the regular season, but Collodi and his staff are focused on their Week 0 opponent, Ringgold.
鈥淚t is a long season and right now, we are focused on Ringgold,鈥� said Collodi. 鈥淲e played a close game with them last year in the opener, so our guys know better than to look ahead.鈥�
The Warriors return nine starters on offense and seven full-time starters on defense.
鈥淲e have experience,鈥� Collodi said. 鈥淎 lot of our guys have played in big games, won conference titles and gotten a lot of experience.
鈥淲e played in the WPIAL title game two years ago and the semifinals last year, so the guys have been tested.鈥�
The returning offensive starters are senior quarterback Zion White, sophomore H-Back Jace Brown, senior running back Johnny DiNapoli, senior receivers Zach Boyd and Keilly Rush, sophomore receiver Charlie Nigut, senior lineman Ricky Prokop and junior linemen Charlie Meehleib and Dylan Winters.
Defensively, the returning starters are Meehleib at tackle, Prokop, DiNapoli and Brown at linebacker, and Bush, Rush and Nigut in the secondary, while Winters played regularly on the line as a key reserve.
Collodi said there is no substitution for having that kind of returning experience on defense.
鈥淗aving that kind of experience on that side of the ball with the kind of schemes we run is important,鈥� said Collodi. 鈥淎ll those guys are important and know what we want.鈥�
Senior Logan Beedle will handle the kicking duties, while Nigut is the punter.
Collodi, like he says at the start of every season, said that the team蘑菇视频 approach will not change.
鈥淲e pride ourselves on playing fast and physical,鈥� said Collodi. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to think, and our preparation is good.
鈥淲e want to be the most physical, eliminate our turnovers and create them as well. We have to execute and play with energy.鈥�
The goals won鈥檛 change, either.
鈥淔irst, we want to win the conference title,鈥� said Collodi. 鈥淪econd, we want to win a WPIAL and the third goal is to win states.
鈥淚 tell the kids it is all about those things in that order. That蘑菇视频 what we go for every year, but for now, our focus is Ringgold.鈥�