Worcester Telegram & Gazette: "Young, Talented Lancers Will Be Tested Early"
A lot of former backups will try to make sure the Worcester State football team doesn’t back down this season. The Lancers return only four starters on offense and five on defense. The good news is the backups last season played for the best WSU team in nearly a decade. They probably would have started for a lot of other Lancers teams
August 27, 2012
Young, talented Lancers will be tested early
August 26, 2012
By Bill Doyle, Telegram & Gazette Staff
WORCESTER —
A lot of former backups will try to make sure the Worcester State
football team doesn’t back down this season.
The Lancers return only four starters on offense and five on defense. The good news is the backups last season played for the best WSU team in nearly a decade. They probably would have started for a lot of other Lancers teams. WSU was 8-3 for its first winning season since 2004 and its best record since 8-3 in 2003.
“We have a real good core coming back,” coach Brien Cullen said, “and the new kids we have coming in actually are athletically just as good if not better, but they’re pups. They’re still learning the whole thing. How they pick up the system will be the key.”
Worcester State visits city rival WPI and defending New England Football Conference champion Western New England in the second and third weeks of the season, so the young squad will be tested early.
The Lancers must replace all-NEFC quarterback Tony Tokarz, who threw for 24 touchdowns, and running back Marcus Price, who rushed for a school-record 1,230 yards last season despite missing one game and most of another with a leg injury. Tokarz and Price accounted for 325 of the 388 yards WSU averaged per game.
Senior Corey Spencer, who backed up Tokarz the past two years, is expected to start the season opener at 7 p.m. Friday at home against Anna Maria. Tokarz will be on the opposing sidelines as a graduate assistant and wide receivers coach for the AmCats.
Spencer completed only 9 of 27 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions last season, but he did throw for a touchdown in overtime and the winning conversion in the third OT in a 42-40 victory over Westfield State. His teammates respected him so much, they voted him one of the team’s four captains this fall. Cullen said Spencer is the first backup to be voted a captain in his 30 years as WSU head coach.
“He had a great spring and he’s been here all summer working out,” Cullen said.
Cullen also could turn to sophomore Kevin Bumpus, who transferred from Assumption. Bumpus threw for 1,220 yards and five scores and ran for 230 yards and five TDs last season and was Worcester Area Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Whoever ends up at quarterback will line up behind an offensive line that returns only one full-time starter, tackle Kyle Morris, but will be throwing to an experienced receiving corps. Three of WSU’s four returning offensive starters are junior slot receiver A.J. Scerra of Marlboro, senior flanker Justin DeAndrade, and sophomore tight end Casey Hippert of Douglas.
Scerra caught 43 passes for 635 yards and 10 touchdowns, all team highs. Hippert’s 19 receptions ranked third on the team and DeAndrade’s 12 were fourth.
“We are the deepest at wide receiver that we’ve ever been,” Cullen said. “We want to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers.”
Sophomores Kemani Jones, Michael Dance, Stephen Payen and Colby Brochu of Northbridge are in the hunt to replace Price.
Matching last year’s average of 31.5 points a game ranks among the greatest challenges for Cullen, who will return to his run-and-shoot, wide-open style while serving as his own offensive coordinator following the departure of Devin Gates to Fitchburg State.
Captain Joe Sweet anchors an experienced defense line that features four returning starters. Captain Graham Asum of Marlboro is the team’s shutdown corner.
The kicking teams are experienced. Alex Blakeslee, who averaged 36.1 yards a punt, and Derek Muccini, who converted 7 of 12 field-goal attempts and 29 of 36 conversion kicks, are back.
Shrewsbury’s Rich Dube, who averaged 14.4 yards on his 23 punt returns to lead New England, and Asum, who averaged a team-high 24.4 yards on 19 kickoff returns, also return. Beyond Sports Network chose Dube as a third-team preseason All-American.
Cullen was named NEFC Coach of the Year for the fifth time last season.
“There were other years that I’ve coached better and we ended up 2-8,” Cullen said, “but it shows the hard work everybody put in. That should be a staff award.”
Worcester State at a glance
Coach: Brien Cullen (30th season, 150-116).
League: New England Football Conference, Bogan Division.
2011 record: 8-3 overall, 5-2 conference (ECAC Northwest Bowl).
Top returnees: Jr. WR A.J. Scerra (Marlboro; 43 receptions for 635 yards, 10 TDs, second team All-NEFC Bogan Division, first team All-Worcester Area), So. TE Casey Hippert (Northbridge; 19 receptions, 329 yards, 2 TDs, second team All-NEFC Bogan Division, second-team All-Worcester Area), Jr. DL Bryan Narcisse (58 tackles, 13.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, second team All-Worcester Area), So. DE Tyler Asam (Milford; 42 tackles, 11 TFL, 3 sacks, NEFC Bogan Division Defensive Rookie of the Year, Worcester Area Defensive Rookie of the Year), Sr. CB Graham Asum (Marlboro; 38 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2010 first team All-NEFC Bogan Division, 2010 All-Worcester Area), Sr. QB Corey Spencer (9-27 passing, 2 interceptions, 1 TD, 12-88 rushing).
Key losses: QB Tony Tokarz (Holden; 1,822 yards, 24 TDs; 88 rushes, 402 yards, 5 TDs, first team NEFC Bogan Division, first team All-Worcester Area), RB Marcus Price (Doherty; 230 rushes, school-record 1,230 yards, 10 TDs, first team NEFC Bogan Division, first team All-Worcester Area), OL Robert Johnson (Leicester; first team NEFC Bogan Division, first team All-Worcester Area), DE Ray St. Laurent (Shrewsbury; 65 tackles, 15 TFL, 10.5 sacks, first team NEFC Bogan Division, first team All-Worcester Area), DB-LB Andrew Tokarz (Holden; team-high 70 tackles, 50 solo), DB Cliff Oratokhai (South High; 6 INTs, 2 FF, 3.5 TFL, first team NEFC Bogan Division; D3football.com All-East Team).
Notable newcomers: So. QB Kevin Bumpus (transfer from Assumption; Worcester Area Offensive Freshman of the Year), Fr. WR Mike Tirpak (Marlboro; 2011 Telegram & Gazette All-Star LB), Fr. WR E.J. Yearwood, So. DB Adam Scerra (Marlboro; transfer from Assumption).
Schedule:
Aug. 31…Anna Maria, 7 p.m.
Sept. 9…at WPI, 1 p.m.
Sept. 15…at Western New England, 1 p.m.
Sept. 22…Westfield State, 1:30 p.m.
Sept. 29…at Maine Maritime, 1 p.m.
Oct. 6…Mass. Maritime, 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 13…at Bridgewater State, 1 p.m.
Oct. 20…Coast Guard, 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 27…Fitchburg State, 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 3…at Framingham State, noon
The Lancers return only four starters on offense and five on defense. The good news is the backups last season played for the best WSU team in nearly a decade. They probably would have started for a lot of other Lancers teams. WSU was 8-3 for its first winning season since 2004 and its best record since 8-3 in 2003.
“We have a real good core coming back,” coach Brien Cullen said, “and the new kids we have coming in actually are athletically just as good if not better, but they’re pups. They’re still learning the whole thing. How they pick up the system will be the key.”
Worcester State visits city rival WPI and defending New England Football Conference champion Western New England in the second and third weeks of the season, so the young squad will be tested early.
The Lancers must replace all-NEFC quarterback Tony Tokarz, who threw for 24 touchdowns, and running back Marcus Price, who rushed for a school-record 1,230 yards last season despite missing one game and most of another with a leg injury. Tokarz and Price accounted for 325 of the 388 yards WSU averaged per game.
Senior Corey Spencer, who backed up Tokarz the past two years, is expected to start the season opener at 7 p.m. Friday at home against Anna Maria. Tokarz will be on the opposing sidelines as a graduate assistant and wide receivers coach for the AmCats.
Spencer completed only 9 of 27 passes for 175 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions last season, but he did throw for a touchdown in overtime and the winning conversion in the third OT in a 42-40 victory over Westfield State. His teammates respected him so much, they voted him one of the team’s four captains this fall. Cullen said Spencer is the first backup to be voted a captain in his 30 years as WSU head coach.
“He had a great spring and he’s been here all summer working out,” Cullen said.
Cullen also could turn to sophomore Kevin Bumpus, who transferred from Assumption. Bumpus threw for 1,220 yards and five scores and ran for 230 yards and five TDs last season and was Worcester Area Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Whoever ends up at quarterback will line up behind an offensive line that returns only one full-time starter, tackle Kyle Morris, but will be throwing to an experienced receiving corps. Three of WSU’s four returning offensive starters are junior slot receiver A.J. Scerra of Marlboro, senior flanker Justin DeAndrade, and sophomore tight end Casey Hippert of Douglas.
Scerra caught 43 passes for 635 yards and 10 touchdowns, all team highs. Hippert’s 19 receptions ranked third on the team and DeAndrade’s 12 were fourth.
“We are the deepest at wide receiver that we’ve ever been,” Cullen said. “We want to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers.”
Sophomores Kemani Jones, Michael Dance, Stephen Payen and Colby Brochu of Northbridge are in the hunt to replace Price.
Matching last year’s average of 31.5 points a game ranks among the greatest challenges for Cullen, who will return to his run-and-shoot, wide-open style while serving as his own offensive coordinator following the departure of Devin Gates to Fitchburg State.
Captain Joe Sweet anchors an experienced defense line that features four returning starters. Captain Graham Asum of Marlboro is the team’s shutdown corner.
The kicking teams are experienced. Alex Blakeslee, who averaged 36.1 yards a punt, and Derek Muccini, who converted 7 of 12 field-goal attempts and 29 of 36 conversion kicks, are back.
Shrewsbury’s Rich Dube, who averaged 14.4 yards on his 23 punt returns to lead New England, and Asum, who averaged a team-high 24.4 yards on 19 kickoff returns, also return. Beyond Sports Network chose Dube as a third-team preseason All-American.
Cullen was named NEFC Coach of the Year for the fifth time last season.
“There were other years that I’ve coached better and we ended up 2-8,” Cullen said, “but it shows the hard work everybody put in. That should be a staff award.”
Worcester State at a glance
Coach: Brien Cullen (30th season, 150-116).
League: New England Football Conference, Bogan Division.
2011 record: 8-3 overall, 5-2 conference (ECAC Northwest Bowl).
Top returnees: Jr. WR A.J. Scerra (Marlboro; 43 receptions for 635 yards, 10 TDs, second team All-NEFC Bogan Division, first team All-Worcester Area), So. TE Casey Hippert (Northbridge; 19 receptions, 329 yards, 2 TDs, second team All-NEFC Bogan Division, second-team All-Worcester Area), Jr. DL Bryan Narcisse (58 tackles, 13.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, second team All-Worcester Area), So. DE Tyler Asam (Milford; 42 tackles, 11 TFL, 3 sacks, NEFC Bogan Division Defensive Rookie of the Year, Worcester Area Defensive Rookie of the Year), Sr. CB Graham Asum (Marlboro; 38 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2010 first team All-NEFC Bogan Division, 2010 All-Worcester Area), Sr. QB Corey Spencer (9-27 passing, 2 interceptions, 1 TD, 12-88 rushing).
Key losses: QB Tony Tokarz (Holden; 1,822 yards, 24 TDs; 88 rushes, 402 yards, 5 TDs, first team NEFC Bogan Division, first team All-Worcester Area), RB Marcus Price (Doherty; 230 rushes, school-record 1,230 yards, 10 TDs, first team NEFC Bogan Division, first team All-Worcester Area), OL Robert Johnson (Leicester; first team NEFC Bogan Division, first team All-Worcester Area), DE Ray St. Laurent (Shrewsbury; 65 tackles, 15 TFL, 10.5 sacks, first team NEFC Bogan Division, first team All-Worcester Area), DB-LB Andrew Tokarz (Holden; team-high 70 tackles, 50 solo), DB Cliff Oratokhai (South High; 6 INTs, 2 FF, 3.5 TFL, first team NEFC Bogan Division; D3football.com All-East Team).
Notable newcomers: So. QB Kevin Bumpus (transfer from Assumption; Worcester Area Offensive Freshman of the Year), Fr. WR Mike Tirpak (Marlboro; 2011 Telegram & Gazette All-Star LB), Fr. WR E.J. Yearwood, So. DB Adam Scerra (Marlboro; transfer from Assumption).
Schedule:
Aug. 31…Anna Maria, 7 p.m.
Sept. 9…at WPI, 1 p.m.
Sept. 15…at Western New England, 1 p.m.
Sept. 22…Westfield State, 1:30 p.m.
Sept. 29…at Maine Maritime, 1 p.m.
Oct. 6…Mass. Maritime, 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 13…at Bridgewater State, 1 p.m.
Oct. 20…Coast Guard, 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 27…Fitchburg State, 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 3…at Framingham State, noon