There is little time to waste for the Big Red football team. While they may have a fairly inexperienced group of skill players, that doesn't change the fact that Glen Cove opens up the year with a few tough games.
No one player will be more affected by the tough beginning than quarterback Will Kassar. The junior is entering his first season as a starter, having only a few weeks of late summer practice to prepare for the large undertaking.
"He's going to have to get over the jitters in the first few games because we have an incredibly tough schedule," said Head coach Pete Kopecky of Kassar. "He’s going to have to learn quickly on the job."
Find out what's happening in Glen Covewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Last Season: 5-3, lost to Lawrence in the first round of the playoffs.
Head Coach: Pete Kopecky (20th season).
Find out what's happening in Glen Covewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Top Players:
- Mario Serrano, junior, linebacker
- Will Kassar, junior, quarterback
- Chris Saperstein, senior, fullback
- Nick Rant, senior, defensive line
- Andrew Trakakis, senior, defensive line
- Evan Siegel, senior, offensive line
- Joe Curcio, senior, defensive line
Position Breakdown: The strength of Big Red emulates from both the offensive and defensive lines. Not only is this where the most experience and senior leadership resides, but it is also the deepest area of the team.
Glen Cove will be operating a "two platoon line." That is, they will have a separate group of offensive and defensive linemen, eliminating the need for the big guys up front to go both ways. This should provide a considerable advantage over teams that are forced to have linemen pull double duty.
The offensive line has been pass protecting well in the preseason, allowing Kassar a little more time to adjust in the pocket, according to Kopecky.
Saperstein will be leaned upon to move the ball on the ground. As the only skill player among Glen Cove’s core of senior captains, he will loom large in tough moments.
"He’s very quick," Kopecky said. "He’s a great blocker, in addition to being a good running back. He's quick up the middle and has speed to the outside."
Defensively, Big Red boasts an impressive core of linemen and linebackers. While the secondary is considered a weakness right now, the coaching staff believes they will improve.
Expectations: The last thing Glen Cove wants to do is go backwards. Making the playoffs is a stated goal for Big Red. But they know the path won't be easy. A young group of skill players, plus a tough schedule, doesn't always equal success. This isn't lost on Kopecky's squad. If they can weather the early storm, Big Red could be a big factor in Conference III.
"Right now, they know it’s going to be a rough road," the Head coach said. "If the linemen play tough and get better as the year goes on, we’ll be a tough team to play at the end of the [season]."
As for the rest of Conference III, Lawrence and Lynbrook are considered the teams to beat. Kopecky also expects Plainedge and Sewanhaka to be formidable foes.
Key Games:
- Sept. 10: Glen Cove @ Lynbrook, 1:30 p.m.
- Sept. 24: Sewanhaka @ Glen Cove, 1:30 p.m.
- Sept. 30: Lawrence @ Glen Cove, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 22: Glen Cove @ Plainedge, 1:30 p.m.
