DEFILIPPI BACK IN CHARGE AT SMETHPORT

Information for this story was obtained from various sources including information found in the Aug. 20 edition of the Olean (NY) Times Herald. For information on the paper, please visit its web site at www.oleantimesherald.com

SMETHPORT – After a one-year hiatus, Carl Defilippi returns to the sidelines of the Smethport Hubbers as head coach.

The last time Defilippi, who coached 19 years at Smethport previously going 174-30, roamed the sidelines was early November 1999 when his Hubbers were defeated 28-21 by Clarion in the first round of the District 9 Class A playoffs.

After taking last year off and watching Smethport go 6-3 under his replacement John Petruzzi, Defilippi is back in charge.

And it is a challenge that is ahead of him, as the Hubbers lost 16 letterwinners from last season and have only eight starters and 13 letterwinners back from 2000.

In addition to that, the Olean Times Herald reported Aug. 20, that Defilippi will also be without the services of seven players who are academically ineligible for the first two games and three others who are sidelined with injuries until mid-September.

"We probably won’t know what kind of team we will have until the third week of the season," Defilippi told Jim Melaro of the Olean Times Herald. "The whole offensive line is going to be new. That’s where having all of those kids unavailable at the start of the season is going to hurt us."

Only four of the returning starters for the Hubbers play on offense. They are 5’11" senior quarterback Jeff Shostak, 6’3" senior split end Steve Bartas, 5’9" senior tailback Dan Mitchell and 5’6" senior tailback Eric Raydo.

On defense, Smethport has a little bit more returning in Bartas at linebacker, Mitchell at defensive back, 6’3", 200-pound senior defensive end Shawn Dunkle, 5’10". 195 senior defensive end Chuck Duffy, 6’3", 170-pound defensive tackle Ben Scott and 5’11, 225 pound junior defensive end Nick Vandermark.

Expected to round out the offensive backfield are juniors Scott Ayers and Eric Alter. The backup quarterback is senior Ray Greene, while the receivers in addition to Bartas should be Dunkle and juniors Craig Kandare, Cody Roberts and Phil Herzog.

The offensive line for the Hubbers should be bigger than it has been in previous season led by Scott, senior Jeff Larson (6’3", 260 pounds) and junior Bryon Stebbins (5’10", 275) at the guards, Vandermark, senior Matt Leet and senior Rich Bierbower at the tackles and Bierbower and junior Cody Glick at center.

"We have some good size," Defilippi told Melaro. "We are going to be as big as we have been in a while, but we gave to see if they can move."

On defense the line should be filled out by a combination of Duffy, Vandermark, Herzog, Dunkle and Bierbower at the ends and by Larson, Scott, Stebbins and Glick in the interior.

The linebackers for the Hubbers should be Bartas, Mitchell, Leet, Raydo, Kandare, Alter and Vandermark, with the defensive backs being led by Greene, Shostack, Roberts, Ayers, Thomas and senior Mike Ambern.

On special teams, Kandare should punt with Mitchell kicking.