YOUNG RIDGWAY TEAM LOOKING TO KEEP WINNING TRADITION ALIVE

By Chris Rossetti

RIDGWAY – The Ridgway Elkers have been to the District 9 Class A playoffs two years in a row, but in order for that streak to continue in 2004 a young team will have to step up and take charge.

The Elkers have just nine starters (five offense and four defense) returning from last year’s squad that went 8-2 overall and 8-1 in the AML-South before losing 54-0 to Clarion-Limestone in the opening round of the playoffs. It was the second straight year C-L knocked Ridgway from the postseason.

"This is going to be one of the most challenging years we have faced since the early 1990’s," Ridgway’s eighth year head coach Mark Morelli, who is 47-22 in seven years at the school, said.

One of the reasons it will be a challenging year is because of the inexperience the Elkers have. Of the 26 players listed on Ridgway’s roster, nine of them are either freshmen or sophomores.

"This will be the second straight year where graduation has hit us hard," Morelli said. "But we really feel it’s just a matter of our new kids gaining experience. We certainly feel we will be competitive. If we make the strides like we are capable of, we could make another run for a playoff berth."

Morelli believes hard work and team chemistry will be the keys to Ridgway's success.

"The key to how well we do will be out work ethic and our commitment to getting better throughout the preseason and during the season," Morelli said. "One other aspect that we are stressing is our team chemistry as we will have several sophomores playing."

The Elkers will look to the five returning starters to lead the way on offense. That group includes three running backs and two offensive linemen.

The linemen are seniors Nick Thompson and Jake Chittester, who both played key roles in helping the Elkers average 190.9 yards per game on the ground last season and 320.4 yards per game total.

The returning running backs are senior halfbacks Kevin Sarginger (16 carries, 83 yards) and Zach Pontious (40 carries, 225 yards) and fullback Beau Iorfido (104 carries, 522 yards, 12 TDs).

On defense, Ridgway will be led by Chittester and Thompson on the defensive line, Iorfido at linebacker and Sarginger at cornerback.

"The one major area we definitely have to improve upon is getting our defense back to playing defense the way Elker teams in the past have played," Morelli said. "Last year’s efforts were not the type of defense we have come to be known for playing."

A year ago, the Elkers allowed 230 points (23.0 per game) the eighth worst total in District 9 and the most points allowed by a District 9 team with a winning record last season.