As the 2016 varsity football season comes to an end, there are high expectations for the next season.

Defensive coordinator Michael Verdi believes “speed and experience” are key. He said, “There is a mix of sophomores [and] juniors.. that are very hard working kids and that they will hit hard and work together.”

Verdi said that there are around 25 underclassmen on the varsity football roster. He also said there are many underclassmen already starting and that they are contributing to the team in a great way.

“I expect big things for all of the underclassmen next year on varsity; they better be good,” Verdi said.

Next year, Verdi expects big things from Ignacio Veloz (also known as Speedy), all of the teams corners (Joey Suchy, Marco Tramontano, Dylan Keiter, Nick Ferritto), among others on the team.

Verdi said, “There’s no doubt about new, upcoming talent. There are no losses in 7th grade, 8th grade, and 9th grade. The coaching staff and current players are expecting big things for the varsity team.”

But Verdi admits the team also has some weak spots.

“There are a lot of younger kids playing in new spots. We will be very young and we need to work more on communication,” said Verdi.

Verdi says that the freshman and junior varsity teams “better work together well and good” when the 2017 graduating seniors are gone. He also said that he and the other members of the varsity coaching staff have no idea if the 2017 football season will be better or worse than the 2016 season.

Two freshmen, Joey Suchy and Marco Tramontano, are starters playing on the varsity team this season. Suchy is a starting defensive linebacker and Tramontano is starting as the defensive nose tackle. Suchy, Tramontano, and the rest of the freshman will possibly help make up the next varsity football team for the 2017 season.

Freshman defensive coordinator and running back coach Vince Canganelli said, “I think that the freshman and junior varsity football teams will work very well next season. There are already two freshman playing on the varsity team and with all of them together there’s no stopping them.”

Canganelli said that next season fans can look for a group effort from these boys because they really do work as a team and not just as individuals. He said that Ben Sherlock stands out on the freshman team. He plays offensive running back, defensive corner and sometimes receiver.

The offensive and defensive line are really good on the team, patience is something that can be worked on. Canganelli said, “There are so many kids in the same spot. The player needs to understand that when you have five kids playing in one position, they have to wait and have patience to play.”

Michael Canganelli, senior co-captain and running back on the team, believes there’s no doubt coach Ross Bandiera will keep the winning tradition at Mayfield High School next year and the years to come. Canganelli also said that some weaknesses for the team are a “lack of experience for some of the players but the experience will come with time.”

“This upcoming varsity football team is filled with hardworking and dedicated young men,” the senior running back said.

Izzy Watson, senior co-captain and defensive lineman on the team, said, “The freshman and junior varsity teams are closer than we were to any others on a different team. I think they will have more communication and more fun on the varsity team to come.”

Some of the weaknesses for the varsity football team next season are that “they don’t have a lot of the experience that we seniors have and they are not that easy to coach,” said Watson.

As the season comes to an end, the coaches are sad to lose another group of fine athletes but are encouraged by the new talent that will keep Wildcat football going.