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2019 Team Previews: Lakeland Chiefs (2)

Written by: David Mika on Sunday, August 18th, 2019. Follow David Mika on Twitter.

Head Coach: David Piwowarczyk

Assistant Coaches:

Dom Esgro
Brian Kubilus
Craig Chopko
Matt Serniak
Joey Vonderhey
Keith Galinsky

Team Name: Lakeland Chiefs

2018 Record: 9-4

Twitter: @lhschiefs

Hudl Highlights:

Key Starters Lost:

OL/DL- Jon Naniewicz
C- Antonio Spataro
WR/OLB- James Lewis
WR/S- Thomas Pidgeon
TE/DE- Colin Walsh
LB- Garrett Korner-Usher
OLB- Jacob Snipes

Offensive Starters Returning: (4)

SR OL- Robbie Thomas, 5-10 225
Jr. QB CJ Dippre, 6-5 245 (Offer from Bowling Green State University)
JR RB Giovanni Spataro, 5-8 180
JR OL Cross Douglas, 6-1 275

Defensive Starters Returning: (6)

SR DL Robbie Thomas, 5-10 225
SR DB Billy Good, 5-9 160
JR DE CJ Dippre, 6-5 245
JR DL Cross Douglas, 6-1 275
JR LB Giovanni Spataro, 5-8 180
JR DB Mike Pidgeon, 5-9 155

Special Team Starters Returning: (1)

SR K/P Billy Good, 5-9 160

Key Newcomers: (9)

SR. WR/OLB Chris Mellon, 6-3, 205
JR. TE/DE Colin Clauss-Walton, 6-2, 205
JR. FB/LB Chase Nolan, 5-11, 185
JR. TE/OLB Robert Romanowski, 6-2, 185
JR. OL/LB Connor Passiment, 5-8, 185
JR. RB/LB Shane Barrett 5-9 180
SO. OL/DL Mason Ormsby, 5-8, 235
SO. ATH/DB Nick Mancuso 5-9, 160
SO. RB/LB Jaron Bullick 5-8, 170

Key Stats:

2018 Offense:
Jr. QB CJ Dippre 1,382 yards passing 12 Td’s 6 Interceptions
Jr. RB Giovanni Spataro 1,434 yards rushing 13 Td’s (2,665 yards career rushing yards 28 Td’s)

2018: Defense:
104 Tackles for a loss
22 Forced Turnovers

2019 Offensive Outlook: Biggest key to our success this year will be how quickly the offense picks up the new terminology and philosophy, we are very young at the wide-receiver position and lost some key guys, we will be looking for some younger guys to step up and fill the void left by Pidgeon, Lewis and Walsh. We will be leaning on returning ALL-Region RB Giovanni Spataro and QB CJ Dippre. The Offensive line will also be key in how quickly they gel as a unit and will be led by returners Cross Douglas and Robbie Thomas

2019 Defensive Outlook: Defensively we return a good portion from last year’s district runner up team. We will be working hard to replace some guys but should be in good shape. Continued communication along with being disciplined and aggressive will be the key to our season.

2019 Special Teams Outlook: Kicker and Punter Billy Good returns this year. Billy was a Division All-Star as a Punter. Billy had 8 kickoffs that went for touch-back and was 2/2 of FG long of 28 and 26/33 on PAT’s