Phoenixville/Great Valley Football Season Opener

Phoenixville High School kicks off the 2010 football season with a non-league game against Great Valley at Washington Field Friday night, Sept. 3.

The Phantoms have head coach Bill Furlong starting his eighth year at the helm. Phoenixville finished 3-6 in the PAC-10 (4-8 overall) last year.

Great Valley has a new head coach in Mike Choi, a former assistant coach with the Patriots under ex-head coach Gary Phillips. The Patriots closed at 2-3 in the Ches-Mont League (3-8 overall) last year.

Great Valley won last year’s encounter, 27-21, in overtime.

“It should be a good barometer,” said Furlong. “In the past, whoever won this game went on to have a good year in the playoffs. Last year we went to overtime, which was an omen. Neither of us had the season we wanted.”

Phoenixville has senior Tom Romano (6-0, 180) back for his third season at quarterback. Joining him in the backfield will be junior Travis Andrews (5-9, 181), junior Alec McQuiston (5-8, 166) and junior Vinny Nattle (5-11, 175).

The wide receivers are senior Dan Kain (5-9, 155) and senior Brendon Stone (5-7, 168) with sophomore Ryan Pannella (5-11, 156) at tight end.

Seniors Ken Cenci (5-10, 255) and Marcus Stokes (6-3, 291) are veteran two-way tackles. The guards are junior Jesse Gervasi (5-9, 181) and senior Torin Killeen (5-6, 165) with sophomore Tom White (5-10, 162) or junior Tim Hunt (5-11, 270) at center.

On defense, the Phantoms have moved junior Dennis Kelly (5-11, 171) from nose guard to end, where he will be joined by sophomore Kajhnel Norwood (5-7, 168). The interior linemen will be Cenci, Stokes, and junior Ernie Knight (6-1, 205), who missed much of last season with a concussion.

The linebackers are Andrews, Gervasi, Pannella and sophomore Ryan Yenchick (5-9, 162).

In the secondary are Kain, McQuiston, Nattle and Romano.

The placekicker is returning senior soccer player John McInally (5-11, 170). The punter will be either McInally or Romano.

Great Valley has a returning quarterback in senior Dave Hausladen, who will be directing a West Coast offense. Senior Chuckie Showers is a speedy running back and defensive back. The wide receivers are seniors Kevin Cox and Jesse Horn with senior Greg Havrilla at tight end.

Senior Dan Buchholz will anchor the offensive and defensive lines with senior Zach Anderson heading up the linebacker crew. Other linebackers being counted upon are seniors Chris Shaver, Ben Shipley and Pete Pappas.

“They have the quarterback and two wideouts so it looks like they are ready to throw the ball more than the past,” said Furlong. “They have a new coach and a new system. That could work for or against us.

“We have a lot of guys going both ways (offense, defense). We will have people hustling. We will be taking guys in and out.”

In other season openers tonight, Spring-Ford visits West Chester East, Owen J. Roberts travels to Conestoga, new PAC-10 entry Pope John Paul II is at Holy Name in Reading, Boyertown hosts Allentown Allen, Methacton is at Plymouth-Whitemarsh, Pottsgrove hosts Mastbaum, Upper Perkiomen hosts Muhlenberg and Daniel Boone is at Donegal.

In Saturday contests, Perkiomen Valley is at Lansdale Catholic at 11 a.m. and Pottstown visits St. Pius X Rosetto in Bangor at 1 p.m.