2011 Westfield High School Football Preview

Team: (Concorde District)

Coach: Kyle Simmons (1st year)

2010 Record: 6-5 (2-2 Concorde District)

Last Game: Lost 7-0 to Chantilly- November 12

Key Departures: DL Jacob Milson, DB Ben Campbell, TE Mitch Castleberry

Key Returning Players: RB Kendell Anderson, QB Matt Pisarcik, WR Quentin Basil, OL Sean Douglass, LB Mo Katz, LB Matt Craft, DB Bo Hartman, DL Erik Morales

Position Strengths: OL, DB

Key Games: Sept. 2 @ South Lakes, Sept. 23 @ Robinson, Sept. 30 vs. Chantilly, Oct. 28 @ Centreville

Overview:

Good things come to those who wait. Kyle Simmons became the second head coach in Westfield’s 11-year history last December when Tom Verbanic announced that he would not be returning after the 2010 season. Rather than bring in someone new, school officials passed the baton to defensive coordinator Kyle Simmons.

Simmons served on Verbanic’s staff since the school’s opening in 2000 and produced one of the area’s most respected defenses since assuming the role of defensive coordinator in 2006. His defense was instrumental in Westfield’s 2007 state title run.

Westfield went 6-5 last year under Verbanic and ended the season with a 7-0 loss to rival Chantilly in the Northern Region playoffs. Simmons’ defensive unit menaced opposing offenses as the Bulldogs held opponents to 14 points or less in 9 of their games.

Simmons is handing defensive coordinator responsibilities to Jon Shields who will benefit from the return of several veteran defensive playmakers. LB Mo Katz (Sr.), LB Matt Craft (Sr.), DB Bo Hartman (Sr.) and DL Erik Morales (Sr.) headline a solid defense. Despite losing a couple of starters from the defensive front line, Westfield’s run defense should be as stout as it was last season.

Offensively, returning QB Matt Pisarcik (Sr.) has an arsenal of weapons at his disposal. RB Kendell Anderson (Sr.) missed some of last season with an injury, but he is fully healthy and will run behind a talented offensive line which will be anchored by Sean Douglass (Sr.) and Andrew Sargent (Sr.). WRs Quentin Basil (Sr.) and Michael Garcia (Sr.) are the team’s one and two receivers and both are extremely talented. Basil, who towers at 6’4, re-established great chemistry with Pisarcik over the summer as the two looked very impressive in the summer passing tournament circuit.

Although he’s passing defensive coordinator duties to Shields, Simmons will be involved in Westfield’s special teams unit. Kicker Matt Delany had a solid 2010 campaign and has worked hard during the off-season and summer to boost leg strength.

Breakdown:

While the 2011 season will be Simmons’ first as a head coach, his 10-year familiarity with Westfield football and opposing district teams puts him at a great advantage. He has seen a lot and has been presented with many challenges. Former coaches Rob Everett (Lee) and Pete Bendorf (South County) joined the Westfield family in the off-season and will bring years of experience to an already seasoned coaching staff.

Simmons will be thrown into the fire early with a road game against South Lakes being his team’s first on the schedule (9/2). Road games at Fairfax (9/30) and district rival Centreville (10/28) will also present challenges. The Bulldogs return a solid number of talented players from both sides of the ball to be a legitimate Concorde District contender. While replacing a legend is never an easy task, Simmons is in a better position to succeed than most.

Coach's Corner:

“Getting the job at Westfield was a dream come true. It’s something that I’ve worked very hard for, ever since deciding that I wanted to become a head coach,” said Simmons.

I’ve been around some really great people who have mentored me along the way, and I couldn’t be in a better position as far as what I get from the Westfield administration, parents and other coaches. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s made the job a lot easier. With a program the size of ours, you need people like that to be successful”.