Stats used in this article are courtesy of The Intelligencer/Bucks County Courier Times.
The accomplishments of Neshaminy’s multi-faceted offense have been well documented.Quarterback Charlie Marterella - who has thrown for close to 1800 yards and 18 touchdowns – is a household word to Redskin fans.
Running backs Anthony Woodroffe and Sean Ulmer – both of whom have rushed for over a thousand yards – have regularly found their way into the headlines.
Wide receivers Dwight Williams and Justin Andrews have over 1200 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns between them, and they are no strangers to the spotlight.
None of those big numbers happen, however, were it not for an offensive line that has been delivering in a big way all season. The O-line has withstood the loss of Tyler Stabilito for the first three games and then survived the absence of veteran Nick DiDonato for six games.Through it all, the Redskins never missed a beat as other players stepped up and delivered.
“That’s been the cool part,” coach Mark Schmidt said. “We moved people around, and it was good to see guys step in and really help us over the course of the season.
“It’s given us depth, and they’ve done a good job. I still feel they have some more to give and can get better, and we’re going to need it this week, that’s for sure.”
The Redskins’ O-line this season has included, at some point or another, Stabilito, DiDonato, Ryan Katona, John Bell, Chris Kutsubos, Alex McKenzie, Adam Gillen and tight end Shane Quinn. No matter who has stepped onto the field, the results have been pretty much the same – the Redskins have moved the football.
The key?
“Communication, execution and being able to talk when blitzes come and picking them up,” Stabilito said. “The O-line has to communicate, and we have to execute.”
“You have to stay focused and keep your composure,” Bell added. “If you miss a block one time, forget about it on the next play and keep going.”The Redskins’ O-line has spent the season creating holes for running backs Woodroffe and Ulmer.
“The key is holding your blocks, getting guys on guys and running the ball,” DiDonato said. “I’m confident in both of them – they both do the job.”
“They both run hard,” Stabilito added. “Whoever is back there, we block the same. They can both bust one, and they can break those extra tackles and just fight for every yard.”
Adding to mystique of a special season for the Redskins is the fact that they have not only survived adversity, they have used the rough spots they’ve faced to bring the team closer together. In June, senior captain Marco Dapkey was diagnosed with leukemia and sidelined for the season.
In August, the Redskins lost long-time coach Jim ‘Mustang’ Foster, who passed away. “Even though it was a terrible situation we all went through, we came through it as a team, and we kind of used it as motivation,” Kutsubos said. “I think it helped us become more of a family, more of a unit working together, and I think it really helped us push through the season and play emotionally to get to where we are now.”
The Redskins were dealt another setback when DiDonato suffered a concussion that – at the time – appeared to be season-ending.
“It was hard waiting and watching everyone else play, but I just knew I had to take care of my business and get better,” DiDonato said. “My doctor from CHOP said it was one of the worst ones he’d seen.
“He said he had people prove him wrong, and if they do, he’ll clear them. I proved him wrong.”
DiDonato returned to the lineup just in time for the playoffs.
“I felt like it was my first game playing,” he said. “It was a home game too, so that made it even better.”
“Having Nick back has been a really big springboard for us,” offensive line coach Steve Wilmont said. “Not that his backup did a bad job, but at this time of year with Nick back you’re really fine tuning things and really looking into the small details.”
Wilmont has been the architect of more than a few standout lines during his tenure as the Redskins’ offensive line coach.“I knew we had some returning guys we felt pretty good about this year,” he said. “We had some guys like John Bell who were question marks and Stabilito, who didn’t play much last year, but we knew we had Nick DiDonato and Kris Kutsubos coming back.
“We knew we could build a pretty solid foundation around those two, plus our tight end (Quinn) helps too.”
Neshaminy’s MO, according to Wilmont, is that its O-line improves as the season progresses.
“Starting off you’re never sure what you’re getting yourself into, but by the end of the year, you’re feeling pretty good about it,” he said. “That’s the way our offensive line has been for the past 10 years.”
Wilmont and his players know they will have to be on top of their game to withstand the onslaught of a Knights’ defense that is both strong and fast.
“They put their quick guys on the defensive line, and they have some very solid linebackers, so we’re spending all week working on our footwork,” Wilmont said. “We have to do all the little things the right way.”
“We need to play hard for 48 minutes,” said Kutsubos, who started last year as a sophomore. “They got the best of us last year.“Just to come out and play them again is a huge excitement.”
No one has forgotten that North Penn has sent Neshaminy packing the past two years.
“I would say the worst part about that game last year was seeing all the seniors’ faces as they walked off the field,” Kutsubos said. “This was their last time playing as a Neshaminy Redskin.”
Even the players who weren’t on the field last year remember the sting of that season-ending loss.
“I don’t have much experience with North Penn, but I was at the game last year,” Bell said. “I’m trying to go into this game with a positive attitude, trying to get people pumped up even if they might be down from years before. I’m just trying to be as positive as I can and doing what I need to do.”
Friday’s district final pits a Neshaminy offense that has been averaging 32.1 points a game against a North Penn defense that has allowed 14.2 points a game. On the flip side, the Knights have been averaging 35.5 points a game while the Redskins’ defense has allowed just 13.9 a game.
Something has to give.
“Coach prepares us well,” Gillen said. “You just have to focus on the upcoming game and keep your mind straight.
“You work hard to get to this point, and you want to keep going. We don’t’ want to ever stop here. We want to keep going, but you take it one game at a time.”
So far that’s been a winning formula for the Redskins.
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