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Canal Winchester
New coach plans to
spread offensive wealth
By CORY STEGER
ThisWeek Staff Writer At a glance
Last year, coach Gary Metzger believed the CANAL WINCHESTER INDIANS
Canal Winchester High School football team Colors: Maroon and white
would break though with a winning record. He Coach: Phil Mauro, first season
Key players: Zack Brown, Andy Burns, O.J. Green,
thought he had a combination of a good defense, Ryan Huff, Cory Mauro, Jesse Meade, Anthony Nixon,
speed at the skill positions and a new offensive Matt Romanowski, Mike Romanowski, Ryan Rose,
coordinator that would produce that winning Ryan Sabin, T.J. Seelig, Cory Spelman, Travis Stevens
combination. and Tyler Thompson
But the Indians sputtered and went 2-8 over- On the Web: canalwin.k12.oh.us
all and 2-5 in the MSL-Buckeye Division. They 2007 SCHEDULE
Aug. 24..............Bexley ..............................Home
scored in double digits just once, and in their Aug. 31..............Lakewood...........................Away
two wins they combined for 21 points. Sept. 7...............Whitehall ..........................Home
August 22, 2007 • Central Ohio High School Football Preview ’07
Metzger since has been replaced for former Sept. 14 ............Teays Valley........................Away
Massillon Jackson coach Phil Mauro, and Mauro Sept. 21 ............Circleville..........................Home
likes what he has seen since he started meeting Sept. 28 ............Fairfield Union ....................Away
Oct. 5 ................Amanda-Clearcreek ...........Home
the players last June in conditioning sessions. Oct. 12 ..............Bloom-Carroll......................Away
“I was very excited about their receptiveness Oct. 19 ..............Hamilton Township ............Home
and how eager they are to learn,” said Mauro, Oct. 26 ..............Logan Elm..........................Away
whose team will open Friday against Bexley. 2006 RESULTS
“We’re doings thing differently here than in the (2-8 overall, 2-5 MSL-Buckeye)
past and they’ve been very adaptable and coach- Bexley.......................................................L, 20-8 By Jeff Mills/ThisWeek
able.” Pickerington Central...................................L, 35-0
Liberty Union.............................................L, 20-7 The Indians’ Ryan Sabin tries to elude New Albany’s Gerald Nixon on Aug. 11. Sabin is
One positive to last season is that a lot of Logan Elm................................................W, 12-7 expected to play both wide receiver and defensive back.
younger players got plenty of playing time. Teays Valley..........................................L, 7-6 (OT)
Mauro still is in the process of evaluating the Circleville ..................................................L, 40-0 will use an even front defense predicated on (LB/RB). Perhaps Mauro’s biggest challenge is
players but has been impressed with what he’s Fairfield Union ...........................................L, 37-6 blitzes from both the strong and weak sides as turning around a team that has grown accus-
Amanda-Clearcreek....................................L, 40-0
seen and is beginning to form an idea of what Bloom-Carroll ............................................L, 21-6 well as stunts on the defensive line. The aim is tomed to losing.
the team will look like. Hamilton Township .....................................W, 9-3 to confuse the offense and disrupt blocking “We’re just going to play,” he said. “Our goal
The Indians will run a spread offense, which assignments, stopping the play before it can be is to play hard for the whole game every week.
Mauro used at Jackson. BE THE ONE to executed. We don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves.
“The spread, it does a couple things,” Mauro
said. “It’ll do a good job of getting the ball to
champion “We like to mix up the pressure and we hope-
fully have the guys in the secondary with the
“If you were successful last year, that does-
n’t guarantee you anything for this year. We’re
life for patients in need.
our skill guys. It will open running lanes and ability to help us do that,” Mauro said. “We want going to practice hard and play hard and not get
help isolate the skill guys so we can get them 1-800-GIVE-LIFE
BloodSavesLives.org to play great defense and so far we’ve put a lot too hung up on where we’re at.”
the ball in space. We’ll try to use the whole width of emphasis on defense.” For the long term, Mauro has visions of turn-
of the field. Plus it’s fun and the kids enjoy it.” The top defenders will be seniors Brown, ing Canal Winchester into a championship-cal-
The top offensive players will be seniors Zack Romanowski (WR/DB), Mike Romanowski Cosby, Keene, Meade, Andy Burns (DE) and iber program.
Brown (OL/DL), Jesse Meade (OL/DL), Kyle (WR/DB), Ryan Sabin (WR/DB) and sopho- Nixon, juniors Cory Spelman, T.J. Seelig (DE) “There’s no reason we can’t do that,” he said.
Gibson (OL/LB), Mark Keene (OL/DL),Anthony more Tyler Thompson (WR/DB). and Harrison Rosch (LB/OL) and sophomores “That’s the way we’re approaching things how
Nixon (RB/LB), Dominique Cosby (RB/DB) On defense, the Indians have depth, which O.J. Green (ILB), Ryan Rose (S), Cory Mauro we want to conduct ourselves. We just want to
and Antonio Davis (RB), juniors Matt will allow Mauro some flexibility. The Indians (LB), Zach Hitchens (DE) and Mike Maniella be the best team on the field every Friday night.”
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