Football

September 1, 2010

Bouncing back

Malcolm Robinson, Bayonne

Malcolm Robinson is one of many juniors with starting experience for the Bees.

Click Here for more photos from Secaucus at Bayonne Scrimmage.

By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director

BAYONNE –With a young roster which relied heavily upon sophomores, Bayonne knew that the 2009 season would be a challenge. What they didn’t expect was a 1-9 nightmare of a year that they’d just as soon like to forget.

“We were a young football team last year and we realized that,” head coach Frank Blunda said. “We lost a lot of games by margins that were not acceptable. One and nine, if that’s not motivation enough than that’s a problem.”

The one positive from an otherwise lost season was that their young core received a lot of valuable experience. The Bees will return eight starters on each side of the ball and with just five seniors on the roster, most of this team’s nucleus will have two more years to grow and develop from the hard knocks of last season.

Offensive Overview:

Michael Moses, Bayonne

Last year quarterback Michael Moses was limited by a broken wrist.

A broken wrist suffered during the preseason kept QB Michael Moses out for the first half of last year and he had to play the rest of the season with a cast limiting his effectiveness. A healthy Moses should make an impact as a passer and runner in his senior season.

“He’s a pass-run threat,” Blunda said. “That certainly will put defenses in a little more of a bind.”

After playing primarily at wide receiver last year, L.J. Fischer is expected to see plenty of carries at running back along with Ceaon Marlin and Victor Torres. Matt Mullin is the starting fullback.

The Bees have a lot of depth at receiver with Fischer, Biaggio Cancro, Jonathan Jackson, Malcolm Robinson and Josh Edwards. Junior Nick Cordato is a returning starter at tight end.

Bayonne will have a trio of juniors returning on the offensive line in left tackle Russell Fallacara, left guard Brian Brown and right tackle Roodbertho Melon. Jonathan Rodriguez takes over at center.

Defensive Overview:

Erickson Reyes, Bayonne

Erickson Reyes is a returning starter at outside linebacker for Bayonne.

When healthy, the linebacking corps looks to be a strength for the Bees. Erickson Reyes and Mullin currently start at outside linebacker with Travis Gallardo and Nick Freeman on the inside.

The key to the unit will be weakside linebacker Jarred LaBoy when he returns to the lineup. LaBoy, the team’s leading tackler a year ago, is a three-year starter the team hopes to have back by the third game after suffering an ACL injury during the spring.

Melon and Fallacara start at defensive tackle for Bayonne with Rodriguez, Brown and Cordato rotating at defensive end.

Robinson and Fischer provide athleticism and aggressiveness at the starting cornerback spots with Jackson and Cancro starting at the safeties. This is a deep group for the Bees with Angel Ruiz, Marlin and Moses rounding out the secondary.

Star Spotlight: L.J. Fischer RB/WR/CB

L.J. Fischer, Bayonne

After starting at wide reciever, L.J. Fischer will see plenty of carries at running back.

Ever since L.J. Fischer was 4-years-old he has spent nearly his entire football career as a running back.  With that type of history, it hasn’t come as a surprise that the shift to running back from receiver has been a smooth one for the 5-foot-9 senior.

“I haven’t been surprised because he’s just a pure athlete,” head coach Frank Blunda said. “I think regardless of what position you put him at, he understands what you need him to do.”

“They just put me at running back this year and I’ve been trying to show them what they got,” Fischer said.

Fischer will be more than just a running back for the Bees. He will still see significant time at receiver. On defense, Fischer is a returning starter at cornerback. He will also return kicks.