WICCOPEE – Of course, there was the physical pain of suffering a season-ending foot injury a week earlier that would take months to heal. Then there was the mental anguish of missing his biggest game yet and the frustration that came with believing his presence could have made a difference.
But even in this depressed mood, Cruz Calcagni found a reason to smile. Or rather, his teammates did.
John Jay-East Fishkill’s season ended in the Section 1 semifinals last November, when they lost to Arlington while their rival continued a remarkable run. But the Patriots fought back, erasing an early deficit and getting within a touchdown with 10 minutes left.
“I thought it was great!” said Calcagni this week at preseason training. “The boys did their best and I couldn’t have been prouder.”
A team trailing by seven points in the fourth quarter of a game it later lost wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy in most cases, but up until that point, this was the closest team had come to defeating the mighty Arlington team of last fall, which had trounced its previous nine opponents and knocked several to their knees long before halftime.
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But the admirals later admitted that John Jay, despite his inferiority, had frightened them for a moment.
There are no moral victories in the playoffs, and even hope can fade after a loss that sends a team into the offseason. But positives do exist. Sometimes there is a legitimate reason to smile and feel encouraged.
“They played like it was their last game,” Calcagni said of his teammates. “That’s the attitude we need and that’s how we have to play every game this season.”
For many, it was actually the last game, as the Patriots released nearly half of their roster, including several standout players. And because of that, this group of young players is viewed by most as underdogs. Against this grueling team, anything less than a maximum effort likely won’t cut it.
“We all know we need to get better and everyone has been working hard,” senior Caleb Clamser said. “The guys that need to step up are doing that and I think we’re all ready for that challenge.”
And it will be a challenge. John Jay begins its season on Sept. 6 by hosting Chaminade, a Long Island private school that typically boasts a wealth of talented athletes. That will be followed by a meeting with Carmel, the three-time defending Section 1 champion, and playoff rematches against Scarsdale and Arlington.
The Patriots are among the teams grouped together in Section 1 of the new big-school Power League, which is designed to produce more showdowns between elite teams. “Every game will be a fierce battle,” Calcagni said.
Fans who have looked through these teams’ schedules and played the addictive “win, lose, win…” game have probably realized that those predictions are far less compelling today. John Jay won’t have many, if any, games where it’s an overwhelming favorite on paper.
“We always say, ‘Anyone, anytime, anywhere,'” said Patriots coach Jim Cancellari, whose team was 7-3 last year. “You can’t be afraid of competition. We’ll find out where we stand. But whoever is in front of us, we’re going to go into it with confidence and belief in our success.”
They enter the competition with new starters in several key positions and will have to find their feet and establish themselves quickly. There is already a certain familiarity and chemistry, said Charlie Welsh, as many of the older pupils were teammates on a junior team that was once undefeated.
“It doesn’t feel new because a lot of us have played together before,” said Welsh, an offensive tackle. “There are some different roles and we have more responsibilities, but there are a lot of returning players who know what to do. We just have to do it.”
Welsh has focused on strength training and pass blocking in the offseason. He will help anchor an offensive line that has excelled in recent years and pave the way for a dominant running attack. He will be joined by Logan Giustino, Jason Richards, Aidan Miceli and Nicholas Pollock.
This group has talent and experience, but the Patriots have lost size and offensive power due to graduation, which may require some schematic adjustments.
“We’re pulling and catching more, moving guys around and getting them into space,” Cancellari said of taking advantage of those linemen’s mobility. “We always want to build the offense around what we do well.”
Calcagni will likely be used behind them. The junior is a physical running back who doesn’t shy away from contact and “runs furiously,” his coach said. But Calcagni also has the speed to exploit gaps on the break.
He tore ligaments in his foot in John Jay’s upset quarterfinal win over Scarsdale last season and said it took him “about three months” to feel like himself again. Now, Calcagni said, “I can’t wait to get back.”
The Patriots also return Vinny Angioletti, their top receiver who scored seven touchdowns last season. The senior is a versatile playmaker who also plays fullback, can kick, and plays linebacker and safety.
Clamser, a lacrosse star, also plays multiple positions, including running back, wideout, safety and linebacker.
“Having several people who can do different things is great,” Cancellari said. “It allows us to make a lot of plays without always having to send a (substitution) package and warn the opponent.”
A big departure was Brady Feliciotto, a dynamic dual-threat quarterback the offense had relied on heavily. Matt Partridge and Logan Lawrence now compete for the starting job.
Partridge, who got some playing time as a backup last season, is an elusive runner whose accuracy has improved. Lawrence, a more traditional pocket passer, has gotten stronger and more athletic.
“Everyone is excited and we come with a lot of energy,” said Clamser. “We’ve been waiting for this and it’s almost time. No matter what anyone thinks, we have high expectations of ourselves and I know we can do great things.”
Stephen Haynes: [email protected]; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
