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Veteran linemen to help guide Plum offense

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, August 19, 2017 | 5:33 PM

With four veterans to block and a few physical runners behind them, Plum has embraced its coach's roots.

“We should be able to run the football,” offensive coordinator Adam Santoro said. “We're going to come in with a run-the-football mentality. Our head coach is a former NFL lineman, so running the football is what's ingrained around here.”

Just three seasons ago, Plum's offense rushed for more than 2,000 yards and averaged 183 per game, but that number fell to 155.6 in 2015 and 139.7 in 2016. With four starting linemen back from a year ago, the Mustangs might attempt to run 65 or 70 percent of the time, if the situation allows.

“I'm an offensive line guy, so I love running the ball,” said Matt Morgan, a former Pitt lineman, who enters his fifth season as Plum's coach. “The most success we've ever had here is with our power game — tough, hard-nosed running football. That's what wins in (Class) 5A and 6A.”

A year ago, when Plum went 2-7, the team rushed for 1,257 yards on 252 carries behind a young line. Combined, the team celebrated just four 100-yard rushers.

Now a year older, the team returns junior tackle Cooper Aubele (6-foot-3, 220 pounds), senior guard Nick Stitt (6-2-225), senior center Aaron Shefler (6-0, 295) and senior guard Mike Giannuzzi (5-10, 230).

“There are still some growing pains with those guys, but overall you expect them to jell fast because they're an experienced group,” Morgan said. “They've been through it all. They know what to expect.”

A fifth lineman, sophomore Josh George, also started at times last season, and senior fullback Dakota Sunday adds strength to the backfield.

“We have the potential to be very strong,” said Giannuzzi, the team's right guard. “It's all about potential. It we work our butts off, then we'll be great.”

The Mustangs graduated tailback Kevin Brown, who scored 12 times last season. Also gone is junior receiver Rahmon Hart, who transferred to Imani Christian.

In Brown's place, Plum will feature senior tailbacks Corey Thomas (6-2, 210) and Colt Robb (5-10, 155), along with Sunday. Thomas, who also plays middle linebacker, had 396 rushing yards and two touchdowns last year.

“The more kids that can carry the load to keep guys fresh, the more successful we will be,” Morgan said. “And we've got to be able to run the ball to be successful here.”

Plum finished 2-6 in the Class 5A Big East Conference a year ago, but the season couldn't have started much worse.

A scrimmage injury sidelined the Mustangs' top quarterback (Ryan Waros) for the season, and the team lost its first six games.

Then came the death of assistant coach Lorenzo Freeman in October, a loss that hit the team the hardest. Ultimately, the team rallied to win two of the final three games.

“It was a tough start,” Giannuzzi said, “but we started to jell a little bit toward the end.”

The team likely will start senior Dom Carlisano at quarterback, with sophomore Anthony Little or junior Hunter Linhart as his backups. Little started as a freshman and threw for 711 yards.

A top receiver is senior Hunter Fields (6-3, 165), and defensively, all three returning linebackers are seniors: Thomas, Sunday and Nick Gibson.

“Expectations are always high when you've got a majority of guys who are seniors,” Morgan said. “These guys went through their lumps last year. We expect a lot out of them this year. We expect a run at the playoffs.”

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.

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