Hawks to face new foe in football opener

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Veteran running back Jacob Affronti will help lead Holley into next Monday’s 8 man football opener at Red Jacket.

A new foe will provide the opposition as Holley begins its third season of 8 man football competition next Monday at Red Jacket.

Holley, which graduated 10 players from last year’s 3-3 team, returns a small nucleus of five veterans.

Senior running back Jacob Affronti, who scored 8 touchdowns, heads that veteran group which also includes  seniors David Farruggia (OL/LB), Triston McFadden (OL/DL), Mason Neale (WR/DB) and Jakob Silpoch (RB/LB).  All are seniors except Neale who is a junior.

Affronti will also be sharing the key quarterbacking duties with sophomore Dakota Gibaud-Mastowski.

The Hawks are also looking to get a boost from four newcomers, who like Neale are coming off the basketball team, including juniors Broek Ostrom (DB) and Kalen Brady (DB) along with seniors Charlie Turpyn (RB) and Andrew Drechsel (OL).

“It’s a crazy year. We’ve had to jam a lot of material into a week and a half when we usually have three weeks before the first game but the kids are doing well,” said Coach Wil Prince. “We don’t have a lot of experience back but some of our new kids should really help us. It is a game of big plays though so the new kids will have to step up.”

The Hawks graduation losses include quarterback/linebacker Jacob Norman, running backs Jamel Hildreth and Tony Farruggia and receiver Cody Tanis.

Holley’s home opener will be against the new Roy-Hart/Barker/Lyndonville team on March 27.

The Hawks six game schedule, like all the other 8 man teams in the league, includes games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Hawks Schedule:

March: 22 at Red Jacket, 4:30 p.m.; 27 – Roy-Hart/Barker/Lyndonville, 1:30 p.m.

April: 3 – Frewsburg, 1:30 p.m.; 8 – at Perry, 5 p.m.; 14 – Pembroke, 4:30 p.m.; 20 – at Finney, TBA.