Conley Publishing - Special Sections
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/716814
NEW BERLIN EISENHOWER/NEW BERLIN WEST The FREEMAN & ENTERPRISE PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2016 • 15 251488003 By Andrew Wagner Freeman Correspondent NEW BERLIN — The memory is still fresh in Joey Scaffidi's mind. Senior Jake Rastas shouting, "It's not supposed to end like this" after the New Berlin Eisenhower Lions were knocked off, 18-7, in a Level 1 playoff game in 2015. It brought what had been an amazing season to an abrupt and painful end. Scaffidi has no intention of this season — his last with the Lions — of ending in the same fashion. "That's stuck with me all sum- mer," Scaffidi said as the Lions pre- pared for their season opener. "I don't want my senior year to end like that. Knowing we could have done better as a team, seeing those seniors' frustration has motivated me. "It's been a big focal point for us as seniors. We just rebuilt last year to get to 8-1 and going into the play- offs and losing like that, it's stuck with us all summer. As returning players, we made that an emphasis during summer workouts." Eisenhower had a breakout sea- son last year, going 8-1 in the regu- lar season (5-1 in the Woodland West), losing only to division cham- pion Greendale. That was good enough to earn the Lions a No. 2 seed in their portion of the Division 3 playoff bracket, but two fourth-quarter touchdowns by No. 7 Wisconsin Lutheran led to a stunning 18-7 upset. "It's a good reminder that once you get to the playoffs, everybody is good," Eisenhower coach Matt Kern said. "Of the 32 teams in the bracket, only one will win its last game and the other 31 are going to feel like, 'What did we miss.' In our case, we had a very talented team, but none of those kids had experi- enced a playoff game." The Lions lost some key talent from that squad, including two-way threats Jordan Canady and Rastas, as well as quarterback Sam Carey, but the group of returning players is strong. Scaffidi tops that list, having led the team in rushing a year ago with 641 yards on 123 attempts (5.2 per carry). Mike Keller and Zack Hansen return to anchor the offen- sive line while Bryce Wesling is back to handle kicking duties. Other returning players like receiver Stephen Halusan, who caught 10 passes for 155 yards a year ago, will be counted on to step into a higher-profile role this season. "The majority of guys who are going to play a significant amount of snaps for us this year are guys that lettered last year," Kern said. "When I think about newcomers, I think about juniors who got their feet wet last year, but will be step- ping into elevated roles." With so many returning players, Kern has been able to spend much of training camp focusing on fine- tuning and refinement. "We've spent a lot of time the last two years on the mental side of the game, the preparation part of prac- tice," Kern said. "But we have a vet- eran team this year. Pretty much all of our contributing players are jun- iors and seniors. "To have a group of guys now in their third year of what we're ask- ing them to do, it's allowed us to go a lot faster. Every step along the way of the offseason, we're just far- ther along at similar landmarks than the last couple of years." But along with repetition and technique, Kern wants his players to take a different mental approach into the season, which begins with a home contest against Plymouth. "I think we've earned the right to feel like we can win any game that we're in," Kern said. "There've been some games the last couple of years, particularly two years ago, when guys had it in the back of their minds that, 'Boy, this is going to be a tough night,' but I think we're past that now. There's no game that we're going to go into that we shouldn't feel like we won't be able to compete and win." Ike ousted in first round last year Lions look to go deeper in playoffs New Berlin Eisenhower Coach: Matt Kern 2015 record: 8-2 overall, 5-1 Woodland West Key Returning players: OL Mike Keller, OL Zack Hansen, RB/LB Joey Scaffidi, LB Adam Lancaster, K Bryce Wesling Promising newcomers: WR Stephen Halusan Key graduation losses: Jordan Canady, Jake Rastas, Sam Carey, Dakota Grzesk By James R. Hoffman Freeman Correspondent NEW BERLIN — New Berlin West's new coach, Ben Chossek, looks to improve a program with only two winning sea- sons in the past 10 years. Chossek has spent six years as a head coach and seven years as an offensive and defensive coordinator. He takes over for Al Moroder, who went 12-25 over four sea- sons. West returns several starters on offense and defense while adding All-Region senior offen- sive and defensive line- man Jeremy Alexander, who transferred from Homestead, last year's Division 2 state champi- on. Chossek coached at Grafton from 2008-2013. His team went 3-33 over his first four seasons, but improved to 7-10 in his final two. "At Grafton, we were a similar situation — we were trying to rebuild a program," Chossek said. "I had the opportunity to go through that process and learn some things it takes to take a program from not very good to being competitive. "We're trying to estab- lish consistent prepara- tion habits. How you practice, how you take care of your body, how you weight train. That's the biggest part of the process. The second thing is playing fast and playing physical. We want them to cut loose. We don't want them to have any thought in what they do. When people are done playing New Berlin West, I want them to say, 'Man, that was a physi- cal, hard-fought football game.'" And he said his play- ers are responding. West graduated two- year starting quarter- back John Kozlowski, and Chossek said he has two newcomers compet- ing for the position — sophomore Trace Fer- reira and senior Nate Egofske. Egofske returns to football after taking a year off to focus on base- ball. And Ferreira looks to take a big step for- ward. West will run an option offense this year, which Chossek said can be adapted to the strengths of his players and force defenses into tough choices. West needs to execute as a team as it returns just four all-conference honorable mention play- ers — senior defensive lineman Mitch Hewitt, senior linebacker/full- back Tony Gress, senior running back/defensive back Max Meleski and sophomore wide receiv- er/defensive end Nick Paget. A good offensive line is critical for an effective offense, and Chossek thinks he has at least three great players. Standout transfer Alexander will be joined by seniors Matt Schmidt and Michael Pepping. Paget finished second in receiving yards for West and followed that with a terrific season on the baseball diamond. Meleski led West in rushing in 2015 and will be the main man again this year. Gress will lead West's defense as Alexander, Vikings 12-25 in last four seasons New coach hopes to improve program 2016 Schedule (all games 7 p.m.) Aug. 19: Plymouth Aug. 26: at West Bend East Sept. 2: at Wauwatosa West Sept. 9: Pius Sept. 16: New Berlin West Sept. 23: Pewaukee Sept. 30: at Greendale Oct. 7: Woodland Crossover Oct. 14: Woodland Crossover Charles Auer/Freeman Staff Senior running back Joey Scaffidi will be a treat for the Lions offense. New Berlin Eisenhower Coach: Ben Chossek 2015: 2-7 overall, 1-5 Woodland West Key returning players: senior RB/DB Max Meleski, senior DL Mitch Hewitt, senior OL/DL Matthew Schmidt, sophomore WR/DE Nick Paget Promising newcomers: senior OL/DL Jeremy Alexander, sophomore QB Trace Ferreira, senior QB Nate Egofske Key graduation losses: QB Josh Kozlowski 2016 Schedule (all games 7 p.m.) Aug. 19: Port Washing- ton Aug. 26: at Milwaukee Lutheran Sept. 2: Greendale Sept. 9: at Pewaukee Sept. 16: at New Berlin Eisenhower Sept. 23: Wauwatosa West Sept. 30: Pius Oct. 7: Woodland Crossover Oct. 14: Woodland Crossover See VIKINGS, PAGE 16