Senior Malcolm Westbrook tied the season record for receptions in 2010 and looks to do big things for the Cardinals in 2011.
Coach Tony Verducci enters his fifth season at the helm of Cardinal football excited about the prospects for the year ahead. Almost 20 seniors reported to camp on August 9th and led what should be a talented and deep Ireton football team to their annual 2-a-day camp at Randolph Macon Academy in Front Royal, Virginia August 14-19.
The Cardinals expect to be serious contenders for the VISAA division I playoffs, which selects the top four teams based upon weekly state-wide polls. Verducci points to depth on both the offensive and defensive lines as well as a solid core of talented offensive players that will make opponents defend the entire field.
Junior PJ Zingler returns from his record setting sophomore campaign, one which saw him complete nearly 70% of his passes for 15 touchdowns and over 2000 yards. Senior Malcolm Westbrook, who snared a season record high 47 passes returns as one target for the junior signal caller, while Matt McShea will return as the squad’s tight end. Moses Webb returns for his senior season as the club’s leader in scoring and all purpose yards in the 2010 campaign. At 6’5″ 265 pounds, center and long snapper Eddie D’Antuono leads a veteran offensive line with seven players who started one or more games for the Cardinals in their 4-6 season last fall, with four of the losses coming by less than a touchdown.
On the defensive side of the ball, Richard Walker will lead an experienced defensive team that made great strides as the fall closed for the Cards in 2010. Seven defensive linemen, led by senior Andrew Lutterloh, earned letters and that suggests Walker and outside linebacker Ned Curry will get plenty of work with opponent’s ball carriers. Moses Webb shows his football versatility on the defense with a shutdown corner mentality that evidences his solid technique and football instincts.
Bishop Ireton hosts the rival Knights of Bishop O’Connell on a Labor Day Friday weekend matinee, kickoff at 5pm on Fannon Field. The redbirds tune up with an August 20th scrimmage with Riverdale Baptist at Ireton before heading to Maryland to wrap up their preseason with Pallotti.
Following the DJO weekend opener, Ireton will return to Bullis on Sept 10th for a Saturday contest. A date with St Stephens on Fannon Field marks their second home game September 17th and John Paul the Great’s Wolves make their first varsity call on the Cardinals Oct 1st. Both those contests are 2pm kickoffs. Ireton will end their regular season home schedule with diocesan rival, Paul VI Catholic for homecoming on Saturday, October 22, this is a 1pm kickoff.
2011 Varsity Schedule (Home games are in CAPS)
A20 Scrimmage RIVERDALE BAPTIST 10am
A26 Scrimmage Archbishop Pallotti 6:30pm
S2 BISHOP O’CONNELL 5pm
S10 Bullis 7pm
S17 ST STEPHENS/ST AGNES 2pm
S24 Episcopal 1:30pm
O1 JOHN PAUL the GREAT 2pm
O7 Flint Hill 4pm
O15 Benedictine 1pm
O22 PAUL VI CATHOLIC 1pm (homecoming)
O29 Potomac School 1pm
N4 St Mary’s Ryken 7pm
N11 VISAA semifinals (TBD)
N18 VISAA finals (TBD)
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