As a new football season approaches, teams within ROPSSAA start gathering their student-athletes to form their football teams for the fall. Things are no different for the St. Marguerite d’Youville Panthers. Annually one of the stronger forces in the ROPSSAA North, the physical Panthers will look to their returning crop of players to improve upon what the built in 2015.
In 2015, the Panthers entered the season with a young talented core of players that the coaching staff was hoping could be molded into the football team they envisioned. Despite opening the season with a loss to St. Roch, d’Youville quickly moved on from that game and was able to finish the regular season with a 4-1 record, second in ROPSSAA North.
Heading into the post-season as one the hottest teams, the Panthers eventually bowed out to the St. Marcellinus Spirit in the quarter-finals of the playoffs with a 29-22 loss. With many from last year’s team returning to play again, the Panthers figure to be major players once again within the ROPSSAA picture.
A team traditionally known for employing a more physical style of play and utilizing the double wing offense, the Panthers want to establish themselves as the dominant team on the line of scrimmage and utilize their athletes when the appropriate situation arises.
The coaching staff will specifically be looking for a substantial amount of growth from 2015 to 2016 because the experience their key players gained last season should allow them to take the next step with their development as football players.
Head Coach of the d’Youville Panthers John Paul Falacho noted that having more coaches to share their expertise with the young football players has helped the Panthers tremendously. The supporting coaches added to the roster clearly paid dividends last season as the Panthers had a significantly better year compared to their 2014 campaign.
The guidance and football knowledge the assistant coaches were able to provide clearly had an effect on the Panthers in 2015. This season, the coaches are aiming to have a similar effect on a roster that will be more experienced, stronger and faster.
Playing in the ROPSSAA North division, d’Youville will look to separate themselves from their rivals. However, playing against the St. Roch Ravens will provide another challenge for the Panthers in 2016.
Although the two teams have played in some hotly contested matchups through the years, the defending ROPSSAA champion Ravens had the Panthers number last season. This season, with d’Youville’s players growing and being more familiar with the team’s philosophy, the Panther will look to live up to their moniker of smash mouth football and re-establish themselves as the big boys of the north.
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