| Wildcats shoot for division title repeat |
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Chris Jackett August 27, 2009 Republished with permission of the Novi News The gridiron stars from Novi High open their season at Milford with plenty of familiar faces. Although many of those faces didn't see much field time with the varsity squad last season, the team is deep with several players ready to contribute in multiple positions. “We need to get game experience to learn how to play the game,” said coach Tab Kellepourey. “We need to work on consistency on offense and defense.” The 10th-year coach expects seniors Ryan Margrave and Ryan Jok to step up to create such consistency by anchoring the offensive line. “The offense from there is basically turning over to new people,” Kellepourey said. “There's about seven or eight offensive linemen we expect to contribute.” Seniors RB/LB Jim Pitcher, WR Justin Hopton and WR Jimmy Gurney bring experience to the field from last season's KLAA Central Division-champion squad that finished 7-3 overall (5-0 KLAA Central) after a 15-12 playoff exit against nearby Catholic Central. Brandon Rydzewski, a senior, gets the nod at starting quarterback, with Hopton, Gurney, Margrave, Jok and junior Joe Mikkelsen all looking to help put points on the board. Senior WR/CB Jordan Scheffler will punt to the Wildcats' opposition under the experienced coaching eyes of special teams coordinator John Osborne. Six-foot, two-inch junior WR/DB Jeremy Mims will bolster Novi's defense alongside fellow returning starters of seniors OL/LB Tom Symansky, OL Ryan Margrave and junior FB/LB Krister Engja. “These are two areas I feel great confidence in,” Kellepourey said of the Wildcats' defense and special teams. “(Mims) is a veteran player back there and he just knows what's going on.” Mims and crew will be aided by senior Jordan Jabbori, juniors Dakota Budde, Mike Michniak, Ben Farley, Dan Burris and Joe Burris, who are all looking to make an impact on the varsity squad. One of the top area schools for the past several years, Novi should once again fair well this season, although they will need to mature quickly during the first two weeks of the season against Lakes Conference foes Milford and Walled Lake Central before kicking off division play. “Each division game you take one at a time. First and foremost, you know Northville is a team you have to be ready to play against,” Kellepourey said. “Livonia Stevenson is another tremendous school with one of the premier running backs in the state with Austin White.” Novi kicks off at Milford tomorrow at 7 p.m. before hosting Walled Lake Central 7 p.m. Sept. 3. Other key matchups will come in the final two home games of the season, an Oct. 2 homecoming against Livonia Stevenson and an Oct. 9 outing against Northville. |
