MU football offensive line story for Friday paper
By TONY GRAHAM
STAFF WRITER
WEST LONG BRANCH - It's the game within the game fans almost never see.
When Monmouth University tailback David Sinisi runs for daylight or Brian
Boland drills the ball over the middle to Adam San Miguel, somewhere back
along the line of scrimmage, removed from the attention of the rooters,
center Tom Mauro or tackle Matt Connolly are probably
slowly rising from the turf.
The Sinisi run or Boland completion means the offensive line has
accomplished its mission.
""I love the position because there's always hitting,'' said Mauro, a fifth-
year senior graduate of Middletown South High School. ""We don't get a lot of
recognition but, to me, when someone gets a 100-yard game, that's a good
enough recognition for me.
""It's fun just banging down in the trenches with these guys,'' Connolly
said. ""When somebody scores we know we did our job.''
The veteran offensive line of Monmouth (10-1) will be hoping to "do the
job" again Saturday when the Northeast Conference champion Hawks (10-1)
host the No. 16 University of San
Diego, champions of the Pioneer League, in the first Gridiron Classic.
The game was arranged last winter by the leagues to assure their
respective champions would participate in the post season.
""When you put somebody on their back or you see one of these guys make a
good block it's a lot of fun,'' said Connolly.
""Early in the year when Sinisi got his first 100-yard game it
really got
us all excited,'' said Mauro. ""That's what keeps us striving.''
Striving for the Hawks this season have been Mauro and Connolly, guards Bob Skellenger
and Jonathon Dunn, and tackle Nick LoCastro, the lone non-senior on the line.
Connolly and Dunn were named All-NEC First team helping fellow all-NEC
first teamer Boland, who engineered the league's second-highest scoring
offense.
They've paid the price to succeed.
""You get banged up,'' said Mauro. "I've had two knee surgeries, Matt has had a couple of surgeries, our hands
are always messed up. But that's just part of the game.''
""Having a fifth-year senior (Mauro) who has
started for four years has really helped us,'' said Brian Gabriel, Monmouth
offensive line coach.
Mauro moved from guard to center replacing last year's fifth year senior John
Castoro.
"I think physically we've done a great job this year,'' said Gabriel."" Matt
Connolly has battled though some injuries but has played very well.
""Nick LoCastro as a young player on the left side has been a very good
football player, Jon Dunn has really developed as an All-League selection, a
big physical guy who can push people around and he protects very well. It's
been a nice bonus as to how good he's gotten.""
""We definitely have a lot of experience on the "O" line,'' said Boland.
""They've done an outstanding job opening up holes for running backs,
and protecting me. They've been playing real well collectively as a group.''
Monmouth's line appears to have a size advantage over the defensive line of
the Toreros.
""They move around quite well but it's nothing we haven't seen,'' said
Mauro. ""In our conference we've been lucky in that we've gone against some
tremendous "D" lines. It really has helped us prepare for this.
""I don't think there's anything they could do that's something we haven't
seen before.''
Saturday will offer some nostalgia to Mauro and Monmouth's other seniors.
""This is my last game,'' he said. "'My goal, before the year, was to end
the season at Kessler Field.
""This is it, the last time I'll ever put the pads on, the last time my
family will ever watch me. It's pretty exciting.''
How Monmouth plays Saturday may well be judged on the performances of
Boland and the Monmouth defense as it tries to contain explosive USD
quarterback Josh Johnson.
But deep in the trenches with Monmouth's offensive line, often obscured from
view from the stands, is where the outcome could be decided.
""That's just how it is,'' said Boland. ""Those are the guys that usually
do all the work. They just don't usually get the credit for it.''
e-mail tonygsports@aol.com
STAFF WRITER
WEST LONG BRANCH - It's the game within the game fans almost never see.
When Monmouth University tailback David Sinisi runs for daylight or Brian
Boland drills the ball over the middle to Adam San Miguel, somewhere back
along the line of scrimmage, removed from the attention of the rooters,
center Tom Mauro or tackle Matt Connolly are probably
slowly rising from the turf.
The Sinisi run or Boland completion means the offensive line has
accomplished its mission.
""I love the position because there's always hitting,'' said Mauro, a fifth-
year senior graduate of Middletown South High School. ""We don't get a lot of
recognition but, to me, when someone gets a 100-yard game, that's a good
enough recognition for me.
""It's fun just banging down in the trenches with these guys,'' Connolly
said. ""When somebody scores we know we did our job.''
The veteran offensive line of Monmouth (10-1) will be hoping to "do the
job" again Saturday when the Northeast Conference champion Hawks (10-1)
host the No. 16 University of San
Diego, champions of the Pioneer League, in the first Gridiron Classic.
The game was arranged last winter by the leagues to assure their
respective champions would participate in the post season.
""When you put somebody on their back or you see one of these guys make a
good block it's a lot of fun,'' said Connolly.
""Early in the year when Sinisi got his first 100-yard game it
really got
us all excited,'' said Mauro. ""That's what keeps us striving.''
Striving for the Hawks this season have been Mauro and Connolly, guards Bob Skellenger
and Jonathon Dunn, and tackle Nick LoCastro, the lone non-senior on the line.
Connolly and Dunn were named All-NEC First team helping fellow all-NEC
first teamer Boland, who engineered the league's second-highest scoring
offense.
They've paid the price to succeed.
""You get banged up,'' said Mauro. "I've had two knee surgeries, Matt has had a couple of surgeries, our hands
are always messed up. But that's just part of the game.''
""Having a fifth-year senior (Mauro) who has
started for four years has really helped us,'' said Brian Gabriel, Monmouth
offensive line coach.
Mauro moved from guard to center replacing last year's fifth year senior John
Castoro.
"I think physically we've done a great job this year,'' said Gabriel."" Matt
Connolly has battled though some injuries but has played very well.
""Nick LoCastro as a young player on the left side has been a very good
football player, Jon Dunn has really developed as an All-League selection, a
big physical guy who can push people around and he protects very well. It's
been a nice bonus as to how good he's gotten.""
""We definitely have a lot of experience on the "O" line,'' said Boland.
""They've done an outstanding job opening up holes for running backs,
and protecting me. They've been playing real well collectively as a group.''
Monmouth's line appears to have a size advantage over the defensive line of
the Toreros.
""They move around quite well but it's nothing we haven't seen,'' said
Mauro. ""In our conference we've been lucky in that we've gone against some
tremendous "D" lines. It really has helped us prepare for this.
""I don't think there's anything they could do that's something we haven't
seen before.''
Saturday will offer some nostalgia to Mauro and Monmouth's other seniors.
""This is my last game,'' he said. "'My goal, before the year, was to end
the season at Kessler Field.
""This is it, the last time I'll ever put the pads on, the last time my
family will ever watch me. It's pretty exciting.''
How Monmouth plays Saturday may well be judged on the performances of
Boland and the Monmouth defense as it tries to contain explosive USD
quarterback Josh Johnson.
But deep in the trenches with Monmouth's offensive line, often obscured from
view from the stands, is where the outcome could be decided.
""That's just how it is,'' said Boland. ""Those are the guys that usually
do all the work. They just don't usually get the credit for it.''
e-mail tonygsports@aol.com
posted by Tony Graham at 3:39 PM
2 Comments:
Great article thanks
Great story! Thanks Tony
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