As the 2015-16 school year begins, the fall sports teams at Bernards start their regular season schedules, bringing with lots of excitement throughout the school and community. Every year the student body and many people that live in Bernardsville looks forward to filling up the Olcott Field bleachers to watch their friends and family members play the game they love.
This season is one of transition the Bernards football team. With several of last year’s starters graduating last year, there are many new starters on both sides of the ball, including a new starting quarterback. Junior Stephen Gribben will take the helm as the team’s starting quarterback after serving as the backup last season to then-senior Tyler Baum.
Head coach Jon Simoneau returns for yet another season, and senior Captain Sebastian Sanchez returns for his third season as a starter at running back and linebacker.
“There’s a lot of inexperience throughout the roster this year so as a team we have to trust each other,” Sanchez said. “We’ve all grown up throughout the past few years so we’re comfortable with each other and we play well as a team together. We’ll overcome any challenge we face as a team.”
Senior Griffin McParland (#19) runs with the ball.
The offensive line protecting Gribben has changed as well. Senior captain Brendan O’Reilly returns to start at center alongside senior Dalton McCrann, a new starter. McCrann had a limited role on the team last season, but this season will be McCrann’s first as an every-down starter on each side of the ball.
“The offensive line took a big hit when basically every starter graduated last year,” O’Reilly said. “Being the only one with varsity experience on the offensive line I know I have to help everyone get stronger & game ready.”
In their season-opener, the team traveled to Johnson High School and won by a score of 28-13. Although Johnson did well to stop Sanchez from running wild against them, junior Marc Murphy had a career game, running for 142 yards and a 22-yard touchdown. Both Sanchez and junior Matt Tantleff ran for touchdowns, picking up 47 and 33 yards, respectively. “We showed all the hard work we put in [this summer] against Johnson,” O’Reilly, who did not play on defense due to a lingering ankle injury, said. “We are just as good as the lines we’ve had in the past.”
Week two is a bye week for the team, as their game against Dunellen High School was cancelled due to a scheduling conflict. The team will square off against Manville High School next Friday at 7 PM at Manville. After the Manville game, Bernards will return home to Olcott Field to play against Rahway on October 2 in their home opener, followed by a matchup with Hillside one week later.
