OVFL PREVIEW: After rough inaugural season, Wildcats back and improved

Photo by Sue-Anne Lovejoy

Last year start through three weeks:
Varsity: 1-2
Junior Varsity: N/A

Last year finish:
Varsity: Missed playoffs

Players to watch:

QB Quaid Johnson
DT Kevin Aleinik
LB Mike Leroux
OL Sean Smith

Varsity

After a one-win, debut season for the Cornwall Wildcats in the OVFL last year, head coach Kirby Camplin is determined to build a winning product with longevity.

“There was only one game (last season) where we feel we weren’t in the game,” he said. “We’re just trying to build a program that’s going to have some staying power and some continuity and we think the wins and the playoffs will come as a byproduct.”

The majority of this year’s Wildcats are new to the team with only about a dozen players returning. Camplin says the team is more skilled, deeper across the board and much improved.

The Wildcats don’t field a junior varsity team which translates into JV-aged players making and starting on varsity. Camplin solicited some tips from members of the Sault Ste. Marie Sabercats (who also don’t field a JV team) about building kids up from a younger age.

“We’ll have half a dozen sixteen year olds on our roster and they’ll probably all contribute,” Camplin said.

Vying for quarterback are returning starter and backup Owen O’Reilly and Kristian Rasenberg, respectively. O’Reilly racked up 714 yards last season but only had 2 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Rasenberg only threw ten passes but had three interceptions and no touchdowns.

Despite their seemingly unimpressive numbers, Camplin says both understand the offense, the league and what’s expected of them.

Sixteen-year-old Quaid Johnson, a mobile quarterback with a good arm, is in the mix as well, competing just as hard and looking comfortable despite his age.

On the defensive side, Camplin says the defensive line is the strength of the team. Returning defensive tackle Kevin Aleinik is expected to help anchor the group. He had 27 solo tackles and 16 tackle assists last season with the team.

“He’s definitely a standout…excellent technically and also very big and mobile,” Camplin said.

The Wildcats are also expecting big things from offensive tackle Sean Smith, another mobile big-man, and linebacker Mike Leroux, who makes up in athleticism what he lacks in physicality.

The team squares off against the Ottawa Myers-Riders game one, a team Camplin expects to be talented this year. He says he hopes that, despite last year’s record, Cornwall will be able to stack up to the more established teams.

“I think we’re just a better team than we were last year and we feel we should be able to compete with the upper echelon teams and Myers is certainly one of those teams.”