Coach DeSarno Confident for Winning Football Season

Since Jim DeSarno's arrival as head coach in 2006, the Westfield football team has been one of the most consistent and successful squads in Union County.

He has guided Westfield to a 28-14 record the past four seasons, which is two wins for every three games played. Not bad.

The two seasons before DeSarno came over from Kinnelon included just two Westfield victories – both over winless sectional consolation opponents.

So an upgrade has taken place and with Westfield reaching the North 2, Group 4 semifinals two of the past three seasons a modest return to glory has also been accomplished.

However, in order to reach the pinnacle – which would be the program's third North 2, Group 4 playoff championship and first since 1977 – a continued commitment from the players is necessary.

While Westfield's athletes are dedicated to extending their winning ways - the Blue Devils have now put together four consecutive winning seasons and three straight playoff appearances - what they will have to overcome at the onset this season is a lack of varsity experience.

For example, on offense, standout seniors Dan Kerr at quarterback and A.J. Murray at tailback return in the backfield, but the rest of the starters will be making their varsity debut and trying to adjust to the speed at the next level.

"We have our skill guys back - our quarterback and our tailback - but everyone else is going to be new," DeSarno said. "The line is completely new.

"We're used to turnover, but we're very inexperienced on the varsity level this year. It's going to take some time, but we're working on it and getting there."

Kerr is back for his second season at QB, having led the Blue Devils to the sectional semifinals last year en route to an 8-3 finish.

"First of all, he's a smart quarterback and makes good decisions," DeSarno said of Kerr (6-1, 210), who is also an A student. "He can control the offense and that's what we want from him, but he's physical and he's gotten bigger and stronger so we can use him not only to hand off the ball but to run with it a little bit too."

Murray is coming off a solid junior campaign where he was tough to bring down as a ball carrier and perhaps even tougher to run past when he was playing linebacker on defense.

"Murray is a big, strong tailback and we're going to use him to carry the load for us," DeSarno said. "We've expected good things from him and he showed a lot of promise as a sophomore."

The three returning starters on defense include Murray – who moved to inside linebacker – and senior ends Nick Matthews and Garrett Pryor.

"Matthews and Pryor are also doing a fine job, but we've got to get these other guys to catch up," DeSarno said. "That's where we're at right now. We're trying to get the other eight guys up to speed."

Westfield's scrimmage season included Long Branch at home Aug. 24 and Somerville on the road Aug. 28.

The game-scrimmage was at home against Bergen County foe Pascack Valley Friday.

Murray and senior right guard and defensive tackle Jesse DiMartino were named team captains. DiMartino is in his first year as a two-way starter.

"It's a great experience so far and I like the responsibilities so far," DiMartino said after Friday's game-scrimmage.

DiMartino is confident Westfield can get off on the right foot against Scotch Plains Saturday, leading to a promising season.

"We're really physical, we're running the ball well and our passing game is getting there," DiMartino said. "The main thing is to know our plays, knowing our assignments, coming out strong and finishing strong."
 
DeSARNO FEELS AT HOME NOW AS HE ENTERS HIS FIFTH SEASON AS WESTFIELD'S HEAD COACH
   
"I'm happy with the program, but there's a lot of work that we need to do – I'm not satisfied," DeSarno said. "We've got great kids here and the parents have been supportive and the community is into it.

"This is a nice football town, it really is. We've got great youth programs in town that really help us out a lot and the guys who run those programs are very supportive of our programs.

"We're always working to get better and try to do a little bit more and get us much out of the kids as we can. The kids respond and work hard.

"I'm happy where we're going, but not satisfied."

BLUE DEVILS A TEAM TO BE RECKONED WITH ONCE AGAIN

"I think it just took a little different perspective on how to do things, but still not forgetting the past," DeSarno said. "We try to use the tradition of the program and use it to build on it.

"I think we've built something here the last five years. When we're practicing in August a lot of the guys before they go to college come down to say hi and goodbye and that really makes me proud and that pushes us to want to work hard to make it so those kids come back.

"I don't know if they're going to come back when you're struggling. You don't see too many of those kids if you didn't finish strong or if you didn't have a good year, so we try to kind of use that to motivate us as coaches, as a staff and as a team."

COACHING EXPERIENCE AS AN ASSISTANT AT LINDEN HELPED PREPARE DeSARNO FOR WHEN HE TOOK OVER AT WESTFIELD

DeSarno was an assistant coach on Bucky McDonald's staff at Linden for four seasons from 1997-2000. The 1999 team was Linden's first playoff qualifier since 1994, while the 2000 squad reached the North 2, Group 4 semifinals, falling at home to Montclair 20-14 in overtime.

"That experience absolutely was a plus," DeSarno said. "You didn't necessarily have the same coaches in the programs, but I knew about Union High School, I knew about Linden, Elizabeth, Plainfield, Scotch Plains and all the teams that we played.

"Some of the coaches are the same, but I knew about the type of kids that we would go up against." 

WESTFIELD WON THE WATCHUNG DIVISION LAST YEAR, WHILE THE EAST A DIVISION THIS YEAR INCLUDES IMMACULATA

Westfield captured the Mid-State 39 Conference's Watchung Division title last year. Now the Blue Devils are in the East A Division, which includes Immaculata, Watchung Hills and fellow Union County foes Union, Elizabeth, Linden and Plainfield.

Unlike last year, everyone will play everyone in the division. Plainfield dropping to Group 3 for the first time will not affect Westfield from a power points standpoint since those teams still annually face each other on Thanksgiving.

"It's a tough division," DeSarno said. "Right from the top, Immaculata is loaded. They're strong. They were a young team last year that played a lot of underclassmen.

"I think Linden has a lot coming back and I think they will be a very, very strong ball club. I think everybody that we played last year is going to be better, the way I look at it.

"Some of the teams we played struggled a little bit. For the most part, everybody we play is going to be better, so that's a challenge for us."

NOTES: Westfield will still open at Scotch Plains Saturday at 1 p.m. and play at Rahway Oct. 23 at 1 p.m., but will now host Elizabeth Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. instead of playing at Elizabeth Oct. 1 at 7 p.m.
The four home games are against Bridgewater-Raritan, Watchung Hills, Elizabeth and Linden.


WESTFIELD'S PRO OFFENSE:
LT Nick Matthews, senior, (6-3, 220)
LG Chris Mannino, senior, (6-0, 205)
C Tony Masterocola, senior, (5-10, 220)
RG Jesse DeMartino, senior, (6-0, 220)
RT Ryan Elliott, junior, (5-10, 230)
TE John Lanzano, junior, (5-11, 190)
QB Dan Kerr, senior, (6-1, 210)
FB Garrett Pryor, senior, (6-0, 200)
TB A.J. Murray, senior, (6-1, 210)
SE Ryan Hess, senior, (6-2, 180)
FL Pete Ondi, junior, (5-8, 175)
PK John Gribbon, junior, (5-9, 165)
P Geoff Scognamiglio, junior, (5-7, 160)
 

WESTFIELD'S 4-4 DEFENSE:
E Garrett Pryor, senior, (6-0, 200)
T Ryan Elliott, junior, (5-10, 230)
T Jesse DeMartino, senior, (6-0, 220)
E Nick Matthews, senior, (6-3, 220)
OLB John Lanzano, junior, (5-11, 190)
ILB A.J. Murray, senior, (6-1, 210)
ILB James McRea, junior, (5-11, 190)
OLB Brendan Dugan, junior, (5-9, 175)
CB Pete Ondi, junior, (5-8, 175)
S Pat Bergin, senior, (5-10, 180)
CB James O'Rourke, junior, (5-8, 170)

WESTFIELD BLUE DEVILS
Head coach: Jim DeSarno,
since 2006.
Fifth season: 28-14 (.667)
Conference: Mid-State 39
Division: East A
Section: North 2, Group 4
Westfield's last sectional title: 1977
2009: (8-3)
Blue Devils in the 2000s: 55-48 (.534)
Gary Kehler Stadium: Field Turf.
Jim DeSarno was previously the head coach at Kinnelon for five seasons
from 2001-2005. Before that he was an assistant at Linden on Bucky McDonald's staff for four seasons from 1997-2000.
The 1987 Pompton Lakes graduate has guided Westfield to the state playoffs the last three seasons.

WESTFIELD BLUE DEVILS 2010
Sept. 11 at Scotch Plains, 1 p.m.
Sept. 17 Bridgewater-Raritan, 3 p.m.
Sept. 25 Watchung Hills, 1 p.m.
Oct. 2 Elizabeth, 1 p.m.
Oct. 8 at Union, 7 p.m.
Oct. 23 at Rahway, 1 p.m.
Oct. 30 Linden, 1 p.m.
Nov. 5 at Immaculata, 7 p.m.
Nov. 25 at Plainfield, 11 a.m.
Head coach: Jim DeSarno,
fifth season


2009 WESTFIELD BLUE DEVILS (8-3)
(H) Westfield 14, Elizabeth 6
(A) Watchung Hills 21, Westfield 7
(H) Bridgewater-Raritan 23, Westfield 14
(A) Westfield 3, North Hunterdon 0
(A) Westfield 30, Scotch Plains 6
(H) Westfield 38, Montgomery 0
(A) Westfield 24, Linden 7
(A) Westfield 35, Union 14
(H) Westfield 41, Columbia 6
(A) Phillipsburg 35, Westfield 7
(H) Westfield 26, Plainfield 6
Head coach: Jim DeSarno
Section: North 2, Group 4
Record: 8-3
Home: 4-1
Away: 4-2
Points for: 239
Points against: 124
Shutouts: 2
Overtime: 0-0


WESTFIELD BLUE DEVILS FOR THE
DECADE OF THE 2000s: (55-48, .534)
2009 - (8-3), reached North 2, Group 4 semifinals
2008 - (7-3), reached North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals
2007 - (7-4), reached North 2, Group 4 semifinals
2006 - (6-4)
2005 - (1-9)
2004 - (1-9)
2003 - (4-6), reached North 2, Group 3 quarterfinals
2002 - (7-3), reached North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals
2001 - (8-3), reached North 2, Group 4 semifinals
2000 - (6-4), reached North 2, Group 4 quarterfinals
Made state playoffs (7 times): 2000-2003, 2007-2009.
Present head coach: Jim DeSarno, fifth year.
Head coaches the past decade (2): Ed Tranchina 2000-2005.
Jim DeSarno 2006-2009.