WATERVILLE, Maine -- After a record-setting season by All-New England Small College Athletic Conference kicker John Baron (Medfield, Mass.) and eight starters back on defense, the Colby College football team has reason for optimism heading into the 2017 season.
The Mules will play at Trinity College in the season opener Saturday at 1 p.m.
Colby is loaded with experience on defense, with senior co-captains Sam Gomez (North Reading, Mass.) and Craig Strand (Watertown, Mass.) anchoring the defensive line. The Mules return all four defensive backs and have solid depth at the position. Colby also returns two of its three starting linebackers from the end of last season.
"We have a young team on offense and a veteran group on defense," Colby head coach Jonathan Michaeles said. "We will need to play great complementary football on offense, defense, and special teams."
The Mules went 3-5 last year, including a home victory over rival Bowdoin College to end the season. Colby badly beat an improving Hamilton squad and opened the season with a road win at Williams College.
Baron gives Mules edge in kicking game
Baron had the best season ever by a Colby kicker and tied the NESCAC record with 13 made field goals in a season. He also tied the team record for field goals in a game, nailing four against Tufts University and four more against Bowdoin. Baron, who had a long field goal of 43 yards, also broke the team record for consecutive made field goals (9).
Baron handled the punting duties and averaged nearly 35 yards per kick. He had 11 punts inside the 20-yard line and 16 punts were fair catches.
First-year Nicholas Cohen (East Greenwich, R.I.) also can kick for the Mules.
Depth on defense
Gomez had his best season last year at defensive tackle, finishing with 23 tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery. Strand, a transfer from Lafayette College, missed three games due to injury and had 20 tackles and a pair of sacks.
"Craig has been an impact player since he arrived on campus," Michaeles said. "Sam has established himself as one of the program's hardest workers and is a proven player in this league."
Two of the players on the defensive line will be new starters. AJ Carrigan (Swampscott, Mass.) finished with 13 tackles a year ago, while Patrick Sopko (Lakeville, Conn.) moves from linebacker after making nine stops last season.
Seniors Alex Beach (Westwood, Mass.) and Teddy Voulgaris (New Canaan, Conn.), and sophomore Hans Gabriel (Somerset, Mass.) will provide depth. First-years Harrison Vedrani (Litchfield, N.H.), Rashawn Grant (Bronx, N.Y.), Justin Masella (Montreal West, Quebec), and David O'Donnell (Kensington, N.H.) will look for playing time.
The Mules return starters Patrick Yale (Haverhill, Mass.), Ian Dickey (South Hamilton, Mass.), Don Vivian (Slingerlands, N.Y.), and Will Caffey (Melrose, Mass.) in the defensive backfield. Yale has two touchdowns in the past two years, led the Mules in pass break-ups (7), and had 26 tackles to go along with one interception. Dickey was second on the team in total tackles (52) and led the Mules with three interceptions. Vivian led the Mules in total tackles (63), had five passes broken up, and two interceptions. Caffey had 29 tackles and one interception.
Sophomore defensive back Sean Godin (West Roxbury, Mass.) could start or see significant playing time. Senior defensive backs Adam Balaban (Calabasas, Calif.), Clay Rowland (Turner, Maine), and Hunter Riehle (South Burlington, Vt.) bring depth and leadership at defensive back. Junior Jack Colleran (Westfield, N.J.) had a solid season with 18 tackles, five pass break-ups, a team-best two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble.
Sophomore defensive backs Asher Inman (North Bethesda, Md.), Gus Forseth (Mendota Heights, Minn.), and Alex Gera (Arlington, Mass.) join first-year Riley Bergstrom (Duxbury, Mass.) to lend even more depth.
Senior linebacker Bryan McAdams (Providence, R.I.) was tied for second on the team in tackles (52) and led in sacks (3). He has 93 tackles over the past two seasons. Junior Sebastien Philemon (first picture, Hyde Park, Mass.) had a breakout season with 45 tackles, including three for a loss. Junior Nick Strand (Watertown, Mass.), the brother of Craig, and first-year Chase Goode (Lutz, Fla.) are both expected to start or see significant playing time at linebacker.
Craig Leonhardt (Milford, N.J.) will switch from defensive back to linebacker after finishing with 12 tackles last year. Sophomore Calvin Wetmore (Morristown, N.J.) and first-years Marcus Bullard (Brockton, Mass.), McCabe Ballance (Sarasota, Fla.), and Billy Costello (Providence, R.I.) give the Mules depth at the position.
Wide receiver and tight end depth for offense
With 11 wide receivers and five tight ends on the roster, quarterbacks Christian Sparacio (second picture, Marlboro, N.J.), Jack O'Brien (Freehold, N.J.), and junior transfer Harry Kraft (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) will have options in the passing game.
Sparacio and O'Brien both had plenty of playing time after starter Gabe Harrington was hurt in the first game last season. Sparacio, a senior, threw for 717 yards and four touchdowns, while O'Brien had 535 yards and a pair of scoring strikes. Kraft played at Dartmouth College for the past two years.
While the receivers and tight ends are large in numbers, 10 of the 16 players are first-years. Junior Matt Richman (Sudbury, Mass.) is the leading returning wide receiver with 12 catches for 129 yards, while the most experienced receiver is senior Mark Snyder (Winnetka, Ill.). Sophomore Andrew DeFranco (New Canaan, Conn.) moves from defensive back to receiver.
Sophomore Brandon Miner (Dover, Mass.) returns at receiver. First-years Tyler Farris (Greenwich, Conn.), Mike Whiting (Fairfield, Conn.), Rory Glavin (Nashua, N.H.), Bernie Sander (Chicago, Ill.), Aidan McCleary (Olney, Md.), and Tom Ginolfi (Ipswich, Mass.) will have a chance to make an immediate impact.
"We welcome a strong first-year class along with three new coaches," Michaeles said. "How quickly we gel as a team will determine our collective success."
Nash Klinger (Barrington, R.I.), a senior, will join first-years Ethan Smith (Oak View, Calif.), Carson Katen (Stevensonville, Mont.), Liam Benjamin (Ridgewood, N.J.), and James McCarthy (Peabody, Mass.) in a battle for playing time at tight end.
Running backs and offensive line
With the loss of captain and All-NESCAC performer Jabari Hurdle-Price to graduation, the Mules will look different in the offensive backfield. Junior Jake Schwern (Glen Ridge, N.J.), sophomore Chris George (North Kingstown, R.I.), sophomore David Smith (North Reading, Mass.), and first-year Nick Hall (Cohasset, Mass.) are the four running backs.
How well the Mules do will rely a lot on a young offensive line, with just one senior on the roster. Junior tackle Shane Normandeau (Kennebunk, Maine), junior center Luke Borda (Wilmington, Del.), and junior tackle Brandon Troisi (Lynnfield, Mass.) will need to play key roles as starters. Senior Ben Hartford (Andover, Mass.) moves from the defensive line to play a guard
