By Joe Scalzo

scalzo@vindy.com

AUSTINTOWN

Austintown Fitch’s motto this fall is “All gas, no brakes,” but for Falcons coach Phil Annarella, it might as well have been, “Many questions, few answers.”

“We’re so inexperienced, I’m not sure who’s going to wind up playing,” he said. “I’m very sincere when I say we have a LOT of questions marks. Everywhere.”

The Falcons return 10 starters from last year’s team, which went 8-3 and lost in the second round of the Division I playoffs. But only three of those starters are on offense, where they’ll have to replace the likes of running backs Darrin Hall (now at Pitt) and Tyler Hewlett (who was also the Division I co-defensive player of the year as a linebacker), quarterback Antwan Harris (Lake Erie College) and wideout Joey Harrington (now running track at YSU).

OFFENSE

Four players are competing to replace Harris at quarterback: Seniors Ben Nishimura and Kyle Kent and sophomores Nate Fowler and Major Lee.

At running back, junior Larry Harrington (Joey’s brother) will be in the mix along with juniors Marquis Barbel and Zach Krohn and sophomore Randy Smith.

Senior Earl Scott and junior JC Mikovich both started at receiver last year and senior Carlos Herriott saw a lot of playing time. Juniors Darrell Jackson and Jaylen Sanders and sophomore Joe Zielinski should also see time.

Senior Jacob Dorbish is the only returning starter on the line, where he’ll be expected to lead the likes of juniors Gary Coole, Jovet Rodriguez, Alec Greathouse and Terrione Lumsden.

“On the line, I think it’s really just about desire,” Dorbish said. “Who wants to come off the ball harder, who wants to get the job done.”

DEFENSE

Fitch has three returning starters on the defensive line in seniors Alonzo Williams and Jalen Fletcher and junior Bryce Warmouth. Juniors Joey Zupko, Brandon Jackson and Rodriguez and sophomore Mike Ferree are also in the mix.

At linebacker, senior Damien Gray will be a three-year starter and is the only one on the roster with two letters. (“He’s a guy we’re going to lean on a lot,” Annarella said.) Harrington will move from the outside to the inside in the 3-5 scheme, while Tyler Price and Shane Kunovich will also compete there. At outside linebacker, Nishimura, senior Nick Terry, Krohn, Zielinski and Barbel are competing for time.

“I’m just trying to lead everyone in the right way and do everything the right way,” Gray said. “The coaching staff is coaching us really good and we have enough athletes to step into the positions.”

Herriott, Mikovich, Earl Scott, James Scott and Sammy Anderson are the favorites to start in the secondary.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Junior Hunter Klaus, Dylan Correia and Nick DeSalvo are competing at kicker and punter.

OUTLOOK

Annarella, who is 57-30 in his seven seasons at Fitch, started camp with 81 players on his roster, so it’s not like the cupboard is bare.

But one thing he’s learned over his his 44 years of coaching (including 35 as a head coach): You find out about young players on Fridays in September, not weekdays in August.

“Every year’s a new year. And every year, you’d like to think because of the success we’ve had over the last four or five years, it’s gonna carry over,” he said. “But in high school football, particularly at the public schools, you just don’t know. The team chemistry is tremendously important. We’re harping on it every day, so we’ll see how they respond to it.”