By Joe Scalzo

scalzo@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Ursuline coach Larry Kempe feels like his team has the potential to compete for a state championship, which isn’t a total compliment.

“Before the season, the Cleveland Indians were supposed to do great things and they’re in dead last place,” he said. “That’s what potential gets you. You’ve got to be able to maximize your abilities.”

That hasn’t happened the past three years, although Ursuline hasn’t exactly been a slouch. The Irish have advanced to the regional final in two of the last three years, falling to Division V state runner-up Canton Central Catholic last season, and return a staggering 29 letterwinners from that team.

“I think for the last three years, we’ve been building up to this,” senior OL/DL Giacamo Cappabianca said. “The last few years, I just think we didn’t have that edge. We didn’t set that tone as a unit. We will this year with our senior leadership.”

OFFENSE

Ursuline’s biggest loss was at quarterback — last year’s starter, Vito Penza, is now playing at Dartmouth — and Kempe had a three-man race for the job this summer with senior Anthony Protopapa, junior Anise Algahmee and sophomore Jared Fabry.

Seniors Kimauni Johnson and Marcus Mosley lead a crowded, and talented, backfield that also includes Daylen Harris, Spencer Warren, Nick Armeni and Anthony Morgione. Several of those players are expected to see time at wideout in a new double slot offense, along with Dakota Hobbs, Jack Bentz, Anthony Howell, Alex Parella and Jimmy Kerrigan.

Up front, the Irish lost one starter in Sean McGuire but return seniors Cappabianca, Jabbar Price and Dante Cerimele and junior Jeff Marx. Daniel Leslie and Jonathon Neeley are also in the mix.

DEFENSE

On the defensive line, the Irish lost John Martynyszyn and Tyler Leonard but still have a strong core returning, including most of his offensive linemen as well as A.B. Halalmeh.

Johnson, Cerimele and Spencer Warren return at linebacker, while Ty Spinks and Tre Donlow will push for playing time.

The secondary is also stacked, with the likes of Mosley, Hobbs, Washington, Armeni, Parella, Morgione, Bentz and Fabry competing for time.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Gianni Quattro will handle punting duties, while Ian O’Brien is the kicker.

OUTLOOK

Ursuline moved up to Division IV and could potentially contend with Cardinal Mooney in the playoffs, but with 75 players on the roster (9-12) and strength up front, Kempe thinks the Irish can compete with anyone.

“Everyone says we’ve got to play Mooney twice,” Kempe said. “Hey, they’ve got to play us twice, too. If we play them twice, good. It means we’re both in the playoffs.”

Of course, Mooney isn’t the only challenge. The Irish schedule is brutal, featuring a Week 2 game against Cleveland Benedictine (last year’s Division IV champion), Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary (a Division III state semifinalist) and Steubenville (a Division IV state semifinalist), along with traditional powers like Lake Catholic, Massillon, Hoban and Warren Harding.

“I think everybody knows how good we can be,” Johnson said. “We’ve just got to practice hard and play to the best of our ability and we’ll show we can play with anybody.”