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Chaney returns loaded with veterans
The Cowboys have East experience
By Greg Gulas
YOUNGSTOWN
For the first time since 2010, Chaney High School is fielding a football team. No one is more excited than head coach Chris Amill.
After spending 16 years as an assistant coach at his alma mater Cardinal Mooney High School and the past two seasons with East, Amill feels prepared and ready for the next step in his coaching career.
“It’s been great just being able to do what I want to do as the head of the program,” Amill said. “Hiring my staff was one of the greatest experiences of my life.
“We’re one of the smaller Division III programs yet expectations are still very high,” Amill said. “We have 82 out for the team and 31 of those players are upperclassmen.
“Kids want to be around us because they realize this program can be something special.”
In addition to 13 seniors and 18 juniors, Amill welcomed 28 sophomores and 23 freshmen. Five Cowboys were starters with East’s playoff team last fall.
“I was the defensive coordinator at East last season and most [of the six] started on the defensive side of the ball,” Amill said. “Each has game and playoff experience, which is definitely a plus.”
The five players include Marquan Herron and Marshall Herron who join brother Marquise Herron as the team’s triplets. Marquise was not a starter for East.
Deron Gilbert, Delshawn Petrosky and Darius Humbert are the other former East starters.
Amill will square off against former boss P.J. Fecko and Cardinal Mooney in the Aug. 29 season opener at Rayen Stadium.
“Cardinal Mooney has always been a special place for me,” Amill said. “I went to school there, played there, graduated from there and was an assistant coach there for 16 seasons, so it will be a very emotional game.
“The two men who have had the biggest influence on me — my father, Raymond, and former Cardinals head coach Don Bucci — will both be in attendance which will also make it very special for me.”
At the opener, Ed Matey, former Cowboys head coach and city school’s director of athletics, will be honored prior to the game for his many years of service. Bucci will join him at midfield as honorary game coaches and the coin toss which will get the season under way.
Chaney’s first two games are at home with Beachwood providing the opposition on Sept. 6.
The Cowboys will play two of their final three games at home with the regular season finale against East set for Nov. 1.
“The schedule will be challenging with a few unknowns providing some much-needed competition,” Amill said. “I’ve emphasized to our players and coaches that we need to get better every day. We cannot stay the same and must constantly improve.”
OFFENSE
Amill will run a multiple offense. Petrosky, who started the last two games of the season for the Golden Bears, Rayon Carter and Malcolm Lambert are the quarterback hopefuls.
Marshall Herron, Key-shaun Davis and Miguel Burgess are the running backs.
“We’re excited about being able to use multiple running backs,” Amill said.
Wide receivers include Marquan Herron, Marquise Herron, Gilbert, Ray Logan and Jason Hewlett. Rashawn Perkins will be a wide receiver/tight end while Raheen Traylor, Anthony Caulton and Dennis Humbert are combination wide receivers/running backs.
Tight ends include Humbert and Perkins as well as Aaron Gault, a basketball-baseball player at Heartland Christian and West Side resident.
The line includes Tildan “T.J.” Johnson and Mike Boyd at center, Clive Wilson and Rashad William at left tackle, Bryan Estrada and Anthony Harrison at right tackle, MyTwan Cottle and Jawan Freeman at left guard and Cam Jones and Freeman at right guard.
DEFENSE
The Cowboys will use a base 4-3 with Wilson and J.R. Tellington the defensive ends pushed by Terrance Harris and Javonte Willis Williams for playing time.
Freeman and Johnson will battle at nose guard while Na’im Ward and Cottle are the tackles.
Humbert is the middle linebacker while Christian Jones, who played his freshman year at Mooney, will push for playing time.
Davis and Perkins are the will linebacker hopefuls while Burgess and Lambert are locked in at sam linebacker.
The secondary includes Marshall Herron and Marquan Herron at one corner and Gilbert and Logan at the other.
Petrosky and Hewlett will be at free safety and Marquise Herron and Gault at strong safety.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The female on the team, senior Monica Lambert, is the placekicker. Kewan Wood or Tellington will handle kick-offs.
Wood and Tellington are the punters. Gilbert and Burgess are punt returners while Burgess, Caulton and Gilbert are kick returners.