Red Flash Football Team Ready To Hit Gridiron For First Practice
LORETTO, Pa. (Aug. 5, 2006) – Some of the Saint Francis football players are already in town, while the rest of the team will report on Sunday, signaling the beginning of head coach Dave Opfar’s fifth season in Loretto.
After a full day of meetings on Monday, the team will have a running test on Tuesday morning before hitting DeGol Field for the first practice on Tuesday night at 7 p.m.
Practice is schedule from 7-9 p.m., and media members and the public are welcome to attend.
The Red Flash embark on the chase for a Northeast Conference title with a 1 p.m. Sept. 2 kickoff against St. Peter’s, at DeGol Field. Saint Francis will play host to six home games in 2006 including the Peacocks, La Salle (9/23), Robert Morris (9/30), Stony Brook (10/14), Sacred Heart (10/28) and Wagner (11/11). The game against Wagner will conclude Homecoming Weekend for Saint Francis University.
The Red Flash return a total of 52 lettermen and 19 starters, including all 11 starters on a high-powered offense. In addition, Saint Francis returns long snapper Michael Green (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock Township), All-NEC placekicker Adam Sciulli (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) and punter/wide receiver Luke Palko (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny).
Optimism is running high heading into preseason camp with the talent and experience returning on this season’s team. On offense, senior quarterback and reigning NEC Offensive Player-of-the-Year Anthony Doria (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton LaSalle) is back as a fourth-year starter. Seniors Michael Caputo (Bethel Park, Pa./Seton LaSalle) and Palko lead a group of wide receivers that are among the best among Division I-AA mid-major programs. In fact, Caputo and Palko were named the top wide receiver tandem in the nation by The Sports Network this summer.
Caputo, a 2005 All-NEC First Team wide receiver, was a 2005 Associated Press and The Sports Network Third Team All-American, while Palko was an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team selection.
Senior running back Todd Harris (Duquesne, Pa./Duquesne) also returns after becoming the second player in school history to run for 1,000 yards in a season (1,052). He also broke the school’s single-season all-purpose yards mark (1,612).
Senior offensive lineman Bill Holter (Elkton, Md./Northeast) was an All-NEC Second Team selection in 2005 and is a key component of an experienced offensive line that helped set school records for total offense the past two seasons.
A strong group of linebackers could prove to be the strength of an improving defense this season. Senior Sean McCune (Everett, Pa./Everett) is the veteran among a group that includes juniors Louis Beninato (Colts Neck, N.J./Colts Neck), Fehi Sevelo (Kaneohe, Hawaii/Damion Memorial) and Christian Shannon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Schenley).
Single-game, season and group tickets are still available for the 2006 season by calling 814-472-2774