Coming off of a 3-7 season, the Black Knight football team is looking to the future as they kick off their spring practices. The team graduates some notable players such as Troy Duncan, Alex Robushi, Nico Laveris, Dylan Fyffe, Tyrell Diaz, and John Alvarracin. Duncan and Diaz had led the team offensively for the 2016 season were standouts in the backfield for the Black Knights. Laveris, who returned to the field for his senior season, stood out for the Stamford receiving core with 3 touchdowns for the Knights. And finally, their defense lost a few key players such as Robushi and Fyffe who worked together as the Knights safeties and Alvarracin who was the leader on the defensive line. These three were the backbone of the defense, so filling their shoes will be a big step for the returning and new varsity players.

The program is not dwelling on the past and their losses, instead they look to the future and rising seniors who have proved themselves to be stars. Some of these notables include Brendan Fahey, Matt Doyle, Julius Page, Cam Freckleton, Danny Collazo, Brian Nova, and Jake Heerman who are all returning varsity players who had seen their fair share of time on the field as juniors for the program. Fahey and Doyle are two hard-hitting linebackers nominated as captains for their senior year and are prepared to take over the team and league for their school. On his aspirations for the upcoming season, Fahey stated that he would like to,” Be named all-FCIAC and all-state and would like to lead my team to an FCIAC birth and to the state playoffs.” On offense, Page, Collazo, Freckleton, and Nova are setting their sights on a high powered offensive season and to support their strong defense with points on the scoreboard. To continue on key returners for the Black Knights, head coach Jamar Greene will be returning to the program for another year with the Black Knights. Even after a troubling offseason, Greene stuck with the team. Switching coaches is only more of a trouble to the team as it takes time to acclimate with new leadership and systems, and having a returning coach can only bring more chemistry to the table.

The coaching staff is currently building around rising junior quarterback Terry Forester, who has proven himself to play at the varsity level after his prominent showing against Westhill in the final game of this past season. Forester is built with a powerful arm and what he lacks in size he makes up for in speed. For opposing defenses he’s dangerous because of his arm, and also because of his scrambling ability. He will also be backed by a senior receiving core: Collazo, Page, and newly transferred Mikey Riddle (coming from cross-town school rival Trinity Catholic). Each comes with quick hands and impeccable speed that will make them dangerous to cover for opposing defensive backs. Riddle, Stamford’s newest transfer, after only two full days of practice stated,” If we stay on the right track and keep working to get better each and every day we should be tough to beat.” The team preaches to keep pushing and putting in the effort day in and day out, and if the team follows up, then they will have a good shot at the city title and the potential to do damage come playoff time.