STAB takes on expectations

By Bart Isley

Published: August 25, 2008

St. Anne’s-Belfield is reloading for another state title run, but that comes as little surprise. State titles have become all but the norm for the Saints.
“We just briefly talked about it yesterday — there’s a lot of expectations here, its become that way every year,” head coach John Blake said early in fall camp. “That’s where we want to be.”
St. Anne’s certainly has a lot of the pieces in place to make that goal happen. The Saints will expand on the up-tempo offensive set that they switched to early last season. That move, made during a game, helped spark a resurgence by the Saints that led to a second-straight Division II VISAA title. 
“We put in a new offense midway through last year and the kids have really taken it
and run with it,” Blake said.
“We’re much further ahead then anytime in preseason a year ago. We were pretty good at high speed and hopefully we can continue that.”
To continue that, Blake and his staff will have to re-tool at least a little.
The Saints lost a big part of last year’s offense with the graduation of one-two running back punch Joe Chambers and Jack Thomasson. However, Garner, N.C. transfer Aaron Clark is ready to give St. Anne’s an all-purpose back.
The speedy 5-foot-7 junior has impressed in early scrimmages and will be a good fit behind the Saints rugged, talented offensive line. Division I prospect Bryan Stinnie and fellow senior John Chambers will anchor the Saints’ front five, with Stinnie leading the way at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds.
Stinnie will have to help the Saints’ new additions gel quickly to make up for the graduation of tackle/tight end Kyle Long. 
The Saints also have the luxury of Howie Long’s return behind center. Long piloted that up-tempo offense as a junior and should carry even more of the load as a senior. He’ll benefit from the addition of Hunter Price, Western Albemarle’s former offensive coordinator, to the Saints’ offensive staff.
“Hunter is a great addition and he’s done a lot of great things with Howie and the quarterbacks so far,” Blake said. “We’re looking forward to it.”
Long will likely try and find Alex Asher early and often in the passing game. The senior is moving to tight end after playing wide receiver last year, and he should create a lot of matchup problems at that spot, where linebackers will likely struggle with his speed and safeties will have to overcome the senior’s 6-foot-4 height.
Defensively, Stinnie should be a force up front, and he’ll allow 2007 ODFC defensive player of the year Quincey September to roam free and make plays for the Saints at linebacker. 
“There’s a lot of kids out here that we’re expecting big things from and Quincey is one of them,” Blake said. “Quincey got so much better at the end of last year, and he hasn’t lost anything.”
September will pair with junior linebacker Michael Battle, another returning starter who should be able to wreak havoc on opposing offenses.
The Saints’ front seven will have to be dominant early on because three fresh faces will line up at defensive back with Thomasson and Chambers graduation and returning starter Chapin Speidel’s knee injury.
With success comes a lot of expectations, and it’s clear that the expectations at St. Anne’s are becoming astronomical.
With everything at John Blake’s disposal, odds are good that the Saints will live up to them.