Montgomery football preview, 2019: Experience at skill spots a key to turnaround

Montgomery football 2017 QB Ryan Furey

Senior quarterback Ryan Furey is one of several returning skill-position players for a Montgomery squad eager ti improve on last year's 2-7 finish.

Montgomery Cougars

Head coach: Zoran Milich, 86-99 entering his 21st season at Montgomery.

Last year: 2-7

2019 classification: North, Group 4

Starting SI rating: 54

Division: Mid-State Raritan

Division opponents: Cranford, Immaculata, North Hunterdon, Scotch Plains-Fanwood.

Key players: Lucas Kopecky, Sr., WR; Marco Lainez, So., QB; Kevin O’Brien, Sr., LB; Carter McFadden, Sr., FS; Matt Turner, Sr., CB; Ethan Rizzi, Sr., OL; Ryan Furey, Sr., QB; Weber Karsay, Jr., SS; Anthony DiTorrice, Sr., DL; Alex Benitez, So., RB; Sebastian Ducharne, Sr., OL/DL; Adam Hassanin, Jr., OL.

Outlook: A quick look at the collective grade of Montgomery’s skill-position players last year is all one needs to understand the Cougars’ struggles. They finished 2-7 for a second straight two-win season, though weren’t far from faring much better. Close losses to Perth Amboy, Iselin Kennedy and Immaculata perhaps could have been reversed with a little more game experience in some of those key positions. There was a freshman, Marco Lainez, at quarterback, another freshman, Alex Benitez, at running back, and juniors and a sophomore running pass routes for Lainez. They all put things together nicely in the season finale, however, as Lainez passed for 354 yards and three touchdowns, Benitez rushed for 96 yards and two scores, and juniors Carter McFadden and Lucas Lopecky combined for 229 receiving yards and three TDs. Montgomery will be looking to generate a more consistent ground attack this season with Benitez leading the way, and comes in with established talent and depth at the QB spot with senior Ryan Furey (who started the 2018 season and as a sophomore) and Lainez. Lainez is likely to share running duties with Benitez with Furey back under center. McFadden (a Columbia University commit) and Kopecky are back at wide receiver, and fellow senior Kevin O’Brien returns at tight end. Heading up the offensive line will be seniors Ethan Rizzi, Sebastian Ducharne and Kevin Thomas and junior Adam Hassanin. O’Brien also will be back to anchor the defense after recording 126 tackles last year at linebacker. McFadden compiled for 104 tackles and had two interceptions at free safety, senior Matt Turner had 52 tackles at cornerback, and junior Weber Karsay came up with 44 at strong safety. Senior Anthony DiTorrice will again anchor the defensive line. Linebackers Pharrell Allen and JJ Malek, strong safety Giuseppe Spera, free safety Mike Stevenson and cornerback Dylan McFadden all will undertake increased responsibilities after earning limited playing time last fall.

Big storyline: The Cougars conducted much of their season with an extremely young skill group that included freshman quarterback Marco Lainez and freshman RB Alex Benitez. Can Montgomery, 2-7 last season, improve enough to produce its first above-.500 season since 2014?

2019 schedule

Sept. 6: Hightstown, 7

Sep. 13: at Cranford, 7

Sept. 20: Immaculata, 7

Sept. 27: North Hunterdon, 7

Oct. 4: at East Brunswick, 7

Oct. 12: at Scotch Plains-Fanwood, 1

Oct. 18: at Watchung Hills, 7

Oct. 25: Perth Amboy, 7

Nov.1: Franklin, 7

Mike Kinney may be reached at mkinney@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter @MikeKinneyHS.

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