Photo by Erin Nelson
John Carroll quarterback Carson McFadden (7) passes the ball in a game against Hayden at John Carroll Catholic High School’s Pat Sullivan Field in September 2022.
Things regressed slightly for the John Carroll Catholic High School football team last fall.
After a decade of losing seasons, Will Mara took over the program in 2020 and led the Cavaliers to consecutive seasons with 5-5 records, getting the program close to its first playoff appearance since 2009.
But the Cavs slid back to 3-7 last fall, and Mara has set out to not let that happen again.
“Getting to that 5-5 and going .500, it was great,” Mara said. “It was a stepping stone. But we want that to be a mediocre year at John Carroll.”
John Carroll, for the first time under Mara at least, went through a spring conditioning program. That, combined with a healthy number of returning players, yielded positive hopes for the upcoming season that have carried over into the summer.
“It’s been completely different,” Mara said. “This year, this group has taken the accountability, the ownership and wants to be pushed.”
Mara said he has done the math. Out of all the plays the Cavs were involved in last season from all 10 games, if 1% of those plays had a different outcome, John Carroll could easily have been in the playoffs, he said.
In other words, details matter.
“The coaching staff and I took a lot of blame for that. We’re going to fix that. We’re going to make sure that we are focused every single snap and every single day in here. This is where we win,” Mara said.
John Carroll did manage to win its final two games of the 2022 season, so the Cavs enter the campaign on somewhat of a winning streak. But the season left a bad taste, and they want to achieve bigger things this fall.
“There’s definitely a fire and hunger from some missed opportunities last year,” Mara said.
OFFENSE
Quarterback Carson McFadden had a huge season for the John Carroll offense last fall, with several games in which he eclipsed 100 rushing yards and 100 passing yards.
Mara said McFadden dedicated himself in the offseason, arriving at school for morning workouts and often bringing people with him.
Mitchell Nutter and Koron Wright will form a solid rotation at running back, along with Spain Park transfer Aubrey Walker.
Zach Archer is a key to the Cavs offense as well. Archer played nearly every snap last season on offense, defense and special teams. On offense, Archer plays a few different spots, primarily acting as a receiver. Max Plaia, Ryan Redmond, Austin Pfarner, James Hallman and Alex Perrin are a few other guys to watch at receiver.
One of the top leaders on the team, CJ Wyatt, will play some tight end, although his greatest impact is on defense. John Ford is another guy who can help the Cavs in a variety of positions.
Anthony Mokry at center, Michael Helton at right guard and Jack Chandler at right tackle are seemingly locks to start along the offensive line. Elzey Gibson, Che Johnson and Nicholas Gagliano will be battling for time on the left side of the line.
DEFENSE
A fact of life for John Carroll is the necessity of guys playing on both sides of the ball.
Along the defensive line, Johnson and Gagliano will play in the middle, and Nate Crawford has joined the team and could see some time there as well.
Wyatt and Braydon Lowery are returning starters at defensive end. Mara said Lowery could play multiple spots on the defense considering the versatility of his skill set.
At linebacker, Plaia is back and will start on both sides of the ball. His younger brother, Alex Plaia, will play some linebacker as well. Wright and Nutter are also getting some work on that side of the ball.
At cornerback, Hayden Dupre is a returning starter, while Jaylin Shepherd will get some time in the role. Pfarner and Jackson Rankin will also play some corner.
Shepherd can play safety, with guys like Archer, Walker and McFadden among the options on the back end of the defense.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Sebastian Guerrero will give the Cavs confidence in the kicking game, as he is a multi-sport athlete at John Carroll and possesses a big leg. Will Duncan and Perrin can also kick.
Heath Jehu transferred to John Carroll last year and was a weapon for the Cavs in the kicking game. He was also the type of teammate who encouraged others to kick as well. So even though he has since graduated, there are a handful of players on the roster who learned how to punt during his time on the team.
