Home News Tribune Game of the Week: St. Joseph vs. South Plainfield

Following an injury to tailback Joe Papa, who appeared to be the heir apparent to 2013 Home News Tribune Offensive Player of the Year Matt Olivo, the St. Joseph High School football team has had to re-evaluate its running game entering Friday night's season opener at South Plainfield.

The Tigers appear equally unsettled at quarterback, where talented athletes Kyle Dickerson and Jason Lee, a converted wideout and tight end, respectfully, are equally capable of succeeding 2013 first-team All-Area quarterback Kyle Moroney.

As a result, the Home News Tribune Game of the Week, pitting the No. 7 Falcons against the No. 9 Tigers, will have some intrigue with the division rivals both searching for answers at key positions.

"Right now it's quarterback by committee," South Plainfield coach Gary Cassio said. "Both have their strengths. They are both competitors. They are two of my better players. They are both very gifted. They both can do special things, so we can't go wrong with either."

St. Joseph coach Casey Ransone expressed similar sentiment about his stable of backs, who will be called upon to share the load if Papa, who is listed as questionable, can't take the field.

His absence would be felt equally at linebacker, where Papa, who endured a high ankle sprain in St. Joseph's final scrimmage, led the team with 102 tackles last season.

"He's banged up, so we are going to be running back by committee," said Ransone, noting Papa missed the first two days of practice this week before returning to the field in a limited role on Wednesday. "We've got different backs that can pose different threats. We have to utilize all of them."

Olivo rushed for a league-leading 1,803 yards and 19 touchdowns while leading St. Joseph to a 9-1 record and an NJSIAA playoff berth as a first-year conference member. Moroney led the conference with 1,657 yards and 16 touchdowns passing while guiding the Tigers to a 6-4 mark and a second consecutive postseason trip.

The ability of St. Joseph and South Plainfield to replace their respective stars will be integral to each team's success.

Both are expected to contend with prohibitive favorite Colonia for the division title.

"Losing Olivo is a huge loss," said Cassio, noting he doesn't feel all that badly for the Falcons because they return a skilled and sizable offensive line. "They've got a huge front line. Those boys are big there. They move the pile. They are going to move the ball regardless of who is in the backfield with that line."

St. Joseph's best players in the trenches are right tackle Nick Krimin, who has scholarship offers from Rutgers and Syracuse, and center Ryan Starace.

Luke Yakeley and Michael Horn may be the featured backs, but the key to St. Joseph's offense rests with junior quarterback Breein Tyree, who has become more comfortable in the pocket while remaining a threat to tuck away the ball on the rollout.

"With the threat of Tyree on the outside and (the belief) that they are passing the ball more, if you throw that in there, they are a pretty dangerous team," said Cassio, noting Tyree passed for 678 yards and rushed for 552 more a year ago.

Ransone said he will make a game-time decision regarding Papa's status, but that he was not going to "sacrifice one game for a season. It's more important for us to get him healthy and be able to play a longer season than throw him out there for one game (risking further damage)."

The coach said he was impressed with what he saw on film of Dickerson and Lee, noting that the Falcons have been preparing to face both.

"Both had a lot of positives. (Lee) does a very good job with escape-ability, getting out of the pocket and making plays. The other kid does a great job running their (zone read). He does a great job with his play action off of it and making throws."

Cassio said the quarterback who does not line up behind center for South Plainfield will play slot receiver.

Dickerson was the league's third-leading receiver a year ago, catching 37 passes for 457 yards, while teammate Johnny Chillemi had 426 receiving yards.

"It's been a heated competition," said Cassio of the starting quarterback battle. "They are good friends. They are tight and they complement each other. They are my two best offensive players next to Johnny."

Cassio said naming his starter will be a game-time decision, while Ransone said he hopes to have his backfield straightened out before the opening kickoff.

"I'm sure both of us have some kind of decision made," Ransone said. "It (depth at positions), brings out the competition and helps make them better players because they have to go out and compete for the job every day."