Bartlett banks on trust

Bartlett's Mike Banks and Steve Seemann try to intercept a pass against Larkin. Bartlett plays Fremd on Friday.

(Michael Smart/Courier News)

Font Size

Email

Bookmark

Black Text

White Text

Speed, size and talent are all attributes visible to the naked eye for an observer of Bartlett's defense.

However, there's one intangible that might be the biggest reason behind the Hawks' consistent defensive success this season.

"We have trust in each other and we come out as a team every time," senior lineman Matt Paladino said.

"The linemen trust the linebackers, the linebackers trust the (defensive backs) and it just works."

That trust is a big reason Bartlett is 10-0 going into tonight's Class 8A state playoff game against visiting Fremd.

The Hawks are allowing only 11.8 points per game this season, and they've held opponents to seven or fewer points on six occasions.

Bartlett's strong suit is defending the run. In last week's win against Niles Notre Dame, the Hawks allowed a measly two rushing yards on 18 carries. For the season, Bartlett is giving up only 61.6 rushing yards per contest and 2.5 yards per attempt.

So if trusting that all three levels of the defense will be able to make a play if called upon is the key, how did such confidence come about? Hawks coach Tom Meaney has some ideas.

"We have six or seven kids coming back that did have considerable playing time last year, which has helped a great deal," Meaney said. "Our kids also love to get after it."

Paladino and fellow seniors Kyle Kirchoff, Dante Perez and Jason Massey help the push up front, sparking Bartlett's pass rush and offering a hand against power formations.

Meanwhile, junior Mike Banks and seniors Steve Seeman and David Palma all bring two years of experience to the defensive backfield.

However, it's a corps of talented linebackers that holds the unit together. Senior middle linebacker Kyle Zelinsky is a three-year starter and was named Upstate Eight Conference Defensive MVP earlier this week. He gets plenty of help from seniors Mike Andreuccetti and Brian Burck and junior James Crain.

"Our linebackers are a solid group," Meaney said. "We're really happy with our ability to stop the run, and that's Zelinsky and Andreuccetti. Crain can also handle the run as well as take care of the flat for us. The same with Burck. He's not a real big kid, but he mixes it up on the outside."

Burck credits assistant coach Eric Kramer for providing insight to the linebackers corps.

However, it doesn't hurt that the Hawks occasionally line up against Bartlett's high-powered offense, which is averaging 30 points per game this season.

"At the end of practice, instead of conditioning we sometimes do two-minute drills against the first-team offense," Burck said. "It's always very competitive."

Added Paladino: "It's definitely a nice experience to go up against one of the best offenses."

Back to the theme of trust, the Hawks defense also seems to be aware that on the rare occasion it struggles, the offense will be able to save the day. That was the case in Week 7 when Bartlett rallied late in the fourth quarter to beat Neuqua Valley 31-28 in a contest where the Hawks allowed a season high for points and yards.

The defense returned the favor in a way last week. Bartlett's offense was held to a season-low 10 points and committed four turnovers against Nile Notre Dame, but the defense rose to the occasion as it has so many times this year.

"There have been some big games where they've come out to stop the bleeding," Meaney said. "I can't say any more about the defense than I have in the past. They are a great bunch of kids and they play hard."