The Westfield Bombers take part in drills during training camp Wednesday. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – The Westfield High School football team is getting a new lesson in Football 101.
A new era began earlier this week when first-year head coach Rocco Fernandez and the Westfield High football team opened training camp for the first time together.
“(Practice) is going well,” coach Fernandez said. “Our numbers are looking good. We have 60 players, 60 quality players.”
It is an important time for Fernandez and all of the players on the team’s 2014 roster. The new head coach is implementing entirely new offensive and defensive schemes.
Fernandez has scrapped the team’s traditional triple option attack implemented by longtime head coach Bill Moore in favor of the pistol-zone option.
“This (new offensive approach) allows us to spread the defense out,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez said after reviewing tape of last season’s games, he found that defenses were stacking 8-10 players in the box to stop the run.
“Now we’re going to be able to have two wide receivers bring the corner(back)s out, and mix up the passing game,” he said.
Sophomore Austin St. Pierre has emerged as the leading candidate to take over the starting quarterback spot. St. Pierre has been battling junior Scott Hoiberg for that position.
Senior running back Cody Neidig, also the team’s All-League cornerback, is slated to start in the backfield for Westfield. Craig Ward is the team’s fullback.
“It’s a slow process but we’re getting there,” Fernandez said. “These guys have been used to one thing for so long. There’s a learning curve, but they’re starting to pick things up.”
The Bombers’ coach said once his players become familiar with the new terminology and different formations, things will begin to make sense.
Hopefully for Westfield, familiarity will breed success. The defense should be helped along by players such as returning middle linebacker Jordan Cree.
Westfield opens its season Saturday, September 6 at Amherst at noon.
It is the first of three straight road games to begin the season for Westfield. The Bombers, who have a bye in Week Two, travel to West Springfield (Sept. 19) and Putnam (Sept. 26) before returning for their home opener against Minnechaug Friday, October 3 at Bullens Field.
“I look at those games as business trips,” Fernandez said. “Hopefully, we will come back with a victory. If things go according to plan, we will go 3-0 before our first home game.”
“Our goal is to be one of the top teams in Western Mass.,” he added. “Right now, it’s all about putting in the work, paying attention, keeping our numbers up, and players buying into our philosophy for this program. If that happens, I think the rest will work itself out.”
