By Erik Jacobsen
Staff Writer
St. Edward proved Friday that a little hard work can go a long way.
For three years, coach Mike Rolando and his players stuck with the program through thick and thin, and anyone familiar with the area football scene knows it was almost always thin.
However, the Green Wave instantly gained respectability with its hard fought 15-7 win at Hampshire.
The difference between the teams wasn't great. However, there was little doubt that St. Edward had the edge in size, strength and depth. After the game, Hampshire coach Dan Cavanaugh said his team was simply beat up front on both sides of the ball.
That was certainly a welcome sight for Wave fans, who patiently waited for Rolando to get the program up and running. Those fans filled up the stands behind St. Edward's bench and voiced their approval throughout the night.
Friday's win was as much for the current players as it was for the players who took the field undermanned and undersized the past three years. One of those players, 2008 graduate Matt Ardiente, delivered a speech to his former teammates. The message apparently hit home.
Naysayers will think St. Edward caught Hampshire in a down year. I beg to differ. The Whip-Purs will be in the mix for a playoff spot as usual. The bottom line is the Wave was the better team Friday.
The biggest difference for St. Edward this year might be its depth. When senior Moises Quiroga went down with a left knee injury in the first half, junior Jordan Torres stepped in and the team didn't miss a beat.
If junior defensive end Shane Finnane - who recovered a key fumble early in the third quarter and was a beast all night - and fellow linemen Jim Waclawik, Daniel Duffy and Ryan Eigenhauser keep up their strong play, expect the Wave to be in the mix more often than not.
With Week 1 in the books, here's a quick run down of my initial reactions.
MOST IMPRESSIVE WIN
While St. Edward's accomplishment is noteworthy, Bartlett finally got over the hump and beat Glenbard North for the first time in 10 tries.
Playing with heightened expectations as the favorite to win the Upstate Eight Conference, the Hawks lived up to the hype by beating the Class 8A state runner-up. With this win in the bag, Bartlett might just be looking at eight or nine victories during the regular season.
SURPRISE OF THE NIGHT
I didn't foresee Jacobs going on the road and beating Moline, but the Golden Eagles turned in a gutsy effort and beat the Maroons 31-30 in triple overtime. With a lot of talent lost from last year, this appears to be a strong team effort for coach Dean Schlueter's team.
