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Yappi.com writer PERRY TWP.--The sun has risen over the fine turf of Klinefelter Stadium at Central Catholic High School. The men in green and white are on their horses and they are determined to reach the top of the Division IV hill. The Central Catholic Crusaders are back to begin the 2006 crusade bonded as one. Well, everyone will be there but George Tabron. But that's OK according to longtime head coach Lowell Klinefelter. He and the rest of his battalion are not losing any rest over the departure of Tabron to Division I powerhouse Canton McKinley. Coming off a 9-4 season, the Crusaders saw their season end to former Massillon head coach Rick Shepas' alma mater, former Division IV champion Youngstown Cardinal Mooney in the regional title game. Getting back there will not be easy given their schedule, which Klinefelter has said that there will be "no free passes", including opening up with defending Federal League runner-up North Canton Hoover and then another Federal League foe in Perry. "The 2006 schedule will be a tough one. Opening up with two Division I teams will be a tough two weeks for us. Also on the schedule will be Akron Ellet and they are very good. Throw in Steubenville, Beaver Local and Youngstown Ursuline and that is a competitive schedule," Klinefelter said via phone interview. "I could go on but I tell my players that we are going to have to buckle up and hit someone." The Crusaders will have to do that without Tabron, who played for Klinefelter for three years. One of the biggest attributes as to why Klinefelter is able to move on is the resiliency he shows when one of his own departs for another school. That same resiliency is another reason as to why he has won titles at Division III and IV and why they will be in the running for the state title again this season. Tabron is expected to bolster a Canton McKinley defense that allowed only 7.1 points in league play last season. "George Tabron is a good player. He will be missed but at the same time we will move on," Klinefelter said. "And we have to move on and do what we have to do at Central. Far as as player transferring, I don't make anything of that. I can't let that linger a long time. We just have to move on." "We will hold our own as a team." Offensively, the Crusaders will be expected to operate out of the option while at the same time balancing the run and the pass. Defensively, the Crusaders will attack out of a 4-3 defense. Klinefelter wants to see his offense gel and expects the defense to carry the 2006 edition of the Crusaders this year. "We have a nucleus to build off on offense. We have a quarterback with experience coming back and for us, that is one plus. However, we did lose our tailback and some key receivers so we're a little behind on that," he said. "So we have a lot of work to do on the offensive side of the ball." "Defensively, we have some people returning that might help us. We got some sound safeties and some linebackers who can step up and help us in that phase. I expect the defense to be great this year and lead the way for us. We're not going to score big points so the defense will have to step up for us." Despite the challenges laying ahead for the defending regional runner-up, Klinefelter expects his team to get better as the season wears on. And by week 11, he wants to see his team survive their battery of tests in the regular-season and make a run at the program's third state championship. "We expect great quality and effort from our players and also to get better each week. If we play hard and compete, then we have done a good job." The sun has risen over the turf of Klinefelter Stadium and the Central Catholic Crusaders are poised to begin their crusade to the top. |
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