GRAND ISLAND — When Grand Island walked off the field in disappointment after a 22-0 season-ending loss to McKinley in the Section VI Class A tournament, the players were downtrodden and solemn that the careers of 15 seniors had come to an end.
The time spent together over the years including upsetting top-seeded Williamsville North in the opening round of the Section VI Class A playoffs was over. But after a few months away from the sport, the team got back together to try to continue to build.
The team was back together with the 10 starters which made up more than half of the team’s offensive production from a team that went 6-4 and averaged 26 points and 369.6 total yards per game.
Now Grand Island head coach Dean Santorio is focused on this year’s team and going further in the postseason with the production he is bringing back.
It is a group that is returning the starting quarterback Anthony Mantione and leading tackler Riley O’Brien.
“We obviously lost a lot of good quality kids last year, but that happens every year,” Santorio said. “We got a nice little core coming back. … We never predict that we’re going to win a sectional championship. Our goal is to make it to the playoffs, whether it’s the one seed, the three seed, the eight seed, find a way to be in the top four in your division and take it game by game.”
In the loss to the Macks, Mantione threw four interceptions and he blames himself for the season coming to an end. Now that he has had time to ruminate on the loss, Mantione is heading into his junior season with a continued motivation to go on a deep postseason run.
The junior does not want this year’s group of seniors to have the same kind of ending to their careers.
“We want to go win,” Mantione said. “… We lost and me throwing four interceptions — I could always blame it on me. But at the same time, it’s not time to be sympathetic. … We lost, they were all sad and that hurts more than when your brother’s sad. … I know I’m motivated to not let that happen again for the seniors.”
As the team heads into this season, Santorio is hoping for big things from multiple players including O’Brien who was not one of his team’s starting linebackers last season but still managed to lead the team in tackles with 52. Santorio is looking for breakout campaigns from senior Blake Deloretto, juniors Santino Favorite, Chase Uribes and Ryan Mayer.
“If we all have breakout years … I’m going to say we’re going to be winning games,” Mantione said. “… When we crossover, those are some tough teams, those aren’t throwaway games. I expect us to make the playoffs, but when we get to the playoffs that’s what matters.”
Grand Island opens its season at Starpoint at 7 p.m. Friday Sept. 4. The game is the first one between the two teams since 2023, which Starpoint won 6-0.