NORTH TONAWANDA — One year after having the program’s first winning season since 2016, North Tonawanda is not worried about trying to replicate the season.
Instead the team is focused on trying to make the playoffs this season, something the program hasn’t done since 2016. The Lumberjacks have the pieces in place that the team thinks it needs to contend in Section VI Class A2 and to secure their first playoff win since 2013.
It comes after a season in which North Tonawanda missed the playoffs, but still had postseason success.
Last season, North Tonawanda went 6-4 overall while finishing the season on a three-game winning streak. The Lumberjacks finished their season winning the Chuck Funke Bowl 24-21 over Hamburg.
“Last fall was a long time ago,” North Tonawanda head coach Chris Tideswell said. “… What we did at the end of last year was nice, winning that Funke Bowl. But what matters is week one right now right? If we can improve week one … That’s just the momentum day by day at practice. That’s what we did last year, yeah it was awesome. But it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things of 26-27.”
The challenge of getting to the postseason will be made more difficult by player movement this summer with seniors graduating. In addition to leaving seniors, wide receiver and defensive back Javier Ortiz has transferred to Canisius.
Last season, Ortiz completed one pass for 45 yards while adding 26 receptions for 390 yards and one touchdown. He also had 26 carries for 217 yards and three touchdowns.
While Tideswell knows that replacing Ortiz on the field will be a difficult task, he believes replacing him and his leadership off the field will be a more difficult operation.
The changes are not just limited to players leaving as the team is also making the decision to move A.J. Cinquino from quarterback to gadget player. Last season, Cinquino threw for 1,150 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also had 132 carries for 751 yards and nine touchdowns. Senior Preston Loncar, who played on the junior varsity team last year, is replacing Cinquino as the starting quarterback.
“I think one, stay healthy. He got a little banged up last year,” Tideswell said. “He missed some time on JV. I really think the experience of playing varsity baseball last spring and getting called up for varsity basketball run in the winter. I think really cemented how he can play at this level. So I think he just needs to trust his footwork, trust his reads and I think he’ll do just fine.”
One of the team’s most important returners is senior offensive lineman and linebacker Jon Landen. As a junior, Landen had 118 total tackles with 11 tackles for a loss, one sack and one interception.
“Individually, I’m just going to play my part,” Landen said about what he needs to do to have a big season. “It’s an 11-man game and all I can do is play my one part and that’s what I’m going to do to the best of my ability.”
In the lead-up to the season, North Tonawanda has been working out three times a week while they have been practicing one night a week. The thing that the team has been working on the most this summer is figuring out how the team plays together.
It is a process that started when the kids were little growing up playing together and is now attempting to come to fruition this season.
“Honeastly for me, personally most of the season, my pass drops,” Landen said about what he worked on this summer. “I think that was where I lacked. But make sure my run defense is strong too. I think that’s where I strive best at.”
Due to the work the team has put into this season, expectations have not changed. The team will not be satisfied with stagnating or not making the playoffs. The players and coaches want a deep postseason run this year.
“Expectations are just get better every day right,” Tideswell said. “I know it’s cliche but what we did last year doesn’t matter. We have to take each day, each week at a time and go 1-0 every week. So not really setting expectations just want us to get better and compete every day.”
North Tonawanda opens the season at Hamburg, 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4.