Out of need, Port Richmond’s roster was rife with sophomores two years ago. Coach Lou Vesce hopes that decision will pay off this fall as those sophomores – quarterback Mike Goffredo, wide receivers Mario Villafane and Aaron Yates, running back James Jones and linebackers Tim Clapp, Tyrone Martin and Compton Richmond – are now experienced seniors.
The Red Raiders success will greatly depend on the six seniors, key skill position players or defensive standouts. Goffredo and Martin have emerged as the team’s leaders, guys who show up early for practice and leave late, are at the front of sprinting lines and impart the wisdom they have gained to their younger teammates.
“They have that never-die attitude,” Vesce said. “When we came home from football camp, I was testing their will, working them as hard as I can and I wasn’t able to break them. Whatever I threw at them, they took it as men.”
Goffredo will be particularly important. Vesce didn’t want him to go both ways, but couldn’t resist keeping the hard hitter on the sideline. He has improved as a quarterback, too, taking off less and improving on reading defenses.
“He’s an animal,” Vesce said. “Some of his poor decision-making is probably his best attribute. When he takes off, he’s hard to bring down.”
Goffredo will have a ton of options at his disposal, such as Yates, Jones and Villafane. Jones ran for 500 yards and three touchdowns last year while Yates hauled in 22 passes for 395 yards, scored seven touchdowns and singlehandedly won two games for Port Richmond with last-second scores. Villafane, an explosive slot receiver, missed most of last year after undergoing offseason knee surgery. He has yet to show the playmaking abilities that defined his sophomore year, but it is there, Vesce believes.
“He’s a guy like Aaron who can really change a game for me,” Vesce said. “I really haven’t seen it yet, but I’m hoping it arrives on Saturday afternoon. He’s a guy who can take a broken play and go 80 with it.”
Martins keys a fast and undersized defense along with Richmond and Clapp which Vesce thinks will get better as the year goes on. The biggest question mark lies in the trenches. Port Richmond graduates its entire starting offensive line from last year and has holes to fill up front on defense.
Keon Hughes, a 6-foot-1, 225-pound junior, will start both ways, at offensive tackle and defensive end. Junior varsity call-ups Alfonso Hernandez (6-0, 240) and Anthony Ojeh (6-3, 260) have shown promise.
“I think they’re going to be super lineman,” Vesce said.
Vesce does enter the season confident Port Richmond will not only be a playoff team, but that it can do damage in November. He doesn’t expect his team to necessarily get off to a fast start – the questions on the line are part of his reasoning – but he sees the potential for the Red Raiders to soar as the year wears on.
“I believe we can be as good as anyone in the city,” Vesce said. “I think our ceiling is very high.”