Fenwick, Revere, Winthrop prep for football season

Bishop Fenwick football coach Dave Woods has some work ahead of him when it comes to filling the holes caused by graduation, but he also has plenty of talent ready to answer the call.”We were a very senior-laden team,” Woods said.Missing this season will be Item All-Stars Dennis Kanarkiewicz and Chris White, both two-way linemen. Kanarkiewicz is now playing at Husson College and White at Bridgewater State College. Dan Kennedy has joined former teammate Bobby Tarr at Bentley University and Kyle White, who was a captain, is playing at Framingham State College. Captain Dale Crispin is at Western New England College, where he’ll play baseball.The good news for the Crusaders is that veteran quarterback Chris Renzulli is back in action after missing the last couple of games of the 2008 season due to a broken thumb. He’s a captain, along with Joe Terry, a center and defensive end; Joe Bona, a tight end and outside linebacker; and Kevin Pierce, a guard and inside linebacker.Renzulli will have some competition at quarterback from Brett Kidik, who filled in when Renzulli broke his thumb and did an admirable job. Junior Joe Conroy, who quarterbacked the junior varsity team, has also looked good in the preseason, Woods said.The Crusaders graduated their backfield, but there are a few possibilities ready to step in, including senior Alex Crecco, a transfer from Ipswich High, and Tyler Thomann. Receivers Bona and Ryan Lipka should provide whichever one ends up at quarterback with nice targets.Although the numbers in the school have been creeping up the last few years, Woods said his football numbers are down. He has 37 players out, not including the freshmen, who will show up once school gets started.Woods has a couple of new opponents in the lineup this fall. The Crusaders will open Sept. 11 against Saugus, a team Woods said Fenwick has never played. The Crusaders will also play Georgetown, a team they haven’t played in many years. Methuen and Masconomet are gone from the schedule, although Fenwick still has games against Salem, Medford and Swampscott.REVERERevere coach Lou Cicatelli was also hard-hit by graduation, losing 18 seniors, but he’s counting on big things from his junior class.”They’re very athletic,” Cicatelli said.Cicatelli said he probably lost six starters on defense and seven on offense. Among the players he’ll be looking at to help pick up some slack are senior captain Will Weathers and junior quarterback Paul Norton.”He (Norton) worked hard in the off-season,” he said. “I think you’re going to see good things from him.”Revere finished 3-8 last season. Among the players graduating from that team are Manny Velez, an offensive and defensive tackle now playing at Merrimack College, and Louie Cruz, who missed last year due to an injury; he is now playing at Fitchburg State College.The Patriots open Friday, Sept. 11, against Northeast Regional.WINTHROPAt Winthrop, coach Sean Driscoll had 37 players show up for the first day of practice. He expects more once the season gets going.The Vikings finished 6-5 last year, a record Driscoll said was disappointing.”We lost a lot of close games to quality teams,” he said.Winthrop didn’t emerge from graduation unscathed. Chris Beranger is now playing at the University of Hew Hampshire. The Vikings also lost Steven Keough, an offensive lineman and an all-star, to graduation.On a positive note, the Vikings will have quarterback Will Milano, a three-year starter, as well as Robert Deeb, a wide receiver and cornerback, seeing time on both sides of the ball. Frank Ambrosino, a halfback and senior starter, is back, as are offensive lineman Anthony Spinazola and right guard Keith Stasio.Winthrop isn’t shying away from the big boys in the league. Driscoll said he has games with English, Salem and Gloucester, as well as Peabody, Classical and Revere.