by Brian  Bohl

The Massapequa Chiefs varsity football team is looking to have a successful season that has eluded them in recent history. Many strides were taken last year as the Chiefs stopped a dry spell of sub.500 seasons. Under coach Pat Nolan, the Chiefs went from an underperforming team to a 5-3 team that was in contention until the final week.

Nolan enters his second year as the head coach of the Chief’s football team, and said that the experience gained from last year combined with the work the team has done for this year, will translate into success.

"I certainly feel more confident this year," said Nolan. "What a difference a year makes."

To ensure continued progress, Nolan and his staff have placed a heavy emphasis on conditioning.

"Training and physical condition is what I feel will make our team more improved," said Nolan.

The Chiefs have a talented class of seniors, who are expected to carry the team not only with the play but also with their leadership. The captains are Steve Einig, Pat Pogan, Geoff Leone, and Mike Stackpole, all seniors.

"They are all seniors, so I expect them to bring their experience," said Nolan when asked what he expected from his captains as far as leadership is concerned.

An overall solid team was the way Nolan described his unit, as he professed confidence in all facets of the team. Nolan professed full confidence in his offense, defense, and special teams units.

"Our strength is our overall team speed, strength, and athletic ability."

Of course all coaches are optimistic about their team’s chances in the pre-season, but it's wins and losses that count, not training camp optimism. The Chiefs face a daunting schedule in the highly competitive Conference I.

"All of them (teams in their conference) will give us trouble, I think each team we play will be a difficult challenge," stated Nolan.

One of the interesting stories to this team is the fact that their starting quarterback is a sophomore. Mike Powers, who was the backup quarterback last year, is being entrusted to lead this team to prominence in his first year as a full time starter.

"We will not be conservative in our play calling, we (the coaching staff) have confidence in what he can do," said Nolan.

"Our strength is still running the ball," said Nolan on the team’s offensive strategy, one that was employed heavily throughout last season.

This is a season of high expectations for the Chiefs, who hope to qualify for the playoffs after coming so close last year.

"The one thing I would like for this team to accomplish is to achieve success, and I feel this team will; I believe we have the talent to go to Hofstra for the playoffs this year."