NAC football: Gouverneur looks to reload, seeks sixth straight regular-season title

Aug. 31—GOUVERNEUR — The Gouverneur football program has become one of those situations where success leads to future prosperity.

Two key members of this year's team, junior Vinny Thomas and senior Kobe Steorts, both said they remember going to games regularly as little kids wanting to be like the players they saw out on the field.

Now they will try to help Gouverneur win a sixth straight Northern Athletic Conference regular-season title. Gouverneur's last loss in the regular season to an NAC opponent came in October 2015.

"I think we are going to be all right," Wildcats coach Sean Devlin said. "We are prototypical of what we usually are. We have a lot of speed, decent linemen. We are going to try to throw a bit more than we have in the past."

Gouverneur has a good fan base, something Steorts, an offensive and defensive lineman, saw firsthand when he was called up to varsity for the 2019 playoffs. The Wildcats made the state Class C championship game and Steorts was on the team bus coming back into town after playoff wins, seeing streets lined late at night with fans welcoming the team home.

"It was crazy," Steorts said. "We had hundreds of people outside, super late at night, waiting for us. I feel like we have a lot of support from everyone in town. There are a lot of people at our games, even our away games. I feel like I played (football) my whole life to be in this position, where you have the whole town supporting you."

Thomas, a running back and on defense plays linebacker and defensive back, is moving into what has been one of Gouverneur's strengths over the years, producing standout running backs.

"He does have that potential," Devlin said. "He's fast, small (5-foot-9), strong. He's a track guy, took second in the (Section 10) 100 meters and qualified for states. He has the potential to be a household name. He has a very good combination of speed and agility. He has good vision and he's slippery. He's a lot like (former standout Peyton Schmitt) with speed and vision. He has very good hands. If (players) are fast, we'll find a way to get them the ball in the open field. He returned a couple kicks for touchdowns last year and had a couple big, long runs."

Schmitt, who holds the Section 10 record with 433 yards rushing in a game, is now a senior at St. Lawrence University and he's a player Thomas admired as a kid watching Gouverneur games.

"I looked up to him," Thomas said. "I think I was 9 or 10. I liked the amount of yards he would get when he ran the ball and his energy."

To gain yardage requires a good offensive line and Steorts is one of Gouverneur's key linemen at offensive tackle. He also plays defensive tackle.

"He's agile," Devlin said of Steorts. "He's a smart player on the field. He's tough. He's been a prototypical defensive end and he gives other offensive tackles first. We will rely on him a lot to seal the edge, to get runs to the sidelines and kick people out so we can run up inside."

Joining Steorts on the offensive line are Ethan Alguire, Jaret Link, Gabriel Hance, Alexander Ordway and Owen Siebels.

In addition to trying to win a sixth straight NAC title, the Wildcats also want to go back to the state playoffs. Last year Gouverneur ran into COVID-19 issues and had 12 players out for the Section 10 Class C title game, including nine starters, due to mandatory quarantines. The team fell 32-12 to Ogdensburg Free Academy.

"I played in the game," Steorts said. "It's a lot of motivation. We still have a lot of guys coming back and guys who weren't able to play in the game and get after it. We knew it was going to be a tougher game. We knew we'd have to come out a lot harder. We kind of keep that in the back of our heads. It's still there, still something we work for every single day at practice."

NORTHERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FOOTBALL

Canton Golden Bears

Coach: Corey Maxner

2021 Record: 2-4 overall, 2-3 NAC.

Roster: Joshua Ayrassian (So.), James Bailey (Sr.), Nicholas Button (Sr.), Zachary Deshane (Jr.), Oliver Dollman (Jr.), Talan Green (Jr.), Nicholas Locy (Sr.), Marquise McFerran (Sr.), Caleb Murcray (Jr.), Brandon O'Shea (Jr.), Garrett O'Shea (Jr.), Elias Snyder (Sr.), Cole Straight (Jr.), Charlie Todd (So.), John Wilcox (So.), David Zuhlsdorf (Sr.), Erich Zuhlsdorf (Sr.), Justin Weegar (Jr.).

Gouverneur Wildcats

Coach: Sean Devlin.

2021 Record: 6-1, 6-0.

Roster: Ethan Alguire (Sr.), Jonavin Ayen (Jr.), Cameron Barbarito (Sr.), Connor Bishop (Jr.), Ashton Bowman (Jr.), Brodie Burns (Jr.), Gage Cornell (Jr.), Cael Denesha (Jr.), Daniel Dixson (Jr.), Jacob Donaldson (Sr.), Drew Gates (Jr.), Gabriel Hance (Jr.), Tanner Hitchcock (So.), Noel LaPierre (Sr.), Jaret Link (Sr.), Laike Lumley (Jr.), Hunter Mashaw (Jr.), Alexander Ordway (Jr.), William Riutta (Jr.), Raine Rumble (So.), Owen Siebels (Jr.), Gunner Simmonds (Jr.), Kobe Steorts (Sr.), Holden Stowell (Jr.), Daniel Thomas (Sr.), Vincent Thomas (Jr.), Tucker Tibbits (Jr.), Vandavian Way (Jr.), Avery Winters (Sr.), Connor Witherell (Jr.).

Malone Huskies

Coach: Cory West

2021 Record: 2-4, 2-3.

Roster: Blake Barton (Sr.), Brady Bashaw (Jr.), Trent Carriero (So.), Cayden Carter (Sr.), Edin Cecunjanin (Sr.), Marshall Cyrus (So.), Emare DeBose (Jr.), Cooper Funk (Jr.), Matthew Hadlock (Sr.), Jason Marlowe (Sr.), Keegan McArdle (Sr.), Jakob Payne (Sr.), Ethan Peck (Sr.), Logan Peck (Jr.), Jordan Perry (Jr.), John Poirier (Jr.), Spencer Rabideau (Sr.), Logan Robideau (Sr.), Reiley Smythe (Sr.), Jarett Sweet (Sr.), Jordan Walker (Sr.), Carson West (Jr.), Porter Wood (So.).

Massena Red Raiders

Coach: Taylor Zappia

2021 Record: 5-3, 4-2.

Roster: Conner Eastwood (Jr.), Nolan Goolden (Sr.), Darrien Pastomerlo-Coates (So.), Isiah Austin (Sr.), Dominic Austin (Jr.), Nathan Goolden (So.), Clifford Gay (Sr.), Kevin Perry (Sr.), Adrian Murray (Sr.), Roy Gamble (Sr.), Garrett Weir (Jr.), Jake Linstad (Jr.), Aaron Binion (Sr.), Wyatt Monroe (Sr.), Colden Hardy (Sr.), Gage Charleson (So.), Kreedence Lazore (So.), Louie Diabo (Jr.), Shane Favreau (Jr.), DeShawn Walton (Sr.), Noah Park (Sr.), Liam Green (Sr.), Frederik Nagel (Sr.), Douglas Taillon (Sr.), Nolan Jenson (Jr.), Mason Goolden (Jr.), Brian Hurlbut (Sr.), Connor Fregoe (Sr.), Trysen Sunday (Sr.), Carter King (Jr.), Xander Gordon (Sr.), Brandon Barnes (Jr.).

OFA Blue Devils

Coach: Matt Tessmer

2021 Record: 8-2, 5-1.

Roster: Jonathan Bateman (Jr.), James Bell (Sr.), Noah Bickhart (Jr.), Connor Brown (jr.), Scott Consolini (Jr.), Evan Davis (Jr.), Nicholas Davision (Sr.), Landan Denner (Jr.), Bryan Doser (So.), Jordan Duprey (Jr.), Keegan England (Sr.), Trent Farrand (So.), Connor Graveline (Sr.), William Graveline (Jr.), Archie Green (Sr.), Camden Griffith (So.), Lucca LaBella (Fr.), Garrett Larock (Jr.), Ethan Lemke (Sr.), Andrew Loffler (Jr.), Seth Martel (Jr.), River McCallus (jr.), Justice McIntyre (Sr.), Conner O'Shea (Sr.), Landon Oakes (Jr.), Scott Oshier (Sr.), William Petrie (Jr.), Shea Polniak (Jr.), Tate Polniak (Jr.), Carson Ramie (Jr.), Nicholi Ramsdell (So.), Cole Samarco (So), Seth Sholette (Jr.), Marko Skamperle (jr.), Tyler Small (Jr.), Bryson St. Germain (So.), Madden West (So.), Alex Worden (Sr.).

Potsdam Sandstoners

Coach: Jim Kirka

2021 Record: 0-6, 0-5.

Roster: Gavin Allen (Sr.), Bryan Bigwarfe (Jr.), Adam Cook (So.), Devin Green (Jr.), Matthew Kirby (Fr.), Ilahn Maroun (Fr.), Michael McGregor (Sr.), Liam Miller-Lynch (So.), Kyle Murdock (Sr.), Chase Rozier (So.), Graham Rozier (So.), Matthew Schwartfigure (So.), Austin Washburn (Sr.), Zachary Weaver (So.), Kollin Wright (So.), Bryce Yette (Jr.), Steven Yoakum (Jr.), Bryan Dillon (Jr.), Liam McCargar (So.), Gabriel Swaby (So.), Jon Ross Jr. (Fr.).

St. Lawrence Larries

Coach: Bruce Truax

2021 Record: 0-7, 0-6.

Roster: Jesiah Adams (So.), Damien Ashley (So.), Alannah Baker (Sr.), Dustin Baker (Jr.), Ayden Beach (So.), Dylan Bodway (Sr.), Ephrem Brill (Sr.), Ryan Brothers (Sr.), Breydon Cootware (Jr.), Christopher Cox (So.), Asher Dabiew (So.), Josh Deno (Jr.), Matthew Deno (Sr.), Tyler Donalis (Sr.), Dusty Green (Jr.), Charlie Hill (So.), Evan Labrake (jr.), Jacob Lasalle (Jr.), Damien Martin (Sr.), Tanner Martin (Sr.), Michael Martinez (Jr.), Marquez Mendoza (Jr.), Dalton Montgomery (So.), Jeremiah Nostram (Jr.), Ben Phillips (Sr.), Jose Razis (Sr.), Dawson Shatraw (Jr.), Xavier Shattuck (Sr.), John Snyder (Sr.), Devon Spinner (So.), Tyler Tarasek (So.), Tyson Thompson (Jr.), Jayden Wagner (So.), Julian Wenzel (Jr.), Nathan White (Jr.), Jason Woodard (Jr.).