Dismal prediction ‘lit a fire’ under Golden Wolves, says lineman Luke Ammarell
Luke Ammarell and his Alvernia football teammates have a bone to pick with the Middle Atlantic Conference coaches who picked them to finish last again this season.
That “didn’t sit well (in our locker room),” said Ammarell, a junior defensive tackle from Schuylkill Valley. “It definitely lit a fire under everybody’s butt. We’ll see on Friday night if it actually had any staying power.”
The Golden Wolves, coming off a winless season, open their schedule at home Friday with a non-league game against Ursinus at 7.
Things will be different, Ammarell assures, than they were last season when the Golden Wolves were outscored by nearly 25 points per game.
“There’s been definite improvement across the board,” he said. “Everyone’s playing better; everybody’s seeing the game better. Practice is a lot more competitive because you’re getting guys that weren’t quite there last year that are coming into their own now. I think we have a good chance of winning a lot of games.”
The Golden Wolves are now playing for Steve Azzanesi, an enthusiast former assistant at Division III powerhouse Wesley, located in Dover, Del. He was hired in January, brought in an almost entirely new coaching staff and nearly doubled the size of the roster, recruiting more than 40 freshman.
That group includes Exeter quarterback Colin Payne, Kutztown tackle Gunnar Wetzel and Gov. Mifflin safety Lamaj Northan, each of whom could see time in the opener. They are among eight former Berks players on the roster.
“Guys are fired up,” said Azzanesi. “I’m fired up, my coaches are fired up. It should be a great atmosphere here at kickoff.”
The roster is not quite where Azzanesi would like it; his goal is to go into the season with 125 players, not the 89 currently on the Golden Wolves’ roster. It will take another year or two to get there but he’s confident it will happen.
“We’re not as deep (as we’d like to be),” he said, “but our No. 1’s, I think they’re going to be really good on defense. I think we’ll be fast to the ball.”
Ammarell will play a big part there. He’s a veteran after enduring last year’s grueling season, when he recorded 25 tackles in 10 games with a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
He’s transformed his body since then, tacking nearly 50 pounds onto his 6-3 frame; he’s now playing at 270. He played defensive end and tight end at Schuylkill Valley, where he was an All-Berks pick.
He became the first defensive lineman to commit to the young program and now he’ll play a prominent role in seeing it break through after a 3-30 record the last three seasons.
“He poses a problem for people because he’s so athletic for a big man,” said Azzanesi. “On the first level of that defense, he’s an all-conference type player.
“I think he can have that kind of year, because of his athleticism and his strength. Watching him move is fun. He moves different than most guys 270. He’s pretty special.
“Usually when a guy puts on 50 pounds like he has they’re not able to carry it as well as he does; he’s still able to move, which is the key.”
“I had to get more physical,” Ammarell said of moving from end. “I couldn’t just work in space and keep ’em away from me as much (as I did before).”
Kevin Washington Jr., a senior who played previously at Pace University, returns at quarterback after throwing for a team-leading 531 yards in seven games with the Golden Wolves last season.
He’ll direct a no-huddle Spread offense.
“He’s played a lot of football,” Azzanesi said. “He’s smart, he’s a leader, and he’s helping the younger guys.”
One of them is Payne, who is in line for playing time just one season after leading Exeter to its first District 3 Class 5A championship.
Azzanesi has been very impressed with the freshman.
“He can make every throw,” he said. “Some guys just have a knack. When things are going bad in the pocket he can move around, and he always keeps his eyes downfield. That’s a great recipe for making plays. He can be a special player here.
“The offense (we use) is so quarterback-driven. In most cases freshmen are overwhelmed (by it). He’s not. He’s a pretty special player from all aspects. And what he can do mentally is amazing. I mean, he’s at the level where he’s already doing things in the protection game, which is rare for a first-year quarterback. That’s the last step, usually.”
E.J. Lee, a grad student who played at Wesley, is listed as the No. 1 running back. Joseph Perkins returns at wide receiver after finishing second on the team with 11 catches last season. Michael Knowles, a junior from Schuylkill Valley, is listed No. 2 on the depth chart at wide receiver.
The other Berks players are Adrian Fares, a senior kicker from Berks Catholic; Jaison Beckford, a freshman running back from Wilson; and Devonte Phillip, a sophomore offensive lineman from Gov. Mifflin.
Ammarell called last season emotionally “draining” but said the Golden Wolves will be better for it.
“It made us a stronger team, the guys that stuck through it,” he said. “We seem to be sticking together well (now). That’s a big thing. We’re preaching ‘together.’ That’s our breakdown every day. That’s what we’re working to do and it seems like it’s working well.”
Despite the program’s dismal past, the new coaching staff and a very young roster Azzanesi is upbeat about the prospects.
“We want to win the conference championship, that’s what we want to do,” he said when asked what a successful season would look like. “Staying healthy will be big for us. We have a really competitive team that’s working really hard. I can’t wait to get rolling.”
Back row, from left: Colin Payne, Luke Ammarell, Gunnar Wetzel and Lamaj Northan.