Mainland Regional football preparing for bounce back season
LINWOOD, N.J. — High school football is cyclical for most schools, and Mainland Regional coach Chuck Smith is hoping things are starting to come around again for his Mustangs.
In 2018, the Stangs went 8-3, then they followed that up with a 9-1 mark. But in the Covid-shortened 2020 season, Mainland produced just a 2-4 record as the roster featured a host of freshmen and sophomores. Those players took their lumps a little bit again last fall, as Mainland went 4-6, but the Stangs did make the state playoffs.
Now, another year older and more mature, all those young guys who were inexperienced just two years ago are the veterans who are tasked with leading Mainland back to a big-time winning season. And the Mustangs certainly have the talent, as they return powerful quarterback Marlon Leslie 鈥� a physical specimen at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds 鈥� as well as game-breaking running back, Ja鈥橞riel Mace, a Villanova University recruit.
鈥淲hat I like about this year鈥檚 team is the work ethic. We have a lot of experienced guys back 鈥� guys who have played for two or three years already. We had a great July in the weight room and on the practice field, and they are determined. We鈥檝e had a couple of years now where we鈥檝e taken it on the chin, and they are really looking forward to this season,鈥� said Smith, who has been at the helm for seven years after a very successful run as the head coach at Oakcrest High. 鈥淔or us, it鈥檚 just making sure we鈥檙e putting the kids in position to be successful. What happens on the field will be what happens. We have a lot of experience on the coaching staff and I think that鈥檚 helping the kids tremendously. Just putting the kids in the right spots to be successful will be the big key for us this year.鈥�
This year鈥檚 team likely will center around the running game, as Mace is one of the premier running backs in all South Jersey and a potential game-breaker every time he touches the ball.
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 looking forward to as a senior is us getting back on track and bringing Mainland back to what it used to be. My recruitment was pretty cool with all the schools looking at me, but now it鈥檚 time to lock in,鈥� said Mace, a Somers Point resident. 鈥淔reshman year was amazing, then sophomore year I kind of got hurt a lot. Junior year, we kind of got back on track toward the end of the season, and now as a senior I鈥檓 ready to be that leader I鈥檝e always wanted to be and try to lead this team to a championship.鈥�
Coach Smith said a big focus this year will be the defense, led by defensive coordinator Tim Watson, a former NFL player who led Cedar Creek High School to several sectional championships during a 10-year run as head coach there.
鈥淭he D-line doesn鈥檛 get a lot of attention because it鈥檚 a three-man front, but all those guys are returners from last year and their job is to take the heat of the second-level guys. The experience the last two years of those three players is going to really show this year,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淲e have to get out of third-and-long situations. We let too many people off the hook last year on third-and-long, and that bit us in the rear end the last couple of years. We鈥檝e changed a couple things up on defense 鈥� coach Watson is the defensive coordinator 鈥� and I think one of his biggest things he wanted to bring to our defense this year is enthusiasm and an 鈥榓ttack鈥� mentality. That鈥檚 what we鈥檝e really tried to instill in these guys 鈥� flying to the football, 11 hats within five yards of the ball all the time.鈥�
Smith said he鈥檚 excited about the season because he believes Mainland is primed to challenge for a West Jersey Football League division title.
鈥淭his whole group has been together now for three years. We鈥檇 lose a couple kids here and there, but even a couple years ago everybody thought we might take it on the chin for a couple years then this year would be that year when we can turn the corner,鈥� he said. 鈥淓very year is so different. Some years you have the guys and some years you don鈥檛, but you鈥檙e always evolving and learning as a coach. Anybody who tells you they know everything and doesn鈥檛 go to clinics or talk to other people really doesn鈥檛 know anything and is just relying on the kids. This year we鈥檝e really tried to instill getting better all around, with what we do defensively in our drills, what we鈥檙e doing on the offensive line. Every year you look forward to it, even when you have a young team. In those years I look forward to the teaching aspect of it and you hope down the road the kids mature. Everybody is really excited for this year because we have the guys who can do something. This is a great bunch of kids.鈥�
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