By Joseph Staszewski
Brandon Pelzer and Jordan Francklin are accustomed to carrying a large chunk of the Holy Cross football team’s offense, leaving them ready for those responsibilities to only further grow this season.
The seniors are three-year varsity players and have been the team’s featured backs during most of that time. This season, head Coach Tom Pugh will be asking for just a bit more with an inexperienced quarterback. He is counting on the offensive line to jell and for his strong defense to step up early on. They believe they are ready to tackle the challenge.
“When we moved up as sophomores, we felt the same way as now,” the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Pelzer said. “We just got to make it happen.”
The bruising 5-foot-10, 197-pound Francklin is also a physical runner.
They combined for 1,300 yards for the Knights last season. Both they and Pugh talked about the importance of the offensive line led by returnees Stefan Harrington and Jared Labades as being a key to their performance as they prepare to carry the load.
“They are big powerful backs so they can handle the load,” senior receiver and cornerback Brandon Jackson said. “They are ready.”
Likely starting quarterback junior Akini Primis is on the smaller side and less likely to try to stretch the field passing. Junior Paul Yodice, who could also see time at quarterback and Jackson, a breakout star late last season, will be at wide receiver. Cross has no shortage of talent at the skill positions.
“We have six kids who can carry the ball,” Pugh said. “We are very loaded there. We have good receivers. We can’t throw the ball as much as we did because we have a smaller quarterback. He’s very small, but he’s good.”
The longtime coach believes a stout defense that lost just three starters from last season will give the offense time to fine its identity. Francklin was CHSFL’s defensive player of the year playing alongside Pelzer last season. Harrington and Labades will go both ways. Jackson and Diwani Singletary lead a strong secondary.
“Defense does win championships,” Francklin said. “If the other team doesn’t score, you can’t lose. Our offense is very young. We got to set the tone on defense and make sure they feel comfortable.”
That’s exactly what Jackson got late last season. He had two of his four interceptions against rival St. Francis Prep in a Battle of the Boulevard win. Jackson ran one back for a touchdown and also scored on a punt return. It has him expecting more of the same as a senior.
“Coming into this season, I’m really ready,” Jackson said. “I’m more confident in myself.”
Just as confident as his teammates in what might happen as their running game gains momentum. The Knights, preseason ranked fifth in the CHSFL, would like to start to knock off teams like St. Anthony’s, defending champion Chaminade and Iona Prep after struggling to do so in recent years.
“They are saying there are four teams that are really better then us,” Francklin said. “I’m excited for this year to prove people wrong, prove that we can play ball in Queens.”
