By Joseph Staszewski
The trust Campus Magnet coach Eric Barnet placed in quarterback Que Ruan Mosby late last season paid off and is returning some confidence to a program looking to get back to its winning ways.
“He’s got it,” Barnet said. “He’s got that swagger.”
The Bulldogs played a spread and more open offense last season, with the 5-foot-8 Mosby using his speed to cause havoc for opposing defenses. Campus Magnet finished the year winning four of its last six games. Barnet went back to their more traditional power-running game in a season-ending loss to Flushing. After missing the playoffs, Campus Magnet plans on going back to what worked, with a deeper and more skilled roster than a year ago.
“I feel like we have the talent to shock the PSAL,” Mosby said.
The players believe their strong finish was just a precursor to the success they can have this season. The Bulldogs feature a solid offensive line, speedy receivers and a defense that could be one of the best in Barnet’s tenure.
The coach moved three returnees from last year’s offensive line because of his confidence in this season’s group. James Wilson (6-foot-4, 314 pounds) and Mikail Tan (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) will be at tackle. Center Kadeem Blackwood is 5-foot-10 and 280 pounds.
“Our line is huge this year,” Blackwood said.
While Antawan Lewis and Marcel Rudolph battle for the starting running-back job, Barnett believes he has a playmaking receiver in junior Shumar Vasconcellos. The 5-foot-11 speedster runs a 4.4-second 40-yard dash. Versatile junior Bryan Mariner Jr. will also see time at receiver and will return kicks and punts.
“We have a connection,” said Mosby of Vasconcellos. “It’s easy to throw to him now.”
Campus Magnet is expecting to be harder to throw against thanks to an improved linebacking corps and secondary. Justin Pierre Louis, a 6-foot-1 senior, will join 6-foot-2 classmate Christopher Van Brackle at corner back. Senior Daquan Wright is the team’s safety.
“We need everyone to contribute,” Tan said.
All-Queens linebacker Jeshua Darnell returns along with Jovani Pitt. Senior Justin Burns and Tan will be at defensive end.
“We have bigger linebackers, more speed,” Darnell said.
There are larger expectations, too, because of the level of talent that has come back and the way that the group finished last season. Campus Magnet wants to return to the playoffs and in the process try to vault itself into the elite group of PSAL teams. They hope to take a big step toward meeting that goal when Kennedy comes to Queens for the season opener on Sept. 5.
“That showed us the talent that we have on this team,” Mosby said of last season’s strong finish. “That showed us that we still have fight. We still have some of the players from last year. We still have a lot of talent.”
