Countdown to Kickoff: West Deptford

(Another in a series of South Jersey football previews

West Deptford

Conference: WJFL Colonial.

Group: South Jersey 2.

Last year: 11-1 overall, 5-0 in Colonial Liberty division.

Coach: Clyde Folsom (239-71-5 overall; 205-60-2 in his 25th season at West Deptford).

Last five years: 11-1, 9-3, 9-1, 12-0, 11-1.

Schedule: Aududon, at Willingboro, at Overbrook, Sterling, Woodstown, at Haddonfield, Cinnaminson, at Collingswood, Paulsboro (night after Thanksgiving).

Outlook: The Eagles are loaded. Folsom has high praise for his senior class, which includes 23 players. The program also is motivated by a recent lack of ultimate post-season success. No player in the program has won a sectional title, since WD's last SJ 2 crown was in 2012. That's a drought by their lofty standards. Another source of motivaton: WD lost the SJ 2 title game last season to Cedar Creek, which scored a late TD and extra point to win 28-27. "It probably hurt more to lose by a point than to get blown out," senior two-way lineman John Maguire (6-3, 285) said. "That took a toll on all of us." Maguire leads sturdy front lines that also feature seniors such as TE Justin Foster (6-3, 205) as well as James Young (6-3, 250), Mike Flaherty (5-10, 225), Nick Novak (5-10, 205), Juston Roane (5-7, 230) and Luke Walsh (5-11, 210). Junior linemen to watch include Tyler Cobb (6-2, 235) and Tyler Thurston (5-11, 190).

The strength of the team is its LBs, DBs and RBs. Senior LBs Kyle Garrison (5-10, 205) and Mike Oldt (5-10, 205) lead the defense. FB/DB Gio Gismondi (5-8, 190) is another team leader. Ryan Baglivo (5-10, 190) takes over at QB, and Desmond Colon (6-1, 190) is a top WR/DB. The running game will feature talented sophomore Kenny Lim (5-10, 175) and should get a boost from the early-season return from injury of senior RB Quran Dozier (5-11, 185). Two transfers from Kingsway likely will make an impact as well: senior RB/DB Anthony Seas (5-8, 190) and junior QB/LB Pete Orio (6-1, 185).

Schedule analysis: The move to the WJFL has created some different games for the Eagles, with interesting matchups with Willingboro, Woodstown and Cinnaminson, which looms as a SJ 2 contender. WD kept Paulsboro as a cross-over game to preserve the Thanksgiving rivalry. The teeth of the schedule comes in Weeks 5-7, with a visit to arch-rival Haddonfield, a home game with Cinnaminson and a trip to Collingswood, another serious SJ 2 contender and a familiar and formidible foe.

Player to watch: Gismondi is the "heartbeat of this team," according to Folsom. Like Delsea and St. Joseph (and every team that runs the wing-T), West Deptford is at its best with production on quick-hitters into the middle of the line by its fullback. That opens up everything else in the arsenal, including sweeps by the halfbacks, counters and play-action passes. Gismondi is another in a long line of classic FB types that have come through Folsom's program: Short, sturdy, passionate, relentless. Those guys tend to set the tone for team.

The last word: "The last two years have been heart-breaking to say the least," Gismondi said. "The push is really on."

-- Contact Phil Anastasia at panastasia@phillynews.com

-- Follow @PhilAnastasia on Twitter

Click HERE to read more Jersey Side Sports posts.