Central League: Ridley is favored to repeat

After Garnet Valley's unbeaten run through the Central League in 2008, its first year in the league, there was talk of a Jaguars dynasty. Few expected Ridley to add another championship to its long list of laurels in 2009.

But under first-year coach Dennis Decker, the Green Raiders tied the Jaguars for the title and went all the way to the PIAA Class AAAA semifinals before losing to North Penn. Ridley finished 13-2, improving the school's mark to 613-153-27 since 1934.

With several skill players returning, the Green Raiders find themselves in the familiar role of Central League favorite again.

"Certainly, a Central League championship is our first goal, but we can't get too far ahead of ourselves," Decker said. "We haven't played a game yet. We don't want to think we're better than we are."

There are some big reasons why Decker isn't about to declare the Green Raiders as top dog. A number of holes need to be filled on the defensive and offensive lines.

"There's only one returning lineman on offense and none on defense," said Decker, who quarterbacked Ridley to the state finals in 1990, when he passed for a record 2,737 yards. "A lot will depend on the offensive and defensive lines."

Senior Dave Jankauskas hears his coach.

Decker will be looking to the 6-foot-1, 265-pound lineman to take charge up front if the Green Raiders are going to fulfill that role as favorite. Jankauskas is still upset over the lone league loss to Garnet Valley last season that enabled the Jaguars to share the title.

"We just needed a better last series against them," Jankauskas said. "This season, we're predicted to win the Central. The only downside that I see is that we need to fill the holes up front. A lot of the younger guys will have to step it up."

Teammate Sam Dixon-Dugan wasn't surprised at last year's effort and said the Green Raiders have a good shot at winning the title again.

Although quarterback Colin Masterson graduated, Decker is counting on Sean Blundin to step in. Blundin's father is a cousin to Matt Blundin, a standout quarterback for the Green Raiders in the 1980s.

While Sean Blundin did not see much playing time behind Masterson, he will have some very experienced players working with him. They include running back Jalen Randolph and wide receivers Dion Shaw and Dixon-Dugan, all seniors.

Randolph comes with good bloodlines, too. His father, Pat, was a standout running back for Ridley back in the 1980s.

"Everyone will be out to get us since we're the champs," Dixon-Dugan said. "We have a bull's-eye on our backs, but we still have a lot of talent."