Chichester

By HARRY CHAYKUN

Special to the Times

UPPER CHICHESTER — Chichester’s Ryan Smith calls his 2014 schedule “challenging.”

The Eagles are coming off a five-win campaign but have a lot of new faces in their starting lineup. They also face the tough task of going six weeks without a home game after opening the season Friday against nonleague opponent Lower Merion.

Following the opener, Chichester will take trips to Pottstown, Kutztown and Radnor to conclude September’s nonleague schedule. The Eagles’ Del Val opener will be at defending Class AAA district champion Academy Park before they host Glen Mills and Interboro.

“That’s the kind of schedule that will make us compete for every first down,” said Smith, Chi’s fourth-year head coach. “Our players are prepared for the competition, and I’m looking forward to the season.

“Our offseason strength and speed numbers have made me very proud of this team. We have a strong group of kids with a substantial amount of team speed.”

Among the speedier Eagles will be junior running back Kevin Miller, who spent last season learning — in more ways than one — as he played behind two senior backs. Miller had moved to the area from Jamaica not long before football practice began.

“I had never played football,” he said. “It was always soccer when I was in Jamaica. My dad suggested I try football, and it turned out to be a good experience. I remember I had to get used to things at the first practice. I’ve always been a competitor, so I just tried to learn as much as I could as the season went on and kept trying to get better.

“I ran the 100 and 200 with the track team, and then in the summer I lifted a lot to try to get stronger.”

Last fall, Chichester’s senior quarterback Duffy Gilhool threw for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns. This year, the Eagles will be under the direction of senior Greg Mills.

Senior Dan Sullivan returns at fullback and also will see some time at tight end on offense and linebacker on defense.

“(Mills) has gotten used to being the starter,” Sullivan said. “It’s funny the way you think of things (as the summer goes on), and you start getting excited about getting back to it. You miss being out there every day and all that goes into playing the game.”

Sullivan began playing the game as a member of the Folcroft Falcons midget team before his family moved to the Chichester area when he was 6.

“I played for the (Chichester) Crusaders,” he said. “I started out as a running back and center then they moved me to linebacker and tight end. My last year, I was the quarterback.”

Sullivan was a familiar figure at summer workouts, which took place three days a week.

“We started at 8 in the morning,” he said, with a smile.

He also spent his share of time in the weight room, and attended a camp at West Chester University. Among the colleges he has expressed an interest in are Ursinus and Moravian.

Other returning Eagles players with offensive experience are Pelle Forman, a receiver, and John Lawrence, who can be a receiver or a running back.

Center Colin McAllister and Isaiah Bobo have experience on the offensive line. McAllister also will handle a defensive tackle spot, and Bobo plays linebacker.

“I’ve worked a lot in getting off the ball quicker after I snap it,” McAllister said. “I went to some camps to work on offense and some to work on defense.

“We didn’t do well in our first scrimmage (Conwell-Egan), and I think that showed us that no matter how hard we thought we had worked, we needed to work even harder. We want to get better each day.”

McAllister has looked forward to being a senior since the first day he reported to practice as a ninth grader.

“I wasn’t in very good shape,” he said. “I wasn’t ready for what we were going to go through. Now I hope I can help some of the younger guys see what needs to be done.”

Among the newcomers looking for starting jobs on the line are John Barlow, Zach Marvil, Serge Filipskiy and tight end Hunter Thornton, while junior Maurice Martin is a defensive end.

Martin Frempong and Khalil Emmens-Womack are among the candidates at wide receiver, and Ray Argro and sophomore Greg Allman will play in the defensive backfield.