Spartans Setting Sights on Section VI Title

For all intents and purposes, 2017 was a phenomenal year for the Williamsville North football program.

The Spartans finished the regular season undefeated and were co-champs in Class AA and cruised on through to New Era Field to play for the Section VI title.

But that is exactly where Will North met their match and was beaten, convincingly by Lancaster 35-6.

“That was a quiet bus ride home,” Spartans coach Mike Mammoliti said. “Wasn’t much to talk about.”

As tough as a ride that must have been it did not deter the will of those that would return in 2018 and many were back in the weight room that following Monday. “It was a tough loss,” returning senior and team captain Dylan Kelly said.

The good thing is there is a new season and Williamsville North knows how much harder they’ll have to work if they want to achieve their goal.

“This off-season we’ve all worked very hard to get better. I worked out a lot with Joe (Nusall) and the other wide receivers on our own this whole summer.”

One of the strengths of the Spartans in 2017 was the 1-2 punch in running backs Ivan Ghemmegne and Marquel Wells. Both are gone after graduation but Mammoliti believes he has that same luxury this season.

“We have two very talented backs again this year, Dylan Mann and David Bass,” Mammoliti said. “Dylan will be a senior and David moves up from JV and is a junior. They both have very high football IQ’s.”

The Spartans put up 324 points last season, second to Lancaster and gave up 135 which was tops in Class AA. With captain Scott Becht returning at middle linebacker and Kelly in the free safety spot, this defense looks to be in prime form once again.

Williamsville North is usually one of those teams that has a target on their backs.

“We have a saying here that the most important game is the next one,” Mammoliti said. “There isn’t one weak opponent in AA, we have to prepare for everybody the same way. We can’t change that approach.”

The Spartans will play at rival Williamsville East in week one. The Flames are coming off a season that included a rare trip to the playoffs. The following week North travels out to face a much improved Clarence team before coming home for a rematch against Lancaster.

“We want to win the Section, that’s our goal,” Becht said. “We have put a lot of work in during the offseason. We’re ready to go. There’s definitely a bit of a chip on our shoulders but that’s a good thing, I guess.”

Williamsville North did receive some tough news last May when they learned senior Jacob Orlando suffered a serious leg injury during a prospect camp. The injury will sideline Orlando this upcoming season.

“Orlando is a big part of the team and it will be a tough loss but we have to work through it,” Kelly said. “We just have to push through and go out and play for him.”

But coming back for Williamsville North is senior QB Joe Nusall.

“Joe has worked incredibly hard,” Mammoliti said. “He put on some weight and really has tried to develop himself into a great quarterback and he’s a leader too. A really good teammate.”

Mammoliti enters his 18th year as head coach and has been with this program for 32 years total.

“There’s not too many guys left still coaching back when I started,” Mammoliti said. “Lenny (Jankiewicz) and now Gene has moved on. I always say that as long as I can reach the kids and be in the school which is critical, I’ll continue to do this. I’ve been very lucky, had a lot of good players come through here. it’s been very rewarding.”

One of Mammoliti’s biggest joys as a coach is to watch his former players go on and do good in life. Whether it is in football or in medicine or just being a good provider for their family.

“A lot of them come back here, especially when they are playing at the college level,” Mammoliti said. “They’ll come in and teach the guys still here how to prepare and how to be a good teammate.”