<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3fMNGW_0uwcLjTb00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3fMNGW_0uwcLjTb00" width="1280" height="852" ><figcaption>Notre Dame's Christian Rivituso (6) is one of the Crusaders' captains. Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media</figcaption></figure>Christian Rivituso is the type of player every successful football program needs. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound senior is a glue-guy who can thrive at any number of positions.For <a href="https://highschoolsports.lehighvalleylive.com/school/bethlehem-township-notre-dame-green-pond/football/season/2024-2025">Notre Dame</a> this season, the Crusaders will be relying on Rivituso to step up and take on a bigger role at running back and linebacker.Offensively, he’ll try to help fill the gap left by Josh Ludlow, who rushed for 710 yards, caught 39 passes for 594 yards and accounted for 22 touchdowns. Defensively, Rivituso will be at inside linebacker where Notre Dame needs to replace the tackling machine that was Dainn Vassallo (392 career tackles).Last season, <a href="https://highschoolsports.lehighvalleylive.com/player/christian-rivituso/football/season/2024-2025">Rivituso</a> contributed 118 yards rushing, four receptions for 58 yards and 45 tackles.“Josh was a great role model and showed me the ropes,” Rivituso said. “He was always teaching me things, like how to catch the ball better. And I’ll be playing inside linebacker, and I know I have big shoes to fill. That’s why I did so much lifting and gained a couple pounds (up from 175).“I’m ready to get after it and make plays.”Rivituso will serve as a captain along with fellow seniors Anthony Crisafulli, Nino Morici and Carmine Diaz.“We’ve been working out as a team since January,” said Morici, a wide receiver/outside linebacker who had to pick his spots training for football since he was a key member of Notre Dame’s state-ranked wrestling program. Morici has boosted his weight from 150 to 175 pounds and can always tap into his wrestling mindset.“Doing both sports has its pluses and minuses, but it helps me with my tackling form and the workouts always keep me in shape,” Morici said.In contrast, Crisafulli, who begins his second season at center after playing left guard as a sophomore, slimmed down from 250 to 230 to increase his quickness without losing strength.“They call me the foundation, the quarterback of the line,” said Crisafulli, who will step across the line to play nose guard on defense. “I like it. It’s a huge challenge.”Diaz was selected as a captain even though he has yet to play a varsity down for the Crusaders. He transferred to Notre Dame from Bangor as a sophomore but didn’t receive a waiver to play in games.“When he was a sophomore, he’d run the scout team at quarterback,” Notre Dame’s ninth-year coach Phil Stambaugh said. “It was like having a Corvette but not being allowed to take it out of the garage. He has a lot of talent.”Last year, Diaz never made it to the starting line.“The week before we went to Lehigh (summer camp) I caught a pass during workouts, planted and felt my knee pop,” said Diaz, who also plays basketball and volleyball. “I had surgery two weeks later for a torn ACL. I love football, and this team is like my second family.”<h2>Notre Dame’s known</h2>Since Stambaugh’s been in charge, the Crusaders have boasted one of the largest and most athletic rosters in the Colonial League. Players embrace the high expectations and are ready when it’s their turn to produce.For instance, Notre Dame graduated its four top receivers and another receiver, Jaysen Blacknall-Farmer, who caught 10 passes, transferred to Phillipsburg for his junior season.But three-sport athlete <a href="https://highschoolsports.lehighvalleylive.com/player/alex-clark/football/season/2024-2025">Alex Clark</a>, a junior, the leading returning receiver with 11 catches for 264 yards and five TDs, must be considered a preseason all-league candidate. At 6-3, 170-pounds, he’ll give the team two tall targets with the 6-3, 175-pound Diaz the other. Add in Morici and junior Faustie Capobianco, who missed his sophomore campaign because of injury, and Notre Dame’s wide-open attack should continue to run on all cylinders.The offensive line returns junior Thomas Kosiba at left tackle, junior Austin Casal at right guard and Crisafulli at center.Sophomore Aaron Gordon rushed for 203 yards, which was third-most behind graduated quarterback Danny Darno and Ludlow. He also made 72 tackles from the secondary.<h2>Notre Dame’s unknown</h2>Stambaugh mentioned offensive and defensive lines, linebacker, defensive back and wide receiver as the important position battles in preseason camp. The kicking game is a question mark, too. One position notably absent from the list is quarterback.Junior Matt Bodnar is the starting quarterback. He completed 17 of 26 passes for 373 yards and five TDs in limited action behind Darno the past two seasons. Expect Bodnar to become the next great quarterback developed by Stambaugh, the former Pius X and Lehigh University record-setting QB.“Matt’s a smart kid and good athlete,” Stambaugh said. “He’s been playing in our system since middle school and is comfortable with our offense. He has a good relationship with his teammates, and it’s not about Matt. He’s excited to see his buddies do well.”“We love Matt. He stays in the pocket, gets the play off and can just flick the ball to his receiver,” Crisafulli said. “We trust him.”“He has a very good pocket presence,” Rivituso said. “He knows the plays and stays calm.”Defensively, the Crusaders will be relying on a slew of underclassmen, many of whom recorded 20 or more tackles last season. Sophomore John Hull (48 tackles) will be alongside Rivituso at inside linebacker.DB Kellen Binstead (38 tackles) and LB Brett Bruckman (40 tackles), both juniors, return. Sophomore Josh Scherer (14 tackles), Casal (21 tackles) and Kosiba (24 tackles) lend depth. Junior Jacoby Jacobs, who posted 114 tackles and four sacks as a sophomore, transferred to Southern Lehigh, his home district.<h2>Quotable: Coach Phil Stambaugh</h2>(On testing new starting QB Matt Bodnar’s ability to grasp NDGP’s playbook)“With a new quarterback I want to see what they know and how they’ll handle it. I gave him what we were doing with Danny (Darno) at the end of last season, and he didn’t miss a beat.”<h2>Quotable: WR/LB Nino Morici</h2>(On the team’s depth and competition for playing time)“I’m impressed with the guys in our junior and sophomore classes. A lot of those guys will be making an impact.”<h2>Returning starters</h2>Sr. LB/RB Christian Rivituso, Sr. WR/LB Nino Morici, Sr. C/Dl Anthony Crisafulli, Jr. WR/DB Adam Clark, Jr. WR/DB Kellen Binstead, Jr. LB/DE Brett Bruckman, Jr. OL/DL/LB Austin Casal, Jr. LT/DL Thomas Kosiba, So. RB/DB Aaron Gordon.<h2>Key returnees</h2>Sr. WR/DB Carmine Diaz, Jr. WR/DB Faustie Capobianco, Jr. DB Devin Akrie, So. WR/DB Drew Boyd, So. RB/LB John Hull, So. DL Dominic Morris, So. OL/DL Josh Scherer, So. P Clemente Cintron.<h2>Top newcomers</h2>Sr. OL JJ Trimmer, Jr. LB/DE Giancarlo Guadagnino, Jr. OL/DL Cody Hartman, So. OL/DL Philip LaBella, Jr. LB/RB Kalet Wilson, So. WR/DB Nyechay Lawless, So. RB/WR Jonathan Striba, So. WR/DB CJ Diaz, So. OL/DL Noah Knorp, So. OL/DL Noah Snyder, Jr. OL/DL Daniel Higgins, Jr. OL Marc Bartholomew, Jr. OL/DL Logan Hancik, Jr. RB/LB/DB Eddie Youngkin, Jr. QB Matt Bodnar, Jr. LB/DB Berkley Weidner, Jr. DB/WR Cody Driscoll, Jr. LB/DB/WR Sammy Morici, Fr. QB/DB Tommy Murphy.<h2>Notre Dame basics</h2>League: Colonial/Schuylkill, White Division.Class: 3A.Coach: Phil Stambaugh (ninth season at Notre Dame, 14th overall, 112-42).2023 record: 8-4.2022: 9-3.2021: 7-3.2020: 7-1.2019: 7-4.Their home: Notre Dame High School Stadium (grass).</div></body>

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Notre Dame football preview 2024: Crusaders captains ready to take reins

Christian Rivituso is the type of player every successful football program needs. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound senior is a glue-guy who can thrive at any number of positions. For Notre Dame this season, the Crusaders will be relying on Rivituso to step up and take on a bigger role at running back and linebacker.

Notre Dame football preview 2024: Crusaders captains ready to take reins

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