Football: After semifinal run, John Jay readies for 'dogfight' against grueling schedule

WICCOPEE - There was the physical pain, of course, having suffered a season-ending foot injury a week earlier that would take months to heal. There also was the mental anguish of being sidelined for what would’ve been his most important game to date, and the frustration that accompanied his belief that his presence could’ve made a difference.

But even while in that dour mood, Cruz Calcagni found reason to smile. Rather, his football teammates gave him one.

John Jay-East Fishkill had its season end in the Section 1 semifinals last November, falling to Arlington as its rival continued a remarkable run. But the Patriots fought, rallying from an early deficit and pulling themselves to within a touchdown with 10 minutes remaining.

“I loved it!” Calcagni said during a preseason practice this week. “The boys gave their all and I couldn’t have been more proud.”

A team trailing by seven points in the fourth quarter of a game it went on to lose wouldn’t be at all noteworthy in most instances. Except it was, to that point, the closest an opponent had come to challenging juggernaut Arlington last fall. That team had crushed its previous nine opponents, pummeling some into submission well before halftime.

En garde: Poughkeepsie's Victoria Isaacson competes in wheelchair fencing at Paralympics

'Reload, not a rebuild': Arlington confident despite having to replace superstars

Football is back: Marlboro among the local teams to begin preseason practice

But the Admirals would later admit that John Jay, despite being overmatched, did for a moment put a scare in them.

There are no moral victories in the playoffs, and even silver linings can dim after a loss that sends a team into its offseason. But positive takeaways are real. Sometimes, there is legitimate reason to smile and feel encouraged.

“They played like it was their last game,” Calcagni said of his teammates. “That’s the mentality we need to have, and that’s how we've got to play every game this season.”

It really was the last game for a lot of them as the Patriots graduated nearly half their roster, including several standouts. And, because of that, this group of up-and-comers will be perceived by most as underdogs. Against what sets up to be a grueling slate, anything short of an all-out effort likely won’t suffice.

“We all know we have to get better, and everyone has been working hard,” senior Caleb Clamser said. “The guys who need to step up are doing that and I think we’re all ready for this challenge.”

And a challenge it will be. John Jay begins its season Sept. 6 hosting Chaminade, a Long Island private school that typically boasts a wealth of talented athletes. That’ll be followed by a meeting with Carmel, the three-time defending Section 1 champion, and playoff rematches against Scarsdale and Arlington.

The Patriots are among the teams grouped in Section 1’s new large-school power league, which was designed to create more showdowns of elite teams. “It’s gonna be a dogfight every game,” Calcagni said.

Fans who’ve perused these teams’ schedules and played the addictive, “Win, loss, win…” game probably realized there is far less conviction in those predictions now. John Jay won’t have many, if any, games in which it’ll be an overwhelming favorite on paper.

“We say it all the time: ‘Anyone, anytime, anywhere,’” said Patriots coach Jim Cancellari, whose team went 7-3 last year. “You can’t be afraid of competition. We’re gonna find out where we stand. But, whoever is front of us, we’re going in with confidence and a belief that we will succeed.”

They’re going in with new starters at several key positions, tasked with quickly finding their footing and establishing themselves. There already is a familiarity and some chemistry, Charlie Welsh said, as many of the upperclassmen were teammates on a junior varsity squad that once went undefeated.

“It doesn’t feel new because a lot of us have played together before,” said Welsh, an offensive tackle. “There are some different roles and we’ve got more responsibilities, but there are a lot of returning players that know what needs to be done. We just have to do it.”

Welsh emphasized strength training and pass-blocking technique during the offseason. He’ll help anchor an offensive line that excelled in recent years, paving the way for a dominant rushing attack. Alongside him will be Logan Giustino, Jason Richards, Aidan Miceli and Nicholas Pollock.

There is talent and experience with this group, but the Patriots did lose to graduation some size and point-of-attack power, which could prompt some schematic adjustments.

“We’re doing more pulling and trapping, moving guys and getting them out in space,” Cancellari said of utilizing the mobility of these linemen. “We always want to build the offense around what we do well.”

Calcagni likely will be featured behind them. The junior is a physical running back who doesn’t shy from contact and “runs angry,” his coach said. But Calcagni also has the speed to turn openings into breakaways.

He tore ligaments in his foot during John Jay’s quarterfinal upset of Scarsdale last season and said it took “about three months” before he felt like himself. Now, Calcagni said, “I can’t wait to get back.”

The Patriots also return Vinny Angioletti, their leading receiver, who scored seven touchdowns last season. The senior is a versatile playmaker who also contributes at fullback, can kick, and plays linebacker and safety.

Clamser, a lacrosse star, also plays several positions, including running back, wideout, safety and linebacker.

“Having multiple guys who can do different things is big,” Cancellari said. “It allows us to run a lot of plays without always having to send in a (substitution) package and tip off the opponent.”

A major departure was Brady Feliciotto, a dynamic dual-threat quarterback whom the offense heavily relied on. Matt Partridge and Logan Lawrence are competing now for the starting job.

Partridge, who got some playing time last season as the backup, is an elusive runner whose accuracy has improved. Lawrence, a more traditional pocket passer, has gotten stronger and more athletic.

“Everyone is hyped and we’re coming out with a lot of energy,” Clamser said. “We’ve been waiting for this and it’s almost here. Regardless of what anyone thinks, we’ve got high expectations of ourselves, and I know we can do big things.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Football: After semifinal run, John Jay readies for 'dogfight' against grueling schedule