Mainland Regional football preparing for bounce back season
LINWOOD, N.J. — High school football is cyclical for most schools, and Mainland Regional coach Chuck Smith is hoping things are starting to come around again for his Mustangs.
In 2018, the Stangs went 8-3, then they followed that up with a 9-1 mark. But in the Covid-shortened 2020 season, Mainland produced just a 2-4 record as the roster featured a host of freshmen and sophomores. Those players took their lumps a little bit again last fall, as Mainland went 4-6, but the Stangs did make the state playoffs.
Now, another year older and more mature, all those young guys who were inexperienced just two years ago are the veterans who are tasked with leading Mainland back to a big-time winning season. And the Mustangs certainly have the talent, as they return powerful quarterback Marlon Leslie — a physical specimen at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds — as well as game-breaking running back, Ja’Briel Mace, a Villanova University recruit.
“What I like about this year’s team is the work ethic. We have a lot of experienced guys back — guys who have played for two or three years already. We had a great July in the weight room and on the practice field, and they are determined. We’ve had a couple of years now where we’ve taken it on the chin, and they are really looking forward to this season,” said Smith, who has been at the helm for seven years after a very successful run as the head coach at Oakcrest High. “For us, it’s just making sure we’re putting the kids in position to be successful. What happens on the field will be what happens. We have a lot of experience on the coaching staff and I think that’s helping the kids tremendously. Just putting the kids in the right spots to be successful will be the big key for us this year.”
This year’s team likely will center around the running game, as Mace is one of the premier running backs in all South Jersey and a potential game-breaker every time he touches the ball.
“What I’m looking forward to as a senior is us getting back on track and bringing Mainland back to what it used to be. My recruitment was pretty cool with all the schools looking at me, but now it’s time to lock in,” said Mace, a Somers Point resident. “Freshman year was amazing, then sophomore year I kind of got hurt a lot. Junior year, we kind of got back on track toward the end of the season, and now as a senior I’m ready to be that leader I’ve always wanted to be and try to lead this team to a championship.”
Coach Smith said a big focus this year will be the defense, led by defensive coordinator Tim Watson, a former NFL player who led Cedar Creek High School to several sectional championships during a 10-year run as head coach there.
“The D-line doesn’t get a lot of attention because it’s a three-man front, but all those guys are returners from last year and their job is to take the heat of the second-level guys. The experience the last two years of those three players is going to really show this year,” Smith said. “We have to get out of third-and-long situations. We let too many people off the hook last year on third-and-long, and that bit us in the rear end the last couple of years. We’ve changed a couple things up on defense — coach Watson is the defensive coordinator — and I think one of his biggest things he wanted to bring to our defense this year is enthusiasm and an ‘attack’ mentality. That’s what we’ve really tried to instill in these guys — flying to the football, 11 hats within five yards of the ball all the time.”
Smith said he’s excited about the season because he believes Mainland is primed to challenge for a West Jersey Football League division title.
“This whole group has been together now for three years. We’d lose a couple kids here and there, but even a couple years ago everybody thought we might take it on the chin for a couple years then this year would be that year when we can turn the corner,” he said. “Every year is so different. Some years you have the guys and some years you don’t, but you’re always evolving and learning as a coach. Anybody who tells you they know everything and doesn’t go to clinics or talk to other people really doesn’t know anything and is just relying on the kids. This year we’ve really tried to instill getting better all around, with what we do defensively in our drills, what we’re doing on the offensive line. Every year you look forward to it, even when you have a young team. In those years I look forward to the teaching aspect of it and you hope down the road the kids mature. Everybody is really excited for this year because we have the guys who can do something. This is a great bunch of kids.”
This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.
