Preview: Lake Park

A man of few words, Lake Park coach Andy Livingston.

In the multiple-line blank for team outlook on the Daily Herald football questionnaire, he simply wrote, "Good." In the space requesting last year's conference record he replied 3-4 followed by the word, "bad."

If the Lancers play to their returning experience it could be ugly for their Upstate Eight opponents.

Lake Park returns eight starters on each side of the ball, including quarterback Larry Nawrot, top backs Chris Jasinski and Kevin Thomas, top receivers Kyle Bieschke and Will Kalish and three linemen. Versatile junior Artie Monaco will vie for offensive touches.

From a defense that last year was fourth in the UEC in points allowed Lake Park returns its top six tacklers, including two-time all-UEC linebacker Chris Buonavolanto and all-conference safety Nick Wiley.

"What we need to do is make sure we can score this year," Livingston said of an offense ranked ninth in UEC points in 2007. "Between Larry and Jasinski and Kevin Thomas we think that we've got some firepower."

The offensive and defensive lines are not stocked as deeply as the rest of the roster, but Livingston said there's unaccustomed size on the defensive line. That's good for linebackers Buonavolanto and Ryan Gerts, who don't need much help to begin with.

A year of seasoning, particularly for Nawrot and the offense, is a good thing.

"Looking at them last year, I said they'll do fine. And they did," Livingston said. "But they weren't juniors and seniors."

They are now.