Leyden's talent may outweigh questions

Leyden goes into this season with few questions.

Now the experienced and talented Eagles hope they produce the right answers.

"In the 10 years I've been here this is the best team we've had," said Leyden coach Tom Cerasani. "You never know how you match up with the rest of the conference (West Suburban Gold), but I feel pretty good about the kids we have."

Start with senior Dan Kiebler (6-feet-3, 240 pounds) at tight end and defensive end. Kiebler has scholarship offers from Ball State and Toledo.

And at the other defensive end is another difference-maker in senior Jeff Cascella.

"We expect our defense to really control the game at times," Cerasani said. "With players like Kiebler and Cascella, who I classify as great players, we expect to do that."

They also got a boost up front with athletic senior Terry White, a transfer from Akron, Ohio. Vito Martinelli returns at inside linebacker with talented sophomore Nelson Lugo and the secondary is better with senior cornerbacks Victor Fuentes and Mike Ellis.

They should set everything up nicely for an offense which returns Kiebler, third-year varsity running back Angel Maldonado and senior quarterback David Rose.

"His arm strength has increased and his confidence has increased," Cerasani said of Rose, whose go-to guy will be Adam Bielech. "He throws the 20-yard out about as good as I've seen a quarterback throw it."

But the Eagles will still rely heavily on Maldonado behind an experienced line where Kiebler, James Flosi, Jason Borntrager and Elmer Guzman return. Maldonado added weight and didn't lose a step with a 4.5 in the 40.

"I think we're balanced but we're still going to try and run the ball," Cerasani said. "That's still our bread and butter but we'll be able to do a few more things with the skill kids we have."

One of the things on Leyden's to-do list would be winning a playoff game for the first time since 1998.

"It all looks good on paper but we have to do it on the field," Cerasani said. "The kids really feel like this could be a good team. I know the coaches do."