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View Full Version : 2008 Football Banquet Review



nickgyp
12-12-2008, 07:21 PM
Last visit was: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:56 pm It is currently Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:19 pm


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Last night's banquet at Roger Bacon was a very nice affair featuring Xavier's last Division 1 football coach, Tom Cecchini, who drove in from Michigam to be the featured speaker. Cecchini was very gracious in his speech and he highly lauded the club team's efforts. In private conversation, he spoke postively about some of the players that he had observed on game footage saying that there was definitely talent that could play on an intercollegiate level.

As I recalled that last 1973 season in which he had seemingly turned around the football program, I told coach Cecchini that I always felt that he received a raw deal from the adminisration. While he holds no bitterness abput the demise of the program and spoke glowingly of his time at Xavier, he did relate how stunned he felt when only two weeks prior to the December 1973 announcement to drop football, the team had held a banquet where Pete Rose spoke and many donors pledged money to the program. The enthusiasm seemd so high.

Coach Cecchini congratulated coach Powers, staff and players on the significant accomplishments of the last three years and urged everyone to keep working together to support the football effort at Xavier. It was easy to see that coach Cecchini has a great love for the game and a great appreciation for the opportunity given to him when Xavier named him head coach at the age of 29 (at the time, he was the youngest D-1 coach in the country). I am only left to wonder what could have happened had X stayed the course with coach Cecchini.

The banquet also featured player introductions by position and by respective coaches coaches. Humorous anecdotes kept the eveming flowing. The team's chemistry and bonds were so evident that, in retrospect, the 7 win and 1 loss record is easily explained. While it was tough to watch senior and grad student talent saying goodbye to the program, the team appears to be in very good shape for the 2009 campaign as QB Chris Greenwood intends to play for the 3rd straight year and a strong nucleus of young players are slated to return as well.

Interestingly, coach Powers pointed to up to five other schools that have expressed an interest in starting club programs and playing in the Midwest conerence (ie,, Wright State, Ohio Stare, Univ. of Scranton). All which could lead to a very full schedule. Plans for the schedule are being put together but not yet finalized.

I would like to single out departing players for their contribution: Andrew Dornbrook (DB and club president); DB- Greg Morgan, DL- Brendan Banker; WR- Craig Hallman; OL-Vinnie Castrigano; OL- Sean Cook and OL-jaime Marego all of whom contributed to the team's success this year and past years as well. Special thanks to assistant Coach Scott Skrzyszewski who has been with the team since its inception in 2006 and who has devoted countless hours to the program. Good luck guys in all your future endeavors.

Of course, thanks to coach Powers and his coaching staff who all have dedicated numerous hours to the program!