MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE — For the Columbia High School football team, last season was all about learning the process under new head coach Lys Rubens Blanc.
Though the Cougars finished with a 3-6 record, Blanc was encouraged by how his players became more acclimated to the process throughout the season.
Now, in Year 2 with Blanc, the Cougars are looking to continue mastering that process in the hopes of qualifying for the state sectional playoffs.
“I think they understand it’s more about the process now,” Blanc said. “We were working hard at developing a system where everyone was focusing on the process, instead of focusing on the results. I think they understand that now. They understand how to work and how to start preparing for games with the team that I’m leading, because everybody leads differently.
“I think the most important thing that we did this year is getting everybody to understand that there is a process to where we do things and there is a process of why we do it and how we do it and everybody is working hard to make sure every goal is achieved.”
The Cougars last season did a lot of heavy running with the ball offensively. This year, the offense will be a lot more balanced.
Columbia will have a pair of new quarterbacks in senior Kasper Schmiedl and junior Eliot Seidenberg.
Blanc has high hopes for his receiving corps. Despite being approximately 5-foot-6, 150 pounds, sophomore Fin Martin particularly stood out this summer during 7-on-7 tournaments, catching the most passes and dropping the least amount of passes among the CHS receivers.
Other notable receivers are junior Daeron Freeman and senior Joel Hector.
The ground game will be powered by a pair of all-conference players in junior Jalen Holmes and senior Dylan Gilyard, along with junior Josiah Dessejour.
The offensive line is anchored by senior returning center Cooper Zancolli.
On defense, the Cougars welcome new defensive coordinator Leander Knight, a former NFL player who previously served on the coaching staff at East Orange Campus.
The leaders on defense are senior cornerback Dylan Graham, sophomore safety Joshua Darcelin and senior end Khai Grab.
The Cougars’ main goal is to make the playoffs and finally win a playoff game. The program has not won a state sectional playoff game since the current playoff format began in 1974.
“That is the goal every year,” Blanc said. “As far as record, I’m not predicting that. It’s just about doing well enough to qualify for the playoffs and take it one game at a time. The goal is going to be just making the playoffs and then we’ll worry about everything else, once that happens.”
Notes – Blanc’s nephew, Don Bosco Prep senior Mikai Allen, is rated as one of the top linebackers in the nation. The Hillside resident committed to Texas A&M in May.
Blanc is a 2003 Irvington High School graduate who played for current West Orange head coach Darnell Grant.
The Cougars lost to Hillside 41-0 in the season opener at home.
Schedule
Aug. 28: vs. Hillside, 7 p.m.
Sept. 4: vs. Bayonne, 7 p.m.
Sept. 10: at Livingston, 7 p.m.
Sept. 19: at Hackensack, 1 p.m.
Sept. 26: vs. Irvington, 1 p.m.
Oct. 2: vs. Paterson Eastside, 7 p.m.
Oct. 9: at Snyder, 6 p.m.
Oct. 16: vs. Union City, 7 p.m.
Oct. 22: at Passaic County Tech, 6 p.m.
Photos by Joe Ragozzino
Photo Gallery: Columbia players practice at Underhill Sports Complex in Maplewood in August.
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