Westmoreland/Oriskany football: Top players, schedule, what you need to know for 2023
The combined Westmoreland/Oriskany football team enters 2023 with a new coach as it moves from Class C to Class D-1 competition.
The Bulldogs won two games in 2022 and three as an independent in 2021. Section III's Class D alignment puts Westmoreland/Oriskany with three schools familiar from Center State Conference competition in other sports — Herkimer, Mt. Markham and Dolgeville, the two-time defending sectional champion.
Guiding the team from the sideline will be Brandon Woods, who had previously been the running backs coach and special teams coordinator at Utica University.
Senior Jack Williams, an All-Mohawk Valley honoree last fall, and junior Cameron Rautenstrauch, a pair of versatile offensive performers, are the team's top returning rusher and receiver. Both are slated to line up as running backs and wide receivers on offense and will team up in the secondary on defense.
Javante Brill-Rollins, a running back and defensive back, Gino Marangi, a tight end and defensive lineman, Jayden Luton, a wide receiver and defensive back, Gabe Kent, a wide receiver and linebacker, two-way lineman Jake Harter, and Aaron Wickham, a lineman on offense and linebacker on defense, all return with starting experience; all are seniors with the exception of Wickham, a junior.
Ryan Mayo, Elijah Hanna, Mark Malinowski, Sam Farrell, Jakob Mazur and Chris Sebastian are seniors among the team's nine other returnees.
"Our large senior class is a huge strength for us," Woods said. "They do a great job leading the underclassmen. They are true leaders and this team will rely heavily on that. Having this big of a class allows the program to bring back players with experience, which then makes it easier for young guys to learn, as well."
Among those young guys are Dylan Williams, a freshman quarterback and defensive back. Graduated quarterback Michael Scalise led the team in rushing in addition to passing last fall.
Two more seniors are among the team's newcomers - two-way lineman Jeremy Riggles and Hunter Kierpiec, a wide receiver and defensive back.
Westmoreland/Oriskany football at a glance
Head Coach: Brandon Woods
League: Class D-1
2022 Record: 2-7
Last Section III Championship: Westmoreland and Oriskany have not won a sectional football title with a combined program, but Westmoreland won four in a six-year span from 2006 to 2011 and has six in all in classes C and D.
2023 Schedule
Sept. 2: vs. Harpursville/Afton, 1 p.m.
Sept. 9: at Mt. Markham, noon
Sept. 15: at Cato-Meridian, 7 p.m.
Sept. 23: vs. Beaver River, 1 p.m.
Sept. 30: vs. Sandy Creek, 1 p.m.
Oct. 7: at Dolgeville, 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 13: at Herkimer, 7 p.m.
Oct. 21: vs. Pulaski, 1 p.m.
Marquee Matchups
The season starts with a home game against Section IV Harpursville/Afton and the Bulldogs play on the road the following two weeks before opening home league play with back-to back games against Beaver River and Sandy Creek Sept. 23 and 30. The schedule gives Westmoreland/Oriskany the home field for what would otherwise be its longest road trips; the Bulldogs finish the regular season with a home game against Pulaski.
Top Returning Players
Javante Brill-Rollins, sr, RB/DB
Sam Farrell, sr, RB/LB
Bryce Florzcyk, jr, OL/DL
Elijah Hanna, sr, RB/LB
Jake Harter, sr, OL/DE
Gabe Kent, sr, WR/LB
Jason Landry, jr, OL/DL
Jayden Luton, sr, WR/DB
Mark Malinowski, sr, OL/DL
Gino Marangi, sr, TE/DE
Ryan Mayo, sr, OL/LB
Jakob Mazur, sr, TE/LB
Cameron Rautenstrauch, jr, WR/RB/DB
Chris Sebastian, sr, WR/LB
Brady Shanley, jr, OL/DL
Aaron Wickham, jr, OL/LB
Jack Williams, sr, WR/RB/DB
This article originally appeared on Times Telegram: Preview of Westmoreland/Oriskany's 2023 football season
