By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

High school football preview capsule for the Garfield G-Men’s 2022 season.

Head Coach: Mike Moser, 10th year as head coach (21st season overall at Garfield); 64-31 career record.

Coaching Staff: Mike Paes, passing coordinator/quarterbacks/defensive backs; Jarrod Lewis, defensive coordinator; Randy Ward, offensive line and linebackers; Howie Moore, linebackers and offensive line; Eric Cardinal, defensive line and running backs; Rich Stark, defensive line; Ethan Roman, defensive line; Mike Finney, offense line and defensive line; Jeff Brown, running backs.

2021 Recap: 12-1 overall record; 6-0 Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Division; league champions; lost in third round of OHSAA playoffs to Kirtland (25-7).

Returning Lettermen (13): Vinnie Grandizio, sr.; Carter Bates, sr.; Jesse Grace, sr.; Gary Stefko, sr.; Grayson Hoover, sr.; Nate Veccia, sr.; Keegan Sell, jr.; Eric Geddes, jr.; Leo Grandizio, jr.; Deacon Sommer, jr.; Jon Wiczen, jr.; Austin Zarrelli, jr.; Alex Carter, jr.

Lettermen Lost (13): Anthony Demma, Austin Roman, Riley LaPorte, Ryan Stoller, Brody Swigonski, Peyton Yancey, Austin Dieringer, Colin Lysiak, Jon Hundza, Joe Perrine, Noah Eggert, Bryce Peska, Leonard Veccia.

Offensive Outlook: “We have several new players that will get a chance to play this year on offense, but we will stay multiple on offense and emphasize our strengths,” veteran head coach Mike Moser said. 

Moser believes his team’s health and the desire to continue to improve will lead to a successful season.

Quarterback: The G-Men will be looking to fill the void left by leader and graduated Brody Swigonski, who had held the starting position for three seasons.

In a run-heavy offense, Swigonski was able to add in the perfect mix of passing and finished last year with 1,086 yards in the air and 13 touchdowns against only three interceptions. He also rushed for 393 yards ands scored eight times.

The 2022 season will shift junior Eric Geddes (6-foot-2, 190 pounds) into the starting quarterback role.

Geddes has made varsity contributions in basketball and baseball already for the G-Men and will look to carry that success over the gridiron this fall.

Running Backs: The backfield will not be short of ball-carriers, which is a good thing for Garfield as it attempts to replace All-Ohio performer Anthony Demma.

Demma ran to Portage County’s 16th 2,000-yard season in history, totaling 2,066 yards and 35 touchdowns last season alone.

This year’s production will come from Vinnie Grandizio, Keegan Sell (6-foot, 190), Jesse Grace (6-foot, 190), Carter Bates, Deacon Sommer and Leo Grandizio, who will all see time with the ball.

Offensive Line: Plenty of players are fighting for time on the field across a Garfield offensive line that graduated four starters that received plenty of postseason accolades.

Jon Wiczen, Austin Zarrelli and Nate Veccia gained experience last year, while Ivan Trent, Gary Stefko, Gavin Peska, Aiden Kissell, Mike Huebner, Richie Shakelford, Tanner Trivisonno and Kaid Turnbull are all in the mix.

Wide Receivers: The team’s tight ends will be Alex Carter, Tyler Bortz and Aiden Turnbull.

At receiver, the G-Men will lean on Sommer, Leo Grandizio, Cade Rock, Christian Gallaghter, Brandyn Bogucki and Will Simon.

Defensive Outlook: “We return several guys with experience,” Moser said.

Defensive Backs: The group of Geddes, Leo Grandizio, Sommer, Gallaghter, Rock, Jack Neikirk and Bogucki will rotate round the team’s secondary.

Linebackers: Sell, a junior, celebrated an astonishing season a year ago. He led Portage County in tackles with 175, which set a new school single-season record, and also had 22 tackles for a loss and five sacks.

Other standout defenders return and were not far all that behind Sell’s production.

Grace had 96 tackles and 14 TFLs, while Vinnie Grandizio had 71 tackles and Bates had 61 a year ago.

Other linebackers expected to contribute this season, according to Moser, are Carter, Harper Troyer, Tyler Lutz, Chris Ihrig, Carter Hoover, Kaleb Lewicki and Tyler Bortz, who Moser said has been “a pleasant surprise so far.”

Defensive Line: Many of the same names that were featured across the offensive line will double over to the defensive side of the ball, including Wiczen, Zarrelli, Trent, Hoover, Veccia, Kissell, Stgefko, Huebner, Shakelford and Trivisonno.

Special Teams: Ethan Bittence will handle kicking and punting for the G-Men. Geddes is the team’s long-snapper and Leo Grandizio is the place-holder.

From the Coach’s Eyes: “I am proud of this team because they work extremely hard every day,” Moser said. “They are great examples of student-athletes and they have fully embraced our team-first culture.”

Something Interesting: Jesse Grace enters his fourth season as a starter and is the program’s all-time leader in career tackles.