Cardinal Mooney football counts on chemistry

At Cardinal Mooney High football practice on Aug. 8, the music blaring across the field wasn’t hip-hop, as is usually the case.

The players chose 1980s jams as the day’s theme, wanting to hear some big riffs and slick synths as a change of pace. One of the first songs out of the loudspeakers was Billy Idol’s “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” an apt anthem for the Cougars, who set out to make people remember what they accomplished a season ago.

Under second-year coach Drew Lascari, the program exceeded expectations, improving from 2-9 in 2015 to 8-3 and reaching the Class 3A playoffs before falling 56-34 to Melbourne Central Catholic. The Cougars have even higher goals this season, even though they lose key pieces from last year’s team, including quarterback Tristan Hillerich, now at the University of Virginia, and safety Vinny Conetta, now at Assumption College.

Lascari isn’t worried. In his mind, football isn’t spelled T-A-L-E-N-T. It’s spelled L-O-V-E.

“I’m a firm believer that the team that loves each other more is going to play harder,” Lascari said. “I think there’s going to be many occasions where we may not have the most talented team, but we’ll have the ability to play harder than some opponents. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”

It’s something he learned from his days under coach Greg Toal and offensive coordinator Anthony Campanile at Don Bosco Prep, the legendary football power in Ramsey, N.J. It’s the coaching environment in which Lascari was raised, he said, and he’ll always be an advocate for love, for he’s seen what it can do. Don Bosco Prep finished ranked as the nation’s No. 1 team in 2009 and 2011, while Lascari was on staff.

Thus far, he’s pleased with how his team has exhibited that love, though he hopes it grows stronger. Senior running back Bryce Williams, verbally committed to the University of Minnesota, said the team spends all day together, even during the summer when there was no practice.

Senior linebacker Robbie Vasallo said the team’s favorite activity is Madden video game tournaments. Vasallo claims he’s the best. A group of guys watched the premiere of “Siesta Key” together, he said. The senior class also has steak dinners together each week, a Cardinal Mooney tradition.

“We’ve been brothers since sophomore, freshman year,” Vasallo said of his class. “We talk about it (when they hang out together). We talk about how we can get better. We’ve been grinding together. All 20 seniors, we are together every day. I can’t wait. This season’s going to be fun.”

He said those words wreathed in smiles and hosting a speck of rock under his left eyelid, an impermanent memento of his and the program’s hard work in practice.

Tightness aside, the program does have to find a replacement for Hillerich. Lascari said the competition for the gig is open, but did mention senior Jack Koscho, who has started at defensive back the past two seasons, by name as someone who has been impressive, especially in the competitiveness department.

“He hates to lose, and he loves to win,” Lascari said. “He loves his teammates and he loves football.”

Williams said he would feel comfortable with anyone standing next to him. After amassing about 1,400 yards last season, Williams said his goal is to break 2,000 rushing yards this season, and thinks he has a real shot to do so. Lascari simply called his senior back a beast, and said “Cardinal Mooney is lucky to have him.”

As the team moved into its final drills of the day, Toto’s “Hold the Line” served as background music. “Love isn’t always on time,” band frontman Bobby Kimball belts in the song’s chorus.

If Cardinal Mooney has designs on making noise in the playoffs, it better be on time for the Cougars.