Biglerville: Alex Ramos continues to build Canners' program

It didn't take long last season for Biglerville's new head coach to have an impact.

Victories by the Canners against Camp Hill and Fairfield served notice to YAIAA Division III that Biglerville would be no pushover, and the Canners responded with a 5-5 season, the third nonlosing record in the past four years.

"Just top to bottom, from our midget level all the way up through, just having that continuity, that vocabulary, that terminology, getting the schemes," Ramos said of his goal, "everything that we do being the same.

"In that, our players get a little more comfortable and, as they get older, they don't really have to learn or think. They can just play."

Filling the void: Of course, along the way, players come and go, and that has happened at Biglerville. Just as linemen Shane Andrews and Jordan Rodgers acclimated themselves to the new order, they graduated.

Therefore, Ramos and his staff have taken some time to bring the incoming varsity players up to speed.

"Our line coach goes under run scheme and pass protection and stuff, some inside drill stuff to help with our blocking schemes, so on and so forth," Ramos said. "We're not doing it once a week like we're doing with our 7-on-7s, but we do enough to get a taste."

Varsity letters: The Canners have a small group of seniors, so underclassmen will be counted on to produce.

However, with the departure of leading rusher Kyle Bobo, the team will turn to returning players such as Oakley Fissel and Clinton Rice.

"It's going to be a little bit harder, because we have new guys in learning new plays," Rice said of his front line. "But they're good guys. They'll get it down, and it will be like we were last year."

On defense, senior linebacker Tyler Redding anchors a maturing group, though Biglerville will be hampered by a small roster that cannot afford injuries.

"We're a team, so we're going to put equal emphasis on both sides of the ball," he said. "The ultimate goal is to win."

New face in the crowd: Taylor Melemai saw action in every game at quarterback, but his graduation leaves Tanner Cool in the starting role.

The junior threw only seven passes in varsity action last year, including a 43-yard completion against Eastern York.

Mark your calendar: For most football coaches, the next goal is the most important, and it's no different in Canner Country.

"Week 1 is always important," Ramos said. "That first game against Camp Hill is going to be a key to our season. If we get off to a good start, it will build our confidence and get us started in the right direction."

That direction heads into YAIAA Division III from the season's second week to the finish, a fact with which Ramos was already familiar before his arrival in the Upper Adams School District.

"There isn't a week where we can take off and say we're going to have an easy week this week. I'm certainly used to that, coming from the Mid-Penn Commonwealth," he said. "There's no easy week."
ccurley@eveningsun.com; 637-3736

Two-minute drill

What practice drill do you hate the most? Camp Dub (a series of drills for rules transgressors). It's a horrible thing.

Which NFL player would you compare to yourself? I don't really compare myself to anybody.

What pregame music gets you pumped to play? Rock. Just anything's good.

Do you have a nickname? How did you get it? I don't think I really do have one.

What's your favorite move on the field? Swim move.

What's the best thing about playing football? You get to hit people, and you don't get in trouble.

Related

· York Daily Record 2010 Division I all-stars

· York Daily Record 2010 Division II all-stars

· York Daily Record 2010 Division III all-stars

THE EVENING SUN -- BRETT BERWAGER

Biglerville players work on their blocking technique during a recent practice. The Canners have a small group of seniors, so underclassmen will be counted on to produce this season.