Liberty team ready to take the next step
Lions open season Sept. 7 against Bridgeton
BY MIKE WHITE Staff Writer

JACKSON - When Tim Osborn took the job as Jackson Liberty High School's first football coach last summer, he realized he was in for a challenge.

After spending more than 20 years coaching at established football programs in Ocean County, Osborn was well schooled when it came time to build a foundation at Liberty.

Now in his second year as head coach, Osborn is set to lead Liberty into its first varsity campaign. Last year Liberty played an all-junior-varsity schedule, compiling a record of 6-4.

"I knew this was going to be a huge undertaking when I first took over," Osborn said. "This was a start-up program with no upperclassman players. The first year, we really had to slow things down and get those kids who hadn't played high school football before going in the right direction. It was a learning process for us as a coaching staff as well as for the players."

Osborn cited his squad's dogged work ethic as one of the cornerstones to the Liberty program.

"We have worked incredibly hard on laying the ground work for a football program here," said Osborn, whose team opens its season Sept. 7 against Bridgeton High School. "We've made great strides in just a year. Our expectations for this team are a bit loftier than they were for last year's team. Now we can put in place a bunch of the offensive and defensive

schemes we were hoping to put in last year. The kids have bought into the program and continue to work hard."

While the numbers are healthy with 55 players on the roster, Liberty lacks the experience, leadership and savvy that comes along with having seniors on the team.

"There is no replacement for experience and leadership," Osborn said. "We don't have the senior players who have been in the fire and can lead and set examples for the underclassmen. However, we are starting to have some individuals who are beginning to step forward."

Leading Liberty into the season are juniors Pat Joseph, Tanner Ogilvie, Chris Lowe and Chris Castronuova, and sophomore Brandon Kahle.

Joseph is a talented tailback who will also see time at safety. Ogilvie will do double duty at fullback and linebacker, while Kahle is another two-way starter as an offensive lineman and a linebacker. Lowe is a linebacker, while Castronuova has emerged as the starting quarterback.

"We've improved both our running and passing game," Osborn said. "When you don't have a lot of experience, you are forced to use a lot of players on both offense and defense. We feel we are a better team offensively this year than last season. "

Newcomers include juniors Cody Edely, an offensive and defensive lineman, and Chris Griffin, a wideout who will also see time at defensive back.

Sophomore Matt Tracey is the team's center and will see a lot of minutes as a defensive lineman.

Osborn noted the vast improvement in team strength.

"At the end of last season, we made a commitment to getting physically stronger as a team," Osborn said. "We have accomplished that goal. The kids have worked tirelessly in the weight room to become stronger. When you are playing sophomores and juniors against a majority of seniors, strength can be an issue."