PRZVA Team Previews: Bishop O’Connell Knights

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Last Years Result: 2-9</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Head Coach Todd Sabatino and his staff enter year three with the Knights and confidence levels are high over in Arlington. Playing in a very difficult WCAC Conference, Coach Sabatino squad is excited about the 2025 season. The Knights have been on the cusp these past two seasons but now seem poised to finish above .500 football for the first time in over a decade.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Returnees:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1741768' first='Joshua' last='Taliaferro'], Kellen Hicks, Tyler McManus, [player_tooltip player_id='1313473' first='Nick' last='Morris'], Daniel Erickson, [player_tooltip player_id='1738872' first='Xavier' last='Reid'], James Fatzinger, Elijah Moran</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1313473"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6887dab42247e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Highly ranked in our 2027 top 300, [player_tooltip player_id='1313473' first='Nick' last='Morris'] was an ALL-WCAC honorable mention selection a year ago. He is tough hard nosed back who never goes down on initial contact. You better not try to arm tackle this back either he will make you pay. He runs with great vision too, really looks the lead back for the Knights once again this fall. We marked him as athlete for his position because he is, his future at the next level may be at outside linebacker. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1738872"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6888c8707cab6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Watched about 2 minutes worth of tape on Reid before I was sold, this dude is a stud at both corner and receiver. [player_tooltip player_id='1738872' first='Xavier' last='Reid'] is a junior to be at 6'2 and 170 lbs., spoiler alert we are going to add him to our updated 2027 rankings coming next month. Very good ball skills and rangy at corner, Reid has a chance to be one of the best dbs in the league this year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1741768"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-688a18a0c442c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Really good linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1741768' first='Joshua' last='Taliaferro'] is back in the fold after a solid junior season. Looks healthy again and that should be good news for Knights fan as Taliaferro gets after it. A hybrid linebacker/safety he too should be a playing at the division 3 level or higher a year from now. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/JTaliaferro2008/status/1878631093278326811","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/JTaliaferro2008/status/1878631093278326811 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Newcomers:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1269901' first='Piero' last='Fichera'], Jayden Campbell, [player_tooltip player_id='1741775' first='Pierce' last='Hall']</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1269901"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-688a1a2adea9c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Transferring from Wakefield [player_tooltip player_id='1269901' first='Piero' last='Fichera'] brings leadership and experience to the Knights locker room. Playing a lot prior to his injury Fichera has a nice deep ball and can move well on the run. Watching him sling it at our showcases he looks poised to finish out his high school career with a bang. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/pfichera_9/status/1948041175371260068","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/pfichera_9/status/1948041175371260068 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1741775"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-688a1a2adeaf6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Another transfer that Coach Sabatino seems high is running back [player_tooltip player_id='1741775' first='Pierce' last='Hall']. He looks like a tough hard nosed runner from his tape last year with Colgan. Behind this impressive offensive line, Hall can come in as a sophomore and contribute right away. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head Coach's Thoughts on the offseason and expectations</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>As we enter year three as a staff, we believe this has been our best offseason—from the end of last season to the start of camp. We've worked hard to define and solidify what we want our process to look like. It all starts in the weight room, where our numbers are strong in the three major lifts: bench, squat, and cleans. This summer, we pushed the boys harder than ever—with sled work, sprint and agility training designed to build not just physical strength, but mental toughness.  Our focus wasn't limited to the field. We spent a lot of time in the classroom, raising our football IQ and learning our playbook.  We don't talk about setting goals or chasing wins. We believe in our process.  We trust it. And we know it will be the key to our success.</em>" Coach Sabatino</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->