Thats One Strange Wing-Tby Jeff Cziska Southeastern Regional Hawks South Easton, MA I began my coaching career in 1990 and I was lucky enough to begin my career under the tutelage of my good friend Frank Gracia. Frank was one of my high school coaches and a friend to the family. That season I was primarily a gopher. Instead of being called a coach I was better suited to the role of glorified cheerleader. However, that season of looking, listening and Saturday scouting prepared me better than if I had just been thrown into the fire as an assistant with full coaching responsibilities. After that season I floated around a bit going from college to college (I have always hated school), playing a couple of seasons and coaching another season at my alma mater. It was not until 1999 that I would have the opportunity to coach with Frank again. In 1999 I was hired at Old Colony Voc-Tech as the offensive line coach. I had some learning to do before the season even began, as Old Colony would be running the Bay City T. I had seen the offense run to perfection over at Wareham with their amazing quarterback Stephen Cooper (current linebacker for the San Diego Chargers) under center. We were one of three teams in the state running this offense and knew we would give teams fits. The season opened with a thrilling 16-8 win over Monty Tech. The next week we lost a tough one 18-8 to Nashoba Valley. The night before I went to scout our week 3 opponent, the Austin Prep Cougars. I traveled all the way up to the Manning Bowl with another assistant coach to scout Austin Prep. Upon entering the stadium I noticed the field wasnt even lined. Well, Lowell Catholic came out onto the field and they were both young and low in numbers. Austin Prep didnt look much more impressive. Well, the Cougars got the opening kickoff and came out for their first offensive play. Surprisingly they came out toe to toe on the line, like us, but instead of the T they had two wings. We joked about how the fullback could smell what the quarterback had for lunch. They really did nothing fancy. Toss right, toss left followed by an occasional pass and a trap. This offense they were running was a joke. We were convinced that the only reason they had scored 40 points was because Lowell Catholic was just that bad. Next week would be a cake walk when we went to play them. Their strange version of the WingT would be no match for our Power T. Just as I had predicted it was indeed a cake walk. Austin Prep took a commanding 30-0 lead going into the half. Early into the 3rd quarter it was 38-0 and we salvaged a little dignity by scoring 8 points in the last fleeting minutes of the game. Ive been on the wrong end of scores like this before, but this was just embarrassing. How the hell did we lose to this team running just three plays? I was convinced we just had a mediocre squad at best. Our final 4-7 record cemented that in my mind. That strange offense we faced that afternoon was nothing special and I had soon forgotten about it. The next season my mentor Frank took over as head coach and we made the switch

to the Wing-T. Within months I became one of those crazy Wing-T Disciples and I knew in my heart of hearts that there was no better offense. In 2001 we were 7 points away from playing for a State Championship with just a 21 man roster. It was a long season and like the last several was taking a toll on my health. In fact, I had major neck surgery just 4 months before that season. I realized my health was failing and there was only one thing I could do. With a heavy heart I decided I needed to step back and retire from coaching. I had been surfing the internet since 1995 and I was always looking for more football stuff. Its amazing the plethora of information that exists out there. Now out of coaching I found myself spending more time on the web. One day I came across this amazing tale of some team that had scored 880 points. It more than intrigued me. The more I researched the offense the more I changed my thinking about offense. Soon I became an advocate of the Double Wing and tried to show it to everyone I knew and sang its praises. The first taker was my friend Don Herman at Marthas Vineyard. He installed the system in 2003 and won a Super Bowl that very season. The next taker was my current head coach Ned Scaduto. I had met him at physical therapy and when he suffered a 51-0 loss to Marthas Vineyard that season, he too was convinced of the power of this great offense. He installed the system in 2004, but was having less than favorable results. Two games into the season his team was 0-1-1 and had failed to score a point. This phenomenal offense I had sold him on was proving to be a worthless. He asked me that weekend if I could come down and just check things out. I told him I would stop by when I could. Honestly, I had to go by and figure something out. Not only was his season on the line, but so was my good name. I was there the Monday after their game. The problem the team was having was understanding their blocking assignments. I tried without luck to explain it to the offensive linemen. These kids didnt want to understand and really didnt care for this offense where they couldnt even score points. Despite years of 2 win seasons, those previous teams at least scored points. It was do or die time. I simplified things a bit more and showed them just how easy it was to block any front they faced. This snake oil salesman was getting through and making believers along the way.

After our little session we went outside to watch the JV team play. Ned called a timeout and quickly explained the blocking adjustment to the players. The next play a Super Power went 40 yards. Not only were those kids believers, but so were all the varsity players watching the game. After the game we went back to the coaches office and talked a bit while the players lifted. As I was leaving offensive lineman Tony Vincente approached me and asked if I would be back tomorrow. How could I say no? How could I say yes with my health as lousy as it was? See you tomorrow Tony.

Well, we made it through the week and played our first game that Saturday against the defending Super Bowl Champions the South Shore Vikings. With such a formidable opponent I think the main goals that week were to score a touchdown and try and keep it close. Well, we ended up losing the game as we failed convert on the 2-point conversion after scoring with no time left on the clock. It was a loss in the books, but showed everyone that it could be done.

As each week passed the offense improved. We scored a high of 47 points at Homecoming and two weeks later we faced my last employer Old Colony. Of all the games we played, this is the one team I really wanted to beat. A year after I had left Old Colony a coach on the staff as well as former coaches there conspired to get rid of Frank as the head coach. With his dismissal brought my utter disdain for those guys over there. I wanted a little payback. Luckily for them Ned is a classy guy and did not run the score up. We could have easily scored 100 points, but the 45-14 victory was quite satisfying.

One month later we found ourselves where no team in school history had ever ventured. On December 3rd of 2004 we were playing for the Division 4 EMass Super Bowl Championship against the Hyde Park Blue Stars. Despite playing a team bigger, faster (their DT/WR blocked 3 punts and an extra point) and stronger we emerged triumphantly with a 13-0 victory. A year later we defended our title with a 28-7 victory over the OBryant Tigers. A season later we outscored both of Super Bowl squads and last season we earned Runner-Up status in the Large School Vocational Super Bowl. Southeastern Regional use to be the team that everyone wanted on their schedule. The same teams that use to schedule the Hawks, and put one in the win column before the game was even played, now refuse to play us. Its unlikely they ever will again. That strange Wing-T is no joke.