Bears expect to be an improved team this fall

Last year, the East Brunswick High School football team had a mixed record, going 5-5, and 2-5 in its division.

PHOTOS BY ANDREW MILLER Doug Fischer (r) will be taking over the quarterbacking duties for East Brunswick this season, as the Bears and head coach Marcus Borden (below) hope to emerge as contenders in the GMC's Red Division. This season, Coach Marcus Borden says, the Bears have a "mixed group, with more players back on defense. On offense, we run a triple option, and we'll do that again this year, though we probably won't be throwing the ball as much."

The key asset for the Bears is that eight returning starters are back on the defensive side. Senior Bobby Tocco, who stands 5-10 and weighs 170, is the safety, while junior Dustin Schuld (5-9, 130) is a corner back. Both players also serve as running backs.

Randy Varbelow (5-10, 160), a junior, is at linebacker, along with junior Justin Price (5-9, 160). Senior Mike Kelleman (5- 6, 156) is an outside linebacker, while other linebackers include Malik Holmes (5-11, 170), a junior, and senior Peter Zheng (5-9, 166). Both Tocco and Kelleman recorded more than 60 tackles last year, while Price registered 51.

Kevin Norris (6-2, 216), a senior, is one of the defensive ends, along with Ray Bryan, a senior 200-pound 6-footer.

As for the offensive unit, Nick Ziugdza (5-10, 220), a senior, is at tackle, while Ryan Ross (6-0, 170), a senior, is the wide receiver and place-kicker. Tocco runs the ball, and amassed 362 yards last season. Kelleman and Zheng gained a little over 100 yards last year in limited action.

The Bears have a new quarterback in Doug Fischer, a 6-0, 158-pound senior who replaces Randall Nixon, who passed for 1,167 yards last season.

"He's feeling his way," Borden says.

The coach adds that he has the usual expectations for the coming campaign.

"Of course, we want to compete for the conference championship and get into the state playoffs," he said. "Everybody has those things to shoot for. What we're hoping is that our defense will keep us in games until the offense has the chance to mature and develop."

Assisting Borden this fall are Keith Lane, Andy Steinfeld, Glenn and Matt Pazinko, Justin Hornlein, Chris Yannazzo, Tom Giordano and David Hagen.