|
|
Futures looking bright
Though only
one is a D-I lock right now, Roxbury's Mangiro and West Morris' Burton
look like the real deal
Together, they represent the very best that Morris
County high school football has to offer.
One is a sure-fire Division I stud, the object
of practically every single major college in America — and he's only a
junior. He's already being called the best lineman in New Jersey and some
colleges would have him projected as their top prospect if he was able to
come out of high school right now — and he still has two years of high
school football ahead of him.
The other has all the talent and skill to be a major college football
prospect, but an injury-filled junior year pushed him to the back of most
programs' recruiting depth charts. Now, as a senior, he has to prove
himself all over again.
The one whose future is pretty much predetermined is Roxbury's brilliant
two-way lineman Angelo Mangiro. The one whose future is somewhat in doubt
is West Morris' sensational two-way performer Mike Burton.
The two play at rival schools that practically neighbor each other and
they will even meet each other head-to-head in a highly anticipated
showdown Oct. 30 in Chester.
But the roads to the rest of their football lives are so dramatically
different.
Mangiro, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound man-child, has been starting on both sides
of the ball for the Gaels for the last two years. He's been getting
letters and brochures from all the major colleges even before he enrolled
at Roxbury and is already the apple of every recruiter's eye, even though
he's just entering his junior year.
"A lot of coaches already invited me out to their season openers," said
Mangiro, whose older brothers Vinnie and Santino were products of the
Roxbury football program as well. "I told them that I might if I could
work it into my schedule. Right now, Roxbury football comes first."
Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano is already drooling at the prospects of
landing the prospect Mangiro. Boston College, UCLA, Ohio State, Notre Dame
and North Carolina State have already come calling.
"I think it's pretty cool," Mangiro said. "Maybe there's a little more
pressure on me now to perform because of it. But I have to make sure I
take care of things in the classroom and make sure that I am careful with
who I hang out with. I think I now have more to lose than the average high
school student."
While Mangiro can pick and choose whatever major college he wants, Burton
is not that fortunate. Burton is not really undersized at 6-foot-1 and 220
pounds, but the colleges aren't exactly knocking down the doors because he
missed more than half of the Wolf Pack's contests last year due to two
unfortunate injuries.
Burton first suffered a broken foot when he dropped a 40-pound weight on
it while working out at home. Then, after missing three weeks to the
injury, Burton returned against Livingston, only to suffer a high ankle
sprain, forcing him back to the sidelines.
In between, Burton rushed for 789 yards on just 81 carries and scored 17
touchdowns — all in just five games, just 15 quarters of action. If he was
healthy, Burton would have shattered every single Wolf Pack rushing
record.
"It was really frustrating, not being able to play," Burton said. "I had
to deal with it. I worked hard to get back and then I got hurt again. So I
just kept working to get back out there again. It really bothered me,
because my junior year was supposed to be my really big year. I worked
hard going to camps to get my name out there, but because I missed so much
last year, the colleges want to see more."
West Morris head coach Kevin Hennelly realizes just how important it is
for his star player to stay healthy this season.
"Mike wants to play at the highest level and I think he can, but some of
the schools have now put him on the backburner," Hennelly said. "I think
the first three or four games will dictate how many schools will come to
look at him."
While Burton had standout statistics last season in his five games
offensively, Hennelly realizes that the determined Burton could easily be
a defensive player on the next level.
"But right now, his whole highlight film is offense," Hennelly said.
"That's why this season is so important to him. But we need him to do what
he was doing last year before he got hurt and more. We lost a number of
veteran kids and Mike is one of the few veterans we have back. So if Mike
goes, the offense goes. He has to be our leading player on both sides of
the ball and I expect that."
Mangiro believes that he's more of an offensive player and will be either
a guard or a tackle on the college level.
"Some schools are recruiting me just on offense, but they like the fact
that I can play both," Mangiro said. "I know that I have to be working
extra hard now, because a lot of teams want to take down the top dog."
Roxbury head coach Cosmo Lorusso knows that Mangiro is a special player.
Lorusso had experience dealing with big-time recruits. When he was the
coach at Pequannock, Lorusso handled the onslaught of recruiters who
coveted quarterback Chris Wispelwey, who eventually went to Duke in 2000.
"It's a whole different process now," Lorusso said. "Everyone has revved
up the whole process and come after kids earlier and earlier. But Coach
Schiano told Angelo when he was down there, to remember that he still had
two years of high school left and that he should make sure he enjoyed it.
With all these recruiting pressures, they don't let the kid enjoy the
football part. I don't think that will affect Angelo at all. He's the most
level headed kid you'll ever find. He puts the team above everything and
cares about his teammates. He has no qualms working with the scout team or
carrying the bags to practice. He hasn't lost perspective of it all. I
think that describes Angelo in a nutshell."
Lorusso has warned Mangiro that he's going to be a hunted player this
season, because of his size and his preseason hype.
"He is a target now and teams are going to measure themselves by how they
do against him," Lorusso said. "But he's so mature. I know he can handle
it. I think it starts with his family. His father knows what's going on
and both of his brothers were captains here. I think Angelo will have the
benefit of me knowing about the recruiting process. But I know he can
handle it all by the type of kid he is. He's admired by his teammates, who
voted him as a captain last year when he was a sophomore."
Mangiro admits that the attention from the college coaches is flattering.
"I would be lying if I said that it didn't feel good," Mangiro said. "It
does. But I still have to go to school, get grades, be sociable. It's not
the main thing for me. I want to win this year. That's more important."
Mangiro doesn't have to worry about his grades, having posted a 3.5 grade
point average over his first two years.
Burton just has to make sure that someone, anyone takes notice this year.
Rutgers and Pitt have shown limited interest. Monmouth would take him in a
heartbeat, but Burton, who is also a fine lacrosse player in the spring,
wants to be a D-I football player.
"I'm real healthy right now and ready to get going," Burton said. "I know
I have to have a huge year because of what happened last year. I
definitely don't want that to happen again. I've been working real hard,
because I feel like I have to prove myself all over again. But I'm very
competitive."
About the lack of schools?
"I can't let it get to me, but it is a motivation to work harder," Burton
said. "I know I'll have a blowout season and then everything will take
care of itself."
And of course, there's the showdown between the two top performers on
Mischief Night in Chester.
"I'm looking forward to it," Burton said. "There is a rivalry between our
schools and it should be a great game."
"It's always great when we play West Morris," Mangiro said. "I'm always up
for that game."
And Morris County is up to see how its two top football players turn out
in 2009.
By JIM HAGUE • SPECIAL TO THE DAILY RECORD •
September 10, 2009 |
