Weapons aplenty for Bruins

Baldwin may have disappointed as the No. 1 seed in Conference I with a 4-4 regular-season record and first-round playoff loss to Hempstead, but the Bruins are always considered contenders and this year is no different.

A hungry group of 50 began practice on Aug. 19 for coach Steve Carroll, who had an early grip on what the depth chart will look like when fifth-seeded Baldwin opens at Port Washington on Sept. 10. The Bruins won four of their first five last year before closing on a four-game losing streak that included overtime losses to Uniondale and Freeport.

“We have a nice mix of position players returning and someone basically set in every spot,” Carroll said. “The kids had a strong summer. We’re seeded right where we should be at five and I feel we can play with anybody.”

The Bruins lost some leadership with the graduation of quarterback Luke Nolan, lineman Joe Doyle and receiver Joe Ednie, however, seniors Alonzo Holcombe and Femi Aliyu, to name a few, are ready to step in. “Alonzo and Femi have been through the rough time we had in 2006, played in a championship game in 2007 and the playoffs last year,” Carroll said. “They’re more than capable of leading us.”

With Holcombe and Aliyu coming out of the backfield along with junior Aaron Greene, opponents will have their hands full defending the run. Holcombe rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 2008 and scored 14 touchdowns, including two on as many carries in a wild triple-overtime loss to Freeport in the regular-season finale.

“Alonzo came to work in great shape,” Carroll said of the All-County selection. “He’s going to get a lot of carries and also lead our secondary. He’s got an uncanny way of breaking on the ball, so we’re looking at him as a strong safety but he can also play corner.” Aliyu, a short-yardage back, enters his fourth year as a starting linebacker. “Femi knows the system and knows where he has to be all the time,” Carroll said. “He’s a difference maker.”