Veteran offensive line helps fuel offense for RBC football team
October 20, 2023 at 7:00 a.m.
As Red Bank Catholic’s football team sits No. 3 in NJ.com’s Top-20 rankings with a 6-1 record, most people know about Frankie Williams’ passing exploits, the rushing achievements of Williams, Luke Wassef and Matt Lonczak and the receiving heroics of Emmanuel Ross.
Those are the sleek components visible on the display floor; but it’s the engine hidden within the machine that makes it run so well.
Sparked by the blocking of the most experienced offensive line in Mike Lange’s five years as head coach, RBC has churned out 1,180 rushing yards and 1,030 passing yards and is averaging 316 yards of total offense per game.
RBC center Luke Mascarenhas gets ready to snap the ball against Howell during a game earlier this season. Photo by Jennifer Harms/J Harms PhotographyRight guard Lorenzo Portella is a four-year starter and right tackle Tyler Burnham has started for three years on the senior-dominated line. Center Luke Mascarenhas and left tackle Patrick Magee are starting for the second straight year and left guard Daniel Lezeau is the unit’s lone newbie.
“It just makes a world of difference,” Lange said. “To have that nucleus back with that experience, making the line calls and everything that goes into it, it’s just a comfort level that we obviously take advantage of as much as we can.”
At 6-2, 270 pounds, Portella has taken nearly every snap on the offensive and defensive line this season, and was even on the punt return team at one point. He was a first-team All Shore Conference selection in 2022.
“Tell me another lineman, maybe in the state, that plays 130 snaps and plays at the level he does,” Lange said. “He’s a high motor guy; you forget that he’s a lineman. He’s just never tired. I don’t know if that’s the wrestler in him or what, but I think he’s just a dominant player and a great kid.
“His technique is phenomenal with his hand placement and his feet,” the coach continued. “He’s super athletic. It’s amazing.”
Burnham, a hulking 6-6, 305 pounds, was a second-team All-Shore pick whose work ethic was lauded by Lange.
“At his size, he’s an athletic kid,” the coach said. “He’s a good pass blocker, and that kind of ties in with his basketball skills. You see his footwork come out all the time.
“He’s a leader out there. The kids look up to him because of his stature. Also, the comfort level of having those two guys together for the last three years has been super beneficial.”
Mascarenhas is a 6-1, 255 pounder who “quarterbacks” the line and makes sure the right blocking schemes are in place once he snaps the ball.
“Your center has always gotta be your leader just by the position,” Lange said. “In our offense you’ve gotta make a lot of calls, make a lot of decisions quickly, change the protections. With what we do, it’s so valuable to have a guy who knows what the heck he’s doing there.”
Patrick Magee provides blocking for quarterback Frankie Williams. Photo by Jennifer Harms/J Harms PhotographyMagee is nearly identical to Mascarenhas in size at 6-2, 255, and worked his way up from the JV as a sophomore.
“He just brings his lunch pail and goes to work every day,” Lange said. “He’s worked to get where he is. I’m proud of him. He’s what you look for in a football player. Once he got up to varsity, he started every game. He’s a likable guy; he leads by example.”
The lone newcomer is the 6-2, 260-pound Lezeau, who has earned a starting varsity job as a senior.
“Daniel is doing well,” Lange said. “There’s a lot of potential there. He’s a powerful guy, the production we get out of him has been tremendous. He’s helped us a lot this year, seeing that we needed that one spot filled.”
Tight ends Luke Krzyzkowski (6-foot-3, 225), a returning starter, and Jack Bohm-Squicciarini (6-5, 210) also help with the blocking. They alternate at times and will line up at different sets together on occasion, which Lange said, “is a nice luxury to have.”
Rotating in on the line are senior Logan Graham, an All-Shore defensive player who helps give the starters a rest, and junior Gavin O’Malley. The o-line coach is Matt Finucane, whom Lange coached as a player when he was at Bishop Ahr High School (now St. Thomas Aquinas High School), Edison.
“He does a great job with them,” Lange said. “We’re doing some things we haven’t done in the past. “We may have some more guys pulling or we’re doing some traps. It’s just the luxury of having those guys there.”
A luxury that doesn’t get a lot of media attention, but one that the Caseys can’t do without.
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As Red Bank Catholic’s football team sits No. 3 in NJ.com’s Top-20 rankings with a 6-1 record, most people know about Frankie Williams’ passing exploits, the rushing achievements of Williams, Luke Wassef and Matt Lonczak and the receiving heroics of Emmanuel Ross.
Those are the sleek components visible on the display floor; but it’s the engine hidden within the machine that makes it run so well.
Sparked by the blocking of the most experienced offensive line in Mike Lange’s five years as head coach, RBC has churned out 1,180 rushing yards and 1,030 passing yards and is averaging 316 yards of total offense per game.
RBC center Luke Mascarenhas gets ready to snap the ball against Howell during a game earlier this season. Photo by Jennifer Harms/J Harms PhotographyRight guard Lorenzo Portella is a four-year starter and right tackle Tyler Burnham has started for three years on the senior-dominated line. Center Luke Mascarenhas and left tackle Patrick Magee are starting for the second straight year and left guard Daniel Lezeau is the unit’s lone newbie.
“It just makes a world of difference,” Lange said. “To have that nucleus back with that experience, making the line calls and everything that goes into it, it’s just a comfort level that we obviously take advantage of as much as we can.”
At 6-2, 270 pounds, Portella has taken nearly every snap on the offensive and defensive line this season, and was even on the punt return team at one point. He was a first-team All Shore Conference selection in 2022.
“Tell me another lineman, maybe in the state, that plays 130 snaps and plays at the level he does,” Lange said. “He’s a high motor guy; you forget that he’s a lineman. He’s just never tired. I don’t know if that’s the wrestler in him or what, but I think he’s just a dominant player and a great kid.
“His technique is phenomenal with his hand placement and his feet,” the coach continued. “He’s super athletic. It’s amazing.”
Burnham, a hulking 6-6, 305 pounds, was a second-team All-Shore pick whose work ethic was lauded by Lange.
“At his size, he’s an athletic kid,” the coach said. “He’s a good pass blocker, and that kind of ties in with his basketball skills. You see his footwork come out all the time.
“He’s a leader out there. The kids look up to him because of his stature. Also, the comfort level of having those two guys together for the last three years has been super beneficial.”
Mascarenhas is a 6-1, 255 pounder who “quarterbacks” the line and makes sure the right blocking schemes are in place once he snaps the ball.
“Your center has always gotta be your leader just by the position,” Lange said. “In our offense you’ve gotta make a lot of calls, make a lot of decisions quickly, change the protections. With what we do, it’s so valuable to have a guy who knows what the heck he’s doing there.”
Patrick Magee provides blocking for quarterback Frankie Williams. Photo by Jennifer Harms/J Harms PhotographyMagee is nearly identical to Mascarenhas in size at 6-2, 255, and worked his way up from the JV as a sophomore.
“He just brings his lunch pail and goes to work every day,” Lange said. “He’s worked to get where he is. I’m proud of him. He’s what you look for in a football player. Once he got up to varsity, he started every game. He’s a likable guy; he leads by example.”
The lone newcomer is the 6-2, 260-pound Lezeau, who has earned a starting varsity job as a senior.
“Daniel is doing well,” Lange said. “There’s a lot of potential there. He’s a powerful guy, the production we get out of him has been tremendous. He’s helped us a lot this year, seeing that we needed that one spot filled.”
Tight ends Luke Krzyzkowski (6-foot-3, 225), a returning starter, and Jack Bohm-Squicciarini (6-5, 210) also help with the blocking. They alternate at times and will line up at different sets together on occasion, which Lange said, “is a nice luxury to have.”
Rotating in on the line are senior Logan Graham, an All-Shore defensive player who helps give the starters a rest, and junior Gavin O’Malley. The o-line coach is Matt Finucane, whom Lange coached as a player when he was at Bishop Ahr High School (now St. Thomas Aquinas High School), Edison.
“He does a great job with them,” Lange said. “We’re doing some things we haven’t done in the past. “We may have some more guys pulling or we’re doing some traps. It’s just the luxury of having those guys there.”
A luxury that doesn’t get a lot of media attention, but one that the Caseys can’t do without.