Cheshire Linemen Finish College Football Career In The Trenches

March 8, 2010 by Greg Lederer

Senior offensive linemen Brian Wycinowski and Mike Thomas were focused on producing strong finishes to their college football careers last fall. But on Friday, Nov. 13, the 2006 Cheshire High School graduates crossed paths and shared memories from their days playing locally for Cheshire Head Coach Mark Ecke.
Thomas (St. Lawrence University-Canton, New York) and Wycinowski (Lafayette College-Easton, Pa.) were staying at the same hotel. They surprisingly ran into each other in the lobby.
“It was the night before my last game and his second to last game,” recalled Thomas. “I saw him on the couch and we had a funny conversation. We always hung out back in town and now we mostly see each other during the holidays and summer.”
The guards had contrasting roles in college. Wycinowski, a three-year letterman, started two years for a nationally ranked Division I-AA team. Thomas saw limited time prior to his senior season and St. Lawrence was frustrated by in tight losses. The same passion for football and camaraderie is what kept them playing for four years.
“It's definitely surreal. It goes by really fast,” Thomas reflected. “You get there as a freshman and think it will last forever. Freshman year goes by so slowly and then everything picks up. It was a great opportunity.”
“Going out there every Saturday with the guys was the best,” added Wycinowski. “I'm not going to say that I will miss practice, but I'm going to miss playing the game and sport I love.”
Wycinowski helped extend a strong tradition. Lafayette compiled a 28-17 record over the last four years for Head Coach Frank Tavani, winning the 2006 Patriot League title to advance to the NCAA Football Championship Series Playoffs. A state champion shot-putter at CHS, he transitioned size and strength to the next level. He played junior varsity during his freshman season and then earned a varsity letter one year later. Hard work paid off when he became the starting left guard in 2008.
“My first three years, I had an offensive line coach who was all about learning the game mentally,” Wycinowski explained. “I became a more physical player under our new line coach (Stan Clayton). He came from Toledo and played at Penn State (University) and the NFL. We'd have fights break out at practice.”
The new mentality wasn't the only change for his senior season. Classmates Ryan Hart-Predmore (left tackle) and Michael Wojcik (center) returned alongside Wycinowski, but the right side of the line remained unsettled. Sophomores Anthony Buffolino and Scott Biel emerged to complete the group.
“The first day we had practice, it was ugly. You can tell the difference between working with guys for a couple years and playing with them for the first time. You get a read on what they are going to do,” said Wycinowski. “Every day, I wanted to set an example. I really thought we helped mold those guys. I get along very well with the guys below me. We are the only ones practicing on camp during pre-season.”
The Leopards got off to a strong start by winning eight of their first nine games last fall. That stretch included a come-from-behind 24-21 victory over Columbia. Trailing 21-17 with 6:09 remaining, Lafayette took control of the ball at their 12-yard line. They churned the clock during a 13-play drive that saw senior tailback Maurice White score a two-yard touchdown with 13 seconds left.
“I'd much rather run the ball than pass, but we had a very good quarterback (senior Rob Curley) this year,” Wycinowski added.
The season had a disappointing finish for the senior class. In a match-up of nationally ranked teams, Lafayette saw their seven-game win streak snapped 28-26 at the College of the Holy Cross. The game decided the Patriot League Championship, since both teams entered with unbeaten division records.
One week later, they came up short in another nail-biter at Lehigh. The 145th meeting between Lehigh and Lafayette is the longest rivalry in college football. The ESPN Game Day crew stopped by to broadcast their pre-game show.
“It's really cool because we aren't that far apart and the game gets a lot of people,” explained Wycinowski. “It was unreal. Playing against Southington every year in high school was like this, but not the same scale. We average about 8,000 people a game and then it goes up to almost 20,000.”
Lafayette finished the season ranked in the top 25.
“I wasn't happy about the way it ended,” reflected Wycinowski. “We lost our last two games close, but I can't complain about a 8-3 season. I had a lot of fun.”
Thomas displayed patience and perseverance while working to earn extended time at St. Lawrence. That opportunity came during his senior season. Like Lafayette, the Saints returned leadership up front.
“Going into my senior year, I wasn't sure how much I would play. We had a senior line and three of the five spots were filled by All-(Liberty League) selections,” recalled Thomas, who cracked the rotation at left guard. “It made the four years worth it. It was difficult, especially after the three years of not playing. There were those days when I asked myself if it's worth it. You play because it's fun. You can't really think about it and had to just go out and play.”
He experienced the opposite of what Wycinowski went through coaching-wise. Thomas had a physically demanding coach as an underclassmen and had to transition to Offensive Coordinator Chuck Leierer, a man he considered more laid back.
”We wanted to set an example for the underclassmen,” explained Thomas. “It was smooth because we were so close. We didn't change the offensive style. We were one of the biggest groups on the team and he put it on us to set the tone for practice.”
Thomas feels you can't win without chemistry up front.
“It's the most important,” said Thomas. “If you are not bonding or clicking as a unit, you can tell. We all got along great. We were best friends on campus and lifted together.”
Linemen don't often receive the glory of the skill positions. So Thomas feels their performance is reflected in the success of the offense. A fine example would be his final game at Western Polytechnic Institute. Senior running back Connor Hackett broke the school record for career touchdowns, as St. Lawrence scored three times and and compiled 261 yards in a 24-21 victory.
“He is one of the hardest working guys I've ever met. He was thrust into a tough position as a freshman because we didn't have any other tailbacks,” Thomas recalled. “That's the closest we ever get to a record and we take pride in helping him get that. We want to run the ball and do it successfully.”
Unfortunately, some of their strongest efforts ended in defeat.
“Our yards per carry is a reflection on the offensive line as a whole,” said Thomas. “We lost a tough game at Union (20-17 in overtime), but rushed the ball for over 200 yards against one of the best teams in our league. Susquehanna is another game we lost (21-7), but that was one where I played my best. It was a big rushing game (231 yards) for us and to take it to the league champion, was fun to do.”
Thomas credits Head Coach Chris Phelps for their success offensively and his motivational skills.
“We went from 1-9 to 3-7 as seniors. It doesn't seem like much, but it meant a lot to us,” added Thomas. “Being Division III, we are considered one of the smallest divisions in college football. We are playing schools with rich traditions. No matter who you are playing, it had the clout of Cheshire and Southington on Thanksgiving. It was more of a pride thing because everybody wanted to finish on top of the Liberty League.”
Senior Day against Rochester (20-7, loss) was a surreal feeling.
“It was tough saying goodbye to that home crowd,” Thomas reflected. “It's definitely sad that it's over. The best advice I can give to everyone is if they can play college athletics, I would do it. I've had a great time, met good people, and made great memories.”