The Newburgh Free Academy football team had a special season in 2021, winning 10 of their 12 games and reaching the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class AA semifinals, before the eventual state champions, Carmel, ended their season.

Now, as they enter 2022, they are looking to build on that experience, and even though the Goldbacks lost their starting quarterback – Dylan Iorlano – to graduation, a shoulder injury in the postseason pressed a freshman quarterback, Mason Hoover, into service.
He did well enough to lead the Goldbacks through the playoffs, and now has an opportunity to make that starting spot permanent, heading into his sophomore year.

In addition to Iorlano, the Goldbacks lost linebacker Sam Okeyo, defensive lineman Semaj Branch, running back Eric Duncan and wide receiver and linebacker Emmanuel Williams, but they are not at a loss for returning talent, including standout wide receiver and linebacker Deondre Johnson.

By the way, Johnson also punts.

The Goldbacks also will welcome back offensive and defensive linemen Fabian Rhoden and Quamere Cueto, running back and defensive back Elijah Bevier, wide receiver and defensive back Jayson Johnson and kicker Luis Tejada.

There will also be some reinforcements coming up for the Goldbacks to replace some of the players that were lost in Jashon Glassey, Xavier Sill, Carl Shaw, Nakei Johnson, Tajir Walker, Jun Rivas and Jose Rivera.

The Goldbacks also will enter the season with varsity coach Bill Bianco, who is heading into his 14th year at the helm and closing in on his 100th win as coach. He currently sits at 98. It’s just a matter of when during the season that the Goldbacks get it for him.

Getting it early could be a challenge, as they face a tough out-of-section schedule early in the season. The Goldbacks will host New Rochelle, who posted a 7-2 record last year before falling to Arlington in the Section 1 Class AA semifinals.

The following week, the Goldbacks will head on the road to face Section 4’s Corning-Painted Post, last year’s Section 4 Class AA champion, who fell to Section 3 champion Cicero-North Syracuse. Then in week 3, the Goldbacks will head back to Academy Field to face Kennedy High School from the Bronx.

Starting in Week 4, the Goldbacks will compete in a much skinnier Section 9 Class AA, which is down to five teams as the Warwick Wildcats, who the Goldbacks beat in last year’s Section 9 Class AA semifinals, dropped to Class A, leaving only the Goldbacks, Monroe-Woodbury, Pine Bush, Kingston and Middletown in Class AA.

Newburgh will open its league schedule on Sept. 23 against the Middletown Middies.

“Making it to the Final Four was a great experience for our program,” Bianco said. “We return a bunch of key players from that group. We’re looking to build on last year’s success with hopes to improve weekly and hopefully get another chance at competition in the state tournament.”