01:34 AM EDT on Thursday, October 6, 2005

Frank the moderator: Hey again. TONIGHT @ 8 p.m. Carolyn is back and welcomes members of the Cranston West football team. Please submit a question and come back tonight (Wednesday) night. Thanks.

Carolyn Thornton: Hello again, everyone. This is Carolyn and I am here at the Journal tonight with Anthony Ferrer, Thomas Hitt and Stephen Grande. Senior captains Charlie Haskell, Anthony Castelli, Frank DiVencenzo couldn't join us tonight because they are at the Captain and Coaches dinner hosted by the Grid Iron Club, but Anthony Ferrer, who is also a captain, is here so we thank him for passing up the dinner to chat with us, along with Thomas and Stephen.

nick121488: What has been your greatest barrier to overcome competing at the high school level?
Cranston West football: Thomas: I think it's pretty much staying on task and repeating as Super Bowl champs because everyone's out to get us this season. Stephen: Everybody expecting us to win every game. It's so much pressure if we lose. It feels like we're not only letting our team down, we're letting the whole city down. Anthony: And there are a lot of distractions going on at school. There's girls, your friends, schoolwork. Stephen: Our jobs, too. Anthony: You've just got to make sure you overcome those distractions.

curlsup: Do you ever find it difficult or demanding to be a captain, a teammate, and a friend simultaneously?
Cranston West football: Anthony: It can be tough at times because if you have a friend that's not doing the right thing on the field or isn't trying their hardest, then as a captain, it's my responsbility to let him know that. And sometimes they could take it personal. You've just got to let them know that it isn't personal. It's my job as a captain to make sure no one is doing anything that could hurt the team.

Carolyn Thornton: You guys had a big win over Fitch High School, a team from Groton, Conn., two weeks ago and then had a tough loss to Rogers on Friday night. How has the morale been this week at practice?
Cranston West football: Anthony: The last few practices have been rough. Today we practiced for 3 1/2 hours. But no one's complaining really because everyone knows we need it. Stephen: The linemen have a new motto for the week: Block to the whistle. Anthony: Now people realize that they can't just put their helmet on and expect to win. Thomas: This week, you can see people emerging - who wants to play and who doesn't. But we have to forget about last week's loss and get ready for the next game. We play La Salle this Saturday and it's our homecoming. Nobody wants to lose any game, but especially homecoming.

Carolyn Thornton: What advice would you give to parents who have a child interested in playing football? What's the best way to get started?
Cranston West football: Thomas: I started back in CLCF. This is probably my 10th or 11th year. It's just good to start in a program like that because you'll learn how to play the game the right way. Anthony: I didn't start until my freshman year because I was always too heavy to play in CLCF. Stephen: Me, too. I just watched a lot of football and played a lot of backyard games. Anthony: My grandfather taught me a lot about the game. Thomas: You make a lot of friends. I wouldn't have a lot of the friends I have now if I didn't football.

Carolyn Thornton: What would you say to the parents who are worried about their kids getting hurt playing football?
Cranston West football: Thomas: Well, I can't say that you're never going to get hurt playing, but with all that equipment on - pads, helmet - it reduces your chances of getting hurt badly. As long as you play the game at full speed and not tentative, you should be all right. Anthony: You can't worry about getting hurt. Stephen: If you think about getting hurt, you're going to get hurt. Thomas: Right, because if you're standing around and worrying about getting hit, that's when you'll be out of position and have a better chance of getting caught off guard.

Carolyn Thornton: Let's talk about schoolwork. How do you guys balance it with all those hours of practice?
Cranston West football: Thomas: I think you've just got to realize that homework and schoolwork is more important than going out with your friends during the week after practice. There's always time for that on the weekends after you win the football game. Stephen: You really need to do well in school because when report cards come around, if you've got F's, you won't be able to play.

Carolyn Thornton: What has the competition in Division I been like so far this season?
Cranston West football: Anthony: There are a lot of good teams this year. Everyone can compete, as Rogers showed last Friday. Thomas: Every game so far has been a fight. No team has been easy to get by. Everyone's gunning for us. Anthony: Right now, Portsmouth seems to be the team to beat. They're the only undefeated team right now. Thomas: They've got a really good backfield and a good line.

Carolyn Thornton: What has been working well for your team in your first 4 games?
Cranston West football: Anthony: Our running game has been able to control the ball. And our defense has been strong. Thomas: We had a little mishap in the fourth game. We just didn't play up to our potential. Stephen: When our offensive line plays to its capability, we can be the best offensive line in the state. Thomas: We also have potentially one of the best backfields in the state, as long as everyone blocks for each other. If we cut down on our turnovers, we're a hard team to stop.

Carolyn Thornton: How about your diet? How much do you worry about what you eat and what would you eat in a typical day?
Cranston West football: Thomas: As the lightest one out of the three of us, I think eating habits are important because, for example, if you don't have a healthy lunch, you obviously won't be ready to practice in the afternoon. Thomas: Every night before a game, we have team night at Restaurant 99 on Oaklawn Ave. I always have pasta, broccoli and chicken. Anthony: I usually have steak. Stephen: I get the chicken fingers. Anthony: At the beginning of the season, it was tough for me because I came in overweight. So I ate my meals, but I cut down on the portions. And I always tried to get some chicken in because it's good for the protein. Stephen: I eat a lot of vegetables, but honestly I don't worry all that much about what I eat. I actually don't eat a lot during the season. I don't know why. But my mom feeds me well. Thomas: So does my mom. Anthony: My mom, too.

Carolyn Thornton: What about weight training? How much do you work out and what is your workout routine like.
Cranston West football: Stephen: We work out only once a week as a team during the season. Most of your preparation has to come in the offseason. If you don't work out in the winter and summer, you'll have a tough time going through double sessions. Thomas: You can't be coming into camp out of shape. Stephen: It's really important that you run and lift. Thomas: Steve Crandall is a good example of someone who worked hard in the offseason and earned a spot on the team. He came into camp in shape, had a very good camp and now he's going to switch at linebacker and tight end.

THOMPS: Anthony Castelli is that you?
Cranston West football: No. But Anthony, Tom and Steve are here.

THOMPS: I was wondering what the student population thought of the football team and Coach Stoehr?
Cranston West football: Thomas: I think the student population - and the faculty, too - are pretty much behind us. Anthony: Teachers come to the games and students get really spirited for our games. Thomas: As for Coach Stoehr, he's a very good game-planner. And he's the best coach I've ever had in any sport.

Carolyn Thornton: What else about Coach Stoehr and his coaching staff has helped your team achieve the success it has in recent seasons?
Cranston West football: Anthony: The coaches game plan a lot. They go to our opponents' games and scout other teams. Basically when we play another team, we know exactly what they're doing and we're as prepared as possible to face them. Thomas: Whenever we have extra time during our free period, we'll go down and watch game film. Anthony: And he doesn't let us get big heads either. You could have the best game of your life, but he'll still make sure you know what things you need to work on and do better the next time. Stephen: When he screams at you, it means he likes you. Thomas: In the end, you realize that he's your best friend and he's just trying to help you out. Anthony: Mentally, he psyches us up for games. He'll post up quotes that other people have said to get us fired up. Thomas: After that, it's up to us to get it done on the field.

Carolyn Thornton: Do any of you play other sports for Cranston West and if so, is it hard to play more than one?
Cranston West football: Anthony: I wrestle, and it actually starts up before football ends. So right when football ends, I have to go to practice the very next day. It's tough in a way, but I like it. Thomas: I play basketball with It's tough to transition from a contact sport to one where if you make contact, it's a foul. I have to realize that I need to settle down. Stephen: I play baseball for different travel teams, so I get a few months off in the winter in between.

THOMPS: What are your thoughts about the homecoming game? Should I get my hopes up for a huge victory?
Cranston West football: Anthony: Yes. Thomas: Yes. Stephen: Yes. Stephen: It's going to be an intense game. Thomas: Dress for bad weather. Everyone loves a mud game. Anthony: This will be the first time we've played them since last year's Super Bowl, so they'll be coming out looking for revenge. And we'll be looking to bounce back from our loss to Rogers. We'll be on fire and they'll be on fire, so it should be a tough game.

THOMPS: Do you enjoy playing for Coach Stoehr?
Cranston West football: Stephen: Yes, I think he really knows what he's talking about. Thomas: With the new baby coming, I'm sure it's hard for him to focus on football, but he still gives 100 percent every week and makes sure we're ready for every game. Anthony: I love him.

Carolyn Thornton: Well, it looks like our time is up, so we're going to let Anthony, Thomas and Stephen get home so they can catch the last inning of the Red Sox-White Sox game. Guys, thanks for taking the time to chat with us tonight. Have a great homecoming this weekend!