Cardinal O’Hara sophomore quarterback/punter Anthony DiFrancesco practices his kicking during a practice earlier this week. DiFrancesco is in a battle with senior Maurice Betton for the starting quarterback job. Photo by John Rusac Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com Winning football has become commonplace for the Cardinal O’Hara Hawks during the past five years. The Hawks have been piling up the hardware on O’Hara Road in Tonawanda with five consecutive Monsignor Martin Association League A titles. The latest came last November as they defeated rival St. Mary’s of Lancaster, 23-7, in the title game at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

In order to start a new decade with the same kind of championship success, the Hawks will need to overcome some changes and questions at quarterback in 2010.

Last year’s starting quarterback, Jabari Gordon, transferred to Lafayette during the offseason. Gordon threw for 420 yards and five touchdowns and ran for 122 yards and three more touchdowns in 2009. The Hawks will have a couple of options to replace him at the start of the season.

Head coach Angelo Sciandra said the top two quarterbacks, Maurice Betton and Anthony DiFrancesco, will split time to start the season as Sciandra has yet to make a choice for a full-time starter. Both saw time with the first team during O’Hara’s scrimmage with Cleveland Hill on Saturday, and Sciandra said both quarterbacks are capable of handling the offense.

“It’ll be a two-headed monster,” said Sciandra, who is in his 12th year as Hawks’ head coach. “I’m not ready to pick one quarterback yet. They both do good things and bad things. They can do everything. They can run our spread, and they can run our conventional offense.”

Both quarterbacks have the ideal size to play the position. DiFrancesco, a sophomore, is 5-foot-10, 150 pounds, while Betton, a senior, is 6-foot, 130 pounds. Sciandra said he saw both good and bad things from his quarterbacks in Saturday’s scrimmage. He says the battle for the starting spot is pretty even at this point, and eventually he hopes one guy will emerge as the top choice. If necessary, the Hawks will use the number two quarterback as a wide receiver.

“They’re both accepting of their roles at this point, but they both want to be the starter,” Sciandra said. “They’ve been alternating all through doubles, so they’re used to it.”

O’Hara’s strength in recent years hasn’t been its passing game; it’s been the running game. The Hawks featured a multifaceted rushing attack last year that included Robert Davis, Dylan Jindra, Fred Nolley, Dereon Washington and Brandon Lyles, as well as Gordon from the quarterback spot. The group combined for 2,520 total yards. This year Davis, Washington and Lyles will return to spearhead the Hawks’ ground game. They will be joined in the backfield by junior Kyree Carter and senior Koran McCoy.

Opening holes for those backs are junior guards Devon Rose and Chris Driver, the anchors of O’Hara’s offensive line. Sophomore Khari Wright will also contribute as a run-blocking tight end and will start on defense at safety.

In addition to to changes on the roster, O’Hara’s biggest obstacle will be a daunting nine-game regular season schedule. The Hawks open up at Canisius at 2 p.m. Saturday, a team Sciandra says should be one of the best in the state. The Hawks’ home opener will be a week later against Xavier, one of the top teams from New York City. O’Hara’s league schedule includes a road game at St. Mary’s and a visit from St. Joe’s. The regular season concludes with a game at Steubenville, Ohio.

“It’s the most challenging schedule we’ve taken on in a long time,” Sciandra said. “We need to get better in a hurry.”

In addition to talented rosters during their five-year title run, the Hawks have been very fortunate with injuries. The Hawks have remained relatively healthy in recent years and have kept their players on the field. Health has been a big contributor to O’Hara’s success. Sciandra said his team will need to stay away from the trainers again if they want to win a sixth-straight title.

“We hope to be (in contention for a title) if we can stay healthy,” Sciandra said. “We need to get better and compete. It would be nice, though, to win six in a row.”

A sixth-straight title would only further the legacy of the Hawks in the Monsignor Martin Association as well as Sciandra as a top head coach. Sciandra knows there’s a lot of work needed to get there, though, and hopes his players realize the same thing.

“It’s not going to be easy,” he said. “We ’re young this year. We need to get better each day and hope it works out. I know it’s cliche, but we need to focus on getting better each day and each week. We’re a long way away.”

e-mail: mmigliore@beenews.com