Dylan Evans, Steven Mottola, Dan Harding, AJ Long, Jarrett Williams lead by example

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

A leader is ...

Someone who inspires others.

Someone who has high expectations for his teammates and even higher ones for himself.

Someone who can be vocal or let his actions do the talking.

Someone who wants the ball when the game is on the line.

Dylan Evans, Steven Mottola, Dan Harding, AJ Long and Jarrett Williams are leaders.

These five athletes possess a variety of varsity experiences, ranging from seniors Evans and Mottola, who have been at the upper level since their freshman years, to Long, Williams and Harding, who burst onto The Express-Times area football scene in 2010.

Despite representing different grades and playing for programs in different classes, states and divisions, these players have one common goal -- they'll do anything they can to make their teams winners.

Evans has been spoiled.

The Pen Argyl Area High School senior got used to winning growing up, so when the Green Knights struggled during his freshman and sophomore seasons, the running back/cornerback decided it was time for a change in attitude.

"Since I was little we were always on winning teams; my freshman and sophomore seasons, we didn't have too hot of a season," Evans said. "We (Evans and classmates like Kirby Mutton) tried to tell them how we played and wanted to see if it would work. They listened and we started picking it up from there. Last year, it worked out, and hopefully it continues this year."

Pen Argyl coach Paul Reduzzi recalls an instance two seasons ago when Evans, then a sophomore, stood up at halftime of a game to rally the troops. Sometimes an underclassman might be nervous confronting older, more experienced teammates, but according to Reduzzi, that wasn't the case.

"That's when he started to be more vocal in the locker room, giving speeches at halftime and talking to kids," Reduzzi said. "When he comes out of the game, he's the first guy helping, hollering from the sidelines. He doesn't sit on the bench and hide."

Evans was far from a shadow of a figure on the field, as well. He was an All-Colonial League first team selection at running back and defensive back. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder rushed for 1,282 yards with 25 touchdowns, and he registered 46 tackles and a team-high six interceptions.

Steven Mottola, now a senior running back at Belvidere, took the reins as an underclassman, as well. He enters the season with three varsity letters and admitted playing with his fellow County Seaters since he was young has made being a leader easier.

"I always go in there with a good mindset," he said. "I know everyone on the team pretty well. We have the brotherhood of it down, so it's easier to push everybody. I'll talk to the team, but they have that down."

Mottola, who rushed for 1,600 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior, is the top returning rusher in The Express-Times region. Just like Evans, the 5-8, 170-pounder Mottola is an ideal leader -- using his voice and actions to motivate teammates and himself.

Mottola hit a speed bump last fall when he broke his right hand on Oct. 8 against Voorhees. The running back played with a soft cast the next Friday and donned a hard cast the rest of the season.

"If he gets nicked up, he's going to keep coming at you and won't shy away from contact or pressure," Belvidere coach George DiGrande said. "When the pressure is on, he wants the ball. That's a tell-tale sign of being a leader. He wants the responsibility on his shoulders."

DiGrande said he's joked with Steven that the youngest Mottola will be the best of the three brothers because he has two older, successful models to emulate and attempt to top.

"I always set my goals as high I can go because there's always room to get better," Mottola said. "I feel I could have done a lot better last year in a lot of ways."

While Evans and Mottola are headed into their fourth season of varsity ball, Dan Harding is anticipating his second campaign as Nazareth's starting quarterback.

The starting job was up for grabs last summer, but after winning the position, Harding never looked back. He passed for 1,750 yards with 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions.

The performance was so impressive, it inspired head coach Rob Melosky to hire Dan Kendra as the new quarterbacks coach to give Harding the attention he deserves.

"As a head coach you have so many other things going on and I don't think I did Dan Harding justice last year in terms of quarterbacks coach," said Melosky, who played quarterback in high school and college.

The soft-spoken Harding called his junior season "a nice surprise" as he helped Nazareth to the Districts 2-4-11 Class AAAA sub-regional semifinals.

Spreading the ball around to a plethora of receivers on a weekly basis, Harding wrote his name in the school record books, throwing for a single-game high 402 yards against PIAA Class AAA state champion Central Catholic on Oct. 1.

"I have the same mindset prior to this season as last year," Harding said. "I want to break records, break my own records, but I want to win games and win a championship. The experience last year helps a lot, so the game should slow down and that will help me out this year."

Last fall, Pius X coach Phil Stambaugh took a chance on a freshman quarterback in AJ Long. Stambaugh, a former All-American quarterback at Lehigh University, knew what he was doing and never second guessed his decision.

"I saw some very good intangibles in AJ right away," Stambaugh said. "He was anxious to learn. He's one of those kids who doesn't waste his talent. He works hard; he tries to make himself better every day."

Long threw for a region-high 2,852 yards with 28 touchdowns and six interceptions. He rallied the Royals from an 0-3 start to the District 11 Class A final.

Long is dedicated to improving himself, and he's attended camps around the country including ones at Oklahoma, Maryland, Penn State and SMU.

"I've matured a lot," Long said. "Over the summer there's been a difference in me and everybody. Some of my teammates have told me I've grown up. They said last year I played around a lot. I'm more focused this year, not goofing around as much."

At Phillipsburg, Jarrett Williams rose to become one of the top offensive linemen in New Jersey and was named to the All-Group 4 first team.

Now, the junior is one of the more experienced members of the Stateliners line and will be counted on to help the inexperienced players get acclimated to an increase in repetitions.

"I think I could really be a big part of making plays and motivating the team," Williams said. "I enjoy pumping up the team by making a good block on a linebacker or going out for a quick pitch."

Williams will turn into a two-way player for first-year coach Ryan Ditze, playing at either defensive tackle or nose guard this season. Williams played both ways as a freshman and believes the transition will be easy.

"Physically, he has all the tools. Now it's just matter of dealing with success he's had and growing from it," Ditze said. "We're hoping as a coaching staff we can mold him into the type of player who can succeed year after year at a higher level."

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