Quarterback Brayden Kruk never got an opportunity to hand the ball off to running back Owen Edgett during football practice on Monday.

The Greenport/Southold/Mattituck’s afternoon session was focused on defense.

That was never a problem for either player because they know how vital it is to excel on both sides of the ball to be successful.

“I feel even though that offense is great, defense is just as important, if not more important,” said Kruk, a junior who is also competing for a safety spot. “And it’s just a lot of fun to be able to hit and tackle.”

Edgett, a sophomore, had similar sentiments.

“Defense is definitely a big part of my game too,” he said. “First defensive practice. I think that’s my favorite part of the game. I was excited to get back in my spot and see how the team was looking.”

Edgett is also pushing to play at middle linebacker.

Both are expected to play key roles for Greenport, which will return to varsity football after a year’s absence due to low turnout. Monday’s afternoon session had 20 players, with a few more expected to join the group soon.

Kruk and Edgett, who attend Mattituck, made valuable contributions in the Porters’ 4-4 junior varsity campaign in 2025.

As quarterback, no one has to remind the 5-foot-10, 150-pound Kruk that he is in a leadership role on and off the field.

“I take a lot of pride in myself when doing these things because when something goes wrong and I was involved in it, I like to take the blame on myself, tell myself to do better rather than blaming it on my teammates, which could just lead into a deep hole,” the junior said. “I just put more pressure on myself to do better; it helps me work harder. But the other players, it helps them. It motivates them, too, to work harder.”

Interestingly, neither player assumed they had their positions wrapped up.

“It was fun competing at the JV level last year,” the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Edgett added. “I’m ready to up my game and bring it to the next level.”

First-year head coach Bo Olshefsky has liked what he has seen as the Porters entered their second week of preseason.

“He’s been doing a good job,” he said of Kruk. “Brayden has been playing the position for quite some time now. He understands the role. He understands what he needs to do from an X’s and O’s standpoint. He has a great intellect; he understands the playbook; he’s able to execute the playbook. This preseason is getting him up to game speed and ready to go next Friday. So far, so good. No complaints so far.”

Olshefsky had no qualms about starting a sophomore at running back either.

“Ability is ability,” he said. “Owen’s a kid who has it. He has a great knack on both sides of the ball; he’s a tough runner; he’s hard to tackle. Another guy whose intellect and football IQ were great. He knows his assignments and where to execute on the offensive side of the ball and then the defensive side. He brings a ton of aggression and attitude, and he’s always aligned in the correct way.”

The Porters will meet Bayport-Blue Point in a preseason scrimmage at the defending Long Island Division IV champion’s field on Friday, Aug. 28. It will allow them to see where they stand before their Sept. 4 season opener at Hampton Bays.

“We’re all super excited for Friday,” Olshefsky said. “It’s crazy that it’s here already. It definitely seems like it’s going fast, which is a sign that this is going great. We’re all having a good time doing this. Coming out of the scrimmage, we want to find our identity, find our missing holes in our lineup, and see who wants to get out there and compete.”

No doubt Bayport is a formidable foe.

“They’re at the top,” Olshefsky said. “They’re winning county championships; they’re winning Long Island championships. We want to see what we look like playing against the best.”

Greenport will host John Glenn in its home opener on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m.

The goals are pretty straightforward.

“With the way we played last year, I feel if we carry that into this year, we should have a good chance at going .500 and above and making the playoffs,” Kruk said.

The post Brayden Kruk and Owen Edgett look to have key gridiron roles for the Porters appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

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