Beardstown football team’s focus turns to IHSA playoffs
By Travis Zuellig
For the Journal-Courier
After making the IHSA playoffs in head coach Elliott Craig’s first two seasons, the Beardstown football team fell one win short last year.
Beardstown has been a mainstay in the playoffs for the better part of this decade, missing out only twice since 2010, minus the COVID year. Even though this season’s squad lacks varsity experience, the goal -- to play in Week 10 -- remains the same for Beardstown.
“In my first year, I don’t want to say the morale was poor, but there weren’t a lot of expectations coming out of the COVID year, I am sure for a variety of reasons,” Craig said. “The expectation I had, and the kids bought into it, to their credit, four years ago was to play in Week 10. And then we did play Week 10 (in 2021), and played very competitively against Williamsville, who was coming off a state title win, and that just kind of carried over.
“Last year, we ended up one game short, and we felt like there were two games in particular that we let slip away. We had plenty of playoff points, so we would have got in, but that didn’t happen. That is still our mindset. That hasn’t changed.”
The two games that got away were losses to Carrollton in Week 1, and Brown County in Week 6. Against the Hawks, Beardstown had a lead in the fourth quarter before a fumble led to a go-ahead touchdown for Carrollton.
Brown County, 1-4 heading into its game against the Tigers, scored the first three touchdowns of the contest and held on for a two-point win.
Craig, who made the playoffs five times at Cuba-North Fulton, including a state semifinal appearance in 2007, said you just need to get into the postseason, and anything can happen.
“I know we are going to be younger and are going to have some kids that haven’t played a lot on Friday night, but for the coaching staff and expectations, our goal is still to play Week 10,” the coach said. “You just have to get to Week 10. I have seen plenty of teams go 9-0 or 8-1 and they lose in the first round. You have to get there first.”
Ethan Heller returns as one of the Tigers’ main pieces on offense. The all-conference honorable mention quarterback led the Beardstown offense, which scored 186 points last season. The 6-foot-1 senior is expected to be a leader on both sides of the ball, after doubling as a DE/LB combo last season.
“I think Ethan is one of our better athletes,” Craig said. “He is a combination-type kid, who is a good runner and can throw when he needs to. He is one of those kids that hates to lose. I just think he is one of those kids that other kids on the team look up to — he is a hard worker in the weight room. He has put in a lot of time in the weight room in the offseason.”
Senior Zach DeSollar, who didn’t play his freshman or sophomore years, could be one of the main options out
A Beardstown player fakes a handoff during the first week of practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
August 30,
of the backfield after scoring rushing and receiving touchdowns last season. DeSollar’s younger brother Colby, a sophomore, could also see the ball, along with fellow newcomer backs Gunner Looker, Caleb Hobrock and Carter Davis. Craig thinks the offensive production will come from multiple players.
“We have a lot of kids that I think can contribute, and that is what we are going to have to be,” Craig said. “I don’t know if there is necessarily one kid. I think it is going to be more of a committee, rotating kids in and out, and maybe it will make us fresher and hopefully better on defense, too.”
Ryder Hamlin returns as a three-year starter on the offensive and defensive lines, and the team will lean on his experience.
Victor Solano played next to Hamlin on the offensive line last season, and the pair will lead both lines. Jayden Stephenson came off the bench to fill in the gaps on the line and will be back for his junior year.
Zach Meyer, who started at safety as a freshman, is expected to have an increased role in the offense this season. After growth from his freshman year through the offseason, Craig hopes for big things from the sophomore.
“He is not the biggest kid in the world, but he finds a way to get things
done. He is intelligent in a lot of different ways, not just football intelligence,” the coach said.
“There are just certain aspects of athletics that some kids are better at than others, and we just feel Zach kind of fits that role of what we would like him to do on both sides of the ball. Plus, with him being a sophomore, you do have him for two more years after that.”
The Tigers start the season at Carrollton before hosting Pleasant Hill and Camp Point Central. Carrollton, a playoff team last season, beat the Tigers 16-8 in Week 1 last year. This season’s opener will be on Saturday night, August 31 at 7 p.m. Then, Beardstown hosts Pleasant Hill and Camp Point Central on consecutive Fridays. Beardstown beat Pleasant Hill last year before falling to the Panthers in Week 3. Camp Point Central went on to win the state championship.
“I think we are starting off with two playoff-type teams, so we are going to get a quick measuring stick of where we are at, which I think could be good over the long run,” Craig said.
“Obviously, if you win the first two games, you put yourself in a lot better position to play in Week 10, which is our goal. We have also proven over the last three years, it’s more about how you finish.”
Beardstown players line up to run a play during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
Beardstown
North Greene football hopes to end 28-game losing streak
By Travis Zuellig
For the Journal-Courier
The past several years have been tough for the North Greene football team. The Spartans’ losing streak has now stretched to 28 games, with the last win coming over Pleasant Hill during the 2021 COVID spring season. Is there light at the end of the tunnel under coach Brian VanMeter in his third season at the helm?
North Greene will have 10 seniors this season, more than the Spartans have had in recent memory. Most of them were key contributors over the past couple of seasons. Among those seniors is third-year starting quarterback Logan Tepen, and he will be joined by plenty of upperclassmen at the skill positions.
“I think we were improving toward the end of the year,” VanMeter said. “We just made too many mistakes that put us in holes that we just couldn’t overcome. We were starting to click a little better, so that is a positive going into this year.”
North Greene had a brutal schedule last season.
The Spartans hosted eventual state champion Camp Point Central in Week 1 before three straight away games at Routt, Calhoun and GreenfieldNorthwestern. But the Spartans improved, and gave themselves a chance to win a couple of games late in the season.
A 28-14 loss to Pleasant Hill in Week 6 and a 38-26
loss to Beardstown in Week 8 were the tightest contests of the year. Those games represented real progress, and after another offseason of work with VanMeter, the stage is set for better things to come.
“Just steady improvement,” VanMeter said about the summer. “(We are) getting faster and stronger, learning the offense and defense better and just going out and playing more confident.”
Tepen returns for his third year at quarterback for the Spartans. Two years ago, North Greene lost starting quarterback Brody Berry to a broken leg the night before the first game of the season. Tepen learned the offense, and the Spartans have been scoring points.
“Logan came in as a sophomore around Week 3 and he has been in that role now,” VanMeter said. “We expect him to throw and run. He is probably one of our best athletes, and with reading the passes, he is going to be a lot better.”
Noah Coates returns for his senior season and is expected to be the first option at running back. Coates played as a sophomore but missed his junior campaign with a back injury. VanMeter described the senior as a fast kid with good vision. “I think he will step in and be one of our better players,” the coach said.
Berry moved to wing for his junior season.
Berry, Ethan Clark, Garret Hazelwonder and Kaleb Williams are all seniors
A North Greene player catches a pass during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
(Williams, recovering from a broken arm, should be back by Week 3). They were the main contributors for the Spartans last season.
North Greene returns what VanMeter called the best offensive line in his tenure. Junior Landon Gilmore, senior Brendin Staszkiewicz and sophomore Wyatt Mauser will key a strong, experienced unit. The defense will be led by Lucas Turner. The 6-foot-6 defensive end was an allconference selection a year ago. Mauser is expected to take over as middle linebacker, with Gilmore and Williams both returning at linebacker. Berry and Hazelwonder will lead the secondary.
The Spartans lead off with the same schedule as last season, starting with a trip to Camp Point, followed by home dates with Routt,
Calhoun and GreenfieldNW. Carrollton, Pleasant Hill and West Central follow, with games against Beardstown and Mendon Unity to close out the season.
VanMeter said the Spartans will know how they stack up real quick against that early stiff competition.
“(It’s about) coming together and playing as a team and coming out and giving our best effort every week, is what it’s going to take. Just need to see how we jell and how we play together,” VanMeter said.
“When we get past that, really weather that storm early, try to be in battles with those types of teams, seeing where we stack up -- and then just keep our nose to the grindstone and keep that positive attitude. We just try to get better every day, and by the end, hopefully, we can get a few wins.”
Killion
Communications Consultants, Inc.
800-301-6672
Roodhouse, IL 62082
Have a Great Season North Greene!
A North Greene player comes in to take a handoff during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
North Greene
Nickname: Spartans Head coach: Brian VanMeter
Jacksonville football eyes playoffs with experienced line
By Travis Zuellig
For the Journal-Courier
The Jacksonville football team returned to the IHSA Class 5A playoffs in 2021 for the first time in five seasons. One freshman -- Aiden Surratt -- started on the offensive line. After losing most of the line to graduation, the Crimsons needed to replace those seniors. Surratt led a unit that included three more sophomores as Jacksonville made the playoffs again.
Now those offensive linemen are entering their senior season, and Surratt, along with Ryan McCombs, Avery Cook and Miradi Dandu Mwani, are ready to lead the Crimsons back to the postseason.
“Those four guys have played a lot of games,” Crimson head coach Mark Grounds said. “They have been a part of a team that’s been in the playoffs. It is a situation where we have a lot of experience, and there is a lot of chemistry. They have been through the ups and downs of varsity football in the Central State Eight (Conference). They had a tremendous offseason and a great summer. They are the bedrock right now on
offense that is going to make everything go.”
Grounds is entering his 24th season as head coach at Jacksonville. His teams have made the playoffs 12 times, including a run to the Class 5A semifinals in 2004. He has had some excellent offenses and some great offensive lines.
With Surratt at right tackle, McCombs at center, Cook at left guard and Mwani moving to left tackle after the last two seasons at right guard, it’s one of the most experienced units Grounds has ever had.
“I have had some awfully good offensive lines, and you can’t judge them from what they have done in the past,” the coach said, “but they have the potential as three-year starters to start collectively together more games on the varsity level than I have had in my 24-plus years here at Jacksonville High School.”
The difference last season for Jacksonville between making and missing the playoffs came down to the little things, and mistakes. The Crimsons opened the season with two wins over the Decatur schools in the Central State Eight — a 51-6 win at Eisenhower and a close 35-34 win at home
over MacArthur, in which Jacksonville scored the winning touchdown in the final minute.
Back-to-back multitouchdown losses to Sacred Heart-Griffin and Rochester evened Jacksonville’s record
before a homecoming game against Peoria Notre Dame. Trailing by a point in the fourth quarter, the Irish scored
A Jacksonville player catches a pass during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
on a rushing touchdown with 54 seconds left, and a Jacksonville hook-and-ladder play in the final seconds came up just short in a 27-21 loss.
The Crimsons couldn’t stop Lincoln on defense in Week 6 and fell 41-28 before rattling off back-to-back wins, including a 31-7 win over Springfield High on Senior Night. Jacksonville’s season ended with a 49-35 loss to U-High in Week 9.
“That’s the difference between us being 4-5 last year and 7-2,” Ground said. “We turned the ball over in some key moments. We had some penalties in some key games that really hurt us, and we couldn’t overcome our own mistakes. Learning from what kept us from our ultimate goal of making the playoffs last year and some of those things have been a driving force for this team, and I am seeing that attention to detail that was inconsistent last year.”
Missing the playoffs served as a motivator for the Crimsons this offseason. Jacksonville will tackle another slate of tough games in the Central State Eight. The league added Quincy Notre Dame in football starting this season. With the addition, the conference split into two divisions, with Jacksonville in the West.
After Soldan/Sumner (St. Louis) canceled the first game of the season, the Crimsons will open at Pittsfield, which played against Jacksonville regularly in the 1950s.
The schedule starts with a few winnable games, with Eisenhower, Lanphier and Southeast, which combined for
three wins last season. Three of Jacksonville’s final four opponents (QND, MacArthur and Lincoln) were playoff teams last season.
“The Central State Eight is one of the best conferences in high school football,” Grounds said. “We have our work cut out for us, and we just have to keep plugging away one week at a time and one game at a time. And if we can make it through our conference schedule with a winning season and making the playoffs, that sets us up well for postseason play.”
Jacksonville returns plenty of experience on both sides of the ball. On offense, senior La’Marion Williams is the leading returning rusher from last season. Williams, who started at wing last year and played as the primary back when all-state selection Cam Ron Mitchell needed a breather, rushed for 318 yards on 55 carries and scored four touchdowns. He also made one catch for 36 yards. Grounds said he has what it takes to be the main back this season.
“Each week of the season last year, he just started to digest what was expected of him and started performing at a higher and higher level,” the coach said. “His last three games were excellent for us, including the last game of the year against U-High. He has really done a good job stepping into the mantle of a workhorse back that you need to have in this offense. His efforts in the offseason and his dedication — he is one of our stronger kids.
A Jacksonville player catches a pass during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
He has worked on his speed and footwork, and I really feel he’s performed with a level of confidence that you expect out of seniors who have been starters.”
Jacksonville has an opening at quarterback.
Junior Braden Hutchison and freshman Rylan Reese have been splitting reps during fall camp, and Grounds said each has different skill sets. Whoever earns the starting spot, Crucifixio Mitchell will be their main target returning this season at wide receiver.
Mitchell caught 12 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns last year.
DeShawn Armstrong should improve between his sophomore and junior years after rushing the ball 25 times for 191 yards and making one 47-yard touchdown catch.
Emmerick Davidsmeyer ran the ball 34 times for 129 yards last season as a freshman.
Easton Ackerman also could make an impact. Grounds said he has raised his level of performance as much, if not more than anyone on the team.
“There has been a desire and hunger and a work ethic to earn more playing time and have a bigger impact on our team at the varsity level,” Grounds said. “He was a standout at the JV level last year, and we
challenged him after the season based off what his goals were. I feel like he has shown a maturity and leadership level, that he gets it. Things have clicked for him, and he knows what’s important and what he has to do to be successful.”
Surratt and McCombs return to lead the defensive line along with fellow senior Brody Clayton. Senior Sam Lockman and Williams will be key returners in the linebacking corps while Armstrong and Mitchell man the secondary.
“There is a little bit more experience at each
level defensively than what we have offensively, so that is good for us going into a league that is known for explosive offenses — to have some experience at all three levels of our defense will help the young guys who are working hard to get on the field, help them from a leadership standpoint,” Grounds said.
Looking ahead for the Crimsons, the goal is to get back to the postseason.
“My goal is to go 9-0 and win every game in the playoffs. If your goal going into the season isn’t to be undefeated, and you
aren’t working that way, then you aren’t doing right by your kids,” the coach said. “Realistically, we play in a tough league, and it is hard to go undefeated in our league, so we want to have a winning record, make the playoffs and go as far as we can toward Illinois State in November.
“I think we have a group that works exceptionally hard for each other and with each other all summer long, and I am excited to start fall practice to where we get to see the kids every single day and see how fast we continue to make improvements.”
A Jacksonville ball carrier heads upfield during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
Brown County football aims for playoff return in 2024
By Travis Zuellig
For the Journal-Courier
The Brown County football team last season missed out on the playoffs for only the fifth time in head coach Tom Little’s 22year coaching career with the Hornets.
They were close. Three losses in the middle of the season came by 10 points or less. Second-half mistakes were the main issue for a young Hornet team. Those mistakes were addressed in the offseason, and with some physical growth, Brown County has a chance to make it back to the playoffs.
“It was kind of a rough season,” Little said. “We aren’t used to finishing below .500 and not be in the playoff hunt. It was a disappointing aspect in that way, but I think a lot of our upperclassmen this year were able to grow, and hopefully we will see the benefits of that this year.”
Staying injury-free and eliminating turnovers will be key. “It makes the difference in winning and losing seasons,” Little said. “It definitely was something that hit us last year, with the injuries and turnovers and bad situations. If we can eliminate that, I think we’ll have a really competitive team.”
The Hornets return numerous starters on both sides of the ball, including
Tyce Fullerton. The senior running back tore his ACL and PCL in a Week 2 game against West Central, an injury that required season-ending surgery. Fullerton, who rushed for more than 800 yards and scored 14 touchdowns as a sophomore, will do his best to replace All-WIVC selection Angel Duarte, who moved from quarterback to running back after Fullerton’s injury.
That move opened up a spot for Maverick Henry to take over at quarterback. The senior returns at QB to lead the offense, which scored 199 points last season. Trey Fullerton, Tyce’s brother, will rotate in at running back as well. Drew Markert returns at tight end as one of Henry’s main aerial targets.
“I think Maverick is a solid athlete for us, not only in football, but in baseball and basketball,” Little said. “He is super athletic and has helped us the last couple years, and we are expecting that leadership to carry over this year.”
The offensive line returns a handful of players who saw playing time last year, including Tanner Sitze, Dylan Reische, Jack Buss and Maddux Wydell. A lot of players are still fighting for starting spots, and younger players from highly successful freshman and junior varsity squads (each
lost one game last year) are pushing the older guys for playing time.
“Our line was a young group last year and did a really nice job for us, and with this offseason, and working, and the things our line coaches were able to do with them, we expect big things out of that group,” Little said. “We have a good group of guys that got a lot of experience last year. We had a good JV and freshman season. We have a lot of competition in our camp right now. We are seeing the results from that with some really good battles in camp.”
Brown County will have a tough schedule to start this season. The Hornets open up at Greenfield-NW before hosting West Central and Mendon Unity in back-to-back weeks. Brown County will go to Triopia before hosting Camp Point Central in Week 5.
“Everybody will tell you the key is to get ahead in that win total right away, so you want to win your Week 1 game and win as many early games as we can because you never know what the end of the season is going to be with injuries and eligibility problems that can sometimes affect a team,” Little said. “So, we tell our guys to make sure we start off strong and get as many wins as you can early, and continue to get better each and every week.”
County
Hornets Head coach: Tom Little
Classification Enrollment: 215.50
Aug 30 7:00 H Greenfield [G.-Northwestern co-op] 221.00
Sep 6 7:00 H Winchester [West Central co-op] 241.00
Sep 13 7:00 H Mendon (Unity) [Unity-Payson co-op] 332.50
Sep 20 7:00 A Concord (Triopia) [co-op] 228.50
Sep 27 7:00 H Camp Point (Central) 247.50
Oct 4 7:00 A Beardstown 422.00
Oct 11 7:00 H Jacksonville (Routt) [co-op] 266.00
Oct 18 7:00 A Hardin (Calhoun) [co-op] 193.50
Oct 25 7:00 H Pleasant Hill [co-op] 214.00
GOOD LUCK HORNETS!
Brown County players run a play during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
Brown
Nickname:
Pittsfield football team aims for comeback in 2024 season
By Travis Zuellig
For the Journal-Courier
The Pittsfield football team had a rough start to the 2023 season as the Saukees lost the first five games against four eventual playoff teams. Near the midway point, Saukees head coach Zach Ferguson changed up the offense to fit his players’ strengths, and Pittsfield improved over the final four weeks of the season.
Pittsfield took that momentum into the offseason, and with most of the starters returning on defense, and a handful on offense, the Saukees are set up to compete in the tough Sangamo Conference.
“Obviously, it wasn’t the season we wanted. I thought we made some growth in different areas,” Ferguson said. “It was just one of those years where we didn’t get where we wanted to go, and we will use that as motivation to get to where we want to go this year.
“We changed some things up a little bit and did some things to fit the kids’ strengths a little better. We got to a point in the season where we wanted to try something new, and it worked out really well for the kids, trying to build around their strengths.”
Pittsfield opened last season against Athens, which went on to finish as the IHSA Class 2A runner-up. Next came Olympia, which won two playoff games. Then it was Williamsville, the Class 3A runner-up in 2022, followed by New Berlin and MaroaForsyth, which went undefeated before
losing in the Class 2A semifinals.
But Pittsfield adjusted. The turnaround started with a 28-26 loss to Pleasant Plains.
The Saukees trailed throughout, but kept the game close. After the Cardinals scored a touchdown to begin the fourth quarter to increase the lead to 2820, Pittsfield marched down the field before Javan Petty punched in a touchdown to cut the lead to 2. Running back Lane Foster’s two-point attempt came up short.
After a loss to Auburn, Pittsfield beat PORTA/ A-C Central and Riverton. Against the Bluejays, junior Jesse Davidsmeyer rushed for 211 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-6 victory. The Saukees closed out the season with a 47-7 win over Riverton to start the offseason on a positive note.
“We have had a lot of guys get a lot bigger and a lot stronger,” Ferguson said. “I feel like we are physically mature this year as far as some guys have put on some really good weight. … We just continue to do what we have been doing this summer.
Hopefully that brings a little momentum to the season. It is one of those things where it’s nice to end the season with a win and carry it on into summer. I thought we’ve had a good summer of weightlifting and practice, and looking forward to getting started.”
With the graduation of Petty, there is an opening at quarterback, and two players are vying for the starting spot. Senior Tucker Cook and junior Jonas
Anderson, who both played in a limited backup role last season, will be battling for the position during preseason camp. Cook, who played more as a running-style quarterback, completed 5-of-14 passes for 93 yards under center last season. Anderson went 2-for-3 for eight yards.
“They have both done a really good job of picking up what we have been teaching them, and they are understanding what we are trying to do. It is important to have competition so everybody gets better,” Ferguson said.
Key returners on offense include Davidsmeyer and Foster, who are both back for their senior year. Davidsmeyer rushed the ball 104 times for 557 yards and seven touchdowns. Foster gained over 300 yards of total offense with four touchdowns. Luke Archer and Jake Oitker both had carries out of the backfield last season.
Draven Puterbaugh, a senior, will be back at tight end while seniors Jaron White and Owen Shaw, and junior Zane Perry will lead the offensive line. Players expected to see more of the ball this season on offense include Taylor Graham, Jaydenn Moore and Dominic Cooper.
The defense returns more than the offense, with nine of 11 starters back. Many of the same names from offense will populate the defense, with Shaw returning as the leading tackler. He’ll help lead the linebacking corps, which will include Puterbaugh, Archer and Cook.
Cordell McKee returns to lead the line, with Perry and White returning as well. Foster started at safety last season.
Ferguson said all the experience on defense will help this year.
“It’s really big, not only for the fact that they have played together for so long, but it does take a burden off the coaches and it takes the burden off the other guys,” the coach said. “They are going to be able to help the other guys if they are having some issues with some stuff, because they have been there and have played here for a long time.”
Pittsfield will start the season with a home game against Jacksonville in a rare nonconference matchup on Friday, August 30 at 7 p.m. The Saukees will host Athens before traveling to Stanford to play Olympia in Week 3. Pittsfield hosts Williamsville before
playing at New Berlin to close out September, making for a tough opening slate.
“The thing I am going to be preaching to our guys is working to get better every day. We open with Jacksonville High, and they are going to be a tough matchup, but I think that this
is going to help us as we work through the Sangamo,” Ferguson said. “My outlook is we come out, we work hard and we continue to try and get better every single day and week. And as things progress, they will take care of themselves.”
A Pittsfield player takes a handoff during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
New Berlin football targets playoffs in Dambacher’s second year
By Travis Zuellig
For
the Journal-Courier
The first year under new head coach James Dambacher saw an uptick in the win column for the New Berlin football team. After three straight three-win seasons under former head coach Seth Hill, Dambacher and the Pretzels showed progress.
New Berlin won three of its first four games last year before losses in games against four straight playoff teams eliminated the Pretzels from postseason contention heading into the final contest of the regular season. But after a one-year learning curve for Dambacher and New Berlin, the Pretzels think they have a real chance of gaining that fifth win for the first time in nearly a decade.
“As much as it was heart-breaking not getting in, especially with how the Auburn game went -- having the ball in the red zone four or five times and not scoring -- it’s doing the little things we did wrong in that Week 1 game that we improved on throughout the season,” Dambacher said.
“We are in year two now. They know what we expect of them. They know the way we run our practices. They just kind of know how we work and operate, and how we want it to go. We have seen the change coming into this offseason. I am expecting to start seeing that change at the practice level. As that practice level changes, that game level changes, so we aren’t making those mistakes we made last year — kind of like being a new team altogether.”
New Berlin fell seven points short against Auburn, losing 20-13. The Pretzels rolled past PORTA/A-C Central, Riverton and Pittsfield in the following three weeks.
New Berlin put up a fight against Olympia, Williamsville, Athens and Maroa-Forsyth, scoring at least 20 points in each game, but the Pretzels gave up 46 or more points in each game as well. A 25-22 win over Pleasant Plains sent New Berlin into the offseason on a high note.
“I think it is not making those little mistakes in football games,” Dambacher said. “The big thing I wanted to do that first season was teach these guys how to be a disciplined football team. Even though we won that Pittsfield game, we still jumped offside like 12 times in the first half. If you do stuff like that against Auburn, Olympia, Maroa, Williamsville, you won’t be able to stay in those games. The discipline factor going into this next season is something we have hit on with these guys, and I am seeing a big turnaround.”
Last season, senior QB Lucas Bixby was injured in the second quarter against Athens, and Brady Crews stepped into the quarterback role for the last two weeks. The Pretzels switched up the whole offense for Crews, who finished the season with 126 passing yards on 10-of-18 completions and one touchdown.
“I had a couple of options when Bixby got hurt on who to play at quarterback,” Dambacher said. “We talked through it as a staff, and if Brady was going to be our guy going into this season, we might as well play him those last two weeks. We did, and we saw a big change in him after getting those varsity reps, and he has taken a very big leadership role this offseason.
“There has been a lot of growth. We have a lot of changes all through our offense, and he has been to everything. He’s learning. He’s
growing … I want him to go out and be a quarterback and a leader — be knowledgeable and take control of our offense. Be that leader/captain on and off the field.”
Clark Nelson, who played wide receiver last season, has moved to running back this year. The senior caught 29 passes for 385 yards and six touchdowns, and ran the ball 34 times for 282 yards and four TDs. Junior Michael Pecoraro had 205 yards on 36 rushes and four touchdowns last year. Owen DeRosear, a senior slot receiver, caught 11 passes for 118 yards last season. Charlie Neuman made 21 catches for 270 yards and a touchdown during his sophomore season.
On the offensive line, the Pretzels return plenty of contributors from last season, including Blake Hermes, Cash Thomas, Carter Pence, Keaton Teel and Mason Scroggins. All saw some time at the varsity level last year. Jacob Moore showed a lot of growth between his first and second years. Andrew Bischoff was the starting center as a sophomore. He was a little inexperienced last year, but Dambacher said he’s ready for varsity football now.
The Pretzels start this season as they ended last year, with Pleasant Plains at home. Next will be a trip to Auburn, with PORTA/A-C Central and Pittsfield to follow.
“One thing we really learned is, it comes down to those games you have a chance to win,” Dambacher said. “This game is a couple of mistakes that make a difference between winning and losing. And that is something they have carried into this offseason, making sure we are more prepared and ready and doing the right things at all times going into this next season.”
A New Berlin player goes up to catch a pass during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
Kellen Creviston leads senior-heavy Routt football team
By Travis Zuellig
For the Journal-Courier
As a sophomore in 2022, Routt quarterback Kellen Creviston saw some varsity time, but mostly as a backup for a senior-laden Rocket team that made the IHSA Class 1A playoffs and won a game before falling in the second round to Tuscola.
As a junior, Creviston exploded in his role as starting quarterback, ending the season with 2,875 all-purpose yards and All-State Honorable Mention recognition.
Despite the offensive output, Routt had less experience overall than the 2022 team and came up short of the playoffs last season with a 4-5 record. But like two seasons ago, this Rocket team will be senior-heavy, returning most of its starters on both sides of the ball. Creviston will have plenty of protection with four seniors on the offensive line, a senior running back and a pair of senior wide receivers.
With all that experience, the Rockets are shooting for their third playoff appearance under Routt head coach Barry Creviston since he returned to the team in 2018.
“Every season, you talk about making the playoffs. We are really emphasizing one game at a time,” Creviston said. “We don’t want to look ahead or get excited about where we have been from week
to week, so it’s really a one-gameat-a-time situation. Obviously, everybody talks about state championships. That is a goal every team should have every year. If you aren’t going into it to be the best, then what are you working for?”
Two games in particular last season were the difference between making and missing the playoffs. The Rockets started the season 2-1 before falling to Beardstown and Mendon Unity in weeks 4 and 5. Routt led both contests in the fourth quarter, but mistakes down the stretch cost the Rockets as they lost by a combined eight points.
Routt went 2-2 to close out the season, with losses to Camp Point Central and Greenfield-NW sealing its fate.
“There were two games in the middle of the season that I thought we let go by the wayside, and that was kind of a youth coming-of-age thing -- and those are the kinds of games we definitely want to avoid this season,” Creviston said.
“That is the difference between being a playoff team and going home at the end of the season. I thought we ended the season, Week 9 beating Carrollton handily, and they went on to the playoffs ... so I think that sparked us going into the offseason as far as, we are close and we just need to be able to finish games.”
The Rockets return most of last season’s team, led by Kellen
Creviston at quarterback. The head coach’s son completed 177-of-287 for 2,415 yards and 26 touchdowns in his junior campaign. He rushed for an additional 460 yards and seven touchdowns.
Routt scored 271 points last season, but expectations are higher for this team.
“The one thing we are stressing this year is more leadership,” Coach Creviston said. “There’s games we need to win, and in order for us to be successful, the team needs to
be good, not just one person or a group of individuals. We need a group effort. Everybody’s going to point the finger at the quarterback, so he understands that pressure. He’s just really tuned into getting better for the sake of the team. As
A Routt player looks the ball in during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
he goes, hopefully our team will follow.”
Kellen Creviston will have plenty of weapons at his disposal. A senior-loaded squad includes two wide receiver targets from last season. Eli Olson led the team with 58 receptions and 745 yards, to go with nine touchdowns. Jace Lautemann made 34 catches for 625 yards and four touchdowns. Both were All-WIVC selections.
Junior Sam Long had 12 catches and a touchdown last year. Declan Lahey was having a good summer last year before he hurt his knee. Creviston is excited to have Lahey back for his senior season.
Four seniors and multi-year starters control the offensive line. Right guard Adam Huffman is a three-year starter while left tackle Henry Rawe, left guard Aiden Meyer and right tackle Trey Gause have each started for the past two years. All four played in the 2022 playoff game. With the addition of Cannon Creviston at center, the coach is hoping for big things from this group.
“I expect those guys to be a mature, senior-laden group, and I am very excited for them,” Creviston said. “They have been in a lot of games and have been together, and they are a good, cohesive group. A good offensive line is a good communicating offensive line, and I know they talk a lot amongst themselves during the games. With last year’s offensive success, I expect nothing but greatness from them as a group.”
Speedy Charlie Alan returns in the backfield after amassing over 600 yards of total offense last season. The senior will complete an offense that’s expected to do some big things.
“He came in as a young player
and didn’t know a lot about football, but he has worked his tail-end off to make himself into a football player, and he is one of the pieces that is going to help us move from 4-5 to as good as we can be,” Creviston said.
Brock Runyon will handle kicking duties.
On defense, Routt’s two leading tacklers return this season.
Huffman, at linebacker, finished the season with one more tackle (97) than Gause (96), a defensive lineman. Meyer and Rawe also return to the defensive line. Gavan
Sheehan made 71 tackles as a sophomore last year at linebacker.
The Rockets will open the season at home against Calhoun, one of the best teams in the WIVC South, on Saturday, Aug 31. Routt
lost by 36 points at Calhoun in its season opener last season. The Rockets then travel to North Greene before hosting Triopia and Beardstown in consecutive weeks, with a trip to Mendon Unity to follow. Two of those five teams made the playoffs last season. Creviston knows how important these early games are.
“Our first game is quite possibly one of our hardest games with Calhoun. They are set up to have a great season, so it should be a really good matchup Week 1, and that will tell us a lot about how we have improved since last season,” the coach said.
“Any time you have a good group of returners coming back with a lot of experience, it just piques your excitement,” Creviston said. “We
finished off last season beating Carrollton, who was a playoff team last year. We beat them by two or
three touchdowns, and that really fueled us all offseason as to the potential of how good you can be.”
Routt players work on technique during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
Routt
Nickname: Rockets Head coach: Barry Creviston
West Central football looks to 2024 season with new players
By Travis Zuellig For the Journal-Courier
The West Central football team surprised more than a few people last year.
Starting the season with less than 25 players, the Cougars rallied to earn an IHSA Class 1A playoff berth for the second time in four seasons under head coach Matt Coultas. West Central beat the teams they were supposed to beat, plus a couple they weren’t, to solidify a winning record and a spot in the playoffs.
The Cougars face another challenge going into the 2024 season, but it isn’t a lack of numbers. After graduating 11 seniors, the team is short on experience. Thanks to a sizable freshman class and a few new players coming out for football, West Central has filled the need for players for the future, but the lack of varsity experience could stymie the Cougars -- at least in the near term.
“I think we surprised some folks last year,” Coultas said. “We had a good group of kids that came out with nothing real flashy, just worked hard and tried to play within our system. We were able to grab a few games early, and that set us up for the postseason. Made a trip in round one and fell a little bit short, 7-0 in that playoff game, but all in all, I thought the kids did a phenomenal job last year and over-performed at times for us.”
That first upset win last season came in Week 1, when West Central traveled to Mendon Unity on a hot Friday night and came away with a 28-15 victory.
LUCK COUGARS!
After a win over Brown County and a close loss to playoff-bound Carrollton, the Cougars turned some heads with a 30-19 win over Calhoun. Losses
A West Central player catches up to a ball carrier during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
Friday, August 30,
to Greenfield-NW, a playoff semifinalist, and Camp Point Central, the Class 1A state championship team, bookended wins over North Greene and Triopia as the Cougars secured that playoff bid.
For Week 10, West Central made the two-and-a-half hour trip to Catlin to play Salt Fork. That game ended in a 7-0 defeat. The defense showed up, but too many penalties stalled the offense. The Storm finally broke the scoreless stalemate with 2:14 left in the game. Salt Fork started their game-winning drive just past midfield.
“We cost ourselves during that game. We had a lot of silly penalties,” Coultas said. “I think physically and everything, we were there, but mentally, I think we had some shortfalls throughout the game. It just wasn’t our day that day.”
West Central won’t have a lot of returning players, but a few key pieces are coming back. Ryker Ford returns at quarterback. He started the first six games as a sophomore last season before Landyn Woods took over under center toward the end of the season. Woods chose not to go out for football and instead will play golf. Last season Ford completed 24-of-50 passes for 315 yards and a touchdown while running the ball 50 times for 161 yards and a touchdown.
Gavyn Thomas is back for his senior year. He played as a sophomore but sat out his junior year. Coultas described him as a “quick, athletic kid who has grown the last year and a half.”
Sophomore Anthony Hance, who kicked during his freshman season, should see some touches at running back. Sophomore Tucker Arnold will get some carries as well. Senior Hayden Jefferson has moved to fullback after playing tight end last year. Coultas will be watching to see how the senior adapts to the position change.
“I am looking forward to what he brings to the table this year out of the backfield with that senior mentality,” the coach said. “He is a seasoned kid. He started on our defense as a sophomore, so he is well accustomed to varsity football and the speed of the game. He’ll be our leader in the backfield behind the quarterback.”
On defense, the team’s leading tackler, Carson Brown, returns at middle linebacker. The junior made 111 tackles last season. With Chance Little and Owen Barber graduated, junior Luke Kunz and Arnold, a sophomore, could step into the outside linebacker spots.
Nolan Melanson, who made 24 tackles last season, returns to lead the defensive line. Jeff McIntire finished fourth on the team with 62 tackles as a freshman, but he injured his lower leg and is expected to miss the season.
“(Nolan) has big shoes, just as a sophomore. He is a big, strong kid, and it is unfortunate for him, as passionate as he is about the game, to lose him for his sophomore season, but we wish him the best and a speedy recovery,” Coultas said.
Attendance this summer has been outstanding, the coach said, thanks to a bigger than usual
freshman class.
“I think it is a large group of kids that have played ball together. They are all football-minded kids who have had some successes and want to stay together and work together,” Coultas said.
“Hopefully, the sophomore through senior group coming back is going to be our mainstay, but we will filter in some of those young players and get them some experience over this course of this year.”
The Cougars will host Mendon Unity for their first game on Friday, August 30 at 7 p.m. Last year that first win in Week 1 was a factor in getting the team off on the right foot. West Central will travel to Brown County before hosting Carrollton in Week 3. Two road games follow at Calhoun and Pleasant Hill to close out the first half of the season.
“Well, I am not one who looks backward or looks down. We are
always up and forward the best we can,” Coultas said. “I really feel like the kids we have coming in, it’s up to the coaching staff to get these kids ready to go. Athletically, talent-wise, physicality, strength, I think we can run with comparable team like we did last year.
Experience might hurt us a little bit early, but it depends on how well the kids pick up and catch on to what we have going on. I think we will push forward, and I think we have that opportunity to surprise some people again this year.”
Nickname: Cougars Head coach: Matt Coultas
2023 Record: 6-4 (Class 1A) Classification Enrollment: 241.00 Aug 30 7:00 H Mendon (Unity) [Unity-Payson co-op] 332.50 Sep 6 7:00 A Mt. Sterling (Brown County) 215.50 Sep 13 7:00 H Carrollton 190.00
Sep 20 7:00 A Hardin (Calhoun) [co-op] 193.50 Sep 27 7:00 A Pleasant Hill [co-op] 214.00
Oct 4 7:30 H Greenfield [G.-Northwestern co-op] 221.00 Oct 11 7:00 H White Hall (North Greene) 222.50 Oct 18 7:00 A Concord (Triopia) [co-op] 228.50
Oct 25 7:00 H Camp Point (Central) 247.50 West Central
A West Central player catches a football around the goal post in a difficult drill during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
By Travis Zuellig For the Journal-Courier
Last season, the Calhoun football team did something it hadn’t done since 2016 — win a playoff game.
The Warriors traveled 150 miles to Heyworth to open the IHSA Class 1A playoffs and came away with a 42-14 win. It was the Warriors’ eighth playoff game under head coach Aaron Elmore, and the team’s fifth postseason appearance in his 11th season at Calhoun.
Elmore, a 1994 Calhoun graduate who played on the Warriors’ Class 1A state championship teams in 1992 and 1993, has helped instill that winning tradition back into the program. Despite losing three-year starting quarterback Miles Lorton, the goal for Calhoun is to improve on last year’s success.
Pleasant Hill football hopes to bounce back in 2024
By Travis Zuellig
For
the Journal-Courier
The 2023 season was another learning experience for a young Pleasant Hill football team. With many sophomores and a couple of freshmen, the Wolves had a tough go of it in the WIVC South, earning just one win.
But head coach Mike Giles said his team made progress last year, and after a strong offseason with outstanding turnout in the weight room, Pleasant Hill is ready to be
“It is a matter of, keep getting better as a program and as a group. We are striving to achieve even more each and every year,” Elmore said.
“We just want to be better than we were last season. We are looking to iron some things out that hampered us last season that cost us some losses that we shouldn’t have had. We want to get better at each position, and hopefully by the time the season rolls around, just get better each week. And when you get to the playoffs, you are playing your best football.”
One of the key strengths for the Warriors last year was defense, and Calhoun caught its stride toward the end of the regular season. The Warriors started out in a 2-3 hole, losing to Camp Point Central, West Central and Greenfield-NW. Then the defense clamped down.
Over the final four games of the season, Calhoun beat Carrollton, Pleasant Hill, Brown County and Beardstown by a combined score
more competitive this season.
“I’ve seen a couple of them turn into men. We’re a lot bigger than we were last year — a lot bigger,” Giles said. “I think they really started to come together as a group, and they seem focused on making some major changes this year, so I think that’s going to carry them through. They’re hungry.”
With such a young team last season, there are plenty of returning contributors. Brody Dolbeare will return as quarterback. He missed the last part of the 2023 season after going out with a concussion. He completed three passes for 81 yards and a touchdown, and ran for 87 yards on 46 carries and a touchdown in his five games last season.
“In the offseason, he’s put about 20 pounds on, and he’s matured a lot,” Giles said. “So his throws are
of 186-0 -- holding its opponents without a point for 16 straight quarters. The Warriors’ strong defense continued in the first-round playoff victory, which set up a rematch with Camp Point Central in round two. The eventual state champions beat Calhoun 32-14.
“I thought we got better each week, and I thought by the end of the year, we were playing our best football, but we just ran into a buzz saw in Camp Point Central,” Elmore said.
The Warriors return nine of 11 starters on defense, led by senior middle linebacker Bo Lorsbach. Last season, Lorsbach made 163 tackles to lead the team. Safeties Jack Webster had 127 tackles, and Pat Friedel finished with 106, and both return for their senior seasons.
Talan Kronable had 54 tackles at defensive end as a junior. Conner Longnecker, who also had more than 50 tackles, and Luke Brannan will partner with Kronable on the defensive line. Jack Goode and Drew Wallendorf will round out the
looking a lot better this year. He’s going to be a hard person to stop. We’re still going to run the ball a lot, but he looks a lot better, more comfortable this year at that role.”
Gavin Crowder is back for his senior season, and he returns as the leading ball carrier from last year after gaining 221 yards on 73 carries and scoring two touchdowns. He will spend time at fullback and tight end. Tyler Van Dyne, who saw time at quarterback as a freshman, ended last season with 86 yards on 40 carries and a touchdown. Waylon White had 50 yards on 23 carries as a sophomore. Brad Smith and Rowdy Rodhouse expect to contribute on the offensive line.
On defense, the Wolves expect to be pretty big up front. Smith and Rodhouse, along with juniors Carter Jones and Sammy Al-Rawas, will lead
secondary.
“I think we are going to be very successful on the defensive side,” Elmore said. “We have nine returners who started most of the season. The main thing for the defense is to keep getting better and create that wall on that side, and that is what we are looking to do.”
On offense, the Warriors will have to replace Lorton, a three-year starter at QB. But Elmore said he is confident senior Jake Snyders can step into the role. Snyders played in a limited capacity last season, completing a couple of passes and running for 43 yards.
Longnecker returns as the team’s leading rusher, running for 686 yards last year with eight touchdowns. Friedel had a breakout junior year on offense, gaining 830 all-purpose yards to go with a team-high 14 receptions and nine receiving touchdowns. He also ran for four TDs. Seniors Webster and Wallendorf each scored rushing touchdowns as
the line.
“Some years, you have guys that are big and they’re carrying a little bit of extra weight, but the weight these guys are carrying, it’s muscle mass, so we’ve really been extremely pleased with that,” Giles said.
The Wolves start the season with a more favorable schedule, on paper, than last season. Instead of hosting Routt and traveling to Camp Point Central, Pleasant Hill will travel to Triopia and host Beardstown in weeks 1 and 2. Last season, the Wolves lost in Week 8 to Triopia by a score of 34-30. It was their closest game all season.
“South is going to be pretty tough. I think we can be in the hunt, too, as well. I really feel good about our team. We’re going to be super competitive,” Giles said. “Just looking forward to getting on the field again, and the
well last season to round out a solid corps heading into this year. “It is always tough when you have a three-year starter and you are starting over at the quarterback position, but we have some guys who have been running our offense for several years now and they are very adept at doing so in a successful way,” Elmore said. “So we feel good about the guys that we have.”
kids are really excited, and hopefully everything can go well for us and keep the injury bug away and all that. That’s what we’re looking forward to.”
Nickname: Wolves
Head coach: Mike Giles
Aug 30 7:00 H Triopia
Sep 6 7:00 A Beardstown
Sep 13 7:30 H Greenfield-NW
Sep 20 7:00 A Carrollton
Sep 27 7:00 H West Central
Oct 4 7:00 H North Greene
Oct 11 7:00 A Calhoun
Oct 18 7:00 H Mendon Unity
Oct 25 7:00 A Brown County
Pleasant Hill
PORTA/A-C football team rebuilds after first win in four years
By Travis Zuellig
For the Journal-Courier
Wins have been tough to come by for the PORTA/ A-C Central football team since 2020. After winning three games in head coach
Lonnie McAnally’s first year in 2019, the Bluejays went winless over the next three seasons before beating Riverton in Week 7 last year.
The COVID season, followed by low roster numbers, kept the program down. In 2022, more players came out for the team and the games were much tighter.
Last season, the Bluejays built on those tough times, and with improved numbers, earned their first win in four years. PORTA has used that win as a motivator this offseason. McAnally said it feels like this is the first year the players are really buying into the culture that he and his coaching staff have been trying to build.
“It was the next step in our progression of building this program. It was good to get one win under our belt,” McAnally said. “We had some other games that were super close that I thought were potential wins, but we didn’t quite make it last year. But we have a pretty positive outlook with this group of kids this year.”
There will be a few changes on both sides of the ball this season. Taking over at quarterback is sophomore Lane McAnally, who threw for more than 1,500 yards and 14 touchdowns at the junior varsity level.
Drew Marr will move from quarterback to running back for his senior season, partnering with all-conference fullback Dane Jiannoni. McAnally described Marr as a player who wants the ball in his hands, and the coach is expecting big things out of him and Jiannoni in his senior season. The duo should be a formidable force for the Bluejay offense.
“Based on our offense, it is
pretty huge,” McAnally said when asked about Marr moving to running back. “With Dane being our fullback, his running ability between the tackles is pretty special, but if we can use Drew as our outside runner — he is shifty and fast — if we can get him outside, it’ll take a little pressure off Dane, and that will benefit us all around.”
The offensive line will be junior-heavy this season with Johnny McWhorter, Kyler Cannon and Owen Gilbert as the key players. The junior class, which has 30 players, has helped with depth.
“These guys are ginormous,” the coach said. “This is kind of the class we have been waiting for, as far as the guys up front. We have never had a full offensive and defensive line
with depth, and this year, we have that with this junior class.”
On the other side of the ball, PORTA is switching to a 4-2-5 defense, and McAnally is feeling confident about the change. Junior AJ Fickas was a stabilizing force up front on the defensive line last season. Jiannoni will be one of the two linebackers, and Marr will lead the defense at safety.
PORTA plays in the tough Sangamo Conference, and will start the season traveling to Olympia to play Stanford. The Bluejays fell to the Spartans at home in the final game last season. PORTA will host Williamsville, another playoff team, in Week 2 before playing New Berlin, Maroa-Forsyth and Pleasant Plains to close out the first half of the schedule.
“We want to win some more games,” McAnally said.
“Looking at our schedule, we are feeling pretty confident there are a handful of games we can win. Some of the teams in our conference lost some seniors, and we feel really good about who we are bringing up this year.”
PORTA/A-C Central Nickname: Bluejays Head coach: Lonnie McAnally
2023 Record: 1-8
Classification Enrollment: 445.50 Aug 30 7:00 A Stanford (Olympia) 500.00 Sep 6 7:00 H Williamsville 468.50 Sep 13 7:00 A New Berlin [co-op] 444.50 Sep 20 7:00 H Maroa (M.-Forsyth) 344.50 Sep 27 7:00 A Pleasant Plains 402.00
Oct 4 7:00 H Auburn 387.50
Oct 11 7:00 H Athens 322.00
Oct 18 7:00 A Riverton 381.50
Oct 25 7:00 H Pittsfield 337.00
A PORTA/A-C Central player goes back to pass during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
New head coach Cody Winkelman excited for Triopia season
By Travis Zuellig For the Journal-Courier
After the Triopia football team missed out on the playoffs the past four seasons, head coach Adam Brockhouse was replaced by assistant coach Cody Winkelman in March. The first-time head coach is ready to take the Trojans into the future.
Winkelman is very familiar with the Triopia football program, as the 2005 graduate played for the Trojans and was a member of the teams that made back-toback IHSA Class 1A semifinal playoff appearances in 2003 and 2004.
As an assistant under Brockhouse for the past three seasons, he knows this team. Triopia will return plenty of players on both sides of the ball with varsity experience as underclassmen.
“I am excited obviously — really looking forward to the season,” Winkelman said. “We have a lot of guys back from last year. We have a lot of experience over the last couple of seasons. I am just super excited I get this opportunity to build onto the
Triopia football tradition we have had over the last 50-some odd years.”
Winkelman, who was an assistant at Beardstown from 2011-17, took a couple of years off before heading back to his alma mater. As a junior and senior in high school, Winkelman recalled writing down plays and dreaming of being a head coach one day, but not necessarily at Triopia. When the opportunity arose to be the head coach of the Trojans, Winkelman took it.
Winkelman wants to get Triopia back to the playoffs. He takes over a young team from last season that dealt with some growing pains. After opening the season with a 28-2 win over Pleasant Hill, the Trojans lost their remaining eight games. Only two of those games were close.
“Last season, we had some injuries in the middle of the season and had some kids playing out of position,” Winkelman said. “We had a lot of sophomores and juniors play. We did have a couple of seniors, but we were playing a lot of
A Triopia player stretches to catch a pass during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
Friday, August 30,
younger guys, which is how it shaped up to be because of certain situations. We did the best we could with the group that we had.”
Grant Fricke returns at quarterback to lead the offense. The junior was the starter last year after playing wide receiver as a freshman. Winkelman said Fricke, who also excels at baseball, has the knowledge to run the offense.
“He has a lot of experience,” Winkelman said. “He is a smart kid who knows the offense really well. He is probably more dangerous running than he is passing. He can throw the ball, too. He threw the ball well for us last year, so he is a great weapon to have. He can do a little bit of everything.”
An experienced backfield will give Fricke several options on offense. Brock York, a 5-foot-8 senior, has played since his freshman year. Gameli White saw some time last season in a backup role and is expected to get more touches as a junior. Senior Caleb Carpenter is a power-type back. Rodeo-tough junior Bronc Bogner is ready to block, while Jaxon Dion is
moving from guard to fullback, giving the Trojans “a good little rotation of guys who can run the ball for us,” Winkelman said. Juniors Andrew Hobrock and Will Burton will play at tight end.
The defense returns a lot more experience, with a trio of seniors at linebacker. Tanner Shade at middle linebacker, along with Dion and Carpenter, make up the core.
Bogner, who led the team in tackles last season, will start again at safety.
Cooper Parrish will also be in the mix, with Fricke and York leading the secondary.
On the line, there are a few options at defensive tackle with Jase Morton, Nate Doyle and Ticen Crawford on the power side. If the Trojans want to go smaller, Alex Schild or Cristian Provo give them some options. Cole Strubbe and Aiden Crews will start at defensive end after starting as sophomores last season.
“We have some different pieces for the defensive line,” Winkelman said. “We have a good rotation of six or seven guys that can all do some things — gives us
some good options.”
Triopia will travel to Pleasant Hill for the opening game on Friday, August 30 at 7 p.m. The Wolves have also improved this offseason after not losing much to graduation. The Trojans host Carrollton before heading to Jacksonville to play Routt to close out the first third of the season. Next come Brown County, Beardstown
and Mendon Unity.
“Obviously, we want to have a winning record and want to be in the playoffs. We want to be in the mix for the conference title and all that fun stuff,” Winkelman said. “I think the big thing for us is just playing with confidence this year and playing fast and knowing our responsibilities and be more physical than we have been in the past.”
Members of the Triopia football team receive instructions during the first week of practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
Tigers rebuild after historic 2023 success
By Travis Zuellig
For the Journal-Courier
The 2023 season for the GreenfieldNorthwestern football team was a combination of the Tigers’ tradition of success, and having the right personnel at the right time, including a father and son as head coach and quarterback.
The Tigers went undefeated during the regular season, then put together the team’s longest playoff run since 1991, when the Tigers finished second in the state under legendary coach Dan Bowman. Last year’s team created its own legends, including a playoff run that ended in the state semifinals with a loss to eventual state champion Camp Point Central. It was the Tigers’ longest playoff run under head coach Joe Pembrook, and only the second time in program history that Greenfield-Northwestern won 12 games in a season.
“It was a reward for all of their dedication and hard work,” Pembrook said. “These kids work year-round toward our program, and I think it is just a testament to their commitment level and their dedication to one another. It was a fantastic season where we were able to go 9-0 and then make a deep playoff run. Just about made the championship game, but fell a little bit short. As I reflect back on it, it is nothing but fond memories.”
That undefeated regular season was the
first under Pembrook and the team’s third overall since 2000, minus the COVID year. Most of the games in the regular season were routs, with a 42-26 win over Calhoun in Week 5 and a 14-0 victory over Carrollton in Week 7 the closest contests. After beating Nokomis 52-13 in the first round of the playoffs, the Tigers squeezed past Casey-Westfield 16-14 with a touchdown and two-point conversion on the last play of the game. GreenfieldNW hammered Sesser-Valier 44-16 in the quarterfinals before losing to the Panthers 54-20 in the state semifinals.
“It was a fantastic season,” Pembrook said. “We were able to avoid the injury bug for the most part and had a great group of kids who worked extremely well and complemented each other all season long. It was a great season for us and a ton of fun, and I was glad I could be part of the experience.”
Now, it’s on to this season where the Tigers will look to rebuild around a handful of returners from last year’s run. Talon Albrecht will take over for Dylan Pembrook under center. The senior was one of Pembrook’s targets at wide receiver, catching 24 passes for 418 yards and six touchdowns, so he is wellacquainted with Greenfield-NW’s offense.
Garrett Costello will be his top returning receiver. The senior made 25 catches for 541 yards and eight touchdowns during his junior year. Ashton Preusen returns after gaining over 300 yards of total offense, with four touchdowns. With Pembrook and Kohen
A Greenfield-Northwestern player works on tackling technique during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
Vetter graduated, seniors Wyatt Stuart, who had 112 yards on 18 carries as a junior, and Caleb Albrecht are expected to step in at running back. Senior Griffin Rothe and junior Kayden Roberts will key the offensive line. It is not often Greenfield-NW comes into a season with question marks about starting spots, but the coach has confidence in his squad.
“We have to rely on some of the experience that we were able to create last year. There is some holdover there,” Pembrook said. “Every
town, every school has to be able to rebuild and reload a little bit and deal with graduation, and we are no different. Our kids have a great culture here, and we have great tradition. They have bought into our program, and I think they work really hard in the offseason. They understand the pressure placed on them and the expectations, and I think they are ready for the challenge.”
The Tigers enter the season with a few unknowns on the defensive side of the ball, but with some familiar faces. The linebacking corps of Costello, Stuart and Caleb Albrecht all return. Talon Albrecht, who played some linebacker last year, is moving to the secondary. Stuart led the team with 141 tackles. Costello finished with 73 tackles and three interceptions, while Caleb Albrecht
had 67 tackles. Talon Albrecht had 38 tackles and three interceptions last season.
Roberts will be the main man on the defensive line, racking up 84 tackles last year, including four for loss, with four fumble recoveries. Rothe made 44 tackles on the line last year. Preusen, who made 36 tackles a season ago, will be in the secondary.
Pembrook said the extra practices and time together during the playoffs helped develop the rest of the team.
“The more we are around one another, it carries over, without a doubt. It helps carry on tradition,” Pembrook said. “These guys understand there are some longterm goals that we have within our program. We know we take it one week at a time and focus on
nothing but Week 1. We are not afraid to set some lofty long-term goals for ourselves and be able to reach those things. Last year, we were able to achieve some great accomplishments, and those guys were all along for the ride and gained some valuable experience. Utilizing the culture, hopefully we can carry it over into the 2024 season.”
Greenfield-NW will start its season with a home game against Brown County before heading out on the road to play Mendon Unity, Pleasant Hill and North Greene. Last season, the Tigers won those first four games by a combined score of 182-38. Greenfield-NW will host Calhoun in Week 5 before going back on the road for a game against West Central.
“We have taken some big steps forward,” Pembrook said. “We are
going to have a lot of new guys and new faces in new spots, and we are trying to work that out and create some depth, and where all of the
pieces of the puzzle lie. We had some valuable experience at some critical spots last year, and are looking forward to the upcoming season.”
Greenfield-Northwestern
Nickname: Tigers Head coach: Joe Pembrook
2023 Record: 12-1 (Class 1A)
Classification Enrollment: 221.00
Aug 30 7:00 H Mt. Sterling (Brown County) 215.50
Sep 6 7:00 A Mendon (Unity) [Unity-Payson co-op] 332.50
Sep 13 7:30 A Pleasant Hill [co-op] 214.00
Sep 20 7:00 A White Hall (North Greene) 222.50
Sep 27 7:00 H Hardin (Calhoun) [co-op] 193.50
Oct 4 7:30 A Winchester [West Central co-op] 241.00
Oct 11 7:30 H Carrollton 190.00
Oct 19 1:00 A Jacksonville (Routt) [co-op] 266.00
Oct 25 7:00 H Concord (Triopia) [co-op] 228.50
Greenfield-Northwestern coach Joe Pembrook talks to his team during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
Bigger, faster, stronger Carrollton football team set for season
By Travis Zuellig
For the Journal-Courier
It took only one season for the Carrollton football team to get back to the IHSA Class 1A playoffs after head coach Rodney Flowers took over for his younger brother Nick, who led the Hawks to two state runner-up finishes in an 18-year coaching career.
After just two wins in his first season, Flowers led the Hawks back to the postseason. A firstround loss to eventual quarterfinalist SesserValier has been a big motivator for the team this summer, and Carrollton will be looking to improve.
The Hawks won their first five games last year before dropping the final four, and the playoff game. That stretch included three playoff teams, including eventual Class 1A state champion Camp Point Central.
“First year was rough just because we graduated state runnerup kids, and we didn’t return much from that year and we had some key injuries to start the season. So, ’22 was rough,” Flowers said. “But we have a quality program, quality kids and a quality staff, and we got through it and came back last year and rebounded, and got back in the playoffs. And that was our goal.”
The Hawks’ 5-0 start last year was a major accomplishment after a 2-7 record in 2022
-- a season that finished with five straight losses. In the first game, the Hawks beat Beardstown 16-8 to start the season off on the right foot. Carrollton followed with wins over Triopia, Pleasant Hill and North
Greene, and a wild 3026 victory over West Central. The Hawks trailed by 14 in the first half in that one but rattled off 22 straight points for the win. A two-yard touchdown run by Grant Cox in
the second half was the difference.
Carrollton hit a rough patch late in the season, starting with a 61-0 loss to Calhoun before matchups with Greenfield-NW and Camp Point Central —
the kings of the WIVC last season. The Hawks ended the regular season with a 27-point loss to Routt.
“We don’t like the taste in our mouth from the Calhoun game. We didn’t like how we let
up the Routt game,” Flowers said. “We had a 14-point lead and let them back in the game, and then they took the whole momentum. The same thing happened down at Sesser. We had the lead and could
A Carrollton player looks to pass during the first week of football practice. (Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
Friday, August 30,
have expanded the lead and didn’t. Last year’s team, although they got us back in the playoffs, we didn’t finish four quarters of football, and that’s what we’ve learned from, which is why we have gotten bigger, faster, stronger. Now we have to get tougher and more determined to finish games.”
Seniors Lucas Howard and Cox will be the top options at running back for the Hawks this season. Cox, who was the starting quarterback his sophomore year, switched to running back/wide receiver for his junior year. Howard is also a third-year starter.
Carson Flowers took over for Cox last season at quarterback, and the team made strides, especially in the win column. The junior led an offense that scored 177 points.
Senior Carson Grafford and junior Charlie Stumpf will be his main targets at wide receiver, with sophomore Reed Schnettgoecke expected to get some time on the offense.
“Carson was a young sophomore last year, and now he has grown about four or five inches and put on about 20 pounds,” coach Flowers said. “He had 1,200plus yards last year, and we want to average more like 200 yards a game. We definitely throw to run. He is a smart kid, and we have high expectations for him.”
When these seniors were freshmen at Carrollton, the team finished as runnerup in the Class 1A playoffs, giving that young class plenty of extra practice time to develop. And Flowers expects them to continue with that desire to win.
“This senior class were all freshmen our state runnerup year, so they know what it takes to get to a state title game,” Flowers said. “They know the work and commitment and the desire you have to have, so this is their season to shine. They
are a close-knit group and a hard-working group. They achieved all of the summer goals they set for themselves with weight room attendance and speed and strength and 7-on-7s. They set themselves some season goals, and we are going to find out if they really want to achieve them.”
The Hawks open the season with a home game against Beardstown on Saturday, August 31 before traveling to Triopia and West Central on consecutive Fridays. Carrollton will then play a
string of home games, hosting Pleasant Hill, North Greene and Calhoun. Carrollton will want to get off to a fast start.
“We are extremely excited,” Flowers said. “It’s a long summer and a long spring, but they have been putting in the work in the weight room. Their attendance and attitude have been great. All we care about right now is Beardstown on Saturday the 31st. It is our focus. They bring back some talented, athletic kids. We can’t wait to play them.”
Hawks Head coach: Rodney Flowers
2023 Record: 5-5 (Class 1A)
Classification Enrollment: 190.00
Aug 31 7:00 H Beardstown 422.00
6 7:00 A Concord (Triopia) [co-op]
A Carrollton player works on shedding a defender during the first week of football practice.(Dennis Mathes | Journal-Courier)
Carrollton
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