Kickoff HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Brothers to the Bone
Daviess County’s Marquel Tinsley, left, and Joey Cambron.
DC’s Cambron, Tinsley have special bond on and off the field BY JIM PICKENS
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MESSENGER-INQUIRER
aviess County’s Joey Cambron and Marquel Tinsley may well be the most unique quarterbackto-receiver high school football combination in the commonwealth of Kentucky. They’re brothers — but it goes much deeper than that. When both were in
fifth grade, Joey’s parents, John and Connie Cambron, were awarded full custody of Marquel. Instantly, a bond was formed between the two; one that has intensified at all levels through several years of athletic, social and personal interaction. “On the field, we connect in a special way,” Cambron said. “Off the field, we have a lot of
fun, but we also argue about stupid stuff, like brothers do — we’re very competitive.” Tinsley smiled. “I can tell you, there’s never a dull time in our house — it’s active, and it’s noisy,” he said. “On the field, we’re like the same person. We know each other so well because of the all the football we’ve played together in the back yard.
It’s definitely developed into something special.” Now, Cambron and Tinsley are seniors of significance in a DCHS program that made history last fall by competing in a (Class 6-A) regional championship game for the first time. The Panthers also won the City-County Championship. “Absolutely, they’re like
brothers,” Daviess County coach Matt Brannon said. “They have a great time together — they argue a lot, but you can tell there’s a special relationship between them. They look out for each other. They want each other to do well, but, yes, they’re definitely like most brothers would be.” SEE BOND/PAGE 2
2 Football 2018 MESSENGER-INQUIRER, Friday, August 17, 2018
Parity abounds on area football landscape “P
arity” has been the Daviess County, not to watchword provided mention a pair of defeats by numerous area at the hands of their coaches heading into the traditional Class 5-A rival, 2018 high school Bowling Green. football season, To say the least, and there seems OHS is intensely to be a bountiful focused on a season collection of of redemption, convincing with the hope and evidence to belief that new support that quarterback Will prognostication. Warren — a transfer Any team from Owensboro JIM believing it will PICKENS Catholic — will separate itself MESSENGER-INQUIRER lead a prolific aerial from the pack will, attack in an offense indeed, have to prove it on that seeks to be markedly the field of play, for, on the more balanced and, hence, surface, there appears to less predictable this fall. be plenty of teams poised From a purely athletic for excellent seasons on the standpoint, no one in the gridiron. area matches up with the The first team to ever-swift, ever-quick Red consider, of course, is the Devils. most tradition-rich of them When it comes to pure all — Owensboro. skill, however, Daviess The Red Devils, County is the burgeoning however, are coming off a outfit to keep an eye on. subpar 4-7 season, which The Panthers feature included rare City-County the area’s most proven losses to Apollo and quarterback-to-receiver
connection in the form of elusive QB Joey Cambron and explosive wideout Marquel Tinsley — a big-play combination if there ever was one. Senior Landon Newman provides pop out of the backfield. Moreover, DC is coming off a 7-6 campaign that featured five victories in its final seven games, and a City-County Championship to boot. The Panthers have raised their profile, confidence and expectations significantly. It’s challenging to know precisely what to expect from either Apollo or Owensboro Catholic because both feature new head coaches. Phillip Hawkins, who replaced Dan Crume at Apollo, has the Eagles thinking big thoughts and dreaming big dreams, as Colby Clark returns at quarterback to direct a spread offense that promises to be both
imaginative and high octane. The return of Mariano McKenzie at running back should provide the same type of balance that led to the program’s best record (7-4) in 11 seasons in 2017. Jason Morris has replaced longtime head coach John Edge at Catholic, which won eight of 13 games and advanced to the Class 2-A Region 1 championship game last fall. Running back Von Williams returns for his senior season, junior Drew Hartz is back at quarterback after a breakout season in 2017, and steady-as-they-come senior Nick Mills provides the Aces one of the most versatile and dependable pass-catchers in western Kentucky. It appears that every squad in the chase for a City-County title has the potential to
put big numbers on the scoreboard, so the outcome of these battles will likely hinge on the program that develops the best shut-down “D.” After all, defense wins championships, right? Know this: It will be a blast watching every single City-County rivalry game this fall — and the fans will be the biggest winners of all in the end. There is much to be excited about on the gridiron outside of Daviess County, as well. Ohio County was one of the area’s surprise teams last fall under first-year head coach DaMarcus Ganaway, going 7-4 behind the strong right arm of senior quarterback Heath Simmons. This year, converted receiver Dezmond Randolph will be at the controls, and Ganaway anticipates no fall off for the rejuvenated Eagles.
Hancock County is coming off a solid 7-5 season, and head coach Bobby Eubanks expects the Hornets to continue their upward trend behind highly-skilled sophomore triple-action quarterback Darian Clay. Coach Zach Wagner’s McLean County team slipped to 4-7 a year ago, but the return of talented, versatile wingback Noah Baldwin and a large senior class (18) for a small program puts the seasoned Cougars in position to take a significant step up. Muhlenberg County struggled to a 3-8 record in 2017 and will call on converted running back Bronzyn Healy, a junior, to quarterback Hays Browning’s Mustangs to a season of transformation. Strap it on tight — the 2018 high school football season is upon us.
BOND
FROM THE FRONT PAGE
Except for their exceptional respective talents — this is what sets them apart, individually and collectively. Tinsley is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound wide receiver who recently committed to Middle Tennessee, a FBS program competing in Conference USA. In nine regular-season games last fall, Tinsley caught an area-best 57 passes for 1,294 yards (22.7 ypc) and 20 touchdowns. His average of 143.8 receiving yards per game nearly lapped the field. The bad news for opposing defenses? Tinsley, who attended nearly a dozen camps over the summer, believes he’s a markedly better player. “My speed off the line of scrimmage is where I needed to improve the most, and I’m much better at that now,” Tinsley said. “Also, my route-running is improved — I learned a lot over the summer, and I’ve put in a lot of hard work in the meantime. I just feel like all of it has made me a more compete receiver.” Brannon has never seen a prep receiver quite like him. “As a player, he’s tremendous — the total package,” Brannon said. “He does so much for us, I think we’ve gotten kind of spoiled having him around. He sparks us in practice, he sparks us in games. If there’s a lull, you can count on Marquel to snap us out of it. “From a skill standpoint, he’s got the best pair of hands I’ve ever coached, period. His top end speed is great, and he can go up and catch a ball against anybody. In all those camps he attended this summer, I don’t think he dropped over three balls the whole time. “Over time, he’s become a fantastic football player.” As has Cambron, a 6-foot, 170-pounder who is coming off a junior season in which he completed 174-of-317 passes for area-best totals of 3,279 yards and 43 touchdowns in 10 regular season games. He’s high on the recruiting list of Lindsey Wilson College, and he has a preferred walk-on offer from MTSU. “I think I improved the most between my sophomore and junior seasons, and that showed up in the way I was able to play last season,” Cambron said. “I watched a lot of film and the understanding of concepts and schemes finally kicked in — it made a big difference. “Physically, I think my best traits are arm strength and accuracy.” Brannon concurs. “Joey has an electric arm that can throw any pass,” he said. “He’s very accurate, but he can also throw the deep ball. “Where he’s exceptional is throwing intermediate passes with a high degree of accuracy. Relatively few quarterbacks at the high school level do that well, and his ability to do it opens up a lot of options for us.” Then, of course, there are those moments when everything on the offense breaks down. Not surprisingly — considering the shared gridiron heritage between Cambron and Tinsley — that’s when the Panthers are often at their best.
Photo by Greg Eans, Messenger-Inquirer | geans@messenger-inquirer.com
Daviess County’s Joey Cambron looks to pass during a morning practice Aug. 2 at the school. Cambron returns for his second season as the Panthers’ starting quarterback.
Photo by Greg Eans, Messenger-Inquirer | geans@messenger-inquirer.com
Daviess County’s Marquel Tinsley, right, catches a pass while defended by teammate Nathan Atwood during practice Aug. 2 at the high school. It’s called improvisation. “Yeah, they’re both really good at that,” Brannon laughed. “It comes from all those times they played football together at home,” Cambron and Tinsley both smiled at the notion. “My first option is not to run,” Cambron said, “but to look for No. 2 (Tinsley) — just as I would do in my back yard.” Tinsley does what he can to help in such situations.
“When he’s scrambling, I try to make sure I get in his view,” Tinsley said. “If he sees me and knows I am open, I know he can get me the ball. Nothing new — we’ve been doing that back home for years.” That, and many other things in and around their Landsdowne subdivision home. “We play Xbox, basketball, have dance battles,” said Cambron, who noted that the
pair’s music taste runs the gamut between anything from hip-hop to country. “Anything that has a good beat,” Tinsley added. And they’re united in their quest to lead DC to unprecedented heights on the gridiron in their last go-around as Panthers. “We did good at the end of last season, but we can be better if we trust the process and play
together,” Cambron said. “My goal is to go undefeated, win district, win City-County, win the state championship.” Cambron never blinked when he said it; nor did Tinsley. “Pretty much what he said,” Tinsley added. “Our team wants to set a standard of excellence in football here that will be expected every season.” Led by two superb players who are, indeed, brothers to the bone.
MESSENGER-INQUIRER, Friday, August 17, 2018
Football 2018 3
DC hoping gold turns into platinum this fall
Panthers played for 6-A region title in 2017 BY JIM PICKENS
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MESSENGER-INQUIRER
o one could have predicted what kind of golden 2017 season was in store for Daviess County after the Panthers opened the season 0-3. Ah, but golden it turned out to be. After rallying to win five of its final seven regular-season games and earning the City-County Championship with a late-season victor y over arch-rival Apollo, DC won a pair of KHSAA Class 6-A playoff games — including a season-defining 34-21 win at McCracken County — and played in the regional championhship game for the first time. “After what happened last season, there are different expectations for this program,” fourth-year Daviess County coach Matt Brannon said. “We’re no longer flying under the radar, to say the least.” The Panthers return 10 of 11 starters on offense, so the bar is being raised even higher this fall. “The potential is exciting, but it’s essential that we stay humble,” Brannon said. “No team in Daviess County histor y has won 10 games in a season, and that’s something we’re shooting for. “We had a good season last year, but not a great season. Good is the enemy of great, so we need to come back hungr y and remain determined to get better as we go. If we keep that kind of edge and stay healthy, we have the potential to do great things.”
OFFENSE
Senior Joey Cambron (6-0, 175) returns for his second season at starting quarterback after completing 174-of-317 passes for 3,279 yards and 43 touchdowns in the regular season. “He can throw any ball we ask him to,” Brannon said. “He makes great reads in our run-pass option, and he has grown as a leader. We’re fortunate to have someone like him running our offense.” The running back
Daviess County running back Landon Newman runs with the ball during practice on Aug. 2 at the high school. corps will be led by senior Landon Newman (6-0, 185), who rushed for 549 yards and seven TDs in only eight regular-season games. He also caught 20 passes for 327 yards and three scores. Junior Shane Riley (5-11, 200), a sprinter on the track team, is also destined to get some touches. DC’s starting line will likely consist of right tackle Cameron Duvall (5-11, 185, Sr.), right guard Joe Benallo (6-0, 230, Jr.), center Blake Henr y (6-3, 240, Soph.), left guard Noah Gatton (5-8, 225, Sr.) and highlyacclaimed sophomore left tackle Jon Nalley (6-5, 280). Messenger-Inquirer 2017 Area Offensive Player of the Year Marquel Tinsley, a gifted 6-2, 195-pound wide out, leads the receiving corps. Last fall, Tinsley made 57 receptions for 1,294 yards (22.7 ypc) and 20 touchdowns. He has commited to Middle Tennessee of Conference USA. “He’s simply a tremendous receiver,” Brannon said of Tinsley. “He dominated ever y
PANTHERS’ SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TIME Aug. 17. . . . . . Owensboro Catholic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Aug. 25. . . . . . vs. Evansville Central (Border Bowl) . . . . . . 4 p.m. Aug. 31. . . . . . John Hardin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Sept. 7 . . . . . . at Hancock County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Sept. 14. . . . . at Owensboro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Sept. 21. . . . . McCracken County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Oct. 5 . . . . . . . at Muhlenberg County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Oct. 12. . . . . . at Henderson County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Oct. 19. . . . . . Ohio County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Oct. 26. . . . . . Apollo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m.
COACH MATT BRANNON
BLAKE BAKER
camp he was at this summer.” Tinsley has help in the form of senior Blake Baker (5-7, 165), who caught 38 passes for 822 yards (12.6 ypc) and 11 TDs. JQ Fletcher (5-6, 155, Sr.) is another game-breaking threat. Senior Jacob Shelton (6-1, 235) will see action at tight end, and another key pass-catcher is senior Alex Nalley (5-7, 175). “We want to be balanced and unpredictable on offense,” Brannon said. “We have the pieces in place to be productive on the ground and through the air.”
DEFENSE
The Panthers lost M-I Area Defensive Player of the Year Shae Car wile, a linebacker, to graduation and will be rebuilding to an extent, although Brannon insists the unit has more experience than most people think. “Some of these kids have had a lot of reps on the defensive side,” Brannon said. “I think they’ll play this season with a little bit of a chip on their shoulder because most of the preseason talk has been about our offense. I think our defenders will play with an edge all season long.” Up front, DC will go with Shelton and Owen Alegea (6-1, 220, Sr.) at the end spots, with massive junior Jonathan Stefanopoulos (6-2, 350) and Tyler Garner (5-10, 235, Jr.) at tackle. Linebackers will include Duvall and juniors Will Skeens (5-10, 180) and Weston Lane (5-10, 190). Expected to man the secondar y will be Baker and Tinsley, along with seniors Nathan Atwood, Jax Simpson and Devron
JOEY CAMBRON
Photo by Greg Eans, Messenger-Inquirer | geans@messenger-inquirer.com
Daviess County’s JQ Fletcher catches a pass during practice Aug. 2 at the high school.
Sophomore Carter Hoagland will handle the place-kicking duties, and Cambron will return as a dual-threat punter. “Carter went to some (kicking) camps over the summer, and he’s improved,” Brannon said.
Clearly, Daviess County is poised to do big things in 2018 — and has the star power to back it up. “We’re excited about the posibilities, and it’s going to be a fun season within the context of the
City-County situation — ever ybody is going to be pretty strong,” Brannon said. “We’re just looking to maintain the momentum we were playing with at the end of (last) season, build on that and take another step in our journey as a program. “We have a lot of returning talent, but, more important, we have great team chemistr y out here. Ever yone wants to be the best he can be for the benefit of the team, and that’s a wonderful situation for any team to be in. The continuity here has been good the past few years, and we can’t wait to get started and see how things turn out.”
CAMERON DUVALL
LANDON NEWMAN
MARQUEL TINSLEY
Mason. Also in the mix will be Fletcher, Hamilton and cornerback-linebacker Newman. “We’ve got 14 or 15 guys we can rotate in and out on defense — a lot of versatility,” Brannon said. “They’re determined to be a strong unit, and they know it’s going to take a team effort for us to be the best we can be on that side of the ball.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
“Joey is a quality punter and a threat to take off in certain situations.” Tinsley, Baker and Mason are game-breakers in the return game. “This is a top priority for us,” Brannon said of special teams play. “We spend 30 minutes a day on it. We want it to be one of our strongest areas.”
OUTLOOK
4 Football 2018 MESSENGER-INQUIRER, Friday, August 17, 2018
Owensboro quarterback Will Warren throws on a rollout on Aug. 8 during practice at Rash Stadium.
Photo by Alan Warren, Messenger-Inquirer/awarren@messenger-inquirer.com
Red Devils are looking for redemption OHS slipped to 4-7 last season
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BY JIM PICKENS
MESSENGER-INQUIRER
he way Owensboro High School football coach Jay Fallin sees it, little things cost his team a lot in 2017, when the Red Devils slipped to an uncharacterisitc 4-7 record that included a first-round exit from the KHSAA Class 5-A playoffs. Make no mistake, OHS will be out to make amends this fall. “We have a mature, seasoned group who took their lumps last season, and they’re working hard so they don’t take so many lumps this season,” Fallin said. “We had a lot of close losses, and key penalties and mistakes, along with our youth, were contributing factors. “We’re paying more attention to detail as we prepare for the new season, and we have our sights set on proving what happened last year is not representative of Owensboro High School football. “Little things win or lose ballgames, and we want to do the little things well this fall.” Fallin likes what he’s witnessed, thus far. “It’s a hard-working group that’s gotten after it in winter weightlifting,
COACH JAY FALLIN
features only two seniors guard Hunter Thomson (5-10, 240, Jr.) and right in the projected starting tackle Dartanyan Tinsley 11. (6-2, 300, Sr.). in spring ball and here Up front, the Devils’ Tight ends include in our preseason camp,” 4-2-5 base will feature senior Aireon Phillips Fallin said. “The focus is ends Trace Grenier there, the energy is there, (5-8, 150) and junior Kobe (5-10, 240, Jr.) and Jaiden Skortz (5-10, 180). and we believe the talent Greathouse (5-11, 225), The wide receiver is there for our team to along with nose guard have a successful season.” corps includes junior Tyren Hayden (6-2, 175), Diamond Glover (5-10, 260, Sr.) and tackle sophomore Treyvon OFFENSE Carson Tinsley (5-10, 175), Running the show for Brooks (6-0, OHS will be Will Warren, sophomore Ben Flaherty 250, Sr.). (5-7, 135) and senior a 6-foot-1, 210-pound Inside Hunter Morris (5-10, senior who transferred linebacker 165). from Owensboro “We’re going to be spots will be Catholic. throwing the ball a manned by “Will has natural arm lot more this season,” Gough and strength and talent,” Fallin said. “Last year, junior Fallin said. “He’s a we lacked the balance Scott natural leader and a we needed to have and Cox tremendously hard became too preditable. (5-9, 200). worker.” “Then you combine Cornerbacks are Julius Talent-rich freshman our ability to throw with a Gavin Wimsatt (6-3, 185), Eberhart (6-2, 180, Jr.) very solid line and some meanwhile, is waiting in and Javonte McHenr y very capable running the wings. backs, and we think we’re (6-0, 170, Soph.), and At running back, the safeties are Cameron set up pretty well on the Red Devils will feature offensive side of the ball.” Thompson (5-8, 160, Jr.), seniors Trevon Green Kamren Watkins (6-2, (5-10, 165) and I’monte 185, Jr.) and Ethan Aver y DEFENSE Owsley (5-8, 165). Owsley Owensboro’s defense (5-9, 170). rushed for 685 yards and 11 touchdowns in the regular season — averaging a stunning DATE OPPONENT TIME 11.8 yards per carry. Aug. 17.............Madisonville-North Hopkins. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Sophomore Austin Gough Aug. 24.............at Reitz (Border Bowl). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 p.m. (5-10, 215) will also get Aug. 31.............at Owensboro Catholic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. some touches. Sept. 7...............Bowling Green. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Owensboro’s big, Sept. 14............Daviess County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. physical line includes left Sept. 28............at Christian County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. tackle Qualon Tinsley Oct. 5.................at Marshall County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. (6-2, 225, Sr.), left guard Oct. 12...............Apollo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Justin Millay (6-5, 270, Oct. 19...............Graves County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Soph.), center Logan Oct. 26...............at Henderson County. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 p.m. Webb (6-0, 200, Sr.), right
RED DEVILS’ SCHEDULE
DIAMOND GLOVER
AUSTIN GOUGH
TREVON GREEN
Despite its realtive youth, the defense should be more seasoned this time around, according to Fallin. “We had a real lack of (varsity) experience on defense last season,” he said. “Our pass defense was ver y susceptible against certain teams, and our guys have been working extremely hard to become better defenders. “Our ability to tackle should be solid. It’s a mindset of flying to the football fearlessly and confidently. We have a group that loves to hit, loves to be in the thick of the action, and that’s what you’re always looking for — guys who will get after it on ever y play.”
go the distance. “All in all, we’re set up pretty well on our special teams. It’s an important element of any game, and we’re pretty confident about who we have in place in our kicking game.”
I’MONTE OWSLEY
WILL WARREN
OUTLOOK
The Red Devils face another rugged schedule, but Fallin is confident that his team will be prepared to succeed against some of the top competition western and southcentral Kentucky have to offer. “We’re a year older, a year wiser, and that’s going to figure into this a great deal,” he said. “I like the way we’ve approached the season from an attitude standpoint, and a lot of our guys are bigger, stronger and faster than they were last season. “Right here in Owensboro, the parity is as good as it’s been SPECIAL TEAMS since I’ve been on the Junior Grayson Owensboro coaching McFarland will handle place-kicking duties, and staff, so it will be Warren is slated to be the imperative to come ready to play ever y night. punter. There are no off weeks Lightning-fast kick when you look at who we returners will include play this year, so we’ve Treyvon Tinsley, Green got to be ready to go and Owsley. “They’re all breakaway right from the start. “Our players and threats, no doubt about it,” Fallon said. “Anytime coaches are really they get the ball in space, looking for ward to the these guys are threats to challenge.”
MESSENGER-INQUIRER, Friday, August 17, 2018
Football 2018 5
Apollo head coach Phillip Hawkins speaks to his team during a practice at Apollo High School.
Eagles are looking to soar to next level Hawkins excited about Apollo’s potential BY JIM PICKENS
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pollo experienced a breakout campaign last fall, winning seven games in a season for the first time since 2006 in what turned out to be a terrific end to the coaching career of Dan Crume. Now, the Phillip Hawkins era begins, and the Eagles are hoping to soar higher than ever. “The transition here has really been good,” said Hawkins, who directed Louisville Doss to an impressive 8-4 record a year ago. “Any time you change coaches and put in a new system, you wonder how that’s going to be, but the spring turned out to be a little better than I thought it would be. “We were primarily evaluating talent, figuring out where all the pieces fit, and we were able to hit the ground running this summer — that was a bonus.” Hawkins likes what
he sees in an Eagle contingent looking to build on the momentum created last season. “I’m ver y excited about the kids,” he said. “There is a lot of maturity within this program, a lot of guys who are committed to being the ver y best they can be as football players. “We also have a lot of talented young kids, and that’s going to improve the depth here significantly. “We have high expectations of ourselves, and that’s the way you always want it.”
OFFENSE
Senior Colby Clark (5-10, 172) returns at quarterback to run Hawkins’ spread offense. Last season, Clark was one of the most accurate marksmen in western Kentucky, completing 82-of-128 passes (.641) for 1,150 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season. “Colby manages the game well,” Hawkins said.
EAGLES’ SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT TIME Aug.17.......at Muhlenberg County.........................................7 p.m. Aug. 24......vs. Evansville Mater Dei (Border Bowl)....7:30 p.m. Aug. 31......McLean County........................................................7 p.m. Sept. 7........at Butler County.......................................................7 p.m. Sept. 14.....Owensboro Catholic..............................................7 p.m. Sept. 21.....at Graves County.....................................................7 p.m. Oct. 5..........Christian County......................................................7 p.m. Oct. 12........at Owensboro...........................................................7 p.m. Oct. 19........Marshall County......................................................7 p.m. Oct. 26........at Daviess County...................................................7 p.m.
COACH PHILLIP HAWKINS
COLBY CLARK
“He’s an ideal guy at the high school level to run this type offense. He’s mature, smart, and he’s picked all this up very quickly.” The feature running back will be Mariano McKenzie (5-9, 171, Sr.), who scampered for 900 yards and seven TDs in regular-season play. Also getting carries will be Will Barksdale (5-9, 160, Sr.), a transfer from Owensboro. Up front, Apollo will feature left tackle Parker Bates (6-5, 200, Soph.), left guard Talon Safreed (6-3, 190, Jr.), center Kaileb Fulkerson (5-11, 208, Sr.), right guard Chris Schwartz (6-0, 245, Sr.) and right tackle DC Boone (6-1, 335, Sr.). The tight end is sophomore Logan Weedman (6-5, 200), who, along with Bates, has already received a scholarship offer from Kentucky. “We have four returning starters on the line,” Hawkins said, “so we feel pretty good about things.” Apollo will feel the effects of losing star receiver Peyton Peters to graduation, but Hawkins has been pleased with what he’s seen from the Eagle returnees. Sam Parm (6-1, 201, Sr.) and Daylin Crabtree (6-2, 163, Jr.) will man the wide receiver posts, while the slot positions will feature Gage Hayden (5-10, 185, Sr.) and Daelin Kennedy (6-2, 185, Sr.). “We have some fieldstretchers,” Hawkins said, “and I think our run game
The Eagles will operate out of a 3-3-5 base and will feature a front three consisting of nose guard Schwartz along with ends Safreed and Weedman. One of Apollo’s best defenders, 6-2, 245-pound senior Quintin Miller, moves from end to middle linebacker and will be flanked by Kennedy and Nate Stewart (5-10, 195, Jr.). The defensive secondar y will feature Nate Roberts (6-1, 160, Sr.) and Barksdale as cornerbacks, speedster Geoffrey Johnson (6-1, 170, Jr.) at safety, with Parm and Hayden manning what Hawkins termed the “joker” positions. “This is also a pretty mature group,” Hawkins said of the defensive unit. “It’s basically gap responsibility with a lot of pressure. We’ve simplified things, which will allow them to react on instinct and play fast. “This is a group that seems to be locked in on what they need to do, and we have the makings of a pretty good first unit with some quality depth
GAGE HAYDEN
MARIANO MCKENZIE
combined with our passing game will give us the balance we’re looking for.”
DEFENSE
backing them up.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
Senior Wes Knott returns to do the place-kicking and punting for the Eagles, and Hawkins has been impressed. “We are simply blessed with a great kicker,” Hawkins said. “Wes is a special, dependable player, and he’s one of the best kickers around — a really impressive kid.” The kickoff return tandem will be Damian Lovinsky (6-0, 165, Soph.) and Johnson, while Hayden and Parm will handle punt return duties. “We have a bunch of skill kids who who play major roles on special teams,” Hawkins said.
OUTLOOK
Apollo is hoping the future’s so bright you’ll
QUENTIN MILLER
have to wear shades on Gemini Drive. “My goal is win district, which has eluded this program for quite a long time, and to win a first-round playoff game, which also has eluded this program for quite awhile,” Hawkins said. “The players here have a goal to win 10 games, one way or another, and, after winning seven games last year, I don’t see that as being out of their reach. We lost a great player in Peyton Peters, but we return a ton of production.” What Hawkins and Co. are stressing the most, however, is to take nothing for granted — to avoid taking a step back. “What we definitely don’t want to do is revert back to a twoor three-win program — that would be the worst thing to happen,” Hawkins said. “We need to continue to work hard, to get better and keep building on a pretty solid foundation.”
SAM PARM
6 Football 2018 MESSENGER-INQUIRER, Friday, August 17, 2018
Morris eager to deal Aces a winning hand Catholic went 8-5 in Edge’s final season BY JIM PICKENS
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MESSENGER-INQUIRER
here are youngsters in the community who can’t remember the last time Owensboro Catholic’s football program was coached by someone other than John Edge. Enter Jason Morris. Edge resigned the Aces’ helm after a long, distinguished tenure to accept the head coach position at South Spencer in southern Indiana, and Morris — after two seasons as a OCHS assistant — was selected to take over the reigns. “I’m excited about the opportunity,” said Morris, a former quarterback at Hancock County High School. “John did such a good job with the program for the past 14 years (130-52, three state championship game appearances), so there’s no need to completely overhaul things. We’ll hang our hat on being the most disciplined and most physical team on the field every Friday night.” Last season, Catholic finished 8-5, lost two of three City-County games and was eliminated from the 2-A playoffs in the second round by perennial power Mayfield, 40-7. Morris, however, is setting the bar high for Catholic — one of the most consistently successful small-school programs in Kentucky. “Our players are working extremely hard, and the school and community support I’ve received has been outstanding, and I believe we’re in a position to move the program forward,” Morris said. “We want to take it to the next level — to make it to the (Class 2-A) state championship game, and then win it. That’s always going to be the goal.”
Photo by Greg Eans, Messenger-Inquirer | geans@messenger-inquirer.com
Owensboro Catholic’s Chris Boarman, left, tackles teammate Carter McCain during a preseason practice at Steele Stadium.
(6-2, 180), who completed 97-of-165 passes for 1,396 yards and 20 touchdowns in 10 regular-season games last fall. “Fans will see a bigger, faster and stronger version of Drew this season,” Morris said. “He’s a quality passer who makes all the throws — a great leader for our offense.” The featured running back again will be Von Williams, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior who gained 688 yards and scored 10 TDs as a junior. OFFENSE “Von has worked One of the changes probably harder than any likely to be implemented by Morris is a slight dialing player I’ve coached leading into this season,” Morris down of a passing attack said. “He’s going to be hard that has been a staple for to tackle in between the the Aces for more than two tackles, and I look for him to decades. have a big year for us.” “We’ll still throw it a lot, Two underclassmen, probably 25 to 30 times a sophomore Harold Hogg game, though, instead of 35 to 45 times a game,” Morris and freshman Brayden said. “Whereas it might have Mundy, will also carry the been pass-run in the past, it ball. “Hogg has great vision,” will be more run-pass this Morris said, “and Mundy season. But we’ll still throw it, and we’ll utilize our backs has great skill and a lot of potential.” in the passing game quite The Aces’ line will feature a bit. senior left tackle Jayden Hall “We’re blessed with a tremendous amount of team (6-3, 265), junior left guard Noah Edelen (5-11, 240), speed, and we plan to take senior center Sam Wilson advantage of it.” Returning at quarterback (6-0, 250), junior right guard Rudy Clouse (6-0, 230) and will be junior Drew Hartz
skill, depth and versatility. “We have a lot of speed on this side of the ball,” Morris said, “so we want to fly around, get 11 hats to H O L I C the football. We want our T best athletes playing on CA the defensive side, as well.” Up front, the Aces will go with Baisden-Wade and senior Tim Settles (6-0, 185) at ends, with Hall at nose senior right tackle Dalton guard. Baisden-Wade. Williams will man one Receivers include senior outside linebacker post, tight end Noah Todd (6-2, with junior Dalton Devine 235), who could also see (5-10, 170) sharing time at time at running back, along the other with Mundy. Todd with wideouts Nick Mills will hold down one inside (5-11, 165, Sr.), Hagan Edge (5-9, 160, Jr.) and Ya Ya Gray linebacker spot, with Aaron (508, 150, Sr.). Mills caught Buckman (5-11, 185, Soph.), Chris Boarman (5-10, 185, a team-high 57 passes for Soph.) and Jack Hamilton 673 yards and 10 TDs in (6-1, 180, Jr.) splitting duties 2017. “Noah Todd is one of the at the other slot. In the secondary, better high school players cornerbacks will include in the state,” Morris said, Mills, senior Neal “and Nick Mills is a great Zoglmann (5-11, 160) and high school receiver. We’ll senior Jace Kessler (6-1, be explosive in this area with all the guys we have on 170), and the safety spot will be held down by Edge, board. “Our offensive personnel Gray and Jackson Staples (6-1, 170, Jr.), whom Morris is very versatile, and we’ll be utilizing their talents in a refers to as “our fastest player.” number of different ways.” Freshman Trey Roberts (5-11, 165), meanwhile, is DEFENSE an up-and-comer who could Catholic’s 3-4 defense warrant playing time before has the potential to give opponents fits, given its all is said and done.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Sophomore Michael Sullivan is expected to handle both place-kicking and punting chores for Catholic, with Mills and Edge in backup roles. In terms of kick returners, the Aces are blessed with an abundance of breakaway threats, including Mills, Hogg, Mundy, Roberts and Gray. “This is an area we should be very strong in,” Morris said. “Special teams play is so important, and we have an opportunity to break some big plays with our speed and quickness. I’m expecting a lot of positive things to come out of our special teams play.”
OUTLOOK
Though young and inexperienced in spots,
Catholic’s sheer talent and speed will make it a tough out in Class 2-A, and Morris expects the program’s winning ways to continue. “We have a good group of players who have quickly bought in to what we’re trying to get accomplished on the football field,” Morris said. “The goals in this program will always be high. We want to win City-County, we want to continue our streak of district championships, and we want to ultimately win this program’s first state championship. “We’re going to continue to work hard to be the very best team we can be, and we’re going to get after it every Friday night. We’re all looking forward to the challenge ahead of us.”
ACES’ SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT TIME Aug. 17.......at Daviess County...................................................7 p.m. Aug 25........vs. Evansville Memorial (Border Bowl)....7:30 p.m. Aug. 31.......Owensboro...............................................................7 p.m. Sept. 7.........South Spencer (Ind.).............................................7 p.m. Sept. 14......at Apollo.....................................................................7 p.m. Sept. 21......at Butler County......................................................7 p.m. Sept. 28......McLean County.......................................................7 p.m. Oct. 5...........at Hancock County................................................7 p.m. Oct. 12.........Todd County Central.............................................7 p.m. Oct. 26.........South Warren...........................................................7 p.m.
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Hancock County’s head coach Bobby Eubanks demonstrates a drill during practice at Hancock County High School.
Football 2018 7
Photo by Alan Warren, Messenger-Inquirer/awarren@messenger-inquirer.com
Hornets looking to build on success
Hancock finished 7-5 last season BY JIM PICKENS
H
MESSENGER-INQUIRER
ancock County put together a solid 7-5 season in 2017, advancing to the second round of the KHSAA Class 2-A playoffs before being eliminated by perennial power Mayfield. Now, the Hornets plan to build on their success. “We’re hoping to maintain the momentum that was created last season,” fourth-year Hancock County coach Bobby Eubanks said. “This group has worked as hard as any group we’ve had, and we feel that we’ve improved quite a bit since the spring. “We’re in the second year of a new system, so it’s gone much more smoothly here the second time around. We’re not having to spend as much time on the basics, and we’ve been able to sort of roll into what we do.” Eubanks, his staff and the senior class have grown together, he believes. “When we came in, these seniors were freshmen — they’ve been
hoping to defend the pass better and put more pressure on the passer this season. “This is a very versatile unit in that we feel we can shift and rotate into whatever set we need to, depending on the style of offense we’re up against. We’ve simplified some things that should make that kind of transition pretty smooth. “As always, we want to be quick to the football and on top of our assignments at all times and make the tackle. In the end, that’s what it all comes down to.”
the foundation of what we’re trying to achieve here,” Eubanks said. “Four seasons into this, we have grown as a program, and we’re continuing to grow. “This has been a great group to work with, and we’re heading into the season positive and confident.”
OFFENSE
The Hornets’ triple-option attack will be led by 6-foot, 180-pound sophomore quarterback Darian Clay. “He’s as athletically gifted as any player I’ve coached,” Eubanks said of Clay. “He’s great at making reads, very dangerous with the ball in his hands, and he’s a very accurate medium-range passer — he’s the total package.” Two of the three starters at running back are set. The fullback is Blaze Nalley (6-0, 195, Jr.) and the right halfback will be Spencer Harpenau (6-1, 185, Sr.). “We have three or four guys competing at left halfback,” Eubanks said, “but we feel very good about the backfield.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
return man, along with Gray. “We have some young kids who can move pretty well,” Eubanks said. “Our return game should be solid.”
OUTLOOK
Hancock County is l o o k i n g to take another step on the ladder of success this season. “We have a lot of expectations here,” Eubanks said. “We’ve all grown together, we’ve all come to this point together, and I think we expect a lot out of ourselves as both players and coaches at this point. “One of the things that has made this so special is how this group has always worked with the focus on team. When you have a situation like that, everyone on the team is pulling for everyone else, and that can take you a long, long way. “It’s fun to coach these players, and they enjoy playing the game and competing with the passion and desire it takes to succeed. That’s about all you can ask of any team, so we’re looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish.”
Lifelong soccer player Erick Munguia will handle place-kicking duties for the Hancock County’s Cory Axton makes a catch during prac- Hornets, and Clay will be tice Aug. 8 at Hancock County High School. in his second season as the team’s punter. On the line, Hancock DEFENSE “We’re focusing on will go with left tackle The Hornets will work special teams as much as Devin Taylor (6-2, 230, out of a 3-4 base, with a we can,” Eubanks said, Sr.), left guard Jesse Gray line consisting of left end “and we feel pretty good (5-10, 250, Jr), center Nick Locke (5-9, 245, with the situation we have Huntyr Caldwell (5-9, 250, Sr.), Kreisle and Warren in terms of our kicking Sr.), right guard Warren Garrison. game.” Garrison (6-2, 260, Sr.) and The all-important Clay, who returned two right tackle Trinity Hinton linebacker corps will kicks for touchdowns last (6-2, 215, Soph.) feature Nalley, Zach fall, will be the primary “We have a good-sized Martin (6-0, 245, Sr.), Ryan line for a small school,” Garrison (5-9, 205, Jr.) and Eubanks said. “Our guys Luke Garrison (5-9, 180, have worked hard in the Soph.). DATE OPPONENT TIME weight room.” In the secondary, Aug.17..............at Grayson County...........................................7 p.m. Wide receivers will be Harpenau will play Aug. 24.............Webster County................................................7 p.m. Jaxson Gray (6-2, 190, Sr.) strong safety, Clay, who Aug. 31.............Ohio County.......................................................7 p.m. and Tyler Kreisle (6-3, 180, intercepted four passes last Sept. 7...............Daviess County..................................................7 p.m. Sr.). fall, will play free safety, Sept. 14............Calloway County..............................................7 p.m. “We’re a run-first team,” and Gray will be at one Sept. 21............at Todd County Central..................................7 p.m. Eubanks said, “but we’ll cornerback slot, with the Sept. 28............Butler County.....................................................7 p.m. pick our spots to throw, other yet to be decided. Oct. 5.................Owensboro Catholic.......................................7 p.m. “We’re working hard and these guys can make Oct. 19...............at McLean County............................................7 p.m. to improve the defense,” big catches for us when Oct. 26...............at Breckinridge County..................................7 p.m. Eubanks said. “We’re we do.”
HORNETS’ SCHEDULE
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8 Football 2018 MESSENGER-INQUIRER, Friday, August 17, 2018
Cougars hoping experience pays off
McLean County fields 18 seniors in 2018 BY JIM PICKENS
Photo by Greg Eans, Messenger-Inquirer.com | geans@messenger-inquirer.com
McLean County’s Chandler Moore hits the sleds during a practice on Aug. 8 at the high school.
Cline, a 5-10, 165-pound senior, who is being pushed by 6-foot, 205-pound junior Peyton Carraway. Last fall, Cline was 14-of-38 through the air (.359) for 137 yards and a touchdown, but Wagner expects more production this time around. “I think we can be very effective throwing the ball OFFENSE The Cougars will feature in play-action,� Wagner said. “AJ looked one of the best all-around good in backs in the area in senior a recent Noah Baldwin (5-7, 158), 7-on-7, who rushed for 896 yards and he and 11 touchdowns to will start the spearhead the team’s season with a lot wing-oriented attack. of confidence.� “Noah is a very tough McLean’s line, kid who’s put time in the meanwhile, is big and weight room to become a strong, featuring senior little bigger and stronger,� guards Noah Knight (5-11, Wagner said. “He’s quick 175) and Dalton Eubanks and elusive, and he’s (6-3, 240), senior center intelligent out there. He Carlos Zuniga (6-3, 385) and knows what he’s doing.� a trio of senior tackles — Others vying for playing time at running back include Trenton Render (6-2, 350), Zareck Wedding (5-10, 350) seniors Jacob Miller (6-0, 220) and Corby Moore (5-9, and Kollin Embry (6-3, 220). Junior Jabin Wedding (5-9, 140), junior Landon Capps 230) will spell Zuniga at (5-9, 140) and sophomore Andrew Munster (5-7, 150). center. Tight ends include The likely starting quarterback will be AJ senior Colton Johnson
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(6-3, 250) and sophomore Morgan Algood (5-11, 220), and receivers are senior Josh Badertscher (5-9, 135) and junior Houston Bolton (5-10, 150). “Offensively, I don’t see us being much different that we’ve been the past couple of years — we’ve run for a lot of yards,� Wagner said. “We’ve got a good rotation of backs, and we can rotate some on the line, as well.�
DEFENSE
The Cougars’ 4-2-5 configuration will try to tighten up after surrendering an average of 31 points per contest last fall. Up front, McLean County will feature seniors Logan Case (5-10, 225) and Nikolas De la Cruz (6-1, 223) to go with Algood, Eubanks and Johnson. “We’ll rotate guys in and out,� Wagner said, “and do our best to keep a fresh unit in there. “We’re strong and aggressive up front and have the makings of a very
AJ CLINE
solid group.� Inside linebackers will include Munster, Miller and Knight, with outside linebackers slated to be Baldwin, Caraway and sophomore Gabe Whitmer (5-10, 135). In the secondary, McLean County will feature Capps, Bolton, Badertscher and Moore. Returning tackle leaders include Knight (92), De la Cruz (70), Baldwin (69), Caraway (69) and Case (58). Moore had three interceptions last year; Baldwin two. “Our guys are very committed to the weight room, and I believe that’s going to make a difference for us, especially with the upperclassmen who have been at it awhile,� Wagner said. “We just want to be as fundamental as possible and rotate where we can. “We want to be quick to the ball and on top of our assignments. If we do that, we’re going to be all right.�
SPECIAL TEAMS
Senior soccer-styler Edgar Rodriguez returns
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The Cougars are looking to return to their winning ways of 2016. “I think it’s important for us to stay on track, stay the course and do what we do as well as we can,� Wagner said. “This is a good bunch, a high-character group that wants to improve and be the best they can be. “The attitude and effort will be fine with this group. It’s just a matter of us stepping up and making plays on both sides of the line. If we’re able to that that, and able to stay healthy, we should be OK.�
COUGARS’ SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT TIME Aug. 17...............Ohio County.......................................................7 p.m. Aug. 24...............Trigg County......................................................7 p.m. Aug. 31...............at Apollo..............................................................7 p.m. Sept. 7.................at Muhlenberg County.................................7 p.m. Sept. 14..............Logan County....................................................7 p.m. Sept. 28..............at Owensboro Catholic.................................7 p.m. Oct. 5...................Todd County Central......................................7 p.m. Oct. 12.................at Butler County...............................................7 p.m. Oct. 19.................Hancock County..............................................7 p.m. Oct. 26.................at Webster County..........................................7 p.m.
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OUTLOOK
for his third season as the Cougars’ place-kicker, while Caraway is back for his second season as the team’s punter. Capps and Bolton will handle kick return duties for a unit that set school records a year ago. “I would like to think special teams is a strong area,� Wagner said, “and we certainly put a lot of emphasis on it. “We’ve got some quickness in the return game, and hopefully we’ll be able to break a few long ones.�
Me
or a small, Class 2-A school, McLean County High School will be blessed in the fall of 2018 with an entity most football programs of its ilk rarely come across — an abundance of seniors. The Cougars’ roster is graced with 18 such 12th-graders, and it’s enough to make sixth-year head coach Zach Wagner cautiously optimistic about the coming season. “We have a large senior class, and that should be beneficial,� said Wagner, whose team went 4-6 a year ago. “These guys were part of a very good season (7-4) two years ago, then we were a little down last season. So, they have enough experience to know what it takes to win. “They’ve done a good job through the years of holding each other accountable in the weight room, on the practice field and in games, and that’s something I’m really proud of regarding this group. That’s a lot of the battle right there when you’re trying to put together a successful year.� Wagner believes starting the season well is imperitive. “Last year, we opened with a two-point loss at Ohio County, and it sent us in a tailspin,� said Wagner, whose squad started 0-3 and lost five of their first six games. “We’ve got another tough challenge at the start this season, but I’m hoping that’s where our senior leadership will step up and help us out against some quality opponents. “We’re working hard in the preseason, and I like what I’ve seen in terms of work ethic. We’ll go with a veteran group, mix in some key younger guys and see where it takes us.�
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Football 2018 9
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Muhlenberg County’s Caleb Vincent runs after a catch during practice Aug. 7 at Muhlenberg County High School’s Mustang Stadium.
Mustangs hope to step up in tough district
Healy moves from running back to QB BY JIM PICKENS
MESSENGER-INQUIRER
M
uhlenberg County will be tr ying to rebound from a disappointing 3-8 season in 2017, which included no district victories and a blowout loss to perennial western Kentucky power McCracken County in the first round of the KHSAA Class 6-A playoffs. Mustangs coach Hays Browning believes his team is ready for the challenge. “There are a lot of positives heading into this season,” Browning said. “We feel like we’re going in the right direction, and we’ve put an emphasis on finishing strong in practices, finishing strong in games. We’ve been pleased with the progress in this area. “I like our skill (position) talent, and it’s going to come down to how strong and consistent we are in the trenches. Line play is so important at any level of football, and we’re working hard to become the best we can be up front — it could carr y
COACH HAYS BROWNING
us a long way if we put things together the way we’re hoping to.” Browning says the Mustangs will use the struggles last season as a motivating force. “We’ve reflected quite a bit on last year,” he said. “We had the behaviors of a 3-8 team, and we’re tr ying to eradicate those behaviors. If we can mentally prepare to be in the right frame of mind on a cosistent bases, this team could turn out to be a surprise.” Bronzyn Healy (6-1, 225, Jr.) will start at quarterback after ser ving as the team’s primar y running back last fall. “He has a ver y, ver y strong arm and can make all the throws,” Browning said. “He’s raw, of course, so he’s been working hard on making the right reads. He’s a big, strong guy, so he’ll be doing a lot of running between the tackles, as well.” In the 2017 regular season, Healy rushed for a team-best 738 yards and six touchdowns. Last year’s QB, meanwhile, Joseph Grubbs, will play fullback for the Mustangs. The 6-1, 255-pound senior will give Muhlenberg another formidable ball-carr ying presence after gaining 461 yards with four TDs.
“With (Healy and Grubbs), we should be able to get the tough yards,” Browining said, “and keep the chains moving.” Cameron Fulkerson (5-10, 190, Jr.) will provide depth. Wingbacks will include Winky Drake (5-8, 175, Jr.), Caleb Vincent (5-9, 175, Sr.) and Chris Chaney (5-9, 165, Sr.), and the tight end will be DaShawn Gregor y (6-1, 215, Sr.). “Drake has been our most consistent player in the preseason,” Browning said. “He’s a great athlete who makes plays.” Wide receivers include rangy Cameron Everly (6-3, 185, Sr.), Reed Stobaugh (6-2, 170, Sr.) and sure-handed Gavin Penrod (5-8, 150, Sr.). The Mustangs’ line will feature left tackle Thomas Griffin (6-0, 220, Jr.), left guard Josh
Conway (6-2, 235, Soph.), center Caleb Car y (6-2, 250, Sr.), right tackle John Tarrance (5-10, 230, Jr.) and Hunter Henson (6-5, 300, Jr.). “We want to make the opposition defend the whole field,” Browning said. “We believe we have the personnel to do that.”
WINKY DRAKE
CAMERON FULKERSON
DASHAWN GREGORY
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
The Mustangs will showcase a 4-3 base defense, featuring Douglas Everly (6-1, 230, Sr.) and Tarrance at ends, with Grubbs and Conway at the tackle slots. Linebackers will be Fulkerson, Healy and Gregor y, and the secondar y will consist of Zach Hardin (5-10, 150, Soph.), Cameron Everly, Drake and Caden Revelette (6-0, 165, Soph.). “I like the pieces we’ve got, and we should be able to get to the
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football,” Browning said. “We need to build some depth up front and some depth at linebacker, but our front-line players have been ver y solid. I’ve been pleased with the progress we’ve made on the defensive side. “We’re tr ying to keep it simple so they can play fast. We want the default mode to be aggressive, and we want to line up right, read the key and make the tackle. It’s not that complicated if you’re willing to pay the price necessar y to get after it on ever y play.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
Gregor y will take care of the place-kicking duties, and Chaney will handle the punting chores. Drake and sure-handed freshman Trevor Nolen provide breakaway speed in the return game. “I feel like our kicking game is in pretty good
shape,” Browning said, “as is our return game.”
OUTLOOK
Muhlenberg County is in a difficult Class 6-A district, which includes McCracken County, Daviess County, Henderson County and Ohio County. “Nothing comes easy in this district, and we know we’ve got our work cut out for us,” Browning said. “But it’s important for us to respect ever yone and fear no one heading into the season. We need to look at it as a great opportunity to prove ourselves against some mighty good high school football teams. “We need some early-season wins to give us confidence heading into the district schedule, so how we play early may determine how we play late. The main thing is for us to be ready to play, ready to compete ever y time we step out there.”
MUSTANGS’ SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT TIME Aug. 17................Apollo..................................................................7 p.m. Aug. 24................Logan County..................................................7 p.m. Aug. 31................at Hopkins County Central.........................7 p.m. Sept. 7..................McLean County...............................................7 p.m. Sept, 14...............at Butler County..............................................7 p.m. Sept. 28...............at Henderson County...................................7 p.m. Oct. 5....................Daviess County................................................7 p.m. Oct. 12..................Ohio County.....................................................7 p.m. Oct. 19..................at McCracken County...................................7 p.m. Oct. 26..................at Grayson County.........................................7 p.m.
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10 Football 2018 MESSENGER-INQUIRER, Friday, August 17, 2018
Eagles are hungry for more success Ohio was 7-4 in Ganaway’s first year BY JIM PICKENS
OFFENSE
The Eagles face life on the gridiron without graduated quarterback Heath Simmons, who
Ohio County’s Dezmond Randolph runs through a drill during practice at Ohio County High School. passed for 2,234 yards and 31 touchdowns in 10 regular-season games in 2017. Ganaway, however, believes 6-foot, 180-pound junior Dezmond Randolph is up the task of running the Eagles’ spread offense with efficiency. “He’s versatile, he can throw, he can run,” Ganaway said of Randolph. “He was a receiver last year, and we’ve converted him to quarterback. Dezmond is very athletic, and with him at the controls we believe we have a chance to really open up the offense, make it more unpredictable than it was before.” Ohio County running backs include senior Caden
EAGLES’ SCHEDULE DATE OPPONENT TIME Aug. 17..................at McLean County.......................................7 p.m. Aug. 24..................Hopkins County Central...........................7 p.m. Aug. 31..................at Hancock County.....................................7 p.m. Sept. 7....................Grayson County...........................................7 p.m. Sept. 14.................at Breckinridge County.............................7 p.m. Sept. 21.................Henderson County.....................................7 p.m. Sept. 28.................McCracken County.....................................7 p.m. Oct. 12....................at Muhlenberg County.............................7 p.m. Oct. 19....................at Daviess County.......................................7 p.m. Oct. 26....................Butler County................................................7 p.m.
COACH DAMARCUS GANAWAY
CADEN BROWN
on this side of the ball, and they’re going to have to hold us up while some of our new guys on offense get adjusted.” Up front, the Eagles will go with Brown, Coffey and Frady. Two of the five linebacker posts will be held down by Maddox and Vanover, with a host of others in contention for starting spots. Ohio County’s secondary will consist of Wood at strong safety, Tolle at free safety and junior Darren Scoggins at cornerback. “Defense is going to be the anchor of our football team this fall,” Ganaway said. “This is a hard-working, hard-nosed group that is preparing to step on the field and succeed in a big way for us.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
Ohio County will operate out of a base 3-5-3. “Defense wins championships, and this defense is going to win us ballgames this year,” Ganaway said. “We have some veteran leadership
Senior Dakota Puckett will handle the place-kicking chores, while Brown is the projected starting punter. “I feel pretty good about our kicking game,” Ganaway said. “I feel like those guys are going to step up and get the job done for us.” Less settled is the return game, although Ganaway
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said the Eagles would be in good shape by the start of the season. “We’ve got a bunch of people battling to return kicks,” he said, “and we have several who are capable of making big plays for us on returns. “(Special teams) is an important area of the game, and we’ll be ready to go when it counts.”
OUTLOOK
When asked about goals for the Eagles this fall, Ganaway was quick and decisive with his response. “We want to win every game we play,” he said.
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“That’s the mindset I want to instill in this program. We took a big step in the right direction last season, and we want to build on that. “We’ve put in the work, and we’re taking it all the way down the chain. The success we had last year effected the way our young people coming up view this football program. The success we have this year will do the same thing. It’s a process to build, but it can be built. “In the end, you just have to believe in your potential and maintain the right frame of mind — that, alone, can take your football team a long way.”
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Brown (5-11, 255), junior Ethan Maddox (6-0, 170) and junior Dakotah Vanover (5-9, 170). “We’ll have effective inside runners, and we’ll have guys who can get to the outside,” Ganaway said. “Again, versatility will be key.” Two starters on the line will be sophomores Tristen Coffey (6-1, 270) and Raice Hunter (5-11, 260), with a slew of Eagles vying for three more starting nods. The receiving corps includes junior tight end Shane Frady (6-2, 190), senior wideouts Ben Wood (5-7, 140) and Nathan Morris (6-3, 195) and junior wideout Jordan Tolle (5-11). “These guys can make plays,” Ganaway said. “We’ve got high expectations for our offense, just as we had last year. We want to keep it going.”
Me
irst-year Ohio County head coach DaMarcus Ganaway pulled off one of the surprise high school football seasons in western Kentucky last fall, leading the Eagles to an unexpected 7-4 record. What will be the encore? “Last season, we had a group of young men who decided they were going to give it everything they had every time they stepped on the field, and that was the spark that lit the fuse for the kind of season we were able to put together last season,” Ganaway said. “So, the kids in this program have learned from that, and I’m seeing the same type of work ethic and commitment to excellence I saw last year. “We’ve been able to get a good number of players out (about 50), and we’ve gone right back to work with the expectation of being successful again this season. We’ve had a change of culture over here, and it’s paid dividends for us pretty quickly. We’re not taking anything for granted. We know what got us to this point, and it’s the same thing that can take us to the next level.”
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