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A1 | SUNDAY | AUGUST 16, 2015 |
Jessica Stewar t | St. Joseph News-Press
Benton coach Matt Tabor talks to his players after a recent practice at Sparks Field. The Cardinals have high hopes to build on last year’s three-win campaign due to a large amount of returning players.
CARDINAL LOYALTY E Benton players stick through tough time, losing streak ——— BY CHRIS BILS | St. Joseph News-Press ———
xpectations have not been part of the Benton vocabulary the past few seasons. While Matt Tabor’s squad struggled through two of the worst seasons in program history in 2012 and 2013 — followed by a 3-7 record last year — the Cardinals held on to one key component they hope can lead to a breakout season this fall. The team suffered 19 losses in two seasons and endured the many insults hurled toward the South Side, but the school’s best athletes stayed loyal. That loyalty and hard work led to game experience, and resulted in Benton winning two of its final three games of the 2014 regular season. That stretch included a 21-14 road victory at Bishop LeBlond, which broke a 20game losing streak in the Midland Empire Conference. An emphatic 49-27 homecoming win over Cameron the following week seemed to breathe new life into a program with three winning seasons the past decade. “This is a program that over the last three years has been consumed and worried about trying to win a game to now ex-
pecting to win games,” Tabor said, while watching his team go through drills under the hot July sun. “That’s the change of philosophy. … We expect every Friday to compete at a high level and win.” Why so much confidence? It starts with the athletes the Cardinals boast on both sides of the ball. Junior wide receiver Devon Burton led the MEC in receptions — 61 for 846 yards and nine touchdowns through 10 games to be exact — and has the potential to do even more damage if Tabor’s plan to get him more touches is executed. Burton’s brother, Cooper Burton, contributed last year as a freshman, and now moves to the quarterback position in place of Dominic Hill (1,690 yards, 17 TDs), who
is at Missouri Valley. Cooper Burton, a sprinter who made state in track for the Cardinals’ 4x100-meter relay team, brings speed as well as built-in chemistry with his best weapon. “We’ve been waiting since we was in elementary school to get out here and get that wide receiver-quarterback duo going,” Devon Burton said. “It’s here, so let’s get it going.” In the trenches, senior defensive lineman Ubong Udom has been garnering interest from college coaches during Benton’s summer camp tour, including being pulled aside while the team trained at Notre Dame. He is part of an experienced group of linemen on both sides of the ball, which includes three players who started as sophomores — two of whom started as freshmen. “Here’s the excuse we don’t have around here anymore,” Tabor said. “We can’t say we’re young, because we’re not young. We are old and experienced.” Of course, there are holes that need to be fi lled. Other than Hill, the Cardinals graduated running back Rye’ll Dydell (780 yards, 7 TDs), center/defensive lineman Gaige Reynolds — now in the military — and fullback/linebacker Tanner Dredge. Dredge and Dydell are now college team-
Please see BENTON/Page A3
MORE Injury riddled summer Central prepares for season with hurt starters everywhere see Page A2
New Juhl Christian makes transition to new head coach, with old one still helping see Page A3
Building up Bishop LeBlond Dudik’s weight training program paying off for Golden Eagles see Page A3
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A2
Central’s success hinges on player recovery By CODY THORN St. Joseph News-Press
Jeff Wallace has coached a lot of years, but this summer gave him a new endeavor — dealing with injuries before the season even started. The Central coach, entering his sixth year at the helm, spent much of this summer’s workouts watching some new faces take reps at positions as a number of starters were out. All told, 12 players were standing on the sidelines during team camp the final week of July. Some returned in time for the first day of practice on Aug. 3, but for others the wait will take them into the season. “I have never seen anything like it,” said Wallace, whose team went 3-7 last year. “We got it all and we haven’t started. They weren’t just guys, they were our guys that should be out here. “This team could be a work in progress and evolving halfway through the football season.” Wallace has preached the need for health at Central during his tenure. While possessing some of the top offensive weapons in the city, playing in the Suburban Conference has provided some hurdles each year when injuries crop up. Youth and inexperience last year led to an 0-5 start for Central, which then won three of its next four in the regular season before a loss against Liberty North in the district opener. Central’s defense gave up a Red Division-high 431 points, 61 more than Liberty. In league games, the 206 were next-to-last with only Ruskin yielding more by two
points. The offensive side saw the Indians score 165 points in league games, second best behind Park Hill. Depth issues and injuries caused many to play both sides of the ball and Wallace noticed the impact of that throughout the tough run of conference games, which led to struggles in the second half as many had played a full game by halftime. “We had a lot of guys step up last year because they didn’t really have a choice,” said lineman Geordon Gumm, a three-year starter. “It is nice having the experienced people on the field and that is a lot better than it was last year. The twos are playing great at practice. Our scout team is working harder than it ever has since I’ve been going to Central. We’ve been getting a lot of effort and that makes the starters better.” The Indians still showcased talented players last year, such as Isreal Smith at running back, who ran for 1,143 yards and 19 touchdowns as a sophomore. Jacob Hess threw for 1,287 yards in his first year starting at quarterback and developed a rapport with Gage Stagner, Cade Musser, Keith Roderick and Khalik Henderson. Still a spread offense team, the Indians will look to establish the run with Smith in the backfield along with Zac Matthews at fullback and Hess, who is getting looks from colleges thanks to a strong arm, a 6-foot-5 frame and a 4.79 40-yard dash time. “Whether we run or throw the ball, Jacob Hess is the key,” Wallace said. “We don’t say, ‘Go, Izzy,’ or ‘Go, Khalik,’ or ‘Go, Zach’ or say we will run a hitch. Everything we
Sunday, August 16, 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
do in the air or on the ground is a read system for Jacob Hess. We will go as Jacob Hess’ decisions go.” Hess is among a handful of two-year starters, while the team features three-year starters in standout linebacker Jake Hill, Gumm and offensive lineman Jacob Olson. The latter two make up two-thirds of the returning line for the Indians who have five guys battling for the other two starting spots. Many players this year will start on one side of the ball and then be limited to a fourth-time or half-time starting on the other side. Hill will mainly be at linebacker, but will play some fullback/tight end. Musser will start at wide receiver but play some corner, while safety Drew Pecora will start on defense and play some on the offense. The injuries in the early portions of camp have opened the door to build greater depth heading into a season that features three of the first four at Noyes Field, but against the likes of Kearney, Platte County and Blue Springs. “That is one great thing, we have so many kids that have gotten reps this summer that it has allowed us to build our depth,” Wallace said on the positive side of the injury woes. “If you are building depth during a game with the schedule we have that is generally a problem. If you can build it, do it during the preseason and summer, and we had the luxury to do that.”
Bishop LeBlond preview, Christian preview, Benton preview continued......... A3
Stewartsville preview, North Andrew preview continued, Platte Valley Conference capsules ....................... B7
Lafayette preview, 2014 All-News-Press, city football records, playoff appearances................. A4
DeKalb preview, Mound City preview ......................... B8 Stanberry preview, South Nodaway preview .......... B9
Maryville preview, Chillicothe preview ........ A5
Albany preview, South Holt/ Nodaway-Holt preview, 2015-16 MSHSAA District Assignments .............. B10
Cameron preview, Midland Empire Conference preview capsules .......... A6
Riverside preview, Maur Hill-Mount Academy preview .......................B11
Savannah preview, Missouri playoff history ................A7 2015 master schedule ... A8 Cover photo featuring North Andrew coach Jon Schoonover, North Andrew preview ......................... B1
Troy and Atchison preview, Kansas capsules ........ B12 Cover photo featuring Missouri Western’s new field turf, Missouri Western renovation story ............ C1
East Buchanan preview, KCI Conference capsules ....................... B2
Missouri Western preview, Missouri Western scouting report ............. C2
Hamilton preview, Mid-Buchanan preview... B3
Northwest Missouri State preview, Northwest Missouri State scouting report .... C3
Plattsburg preview, Lathrop preview ......................... B4 Maysville preview, Gallatin preview ......................... B5
Benedictine preview, Highland Community College preview, Missouri Western renovation story continued, schedules for Western, Northwest, Benedictine, Highland ....................... C4
Trenton preview, Falls City-Sacred Heart preview, Grand River Conference capsules, Independent/Other capsules ....................... B6
Cody Thorn can be reached at cody.thorn@newspressnow.com.
“PERFECTION IS NOT ATTAINABLE, BUT IF WE CHASE PERFECTION, WE CAN CATCH EXCELLENCE.” VINCE LOMBARDI
Benton Cardinals
BENTON FOOTBALL 2015
Wishing all the St. Joseph high school football teams the best luck during the 2015 season.
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION
TIME
8/21 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16
7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
Harrisonville Grain Valley Lafayette Smithville Savannah Maryville Bishop LeBlond Cameron Chillicothe
Home Away Home Away Away Home Home Away Away
E
NT CE• LEARIR N
HOOL SCATION • INQU
IG LH H A G • COLL ABOR
FIGHTING IRISH
Y • CULTUR IR
EST. 18 95
CENTRAL
LAFAYETTE FOOTBALL 2015
HIGH SCHOOL
CENTRAL FOOTBALL 2015
BISHOP LEBLOND FOOTBALL 2015 DATE 8/21 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16
OPPONENT Pembroke Hill Van Horn Cameron Maryville Chillicothe Smithville Benton Lafayette Savannah
LOCATION Home Away Home Away Away Home Away Away Home
TIME 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
DATE 8/21 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16
ST. JOSEPH CHRISTIAN FOOTBALL 2015
TIME 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
“Where Pride of Workmanship Comes First” 1611 Frederick Ave.
OPPONENT
LOCATION
TIME
8/21
North Kansas City
Home
7 p.m.
8/28
Carthage
Home
7 p.m.
9/4
Benton
Away
7 p.m.
9/11
Savannah
Home
7 p.m.
9/18
Smithville
Away
7 p.m.
9/25
Chillicothe
Away
7 p.m.
10/2
Cameron
Home
7 p.m.
10/9
Bishop LeBlond
Home
7 p.m.
10/16
Maryville
Away
7 p.m.
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TIME 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
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St. Joseph Christian School DATE 8/21 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16
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Sunday, August 16, 2015
A3
Christian’s new coach keeping father’s system
By THOM HANRAHAN St. Joseph News-Press
File photo | St. Joseph News-Press
Bishop LeBlond quarterback Sam Schanze tries to escape pressure from a Lafayette defender during the City Football Jamboree last year at Spratt Stadium. Schanze will be the Golden Eagles’ starter this fall.
LeBlond’s new look ready to turn heads Dudik focuses on athletic core to carry team to winning season
By CHRIS BILS St. Joseph News-Press
In some respects, the 2014 Bishop LeBlond football season was one long highlight reel. With speedy running back Alex Pyatt rumbling to the end zone 10 times, and quarterback Jack Schanze connecting on deep pass after deep pass to wide receiver Cort Patrick, the Golden Eagles were an offensive force to be reckoned with. But that didn’t always translate to wins on the scoreboard, where LeBlond went 5-6 overall and 2-5 in the Midland Empire Conference. All three of the aforementioned weapons graduated, meaning that this year’s LeBlond squad will have a different look. “We lost some really exceptional athletes,” said LeBlond coach Tony Dudik, who enters his sixth season at St. Joseph’s parochial school. “When I look at this team this year I think we really have a good core all the way across the board. I don’t know that we have very many exceptional players — other than maybe (seniors) Eli Lilly, Noah Olinger and Ethan Sturgis. Other than those guys we have a lot of good players.” Tight end/defensive end Lilly, center/defensive end Olinger and offensive tackle/linebacker Sturgis aren’t dynamic playmakers who score touchdowns and rack up yards, but they epitomize the cultural shift that has taken place under Dudik. One of the ways the veteran coach has measured growth since taking over the program — following an 0-10 season in 2009 — is through his strength and conditioning program. He puts his teams through the same drills and lifts every year prior to training camp, and this year’s Eagles are bigger, stronger and faster than any that have come before them. “Every year, for me, a component is the 1,000-pound club,” Dudik said of the compilation of squat, benchpress and dead lifts. “My first year year here we had one, then we had
File photo | St. Joseph News-Press
Bishop LeBlond returns a number of players, including Pat Baker (27) and Zach Bledsoe (44) from last year’s roster. two, then we had seven, nine, 12. Now we’ve got 18. We’ve got 16 kids that run sub-5 flat (in the 40-yard dash).” That combination of size, speed and depth have been elusive for the smallest school in the MEC. Finally, the Eagles can look to the opposite sideline and feel like they are on a level playing field. “Four or five years ago LeBlond’s football program was not ideal,” senior quarterback Sam Schanze said. “I think the confidence level has definitely gone up here and we’ve just worked a lot harder. I was looking at the numbers in the weight room from 2011 and I was just thinking, ‘Wow, I could have been in the top 10 maybe even then.’” Like many in the backfield, Schanze has big shoes to fill. Unlike the others, those shoes reside within his own home. Older brother Jack Schanze threw for 2,049 yards and 22 touchdowns, completing nearly 50 percent (46.9) of his passes last season. Last year, Sam Schanze appeared only as a backup, completing 6-of-10 passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns. Dudik is quick to point out he has plenty of experience in pressure situations, making it to state in golf each of the past three springs. “I know people don’t understand
that, but that sport requires a great amount of focus,” Dudik said. “When you have a bad shot, you’ve got to put that behind you otherwise your next one is going to be bad.” Replacing Pyatt (1,366 rushing yards) at running back will be another senior, Dillon Garrett (77 yards, 1 TD), along with juniors Paul Sanchez and Michael Modlin. The receiving corps will return some familiar faces, but none with the vertical threat like Patrick (958 yards, 8 TDs) and Quinten Obermier (650 yards, 9 TDs) provided. Seniors Trey Hartman (239 yards, 3 TDs) and Joe Gray (60 yards, 1 TD) are both back. With the largest senior class of Dudik’s tenure, this is a group focused on winning as many games as possible and clearing last year’s bar of a district semifinal loss to East Buchanan. “We’re not out here to make names, we’re just out here to win games,” Garrett said. “We haven’t really talked about (losing Pyatt, Patrick and Schanze). We have players, we have athletes. We just want to win games.” Chris Bils can be reached at chris.bils@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPsports.
A coaching change for St. Joseph Christian isn’t much of a change at all. Steve Juhl — the Lions’ new head coah — isn’t exactly a new face at St. Joseph’s 8-man program. He’s literally been around the former head coach his entire life because his predecessor is his father, Mark Juhl. Steve Juhl has been around from the beginning when his dad started the program. He was part of his dad’s first teams, serving as the team’s waterboy and later playing for the Lions, graduating in 2002. So he’s been prepping for this new role most of his life, and he says people won’t see much of a difference. “The system that dad’s built is a system that works,” Steve Juhl said. “So we’re certainly not throwing out what he’s built. He’s got a formula that works. “All we’re doing different is I might organize things a little different, but it’s pretty much the same stuff that Christian has been doing since 1999.” All they’ve been doing at the small, private school on the city’s east side is win — posting winning records in all but one year. In that time, the Lions have racked up nine district titles, a state championship in 2006 and finished as state runner-up four times. And Steve Juhl plans to keep that winning tradition going. Both the Juhls would say that winning comes with players and in that sense, this year looks pretty good for Christian. The Lions return alleverything quarterback Matthew Corkins as the trigger man for the offense. Corkins earned allstate honors as a defensive back, but as Christian’s quarterback he was quite dangerous in 2014. Corkins threw for 1,077 yards and 20 touchdowns last year, but proved to be the team’s top runner, as well. On the ground, the senior amassed 1,262 yards and 26 scores. Steve Juhl likes what he sees and said Corkins might see some even bigger running lanes this
season. On the line, the Lions look to guards Blake George and John Hall, a second-team all-state pick in 2014. “We do have a lot coming back,” Steve Juhl said. “Our line hasn’t changed much from last year to this year. All of them play a role and that’s why we are so blessed. We have two guards that have been playing those positions now for three years.” The Lions also welcome back Ben Dahlgren. When Corkins gave up the ball last year, it usually went to Dahlgren. The junior finished second to Corkins in rushing with 868 yards and 14 touchdowns. That helped him earn a secondteam all-state nod at running back. But Dahlgren plays both ways and Steve Juhl said he will be looked to in order to fill a hole on the defensive side of the ball. “We have a lot of our playmakers back,” Steve Juhl said. “We are really going to miss Scottie Link there at middle linebacker, but Ben Dahlgren is a very special player and he’s taking over that spot. “I think he will have quite a bit of success there as well.” The schedule won’t be one that does Christian any favors. While the Lions aim to best last year’s 8-3 record, they open the season in the toughest possible way. Christian hosts defending state champion North Andrew on Aug. 21 to kick off the year. But when the ball goes in the air, the Juhls will be ready. Steve Juhl will call the defense and his new assistant — Mark Juhl — will handle the offense. “We’ve had a very productive summer,” Steve Juhl said. “Since I’ve been there, we’ve had the most participation ever. That’s a credit to the kids and shows the kind of enthusiasm they have for this season. “I think what we are looking for this year is just to figure out what it is that we do well and try and do that all year and see if we have some success at the end.” Thom Hanrahan can be reached at thom.hanrahan@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPsports.
Jessica Stewar t | St. Joseph News-Press
New St. Joseph Christian coach Steve Juhl instructs his players during a recent practice.
Benton bounces back from winless season Wondering what career might CONTINUED FROM Page A1 mates at William Jewell. That was the group that believed. Despite only winning one conference game as freshmen and none as sophomores and juniors, they stuck it out and got the payoff they so richly deserved during that two-game winning streak last fall. Udom and his fellow seniors know how important it is to carry on that group’s work ethic, and now they have something even more powerful. This group knows what it feels like to win, and they want nothing more than to get back to that feeling, again and again. “Last year I had a great mentality, but I still wasn’t for sure about our program. … I was confident, but I wasn’t 10-0 confident,” Udom said. “I was just kind of a couple-win season (confident). “This year I feel like we’re 10 times better, 10 times more athletic, have four senior linemen, three senior defensive linemen and I feel like we can be a lot bigger threat. My whole mentality on this program has changed. I feel like we can be champions if we really want to.” Chris Bils can be reached at chris.bils@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPsports.
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A4
Sunday, August 16, 2015
New coach, starters usher in new era for Lafayette Former assistant Hardy familiar with eager, enthusiastic team, ready for season to begin
By THOM HANRAHAN St. Joseph News-Press
After a 7-4 season in 2014 and landing three players on the Missouri Class 4 all-state team, Lafayette first-year coach Bart Hardy might be tempted to feel some pressure. But instead, the longtime assistant to outgoing Fighting Irish coach Paul Woolard — the school’s new athletic director — feels something else with his team. “We’re very enthusiastic and very eager to learn,” said Har-
Thom Hanrahan | St. Joseph News-Press
Lafayette senior wide receiver Dae’mon Stone-May carries the ball during a summer practice. Stone is one of the returning seniors looking to keep the Irish in the thick of the MEC race in 2015.
dy, who served for eight years under Woolard. “They are just ready to get the season going.” Because of Hardy’s familiarity with the team, he expects fans will see a very familiar brand of Lafayette football. The season will not be without challenges, but that happens when having to replace seven starters on offense and six on defense. Among those graduation departures is three-year starting quarterback Drew Cortez. Last season, Cortez — one of the allstate selections — accounted for 2,941 yards and 31 touchdowns with his arm that made him a finalist for the Fontana Award, given to the best small-school player in the Kansas City metro area. The other all-state departures are wide receiver Preston Martin and defensive end Quendarius Bass, both now at Missouri Western. Hardy said the Irish rotate players enough that many returnees have experience that will serve them well. “Were not as experienced at the skills, but we still have guys that got a lot of playing time, they just weren’t full-time starters,” Hardy said. “We’re looking at just getting them as many reps as we can. We are very athletic.” Among those who will be looked to this year is senior quarterback Riley McKay. Hardy said it’s never easy to replace someone with Cortez’s experience, but he is confident in the new Irish signal-caller despite McKay throwing only five passes last year. “Riley is doing a great job,” Hardy said. “He’s got some reps under his belt, so we feel very confident in him. It’s going to
Thom Hanrahan | St. Joseph News-Press
Lafayette senior quarterback Riley McKay rolls out during a summer practice. McKay takes over control of the Irish offense for 2015. be the same type of Lafayette football. We want to get on the field and we want to move the chains and put points on the board.” McKay agreed that the Irish should continue to have offensive success. He said the players have been putting in summer work without the coaches and will be ready to continue being a tough team in the Midland Empire Conference. “I learned a lot being behind (Cortez) for three years,” he said. “I’m just going to try and live up to walking in his shoes.” Defensively, the Irish will
keep the schemes simple so Lafayette can play aggressive, downhill football. And he said the Irish coaches are trying to build a culture that stresses the unit over the individual on both sides of the ball. As his first season gets ready to begin, Hardy also said that he will depend on seniors like McKay and wide receiver and defensive back Dae’mon StoneMay, who is the top returning receiver with 138 yards on five catches, to bring the others along. Hardy said that every year when the younger guys see those who have been in the pro-
gram for three or four years, it builds leadership. Stone-May said he has a simple recipe for underclassmen be successful. “Keep working,” he said he tells his teammates. “Mostly I tell them to make sure they are working hard and getting better every day so we can be better as a team. “My personal goals are more our team goals. We are getting better every day.” Thom Hanrahan can be reached at thom.hanrahan@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPsports.
2014 ALL NEWS-PRESS FOOTBALL TEAMS 11-MAN FOOTBALL
❯ SECOND TEAM | O F F E N S E
❯ THIRD TEAM | O F F E N S E
❯ FIRST TEAM | O F F E N S E QB Drew Cortez sr. Lafayette QB Colby Rapp jr. East Buchanan RB Kellen Overstreet* sr. Hamilton RB Brody McMahon sr. Maryville RB Charlie Nihart sr. Smithville WR Nate Griffin jr. East Buchanan WR Preston Martin sr. Lafayette OL Jacob Cacek sr. Maryville OL Brendan Weybrew sr. Maryville OL Tanner Lintner sr. West Platte OL Josh Riggs sr. Maysville OL Mason Misel sr. Polo K Sam Aviles so. Smithville U Cody Guthrie sr. West Platte
QB RB RB RB WR WR TE OL OL OL OL OL K
QB RB RB RB WR WR WR OL OL OL OL OL K
❯ FIRST TEAM | D E F E N S E DL Dustin Piper* jr. Maryville DL Quendarius Bass sr. Lafayette DL Connor Haynes sr. LeBlond DL Trey Dishon sr. Horton DL Dai Coy Haley so. Atchison LB Brett Shepardson jr. West Platte LB Jay Whetstine sr. Troy LB Topher Kilkenny sr. Platte County LB Jake Hill jr. Central DB Reid Steiner sr. Maysville DB Andrae McGaughy sr. Riverside DB Zac Johnson jr. East Buchanan DB Chase Keller sr. Savannah P Andrew Carr sr. Cameron
❯ SECOND TEAM | D E F E N S E DL Gunnar Martin so. Polo DL Devin Perry sr. Platte County DL C.J. Graham sr. Plattsburg DL Jackson Krull sr. Smithville LB Kasey McFall jr. South Harrison LB Jacob Hicks sr. Polo LB Nathan Gaarder sr. Troy DB Lloyd Lockett jr. Platte County DB Telly Harper jr. Hamilton DB Cort Patrick sr. LeBlond DB DeEll Midgyett sr. Chillicothe DB WyKeen Gill Jr. jr. Atchison P Dominic Hill sr. Benton
Tristan Speer LeAaron Hicks Isreal Smith Wiley Martin Aliek Reed Collin Jasper Tyler Cooper Drew Oberle Michael Stanley Brinden Ewing Nick Buster Nick Martinez Austin Bonnel
sr. sr. so. sr. sr, sr. sr. sr. sr. sr. jr. sr. so.
Troy Plattsburg Central Polo Platte County Troy Platte County Platte County Gallatin Central Atchison Smithville Atchison
Clayton McGinness Trystan Sunby Alex Pyatt Harry Trotter Devon Burton Jake Ross Jordy Stoller Bryson Underwood Derek Kohler Jase Nelson Jacob Ellis Carson Myers Josh Stooksbury
sr. sr. sr. sr. so. sr. sr. sr. so. jr. sr. sr. sr.
Savannah Gallatin LeBlond MH-MA Benton Troy Falls City Lafayette Platte County Atchison Savannah East Buchanan Maysville
❯ THIRD TEAM | D E F E N S E DL Grant Minson jr. East Buchanan DL Eli Lilly jr. LeBlond DL Tommy Fish sr. Cameron LB Christian Encarnacion jr. Platte County LB Koby Gillenwater sr. Lafayette LB T.C. East so. Hamilton LB Trevor Zimmerman jr. Maryville LB Alex Schmille sr. Troy LB Jake Boyd so. Smithville DB Quintin Mueller sr. Smithville DB Adam Smith so. Atchison DB Brendan Steele sr. Hiawatha P Justin Mitchell so. Platte County
CITY FOOTBALL PLAYOFF APPEARANCES
CITY FOOTBALL RECORDS
❯ CENTRAL (3) — 1985 (district); 1995 (quarterfinals); 2011 (regionals). ❯ BENTON (10) — 1987 (district); 1990 (quarterfinals); 1991 (Class 4A finals); 1992 (sectional); 1993 (semifinals); 1996 (sectionals); 1999 (sectionals); 2004 (semifinals); 2005 (quarterfinals); 2006 (quarterfinals). ❯ LAFAYETTE (15) — 1977 (semifinals); 1978 (quarterfinals); 1982 (districts); 1984 (quarterfinals); 1985 (quarterfinals); 1988 (sectionals); 1989 (semifinals); 1991 (sectionals); 1992 (quarterfinals); 1993 (sectionals); 1994 (sectionals) 1995 (sectionals); 1998 (sectionals); 2008 (regionals); 2009 (regionals) ❯ BISHOP LeBLOND (4) —1982 (semifinals); 1983 (district); 1984 (quarterfinals); 1993 (sectionals). ❯ ST. JOSEPH CHRISTIAN (9) — 2001 (8-man semifinals); 2004 (8-man finals); 2005 (8-man semifinals); 2006 (8-man state champions); 2007 (8-man semifinals); 2008 (8-man finals); 2009 (8man finals); 2010 (8-man finals); 2011 (semifinals).
BENTON Cardinals 2014 ....................3-7 2013 ..................0-10 2012 ....................1-9 2011 ....................4-6 2010 ....................6-4 2009 ....................3-7 2008 ....................2-8 2007 ................... 2-7 2006 ....................7-4 2005 ....................8-3 2004 ....................8-4 2003 ................... 2-7 2002 ....................1-8 2001 ................... 2-7 2000 ....................4-5 1999 ....................4-6
LAFAYETTE Fighting Irish 2014 ....................7-4 2013 ....................7-5 2012 ....................7-3 2011 ....................6-4 2010 ....................7-3 2009 ....................5-6 2008 ....................4-7 2007 ................... 2-7 2006 ....................0-9 2005 ....................1-8 2004 ....................0-9 2003 ....................1-8 2002 ....................4-5 2001 ....................3-6 2000 ....................0-9 1999 ....................1-8
CENTRAL Indians 2014 ....................3-7 2013 ....................6-5 2012 ....................6-5 2011 ....................6-5 2010 ....................5-5 2009 ....................3-7 2008 ....................2-8 2007 ....................6-4 2006 ....................4-6 2005 ....................5-5 2004 ....................4-6 2003 ....................5-4 2002 ....................6-3 2001 ....................3-6 2000 ....................3-6 1999 ....................5-4
8-MAN FOOTBALL TEAM ❯ FIRST TEAM | O F F E N S E QB Gunner Hughes* jr. RB Sawyer Kean sr. RB Nic Shanks sr. RB Lake Crowe jr. WR Trevor Meyer sr. TE Mitchell Officer jr. OL Shelby McMillen sr. OL Clay White sr. OL Brody Bauman jr. U Austin Malone sr.
North Andrew FC-SH Stanberry SW Livingston NW Nodaway North Andrew Stanberry North Andrew North Andrew FC-SH
❯ FIRST TEAM | D E F E N S E DL Austin Johnson so. DL Devin Goff sr. DL Ridge Barron so. LB Jakob Cordell jr. LB Daniel Hailey jr. LB Drew Cottrill sr. LB Zavan Kirkendall sr. DB Matthew Corkins jr. DB Darek Mercer sr. P Jaden Gillenwater jr.
SW Livingston North Andrew SW Livingston NW Nodaway Stanberry Albany FC-SH Christian North Andrew Mound City
❯ COACHES OF THE YEAR Jonathan Schoonover, North Andrew (8-man) Derek Jasper, Troy (11-man) * Denotes player of the year
BISHOP LeBLOND Golden Eagles 2014 ....................5-6 2013 ....................6-6 2012 ....................7-5 2011 ....................1-9 2010 ....................1-9 2009 ..................0-10 2008 ....................2-8 2007 ....................3-6 2006 ....................3-6 2005 ....................4-5 2004 ....................4-5 2003 ....................4-6 2002 ....................5-5 2001 ....................7-3 2000 ....................7-3 1999 ....................6-4
ST. JOE CHRISTIAN Lions 2014 ....................8-3 2013 ....................4-6 2012 ....................6-3 2011 .................. 11-1 2010 ..................10-2 2009 ....................8-4 2008 ..................11-2 2007 ....................8-3 2006 ..................10-2 2005 ....................7-3 2004 ....................6-4 2003 ....................6-3 2002 ....................5-4 2001 ....................8-2 2000 .................... 7-2 1999 ....................4-4
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Sunday, August 16, 2015
A5
Chillicothe looks to build off last year’s late success
Hornets shoulder experience, desire to find successful season St. Joseph News-Press
File photo | St. Joseph News-Press
Maryville running back Dakota Beemer, right, carries the ball behind offensive lineman Jacob Cacek against Bishop LeBlond last September at Eagle Stadium.
First loss in 3 years has Maryville program hungry for title shot By CHRIS BILS St. Joseph News-Press
MARYVILLE, Mo. — The Maryville football team has brought a whole new meaning to the phrase “and-one.” The Spoofhounds use the words as motivation, a reminder of the loss they suffered at the hands of Oak Grove in the Class 3 quarterfinals last fall. They have become a battle cry, used in the weight room and during the grueling summer workouts that make up the offseason. “It really fuels our fire,” Maryville senior linebacker and 2014 News-Press defensive player of the year Dustin Piper said. “It’s not like we’re out for revenge against Oak Grove. We’re not seeking out Oak Grove wanting to find them and trying to see what we can do again. It’s just a chip on our shoulder. It’s a reminder that no, we’re not perfect.” Perfect is exactly what the Spoofhounds had been under coach Matt Webb up until that loss. During his first two seasons, Maryville won back-to-back state championships with 15-0 records. By winning its third-straight district title under Webb, the program ran its winning streak to 42 games with an average margin of victory of nearly five touchdowns. But the loss was a reminder of what it feels
like to lose, and the Spoofhounds don’t want that feeling again. “We’re not this ‘super-megateam’ that can run over everybody,” Piper said. “Oak Grove had our number last year, and this year we have to go into every practice and every game knowing that we can be beat. We will be beat if we don’t do the things that we have to do.” Maryville returns six starters on offense and eight on defense, but will be without leading rusher and receiver Brody McMahon (2,314 rushing yards, 33 TDs and 543 yards receiving and nine TDs) and two key cogs from the offensive line in Jacob Cacek and Brendan Weybrew. McMahon and Cacek are both freshmen football players at Northwest Missouri State. “Obviously when you lose a player the caliber of Brody McMahon, we’ll miss the production that Brody was able to produce,” Webb said. “Whether it be touchdowns or long yardage or special teams or his impact on defense. He played in every position we had it seemed like.” Stepping in to fill at least part of the void left by McMahon’s exit will be Dakota Beemer, who racked up 1,071 yards and 16 touchdowns as the second head in Maryville’s twoheaded rushing monster. Webb said Beemer will remain in his previous spot in the Wing-T offense rather than moving to fill McMahon’s
spot, but Beemer should receive increased carries from the 9.2 totes per contest he got last season. As one of the seven seniors Webb tabbed as a key returner, Beemer will also be leaned on heavily as a leader. “Just be tough,” said Beemer of what he learned from the seniors who came before him. “No matter what you have against you, keep pushing through it. There will be a time when you’re not ahead in the game and you’ve just got to respond positive and keep everyone positive and just keep everyone working hard.” This year’s senior class has one advantage those players did not. These Spoofhounds are the first to have spent a full four years under Webb’s tutelage. The fourth-year coach is hoping that extra year in his system will pay dividends. “This is kind of a full course for me going into my fourth season with these guys entering as freshmen when it was my first year here,” Webb said. “Watching them be good leaders over the summer, that’s kind of the telltale tape on what type of season we’ll have.” If the first three years are any indication, this season may just end in St. Louis. Chris Bils can be reached at chris.bils@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPsports.
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the Hornets’ attack projects to be its most potent in years. Last year’s offense averaged more than 35 points and nearly 400 yards a game in its last three 2014 outings. Defensively, senior linebacker Kyle Ross, last year’s leader in tackles per game, heads a unit that will have a couple of other returning starters in senior defensive end Tyler Garcia and defensive back Baker. In addition to those who played roles in last fall’s late renaissance, RB/DB Mason Hayward and TE/ DE/K Wagner Chapman, both of whom missed half or more of 2014 with injuries, look hale and hearty, further deepening the Hornets’ talent pool. “I think the competition within our team is going to be good throughout the year to push our guys to do the best,” Willard says of the depth he believes he has available. After tying for fifth (2-5) last year, Chillicothe looks to return to the top half of the conference. “The MEC’s always going to be tough,” said Willard, the dean of conference coaches as he starts his 17th season, acknowledges. “There are just a lot of talented athletes in the MEC anymore. It’s going to be, week in and week out, a tough schedule.” In their Class 3 district, the Hornets hope to contend for a spot in the finals.
MARYVILLE FOOTBALL 2015 DATE 8/21 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16
OPPONENT LOCATION Lawson Home St. Pius X Away Chillicothe Away Bishop LeBlond Home Cameron Home Benton Away Smithville Away Savannah Home Lafayette Home
TIME 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
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A6
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Cameron hopes to rebound from last year’s disappointment
By JON DYKSTRA St. Joseph News-Press
CAMERON, Mo. — Sometimes you have to put the past behind you and just focus on the here and now. That is the task Cameron faces this year. Cameron opened the 2014 season with high hopes coming off a strong 8-4 campaign in 2013 and entered the season as the ninth-ranked school in Class 3 in the media poll. Then in Week 1 the Dragons faced LeAaron Hicks and Plattsburg and lost to the Class 1 school, 18-13. The season continued its downward trajectory from there as that proved to be the closest game the Dragons played all season on the way to an 0-10 record, far from the expectations. “It was extremely frustrating,” Cameron coach Jeff White said. “We had a lot of problems early in the year with turnovers and everything else, we turned the ball over a ton in our first three games. We felt pretty good going into the season and we shot ourselves in the foot. “Once we lost those first three games our mentality wasn’t good enough and we had a lot of guys give up on us and that hurt us throughout the season when we hit the tough part of our schedule.” The Dragons were held to two
File photo| St. Joseph News-Press
Cameron defensive lineman Levi Marlay tackles a Plattsburg opponent during an August 2014 game in Cameron, Mo. touchdowns or less in eight of the 10 losses, including one shutout. The defense yielded an average of 43.4 points per game, the highest in the Midland Empire Conference. In league play, they also allowed the most points — 341 — while scoring the least amount of points.
M EC CAPSULES
BENTON ❯❯ COACH — Matt Tabor, 8th year, 21-49 (37-70 overall) ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 3-7 (2-5 MEC) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Rye’ll Dydell (780 yards rushing, 7 TDs), Dominic Hill (1,690 yards passing, 17 TDs), Devon Burton (846 yards receiving, 9 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB Dominic Hill, RB/CB Rye’ll Dydell, C/DL Gaige Reynolds, FB/LB Tanner Dredge. ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 8 on offense, 8 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — WR Devon Burton, jr.; OL Zack Fredrickson, sr.; OL/DL Ubong Udom, sr.; OL/DL Ebon Donahue, sr.; QB Cooper Burton, so.; LB Curtis Weston, so.; LB Noah Fleshman, sr.; DE Dominick Devers, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Harrisonville, A28 at Grain Valley, S4 Lafayette, S9 at Cameron, S11 at Smithville, S18 at Savannah, S25 Maryville, O2 Bishop LeBlond, O16 at Chillicothe BISHOP LEBLOND ❯❯ COACH — Tony Dudik, 6th year, 20-35 (133154 overall) ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 5-6 (2-5) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 1-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Alex Pyatt (1,366 yards rushing, 10 TDs), Jack Schanze (2,049 yards passing, 22 TDs), Cort Patrick (958 yards receiving, 8 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — OT/DE Connor Haynes, WR/ DB Cort Patrick, RB/CB Alex Pyatt, QB Jack Schanze ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 5 on offense, 7 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — TE/DE Eli Lilly, sr.; C/DE Noah Olinger, sr.; OT/LB Ethan Sturgis, sr.; OG/DT Andrew Stroud, jr.; WR Trey Hartman, sr.; OT Tommy Sanders, sr.; QB Sam Schanze,
“We are just trying to keep our heads up and just come out and make things better,” lineman Levi Marlay said. The 2015 version of Cameron football is determined to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen this year, but will have a lot of new faces in place.
Less than 11 percent of their allpurpose yards from a season ago are back, but that doesn’t bother White who has confidence in his squad that returns six starters on each side of the ball. One spot where the Dragons do return some experience is at quarterback, where Caleb Shanks started at the end of the season after Marshall Colson suffered an injury. The then-sophomore Shanks completed 36 percent of his passes on his way to 390 yards and three touchdowns with and finished as the team’s leader in completion percentage, passing yards and passing touchdowns. Although Shanks had some success last season, sophomore Tristan Michaelis has been pushing the incumbent all summer, according to White. “Right now Caleb Shanks has the head start,” White said. “Him and Tristan have been in a pretty good battle so far this summer. They both do a lot of things well, its just Caleb’s got the experience so he’s probably going to get the start to begin with.” Running back is a cloudy picture for the Dragons, who predominately run the ball. Shanks is the top returner rushing with 102 yards, the next leading rusher is Devin France who had 59 yards on 13 carries.
sr.; RB Dillon Garrett, sr.; RB/DB Paul Sanchez, jr.; RB/DB Michael Modlin, jr.; FB/ LB Pat Baker, sr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Pembroke Hill, A28 at Van Horn, S4 Cameron, S11 at Maryville, S18 at Chillicothe, S25 Smithville, O2 at Benton, O9 at Lafayette, O16 Savannah CAMERON ❯❯ COACH — Jeff White, 4th year, 10-23 (19-44 overall) ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 0-10 (0-7) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Kyle Anderson (324 yards rushing), Caleb Shanks (390 yards passing, 3 TDs), Sean Gray (390 yards receiving, 3 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — OL/DL Tommy Fish, QB/LB Marshall Colson, WR/DB Sean Gray ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on offense, 6 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — OL/DL Levi Marlay, sr.; OL/LB Colby Gerber, sr.; OL/LB Tyler Gerber, sr.; RB/DB Devin France, sr.; RB/DB Logan Cantwell, sr.; TE/DB Tanner Gordon, sr.; QB/DB Caleb Shanks, jr.; OL/DL Matthew Simmons, jr.; OL/DE Drew Jessen, jr.; RB/DB Sam Pratt, sr.; OL/DL Joe Bryant, so.; QB/DB Tristan Michaelis, so.; WR/DB Jaxon Frazier, so.; RB/LB Dalton Erickson, so. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at Plattsburg, A28 at Excelsior Springs, S4 at Bishop LeBlond, S11 Chillicothe, S18 at Maryville, S25 Savannah, O2 at Lafayette, O9 Benton, O16 Smithville CHILLICOTHE ❯❯ COACH — Phil Willard, 17th year, 118-66 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 5-6 (2-5) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 1-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — DeEll Midgyett (1,137 rushing yards, 15 TDs); Cade Snyder
(471 passing yards, 8 TDs); Aaron Baker (245 receiving yards, 1 TD) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — RB/DB DeEll Midgyett, FB/ DL Luke Plummer, E/DE Matt Shaffer, OL/DL Vinson Moore ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 7 on offense, 5 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — RB/DB Aaron Baker, sr.; RB/LB Kyle Ross, sr.; RB/DB Mason Hayward, sr.; OL/DL Walker Graves, so.; E/DE/K Wagner Champman, sr.; E/DE Tyler Garcia, sr.; QB/DB Cade Snyder, jr.; OL/DL Trevor Bowling, jr.; OL/DL Alex Barnes sr.; OL/DL Tristen Boley, sr.; OL/DL Max Anderson, jr.; RB/DB Ty Figg; RB/LB Preston Hayes jr.; RB/ LB Dean Adkins, jr.; RB/DB Nick Duncan, jr.; OL/DL Eric Davis, so.; RB/DL Zach Daly, sr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at Marshall, A28 Kirksville, S4 Maryville, S11 at Cameron, S18 Bishop LeBlond, S25 Lafayette, O2 at Savannah, O9 at Smithville, O16 Benton L AFAYET TE ❯❯ COACH — Bart Hardy, 1st year ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 7-4 (5-2) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 1-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Koby Gillenwater (346 yards rushing, 3 TDs); Drew Cortez (2,941 yards passing, 31 TDs); Preston Martin (1,058 yards receiving, 15 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB Drew Cortez, WR/DB Preston Martin, WR/DB Malyk Hicks, OL/DL Joe Freeman ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 4 on offense, 5 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — OL/DL Wyatt Edmondson, sr.; WR/DB Rowdy Wilkinson, sr.; OL/DL Tyler Turner, sr.; TE/DL Cole Lehman, sr.; QB/ DB Riley McKay, sr.; RB/DL Bryson Searcy, sr.; WR/DB Dae’mon Stone-May, sr.; DB/WR P.J. Hawkins, sr.
❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 North Kansas City, A28 Carthage, S4 at Benton, S11 Savannah, S18 at Smithville, S25 at Chillicothe, O2 Cameron, O9 Bishop LeBlond, O16 at Maryville MARYVILLE ❯❯ COACH — Matt Webb, 4 years, 42-1 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 12-1 (7-0) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 3-0 in district play, lost in Class 3 quarterfinals ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Brody McMahon (2,314 rushing yards, 33 TDs); Trey Ogelsby (1,309 passing yards, 20 TDs); McMahon (543 receiving yards, 9 TDs), ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — RB Brody McMahon, OL/DL Jacob Cacek, OL Brendan Weybrew ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on offense, 8 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB Trey Oglesby, jr.; RB/ DB Dakota Beemer, sr.; DL/TE Dustin Piper, sr.; OL/DL Joe McClurg, sr.; OL Nate Colwell, sr.; DL/OL Jonathon Snook, sr.; LB Kade Allenbrand, sr.; LB Trevor Zimmerman, sr.; LB Elijah Green, jr.; OL Jake White, jr.; DL Tucker Tripp, jr.; DB Matt Twaddle, jr.; RB/LB Jacob Reuter, so.; OL Jalen Sundlell, so. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Lawson, A28 at St. Pius X, S4 at Chillicothe, S11 Bishop LeBlond, S18 Cameron, S25 at Benton, O2 at Smithville, O9 Savannah, O16 Lafayette SAVANNAH ❯❯ COACH — Chad Smith, 4th year, 22-9 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 6-4 (5-2 in MEC) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Clayton McGinness (1,014 yards rushing, 13 TDs; McGinness (1,032 yards passing, 10 TDs); Chase Simpson (548 yards receiving, 6 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB/FS Clayton McGinness, G Jake Ellis, WR Chase Simpson
France will be competing for snaps against Logan Cantwell, Sam Pratt, Dalton Erickson and Seth Wetzel — all who had minimal carries last season. In the trenches is where the bulk of the experience on the team comes back. Marlay, Mathew Simmons, Drew Jessen, Colby Gerber and Tyler Gerber return as an experienced group. “We were pretty young up front last year,” White said. “We had some injuries early that made us pretty young. “Our front seven is going to be pretty good. Secondary-wise, we have a couple young guys back there that have to get some things going before they are ready to go. I feel pretty good about of front four especially.” The defense returns its top three tacklers with Marlay (64), Colby Gerber (61) and Tyler Gerber (60). Marlay added three sacks. For the Dragons, the key this year is getting off to a good start and putting 2014 behind them. “The biggest thing is going to be to win early and get some confidence,” White said. “Whether that comes in week one or week two, to try to get a win early and build from that point on. Jon Dykstra can be reached at jon.dykstra@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports.
❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 4 on offense, 6 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — RB/LB Taylor Gilbert, sr.; FB/LB Hayden Holt, sr.; OL/DL Hunter Sidwell, sr.; QB/DB Jake Phillips, sr.; OL/ DL Justin Peterson, sr.; WR/DB Seth Ussary, sr.; WR/DB Kydone Wandflush, sr.; RB/ SS Brant Price, jr.; TE/LB Jeremiah Glise, jr.; OL/DL Austin Haynes, jr.; RB/LB Cody Haeker, so.; WR/DB Gage Brazzell, so.; FB/ LB Corbin Dreyer, so.; WR/DB Baley Aldrich, sr.; RB/LB River Sparks, sr.; WR/LB Damyan Cunningham, sr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Grain Valley, A28 at Harrisonville, S4 Smithville, S11 at Lafayette, S18 Benton, S25 at Cameron, O2 Chillicothe, O9 at Maryville, O16, at Bishop LeBlond SMITHVILLE ❯❯ COACH — Jason Ambroson, 1st season, (80-72 overall) ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 9-3 (6-1) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 2-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Charlie Nihart (2,272 rushing yards, 22 touchdowns); Mitchell Orr (1,237 passing yards, 11 touchdowns); Tanner Hartman (333 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — RB Charlie Nihart, DB/WR Quentin Mueller, TE/DL Jackson Krull ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on offense, 8 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB/DB Mitchell Orr, sr., LB/RB Jake Boyd, jr., DB/WR Tanner Hartman, sr., LB/RB Cole Justice sr., DL/OL DJ Brown, sr., OL/DL Matthew Bellm, sr., OL/ DL Trysten Snarr, sr., DL Donovan Todd, sr., OL Cody Meek, sr., PK/P Sam Aviles, jr., OL/ DL Ryan Vitek, sr., DB Brandon Fuller, jr., WR Riley Gesling, sr., LB Jacob Perez, so., DB/RB Zach Granger, sr., LB Connelly White, sr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Pleasant Hill, A28 at Park Hill, S4 at Savannah, S11 Benton, S18 Lafayette, S25 at Bishop LeBlond, O2 Maryville, O9 Chillicothe, O16 at Cameron
CAMERON DRAGONS
CAMERON FOOTBALL 2015 OPPONENT LOCATION Plattsburg Away Excelsior Springs Away Bishop LeBlond Away Chillicothe Home Maryville Away Savannah Home Lafayette Away Benton Home Smithville Home
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Sunday, August 16, 2015
A7
MISSO U R I PL AYO F F H ISTO RY KEY: Team name, Number of playoff appearances (dates), Number of state titles (dates) MIDLAND EMPIRE
File photo | St. Joseph News-Press
Savannah’s Taylor Gilbert, right, outruns the Benton defense during a game last year at Sparks Field.
Smith eyes improved defense for Savannah By CODY THORN St. Joseph News-Press
SAVANNAH, Mo. — Chad Smith is a defensive-minded coach. The Savannah coach served as the school’s defensive coordinator before making the transition into his current head coaching spot prior to the 2012 season. Needless to say, he wasn’t pleased when the final numbers of the season came in last year. The Savages posted a respectable 6-4 mark — the seventh-straight winning season. But the losses showed the crux for Savannah — too many points allowed. In those four losses, the Savages yielded 36, 37, 48 and 49 points. All told, the team ceded an average of 26.6 points — the most in the three years Smith has guided the program. “We took a step back and allowed too many points,” said Smith, who will oversee his first full class of players under his watch. “We have got to do a better job of stopping the run and getting to the football. It is more of an attitude, it is a thing we feel like we have a chip on our shoulders. We gave up way too many points and too many yards, rushing and passing. We got to get that down and take the ball away.” In Smith’s last season as the defensive coordinator, the Savages allowed only 15.5 points per game on the way to a Class 4 semifinal
berth. His first team at Savannah was even tougher, giving up only 15.1 points per game. The past two years the team has allowed 258 and 266 points and the team hasn’t returned to the playoffs since the 2011 season that ended in the semifinals. A change in defense and one that fits the personnel better this year could help a lot. The Savages were small last year up front and that led to a lot of three-man looks on the defensive line. This year, Savannah switches to a 4-3 defense, something Smith is very comfortable with. And he will have returning guys that will help as only five spots need filled due to graduation. The front line returns Justin Peterson and Hunter Sidwell, while Taylor Gilbert and Hayden Holt are returning linebackers and Jake Phillips and Seth Ussary return in the secondary. Patrick Karl will join the line, while Chris Wilson or Joel Osborn will also be on the line. Jeremiah Glise is like the third linebacker in the new 4-3 defense, but River Sparks, Cody Haeker and Corbin Dreyer were in spots where they could see time at linebacker as well. The offense won’t be as battletested as the defense with only four returning starters. Sidwell and Peterson, the only two returning linemen with experience starting, will play on the same side of the ball. In the back-
field, Gilbert and Holt return, but that is the extent of the starters. Gilbert racked up 16 touchdowns and 687 yards, while Holt ran for 391 yards and combined for three scores last fall. The Savages break in another new quarterback with Phillips, last year’s backup, while piecing together three new starters on the line that will set the tempo for how successful the option-based system will be this fall. “We got to run the ball, that is who we are,” Smith said. “We will pass when we need to, but we are trying to run the ball. We won’t trick you and we don’t care if you know what we will do. … We will do it. Hopefully, if we executed the plays, we will be the most physical team on the field.” Juniors Wilson and Austin Haynes will play alongside new center Joel Osborn to fill out the line that will have to provide running lanes for the backfield. “Ever since we made it to the semifinals against Webb (City), I think the expectations have risen,” said Holt, a three-year starter for the Savages at linebacker/ running back. “The year after we made it to the second round of districts, but the past couple we were one-and-one and I feel like this year we will be better.” Cody Thorn can be reached at cody.thorn@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports.
BENTON — 10 (1987-90-91-92-9396-99-2004-05-06), 0 (none) BISHOP LEBLOND — 4 (1982-83-8493), 0 (none) CAMERON — 6 (1986-87-89-952004-05), 1 (2005) CHILLICOTHE — 25 (1970-72-76-7883-85-86-87-88-89-91-93-94-9697-98-99-2000-01-02-03-06-0809-11), 5 (1970, 1972, 1978, 1985, 1991) LAFAYETTE — 15 (1977-78-82-8485-88-89-91-92-93-94-95-98-0809), 0 (none) MARYVILLE — 14 (1982-83-87-9192-96-2004-08-09-10-11-12-13-14), 4 (1982, 2009, 2012, 2013) SAVANNAH — 4 (1997, 2009-10-11), 0 (none) SMITHVILLE — 12 (1969-71-78-8486-94-95-96-97-2001-08-10), 0 (none) KCI EAST BUCHANAN — 14 (1975-78-8588-92-93-99-2000-02-04-08-10-1114), 0 (none) HAMILTON — 13 (1986-87-90-9193-96-2008-09-10-11-12-13-14), 3 (2009, 2010, 2012) LATHROP — 7 (1971-81-83-87-982007-12), 0 (none) LAWSON — 17 (1970-77-82-83-8897-99-2003-04-05-06-07-08-09-1011-13), 1 (2007) MID-BUCHANAN — 2 (2003-09), 0 (none) NORTH PLATTE — 6 (1988-90-94-9598-2009), 1 (1998) PLATTSBURG — 20 (1979-80-84-8589-90-91-92-93-94-95-96-97-200001-02-03-08-09-14), 1 (1979) WEST PLATTE — 11 (1968-73-822001-05-06-07-08-10-11-13), 2 (2001, 2005) GRAND RIVER BRAYMER — 5 (1992-2000-01-0809), 0 (none) GALLATIN — 11 (1980-81-82-83-8895-97-98-2004-05-06), 0 (none) KING CITY — 7 (1974-77-2002-0809-10-11), 0 (none) MAYSVILLE — 8 (1984-85-89-92-982005-07-08), 0 (none) POLO — 10 (1984-85-86-91-97-982002-03-10-11), 0 (none) PRINCETON — 12 (1968-69-76-78-7996-2002-03-07-08-09-10), 1 (1968)
SOUTH HARRISON — 6 (1985-992000-01-10-11), 0 (none) HIGHWAY 275 ALBANY — 7 (1988-89-90-91-92-962011), 0 (none) FAIRFAX — 3 (1972-94-96), 1 (1994) MOUND CITY — 17 (1973-79-80-8998-99-2000-01-02-03-05-06-0708-09-10-11), 6 (1999, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010) NODAWAY-HOLT — 8 (1980-81-8283-90-91-95-2009), 2 (1990, 1991) NORTH NODAWAY — 5 (1982-83-8990-2003), 1 (1989) NORTH-WEST NODAWAY — 1 (2014), 0 (none) ROCK PORT — 23 (1970-77-78-8081-84-85-86-87-88-89-90-97-992000-01-03-04-06-08-09-10-12), 2 (1984, 1985) SOUTH HOLT — 7 (1987-88-92-9397-2004-11), 4 (1988, 1992, 1993, 2004) STANBERRY — 9 (1992-2004-08-0910-11-12-13-14), 1 (2012) TARKIO — 12 (1968-71-75-76-85-8691-93-94-95-2002-10), 1 (1971) WEST NODAWAY — 6 (1979-88-9193-94-08), 0 (none) WORTH COUNTY — 16 (1981-84-9596-97-98-99-2000-01-05-06-0709-10-11-13), 6 (1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2011) PLATTE VALLEY DEKALB — 9 (1989-95-96-97-98-992002-03-09), 1 (2002) NORTH ANDREW — 17 (1988-90-9394-95-96-97-98-99-2000-02-03-0810-12-13-14) — 5 (1993, 1996, 1997, 2013, 2014) PATTONSBURG — 0 (none) SOUTH NODAWAY — 2 (1991-92), 1 (1992) SOUTHWEST LIVINGSTON — 6 (199094-2011-12-13-14), 0 (none) STEWARTSVILLE — 4 (2004-05-0813), 0 (none) INDEPENDENTS/OTHER CENTRAL — 3 (1985-95-2011), 0 (none) PLATTE COUNTY — 18 (1984-86-9094-95-97-99-2000-01-02-03-0506-07-08-10-11-12), 3 (2000, 2001, 2002) ST. JOSEPH CHRISTIAN — 9 (200104-05-06-07-08-09-10-11), 1 (2006)
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A8
Sunday, August 16, 2015
2015 PREP FOOTBALL SCHEDULE MEC
A u g . 21 Harrisonville at Benton Pembroke Hill at Bishop LeBlond Cameron at Plattsburg Chillicothe at Marshall North Kansas City at Lafayette Lawson at Maryville Grain Valley at Savannah Pleasant Hill at Smithville Aug. 28 Benton at Grain Valley Bishop LeBlond at Van Horn Cameron at Excelsior Springs Kirksville at Chillicothe Carthage at Lafayette Maryville at St. Pius X KC Savannah at Harrisonville Smithville at Park Hill Sept. 4 Lafayette at Benton Cameron at Bishop LeBlond Maryville at Chillicothe Smithville at Savannah Sept. 11 Benton at Smithville Bishop LeBlond at Maryville Chillicothe at Cameron Savannah at Lafayette Sept. 18 Benton at Savannah Bishop LeBlond at Chillicothe Cameron at Maryville Lafayette at Smithville S e p t . 25 Maryville at Benton Smithville at Bishop LeBlond Savannah at Cameron Lafayette at Chillicothe Oct. 2 Bishop LeBlond at Benton Cameron at Lafayette Chillicothe at Savannah Maryville at Smithville Oct. 9 Benton at Cameron Bishop LeBlond at Lafayette Chillicothe at Smithville Savannah at Maryville O c t . 16 Benton at Chillicothe Savannah at Bishop LeBlond Smithville at Cameron Lafayette at Maryville
GRC A u g . 21 Braymer at Orrick North Platte at Gallatin King City at Mid-Buchanan Maysville at East Buchanan Summit Christian Academy at Polo Princeton at Milan Hamilton at South Harrison Aug. 28 Slater at Braymer Gallatin at Penney Milan at King City Mid-Buchanan at Maysville Putnam County at Princeton Lathrop at Polo South Harrison at East Buchanan Sept. 4 Braymer at Maysville Polo at Gallatin Princeton at South Harrison Sept. 11 King City at Braymer Gallatin at Princeton Maysville at Christ Preparatory Academy Polo at South Harrison Sept. 18 Braymer at Wentworth Military Academy South Harrison at Gallatin King City at Maysville Princeton at Polo S e p t . 25 Braymer at South Harrison Gallatin at King City Polo at Maysville Trenton at Princeton Oct. 2 Polo at Braymer Maysville at Gallatin King City at Princeton South Harrison at Trenton Oct. 9 Princeton at Braymer Gallatin at Summit Christian Academy King City at Polo Maysville at South Harrison O c t . 16 Braymer at Gallatin South Harrison at King City Princeton at Maysville University Academy at Polo
KCI A u g . 21 Maysville at East Buchanan Hamilton at South Harrison Van Horn at Lathrop Lawson at Maryville King City at Mid-Buchanan North Platte at Gallatin Cameron at Plattsburg West Platte at East (Kansas City) Aug. 28 South Harrison at East Buchanan Gallatin at Hamilton Lathrop at Polo Richmond at Lawson Mid-Buchanan at Maysville University Academy at North Platte Northeast (Kansas City) at Plattsburg West Platte at Wellington-Napoleon Sept. 4 East Buchanan at West Platte Hamilton at Lathrop Lawson at Plattsburg North Platte at Mid-Buchanan
File photo | St. Joseph News-Press
North Andrew football players Clay White (25), Devin Goff (23), Jarred Ellis (34) and Darek Mercer (3) display their MSHSAA 8-man state championship trophy after beating Stanberry last year at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. Sept. 11 Plattsburg at East Buchanan Mid-Buchanan at Hamilton Lathrop at West Platte Lawson at North Platte Sept. 18 East Buchanan at Mid-Buchanan Plattsburg at Hamilton Lathrop at Lawson West Platte at North Platte S e p t . 25 Lawson at East Buchanan Hamilton at West Platte North Plate at Lathrop Mid-Buchanan at Plattsburg Oct. 2 East Buchanan at North Platte Hamilton at Lawson Plattsburg at Lathrop Mid-Buchanan at West Platte Oct. 9 Lathrop at East Buchanan North Platte at Hamilton Lathrop at East Buchanan Lawson at Mid-Buchanan West Platte at Plattsburg O c t . 16 East Buchanan at Hamilton Lathrop at Mid-Buchanan West Platte at Lawson Plattsburg at North Platte
INDEPENDENT/OTHERS A u g . 21 Kearney at Central Platte County at William Chrisman Carrollton at Trenton North Andrew at St. Joseph Christian Northwest (Hughesville) at Southwest Livingston A u g . 28 Lincoln Lutheran at Falls City Platte County at Central Falls City-Sacred Heart at North Andrew Platte County at Central Trenton at Lexington South Nodaway at St. Joseph Christian Southwest Livingston at Chilhowee Sept. 4 Central at Truman Fairbury at Falls City Falls City-Sacred Heart at Meridian Ruskin at Platte County Trenton at Holden St. Joseph Christian at Nodaway Holt Southwest Livingston at Stanberry Sept. 11 Blue Springs at Central Falls City at Ashland-Greenwood Pawnee City at Falls City-Sacred Heart Park Hill South at Platte County Lafayette County at Trenton St. Joseph Christian at North-West Nodaway Norborne at Southwest Livingston Sept. 18 Hardin-Central at St. Joseph Christian Central at Raymore-Peculiar Douglas County West at Falls City Platte County at Winnetonka Trenton at Pembroke Hill Southwest Livingston at Pattonsburg S e p t . 25 St. Joseph Christian at Axtell (Kan.) Central at Liberty Auburn at Falls City
Falls City-Sacred Heart at Johnson-Brock Belton at Platte County Trenton at Princeton South Nodaway at Southwest Livingston Oct. 1 Lewiston at Falls City-Sacred Heart Oct. 2 St. Joseph Christian at IHS Ruskin at Central Louisville at Falls City Kearney at Platte County South Harrison at Trenton Southwest Livingston at Stewartsville Oct. 9 St. Joseph Christian at DeKalb Central at Park Hill Falls City at Johnson County Central Exeter-Milligan at Falls City-Sacred Heart Platte County at Grandview Trenton at Kirksville Southwest Livingston at North Andrew O c t . 16 Pattonsburg at St. Joseph Christian Central at Park Hill South Syracuse at Falls City Falls City-Sacred Heart at Sterling Raytown South at Platte County Concordia at Trenton DeKalb at Southwest Livingston Oct. 22 Parkview Christian at Falls City-Sacred Heart Oct. 23 Falls City at Conestoga
KANSAS Sept. 4 Riverside at Jefferson West ACCHS at Hiawatha Pleasant Ridge at Atchison MH-MA at Immaculata Troy at Washington County Doniphan West at Onaga Horton at Jackson Heights Sept. 11 Nemaha Central at Riverside Hiawatha at Royal Valley Sumner at Atchison Jackson Heights at MH-MA Centralia at Troy Valley Heights at Doniphan West Sabetha at ACCHS McLouth at Horton Sept. 18 ACCHS at Riverside Hiawatha at Nemaha Central Washington at Atchison MH-MA at Ellis Troy at Valley Heights Washington Co. at Doniphan West Valley Falls at Horton S e p t . 25 Riverside at Perry-Lecompton Holton at Hiawatha JC Harmon at Atchison MH-MA at Valley Falls Onaga at Troy Doniphan West at Centralia Nemaha Central at ACCHS Jefferson County North at Horton Oct. 2 Riverside at Royal Valley Hiawatha at Jefferson West Atchison at Schlagle Christ Prep at MH-MA JCN at Troy
Pleasant Ridge at Horton Maranatha at Doniphan West ACCHS at West Franklin Oct . 9 Doniphan West at Riverside Perry-Lecompton at Hiawatha Wyandotte at Atchison Horton at MH-MA Troy at Maranatha Holton at ACCHS O c t . 16 Sabetha at Riverside Hiawatha at Horton Toganoxie at Atchison MH-MA at ACCHS Troy at Doniphan West Oct . 23 Riverside at Hiawatha Atchison at Basehor-Linwood Pleasant Ridge at MH-MA Troy at Inman Christ Prep at Doniphan West ACCHS at McLouth Horton at Sabetha Oct. 29 Horton at Riverside Sabetha at Hiawatha KC Piper at Atchison MH-MA at McClouth Immaculata at Troy Doniphan West at JCN ACCHS at Pleasant Ridge
MISSOURI 8-MAN FOOTBALL PVC A u g . 21 Chilhowee at DeKalb North Andrew at St. Joseph Christian South Nodaway at South Holt/Nodaway-Holt Northwest (Hughesville) at Southwest Livingston Norbone at Stewartsville Pattonsburg at KC East Christian Aug. 28 Pattonsburg at DeKalb Falls City-Sacred Heart at North Andrew South Nodaway at St. Joseph Christian Southwest Livingston at Chilhowee Stewartsville at Mound City Sept. 4 DeKalb at Northwest (Hughesville) North Andrew at Pattonsburg South Nodaway at Norborne Southwest Livingston at Stanberry Chilhowee at Stewartsville Sept. 11 North Andrew at DeKalb Mound City at South Nodaway Norborne at Southwest Livingston Pattonsburg at Stewartsville Sept. 18 DeKalb at South Nodaway North Andrew at Stewartsville Southwest Livingston at Pattonsburg S e p t . 25 Stewartsville at DeKalb Chilhowee at North Andrew South Nodaway at Southwest Livingston Norborne at Pattonsburg Oct. 2 DeKalb at East Atchison North Andrew at DeKalb
Southwest Livingston at Stewartsville Oct. 3 Pattonsburg at South Nodaway Oct. 9 St. Joseph Christian at Dekalb Southwest Livingston at North Andrew Stewartsville at South Nodaway South Holt/Nodaway-Holt at Pattonsburg O c t . 16 DeKalb at Southwest Livingston South Nodaway at North Andrew Pattonsburg at St. Joseph Christian
HIGHWAY 275 A u g . 21 Greenfield at Albany East Atchison at Mound City South Nodaway at South Holt/Nodaway-Holt Stanberry at North-West Nodaway Rock Port at Worth County Aug. 28 Albany at East Atchison Stewartsville at Mound City South Holt/Nodaway-Holt at Stanberry North-West Nodaway at Rock Port Worth County at Greenfield Sept. 4 Rock Port at Albany East Atchison at North-West Nodaway Worth County at Mound City Southwest Livingston at Stanberry Sepember 11 Albany at Worth County South Holt/Nodaway-Holt at East Atchison Mound City at South Nodaway North-West Nodaway at St. Joseph Christian Stanberry at Rock Port Sept. 18 Albany at South Holt/Nodaway-Holt Rock Port at Mound City Worth County at North-West Nodaway Stanberry at Sacred Heart S e p t . 25 Mound City at Albany Stanberry at East Atchison South Holt/Nodaway-Holt at Worth County North-West Nodaway at Greenfield Oct. 2 Albany at Stanberry DeKalb at East Atchison Mound City at North-West Nodaway Rock Port at South Holt/Nodaway-Holt Worth County at North Andrew Oct. 9 North-West Nodaway at Albany East Atchison at Rock Port South Holt/Nodaway-Holt at Mound City Stanberry at Worth County O c t . 16 Albany at Sacred Heart East Atchison at Worth County Stanberry at Mound City North-West Nodaway at South Holt/Nodaway-Holt Norborne at Rock Port
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B1 | SUNDAY | AUGUST 16, 2015 |
File photo | St. Joseph News-Press
North Andrew coach Jonathan Schoonover greets his team on the sidelines after the Cardinals scored a touchdown against Stanberry at the 2014 8-man Show-Me Bowl last year at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. North Andrew topped Stanberry 48-26.
STAYING TOUGH
Expectations remain high for defending state champ Cardinals
R
——— By THOM HANRAHAN | St. Joseph News-Press ———
OSENDALE, Mo. — Coming off back-toback Missouri 8-man state football titles, expectations are high for North Andrew. Cardinals coach Jonathan Schoonover plans to meet those expectations again.
Despite riding a 25-game winning streak with the only blemish coming in the 2012 state title game against Stanberry, Schoonover said his team realizes it is talented but not invulnerable. The third-year coach said the Cardinals don’t need to go back to that last game of his fi rst season at the program’s helm. Last year will do just fi ne as a reminder. “My main thing is mental toughness this year,” Schoonover said. “Last year, the boys did a great job of fi nishing. Against (Falls City) Sacred Heart, we were down 14 three times and came back and won. Against Stanberry (in the state championship game) we were down 14 in the fi rst half and didn’t look back. “This year, we are just going to focus on fi nishing and doing what we need to do.” But the players still remember. And they use it as motivation. Senior center Christian Patterson said that loss is a blemish on
the seniors’ legacy at North Andrew. “I defi nitely think we can go back and win it again,” he said. “From the that fi rst year (playing Stanberry for the title), that bitter taste still lingers. “We wanted to be that class that went all four years and we are one off.” What North Andrew does is score points in bunches. In 2014, the Cardinals averaged nearly 53 points per contest. That offensive unit returns virtually all its key parts. Senior quarterback Gunner Hughes returns after a fi rst-team all-state performance in which he threw for 39 touchdowns, ran for another 32 and hauled in two as a receiver. In addition to Hughes, the high-octane North Andrew offense brings back his favorite targets. Last season, senior wide receiver Mitchell Officer found himself on the other end of 44 Hughes passes for 901
receiving yards. Although Officer turned those catches into 18 touchdowns, he didn’t top the team in receiving scores. That honor went to junior Deryk Goff, who found the end zone 19 times on only 37 catches and added 745 yards of his own. With all three returning, it doesn’t seem the Cardinals’ offense is ready to slow down anytime soon. Schoonover sees Hughes’ options in the passing game ever improving, which includes the way being paved by a line that returns all-stater Brody Bauman. “We actually have a couple of more receivers that have joined the picture this year, so we’ve got an explosive offense,” Schoonover said. “We just take it week-by-week and we don’t really look at the end of the year. We’re looking for game one right now.” Defensively, Schoonover sees more in what the team returns than in what it is losing to graduation. Bauman thinks the team has what it takes on both sides of the ball to win another championship. “I feel like we have a lot of confidence this year,” Bauman said. “We have some younger guys coming up and they’re going to have to fill some big spots, but they’re working hard.” Please see NORTH ANDREW/Page B7
MORE Back for another shot With a number of key players back, East Buchanan has lofty goals see Page B2
Growing pains Trenton coach Boswell looks for better results in Year 2 at helm see Page B6
Continuing trajectory Troy reached state semifinal last year in Jasper’s 2nd season see Page B12
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B2
Bulldogs eye nothing but a title in 2015
KCI CAPSULES EAST BUCHANAN
❯❯ COACH — Kevin Bryan, 9th year, 63-31
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 12-1 (7-0 KCI) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 3-0 district play, lost in Class 2 quarterfinals
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Ryan Kilgore
(819 rushing yards, 10 TDs), Colby Rapp (3,588 passing yards, 44 TDs), Zac Johnson (1,395 receiving yards, 15 TDs)
MID - BUCHANAN
❯❯ COACH — Aaron Fritz, 1st year ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 0-10 (0-7) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in
❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB Colby Rapp,
sr.; WR/DB Zac Johnson, sr.; WR/ DB Nate Griffin sr.; WR/DB Jason Daugherity, sr.; OL/DL Bubba Miller, sr.; RB/DE Austin Potter; WR/LB Garrett Brendle, jr.; OL/LB Dillon Livingston.
❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Maysville, A28
South Harrison, S4 at West Platte, S11 Plattsburg, S18 at Mid-Buchanan, S25 Lawson, O2 at North Platte, O9 Lathrop, O16 at Hamilton
OL/DL Coleman Lawson, WR/LB Garet Moulden fense, 7 on defense
Kemper, sr.; WR/DB Chase Gilbert, sr.; RB/DB Stetson Brant, jr.; OL/ DL Kolby Korrell, jr.; OL/DL Dalton Anderson, sr.; WR/LB James Dunn, jr.; RB/LB Andrew Brinton, jr.
❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 King City, A28 at
Maysville, S4 North Platte, S11 at Hamilton, S18 East Buchanan, S25 at Plattsburg, O2 at West Platte, O9 Lawson, O16 Lathrop
NORTH PL AT TE ❯❯ COACH — Josh Rodriguez, 1st year
HAMILTON ❯❯ COACH — Caleb Obert, 1st year, (52-25 overall)
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 1-9 (1-6) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 11-3 (5-2) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 3-0 in
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Jordan Hen-
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Kellen Over-
❯❯ KEY LOSSES — RB/LB Kyle Bledsoe,
district play, lost in Class 1 state semifinals
street (4,259 rushing yards, 65 TDs), Drew Finch (1,021 passing yards, 17 TDs), TC East (435 receiving yards, 8 TDs)
❯❯ KEY LOSSES — RB Kellen Overstreet, QB Drew Finch, RB/LB Keithan Litton,
❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 7 on offense, 6 on defense
❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — WR/RB TC East,
TE/DB Telly Harper, sr.; LB/RB Kyle Elliot, sr.; DB/RB Korby Ford sr.; WR/ DB LaTroy Harper, so.; WR/DB Derek Dixon, so.; OL/DL Kenny Pulley, so.
❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at South Harrison, A28 Gallatin, S4 at Lathrop, S11 Mid-Buchanan, S18 Plattsburg, S25 at West Platte, O2 at Lawson, O9 North Platte, O16 East Buchanan L ATHROP
❯❯ COACH — Chris Holt, 1st year (96-50 overall)
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 2-8 (2-5) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in district play
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Cody Hart
(570 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs), Deryk Thompson (1,100 passing yards, 8 TDs), Hart (143 receiving yards, TD)
❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB Deryk Thompson,
C Drake Higgins, RB/DB Logan Lobb, OL/DL David Keel
❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on offense, 5 on defense
❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — TE/DT Dawson
Beane, sr.; OLB Hunter Dalinghaus, sr.; FB Issac Groves, sr.; RB/CB James Knifong, sr.; RB/OLB Cody Hart, sr.; QB/FS David Moore, sr.; QG/LB Jason Wright, jr.; WR Conner Vanderkooi, jr.; NG Tufton Brown, sr.; LB Trent Head, jr.; LB/RB Peyton O’Connor, so.; OT Kenny Breckenridge, so.; SG/NG Hunter Daahr, jr.
❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Van Horn, A28
at Polo, S4 Hamilton, S11 at West Platte, S18 at Lawson, S25 North Platte, O2 Plattsburg, O9 at East Buchanan, O16 at Mid-Buchanan L AWSON
❯❯ COACH — Todd Dunn, 16th year, 141-36
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 7-4 (5-2) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 1-1 in district play
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Preston
Smidt (558 rushing yards, 4 TDs), Cody Glenn (842 passing yards, 9 TDs), Damien Sapp (532 receiving yards, 8 TDs)
district play
dricks (326 rushing yards, 6 TDs), Anthony Hernandez (1,072 passing yards, 7 TDs), Jordan Hendricks (379 receiving yards, TD) WR/DB Jeremiah Copenhaver
❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 7 on offense, 7 on defense
❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — RB/SS Jordan
Hendricks, sr.; QB/DB Anthony Hernandez, sr.; RB/LB Aron Burke, sr.; G/NG John Collins, sr.; T/DT Gentry Scrivener, sr.; WR/S Kyle Ewing, sr.; C/DL Eli Bledsoe, sr.; G/LB Josh Dutcher, sr.; WR/SS Ben French, jr.; T/DT Austin Reynolds, sr.; T/DT Bart Owens, so.; G/LB Van French, so.; RB/LB Parker Rotterman, jr.; RB/LB Remmington Wilson, so.; WR/DB Will Morse, so.; TE/LB Austin Snook, so.;
❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at Gallatin, A28
University Academy, S4 at MidBuchanan, S11 Lawson, S18 West Platte, S25 at Lathrop, O2 East Buchanan, O9 at Hamilton, O16 Plattsburg PL AT TSBURG
❯❯ COACH — Ron Musser, 2nd year, 9-4, (119-114 overall)
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 9-4 (4-3) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 3-0 district play, lost in Class 1 quarterfinals
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — LeAaron Hicks
(1,866 rushing yards, 27 TDs), Daniel O’Connor (1,125 passing yards, 8 TDs), Tanner Sims (377 receiving yards)
Hicks, OG/DT CJ Graham, OT/LB Steven Foster
❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on offense, 6 on defense
❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — RB/LB Tanner
Bahora, sr.; RB/LB Cody Hartman, sr.; QB/LB Daniel O’Connor, sr.; OL/ DL Zach Shipps, sr.; OL/DL Elijah Curl, jr.; RB/FS Jordan Kremer, jr.; WR/DB Tanner Sims, jr.; RB/DB Matthew Graham, so.; OL/LB Nick Kremer, so.; OL/DL Blayne Jones, so.; RB/LB Andrew Querrey, so.; OL/ DL Blake McClain, so.
east Kansas City, S4 Lawson, S11 at East Buchanan, S18 at Hamilton, S25 Mid-Buchanan, O2 at Lathrop, O9 West Platte, O16 at North Platte
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 8-4 (4-3) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 2-1 in ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Cody Guthrie
(1,406 yards rushing, 18 TDs); Guthrie (920 yards passing, 10 TDs), Conner Salmons (733 yards receiving, 8 TDs)
❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — RB/DB Damien
❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB/LB Brett
Richmond, S4 at Plattsburg, S11 at North Platte, S18 Lathrop, S25 at East Buchanan, O2 Hamilton, O9 at Mid-Buchanan, O16 West Platte
75051207
district play
❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 7 on of-
❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at Maryville, A28
that aspect. The big thing is for us to stay healthy.” The question mark for East Buchanan’s high-flying offense obviously doesn’t come from the skill positions. The Bulldogs only return senior right tackle Bubba Miller up front and will have to bring along a new group to give Rapp the time to find his talented wideouts. Bryan said he doesn’t know who is going to fill those spots, but Miller’s experience will be vital in bringing along the new group that has seven players battling for the four other starting spots. But a team that finished No. 5 in the final Class 2 poll is unlikely to see a serious enough drop off to upset the chemistry between Rapp and his favorite targets. All three say they are close friends that have developed a rapport off the field that produces results between the lines, as well.
Thom Hanrahan can be reached at thom.hanrahan@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPsports.
EAST BUCHANAN FOOTBALL 2015
WEST PL AT TE ❯❯ COACH — Nate Danneman, 3rd year, 13-12, (30-16 overall)
❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 4 on ofSapp, sr.; QB/DB Cody Glenn, jr.; WR/DB Tanner Smith, sr.; OL/DL Austin Nye, sr.; RB/LB Adrean Eskew, jr.; WR/DB Colton Williams jr.; OL/ LB Lane Maddux, jr.; TE/OLB Tyler Dunn, jr.; OL/DL Austin Tripp, sr.; RB/LB Larry Richarson, sr.; WR/DB Max Ross, jr.;
File photo| St. Joseph News-Press
Colby Rapp throws downfield during a Class 2 quarterfinal game last year against South Callaway in Gower, Mo.
Rapp calls Griffin and Johnson his “security blanket,” and when the play breaks down he knows he just has to get the ball in the vicinity of one of them for a big play. “I wouldn’t want anyone else back there throwing it,” Griffin said. “He knows where to put it and I know where to get it, so we have a pretty good relationship there.” The Bulldogs put together what Bryan called ‘probably its best defense’ in his time at the school. Bryan said the team relied on simply outscoring people in earlier years, but last year they salted away some wins early on by playing stout defense. While he is confident in the secondary with Johnson, Griffin and Jason Daugherity back, but in front of them only a handful of players have experience in the Bulldogs’ unique 5-2 defense. Bryan likes to say his team can’t just accept the status quo and needs to continue to improve. Rapp — the all-state quarterback — talks about some redemption for last year’s mid-November “heartbreak.” Then Griffin looks at Rapp and Johnson and seems to speak with a united voice. “We expect nothing less than a championship,” he said. “That is my focus, quite honestly. I don’t want anyone to stop us.”
❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Cameron, A28 North-
❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB/LB Cody Guthrie,
fense, 5 on defense
— COLBY RAPP,
East Buchanan quarterback commenting on last year’s quarterfinal loss.
EAST BUCHANAN BULLDOGS
❯❯ KEY LOSSES — RB/DE LeAaron
❯❯ KEY LOSSES — OL/DL Connor Hill,
RB/LB Preston Smidt, OL/DL Andy Schmitz
GOWER, Mo. — When East Buchanan’s season ended on a cold night last November in Gower, Missouri, it forged a memory and a determination in the players and coaches. Despite quarterback Colby Rapp’s 44 touchdown passes and more than 1,000 yards each from receivers Nate Griffin and Zac Johnson, the team remembers that single loss to South Callaway in the Class 2 quarterfinals. The Bulldogs are drawing from it with a clear goal in mind for 2015. “I walked away knowing that bitter taste is still in my mouth,” Rapp said. “I was proud of how we did as a team and how far we made it, but I was disappointed with the ending. I learned a lot and I believe everyone on the team did too. We’re growing from it. “Everyone is on the same page and know where we want to go. We want to go to St. Louis and we don’t just want to get there, we want to win. That is our mindset.” The loss still stings for ninthyear East Buchanan coach Kevin Bryan, too. He knows he is bringing back a lot of talent from a team that earned three first-team allstate picks a year ago and won the KCI Conference title. Rapp and Griffin were recognized for their offense, but Johnson earned defensive recognition for 11 interceptions and 50 tackles from his spot in the Bulldogs’ secondary. Bryan expects junior Garrett Brendle to step into the inside receiver role to complement the outside threat of Griffin and Johnson. Returning depth in that corps has been reinforced by experience and summer 7-on-7 play. The coach says that gives him confidence that this is a team that can make another deep postseason run this fall. “You always come in thinking that you are going to be very, very good,” Bryan said. “We expect to be good. The thing is, injuries in a small school can play a big role in
❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB Dalton Robinson,
❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — WR/DB Braydn
fense, 5 on defense
St. Joseph News-Press
Robinson (passing), Brayden Kemper (receiving)
❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 5 on of-
I walked away knowing that bitter taste is still in my mouth. I was proud of how we did as a team and how far we made it, but I was disappointed with the ending.
By THOM HANRAHAN
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Dalton
❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on of-
DE Grant Minson, RB Ryan Kilgore
East Buchanan forges quest last season after loss in Class 2 quarterfinals
district play
❯❯ KEY LOSSES — OL/DL Carson Myers,
Sunday, August 16, 2015
OL/DL Tanner Lintner, TE/LB Conner Salmons
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❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at East Kansas
File photo | St. Joseph News-Pres
OPPONENT LOCATION Maysville Home South Harrison Home West Platte Away Plattsburg Home Mid-Buchanan Away Lawson Home North Platte Away Lathrop Home Hamilton Away
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| Pigskin Preview
Sunday, August 16, 2015
B3
Revamped Hamilton reloads to continue winning ways By CODY THORN St. Joseph News-Press
HAMILTON, Mo. — Caleb Obert learned right away the importance of football in Hamilton. The new coach for the Hornets takes over a program that went to the Class 1 semifinals last year in large part due to the success of current Wyoming running back Kellen Overstreet and the guidance of hall of fame coach Dave Fairchild. Expectation levels at Hamilton won’t change despite changes throughout the program this fall. The school pegged the former South Harrison coach to make the move south — the same move Fairchild made. “The expectations are always up there,” Obert said. “I expect to win every game, whether it is the first game or the last game. I want to be in it and have the opportunity to win and everyone in town expects that too.” Obert coached against Hamilton for the past seven years, first as Grand River Conference foes and then scheduling nonconference games with the Hornets. He also knows how rabid the fan base can be and, given the track record of winning under Fairchild, Obert understands. “He had a great career as head coach,” Obert said of his predecessor. “I’ll do what I know to do and still be myself and coach the way I know how to. I can’t be coach Fairchild, but I can keep the same expectations he expected in these kids.
fense going. Having returning linemen in Drake Brown, Devin Trosper and Garrett Trosper will help aid that process. East is the top returning rusher with 283 yards and three scores, picking up 9.8 yards per carry, as well as the top receiving threat back (14/435/8). Derek Dixon will figure in the mix for carries as well after picking up 262 yards. “This offense is definitely an adjustment,” said Ford, who will be a running back. “It is fun, it isn’t just lower your head and smack somebody every play. You have to think a little bit. There is a lot more throwing so hopefully we can open that up so they aren’t keying on one person. “Everybody was keying on Kellen quite a bit (last year), but we have a lot of people who can do a lot of good stuff.” The defense returns its top three tacklers from last year, led by linebacker Kyle Elliott, who had 118 stops and added two sacks. East had 113 tackles, while Harper made 69 tackles to go with a team-high four interceptions. File photo | St. Joseph News-Press Hamilton allowed two scores Hamilton’s Kyle Elliott, left, makes a tackle against East Buchanan during a game last year in Gower, Mo. or less in five games, but was stung for 32, 38 and 48 points in “So far there hasn’t been came a win away from a trip The offense is mixing in some losses last year. Last year’s playanything but support. Going back to St. Louis for the Show- option players to go with a pow- off run should be beneficial for into the grocery store and talk- Me Bowl. er offense that generated 386 the Hornets unit that this year ing to people and there is nothWhile talented players exited yards per game on the ground will feature five seniors, three ing but support. They ask how the program, the cupboard isn’t last year, though 302 of that juniors and a sophomore with the team is looking and they bare for Obert’s first year. He came from Overstreet. starting experience. want to talk football. It is some- will have seven players back on T.C. East, Telly Harper, Kothing I really enjoy.” offense, while defensive coordi- rby Ford and new quarterback Cody Thorn can be reached Hamilton went 11-3 last year nator Vince Wiederholt has nine Jaran Richman will be tasked at cody.thorn@newspressnow.com. and for the second year in a row players back with experience. with keeping the Hornets’ ofFollow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports.
New coach keeping it simple in hopes of turning around Mid-Buchanan’s program By JON DYKSTRA St. Joseph News-Press
FAUCETT, Mo. — The coaching carousel is usually something more commonly found in the collegiate and professional ranks than in high school football. It is a term the Mid-Buchanan football program has heard far more than it would have liked in the past six years. Now with new coach Aaron Fritz on board, goals for the Dragons players are simple. “Personally, I want to win a game because last year we went 0-10,” senior Chase Gilbert said. Fritz takes over for Tim Cogan who coached the Dragons for only one season and despite running an offense that piled up yards through the air, went winless. “We want to be multiple, we want to do some different things,” said Fritz, the defensive coordinator last year. “We would like to run the football.” Cogan took over the program for Ron Musser, who left after a single 5-5 season to accept a position at Plattsburg. Randy Williams spent two seasons as the Dragons’ coach before Musser. Fritz now steps into the role at Mid-Buchanan with the need to unite and stabilize the program, and the first-time head
Personally, I want to win a game because last year we went 0-10. — CHASE GILBERT,
Mid-Buchanan senior.
coach is taking a simple approach to building the team camaraderie. “I don’t think it matters if you are good or bad you want to get together,” Fritz said. “We try to go out and eat, we go do stuff together, we like to play Xbox as a team, we do stuff all the time. It doesn’t matter if you are good or bad, you want to do that together.” Some of that is related to his time as an assistant for the school’s basketball team, who rode a family-like atmosphere to the Class 2 championship game earlier this year. Fritz feels one thing above all else will help the Dragons go from a no-win team. “We need to get more confident,” Fritz said. “We had a rough year last year so we are low on confidence. We need to keep doing things right so we can get more confident.” The team saw a drop in number of players out last season and Fritz feels like that has taken a turn this season with more kids
out this fall. The coach said the attendance for the summer workouts and camps were good. With the graduation of signal-caller Dalton Robinson, quarterback play enters the season as a major question mark for Fritz. Robinson finished last year with 2,450 yards passing, good for third in the area behind East Buchanan’s Colby Rapp and Lafayette’s Drew Cortez, both all-staters. He only managed 19 touchdowns, though, which fell well short of the 44 and 31 posted by Rapp and Cortez. Fritz must rely on the competition of Stetson Brandt and James Dunn to uncover who takes over for the three-year starting quarterback. Whoever emerges from the quarterback battle will have experienced weapons to play with. “We got some guys back,” Fritz said. “(Braydn Kemper) had a pretty good season catching the football and returning the football.” Chase Gilbert complements Kemper, who is coming off an offseason MCL injury but could be back for the season opener. If Brandt doesn’t emerge as the quarterback to open the season, he offers an experienced option at running back. Jon Dykstra can be reached at jon.dykstra@newspressnow.com.
North Platte Panthers NORTH PLATTE FOOTBALL 2015 DATE
OPPONENT
LOCATION
TIME
8/21
Gallatin
Away
7 p.m.
8/28
University Academy
Home
7 p.m.
9/4
Mid-Buchanan
Away
7 p.m.
9/11
Lawson
Home
7 p.m.
9/18
West Platte
Home
7 p.m.
9/25
Lathrop
Away
7 p.m.
10/2
East Buchanan
Home
7 p.m.
10/9
Hamilton
Away
7 p.m.
10/16
Plattsburg
Home
7 p.m.
Cari Rich Agent
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816-539-3751
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DATE 8/21 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16
OPPONENT LOCATION King City Home Maysville Away North Platte Home Hamilton Away East Buchanan Home Plattsburg Away West Platte Away Lawson Away Lathrop Home
TIME 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
| Pigskin Preview
B4
Sunday, August 16, 2015
District champs Plattsburg evolving under watchful eyes
Tigers’ second-year coach Musser initiates new offensive, defensive schemes during practice By CHRIS BILS St. Joseph News-Press
File photo | St. Joseph News-Press
Plattsburg quarterback Daniel O’Connor hands the ball off to running back LeAaron Hicks during a game last year. O’Connor returns for his fourth season as the starter. that team have moved on. Most notably, 275-pound running back LeAaron Hicks (1,866 rushing yards, 27 TDs) will no longer be punishing defenders who tried to bring him down. One of the key returning players is Daniel O’Connor, who enters his fourth season as the Tigers’ starting quarterback. He’ll count on a host of weapons this season to move the ball, rather than having one
standout option. “We’re going to have to rely a lot more on our speed than our power football,” O’Connor said. “We’ll miss LeAaron a lot, but I think we have multiple guys that can fill his shoes.” Among those players are running backs Jordan Kremer, Tanner Bahora and Matthew Graham, along with Hartman at fullback and Tanner Sims at wide receiver. On defense, Musser is still try-
Holt returns to small-school football By CODY THORN St. Joseph News-Press
BREAKING NEWS WEATHER ALERTS
TEXT ALERTS
Plattsburg Tigers
PLATTSBURG PLA P LA A FOOTBALL 2015 DATE 8/21 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16
Cody Thorn | St. Joseph News-Press
Lathrop coach Chris Holt watches over practice during a team camp in July. get the right players in the right spots in his Wing-T offense. He watched film from last year’s team to see who returns and what pieces were in place, and which needed to be filled. Senior Scott Moore steps into the quarterback role vacated due to graduation, but the team returns Cody Hart as the top running back (570 yards, 7.3 per carry, 5 TDs), while James Knifong also returns in the three-back set. The newcomer joining those seniors is classmate Isaac Groves, who makes the move from tight end. Last year’s running back Dawson Beane (13 caches, 189 yards, 1 TD) makes the move to tight end. Sophomore Payton O’Connor could factor into either the backfield or tight end plans. However, the biggest offensive concern comes on the line where junior Jason Wright (guard) is the only returning starter. The projected starting five for Holt heading into twoa-days consists of a sophomore and four juniors and that development will be crucial to a team looking to establish the run. The accumulation of a new system has led to Holt — who
will call plays — running only a handful of plays during team activities in July. The defense is also getting back to the basics as defensive coordinator Scott Haahr’s 3-4 system is fine tuning the small things first. Holt notes an attention to detail will be a key throughout the season. Lathrop returns five starters on defense — one less than the offense — but many of the same guys like Hart, Knifong, Beane, Groves and linebacker Hunter Dalinghaus. Holt got a glimpse of each unit during the Backyard Brawl scrimmage the final week of July, which gives him time to fine tune things before Lathrop opens a new season under a new coach in a new stadium. “Coach Holt is a great guy and a great coach,” Moore said. “We really stepped up the bar with the coaching and he will lead us to better things in the future. I know he has coached at really good programs before so I’m excited. He can bring the school to the top.” Cody Thorn can be reached at cody.thorn@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports.
75051259
Cari Rich
OPPONENT Cameron Northeast Lawson East Buchanan Hamilton Mid-Buchanan Lathrop West Platte North Platte
LOCATION Home Home Home Away Away Home Away Home Away
TIME 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
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LATHROP, Mo. — Back at small-school football, the comparison questions for Chris Holt will come naturally. The new Lathrop football coach returns to competing in the Class 2 ranks, where he won a state championship in 2009 and made the finals the previous year. After a year away from coaching and two years at Class 5 Oak Park, Holt was called upon to take over a Mules program that went 2-8. “I am definitely way more comfortable in this setting, in a small school,” said Holt, who went 59-15 in six years as Maryville’s coach before the jump to Oak Park. “We got good kids and the guys are down to earth. I’m anxious to get through summer so we can really get started.” Lathrop had the down season last fall, but tallied nine wins in 2013 and made the state quarterfinals in 2012 with 11 wins. There are some comparisons, though, for Holt and his stint at Maryville. He inherited a Spoofhounds program that was 1-9 the season before he arrived. “I think it is too early to tell, but I will tell you these kids are more in the boat than my first team in Maryville was by far. We are way ahead in the weight room than when I was in Maryville. “I think we have a pretty good perceived culture here. We had no culture in Maryville and it was a bad first year. We were 4-6 — and a bad 4-6 — and then all of the sudden it clicked and were 9-1 and were rolling from there.” Holt knows the talent is there at Lathrop for another big turnaround. He will just tinker with it to
Chris Bils can be reached ing to solidify some of the the bar is raised a little bit at chris.bils@newspressnow.com. positions up front while and we expect the same Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPsports. most of the secondary re- thing this year.” turns. Just like he did last year, Musser is holding Go to newspressnow.com/Alerts to this group to a higher standard than those who sign up for came before him. “We had high expectaand sent tions when we went in directly to your phone. (last year) even though they hadn’t won as much as they traditionally do over here,” he said. “We had high expectations and the kids bought in. Yeah,
75050220
PLATTSBURG, Mo. — The Plattsburg Tigers are hard at work, preparing to defend their first district title since 2003. While second-year coach Ron Musser institutes new offensive and defensive schemes at the school’s practice field, there are some impressionable young minds watching nearby. In numbers that rival those of their high school counterparts, Plattsburg elementary students are making their first passes, catches and sprints on the patch of green surrounded by the gravel track. Football fever has grabbed hold of the town, right when it was starting to feel like the game had lost some of its luster at the Clinton County school. “I think it opened a lot of the eyes in the younger people who looked down on us two to three years ago,” senior fullback/ linebacker Cody Hartman said. “Now that they saw us go win the districts and go to the quarterfinals, I think it shows them that we actually have potential. We never even thought we would do something that good and look at us now.” In their first season under Musser, the Tigers went from 3-7 the year before to 9-4. Dominant wins over Orrick and Lone Jack set Plattsburg up for its crowning achievement, a 14-7 victory over West Platte in the district championship. Some of the leaders from
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| Pigskin Preview
Sunday, August 16, 2015
B5
Young Gallatin team putting down foundation By CHRIS SCHOONOVER St. Joseph News-Press
not make mistakes.” The coach said his expectations are reasonable for the upcoming season and that he defines success more in terms of getting the most out of the players and less in terms of wins and losses. Cole thinks some teams might overlook or underestimate Maysville this year and that his “scrappy kids” might provide a lot of excitement. And for White, as a senior he wants to make a mark but doesn’t set tangible personal goals. He just wants to leave Maysville football better than he found it. “Definitely,” he said about that kind of legacy. “We just have to work hard — keep working at it. Every week is another battle and we need to get through it. My personal goals are just for the team to get a good, solid, winning record and just have fun with it. It’s my senior year, so I want to have fun with it.”
GALLATIN, Mo. — If Gallatin wants to have success in the win-loss column, the team is going to have to have production from its younger players. However, coach Kevin Gundy knows some things come before success on the field. “I think when you’re talking about building a team, every team is different and every team has different character,” said Gundy, who is entering his third year at the helm. “The biggest thing we’re trying to do is build a good, solid team. Guys that are high character, and work hard, and play fast. “We’re trying to build these guys into better people, 10 to 15 years down the road.” It’s going to be hard for the Bulldogs to replace the production of versatile quarterback Jacob Boyd. He rushed for 850 yards and 16 touchdowns last season while throwing for 902 yards and eight touchdowns to earn first-team All-Grand River Conference accolades. Wyatt Bird is listed as the starting quarterback on the depth chart after a rushing for 321 yard at halfback last season, while Caleb Boyd will be on the outside at receiver after two snaps behind center last season. “I don’t think you ever replace a guy like Jacob Boyd,” Gundy said. “He’s a special kid. He was great on and off the field. He was the heart and soul of our team because he led us in so many different ways. “It’s going to be hard to replace some of the numbers he had. We’re going to have to share. It’s going to have to be a team effort for whoever’s number we call.” On defense, the Bulldogs will be bringing back Harris Cameron, who racked up 48 tackles and 13 tackles for loss in his junior season to go along with six sacks. Tristan Williams recorded 22 tackles last season and two sacks at linebacker. Williams also recorded a two-carry, two-touchdown and 102-yard game against King City. Gallatin went 7-5 last season and 5-5 the season before, so the players on the team have seen how to make the jump up in the Grand River Conference standings. That is a step in the right direction for the Bulldogs, who haven’t qualified for the postseason since a three-in-a-row run from 2004-2006. “They’ve had two years around me so they know how to go about it and they’ve done a great job,” Gundy said. “There’s going to be a lot of teams in the conference in the same position. “They all know that chemistry is the No. 1 thing to get through those rough spots. I think we’ll continue to develop and be a good football team by the time it’s done.”
Thom Hanrahan can be reached at thom.hanrahan@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPsports.
Chris Schoonover can be reached at chris.schoonover@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports
Thom Hanrahan | St. Joseph News-Press
Maysville quarterback Matt White participates in drills during training camp last month at Maysville High School. White returns for his third year as a starter for the Wolverines.
Maysville seeing new faces in new places for start of 2015 season By THOM HANRAHAN St. Joseph News-Press
MAYSVILLE, Mo. — When Maysville coach Mark Cole convenes a huddle this football season, he is going to see a different cast. “We’re going to have a lot of new faces, in a lot of new places,” Cole said. “That can be scary at times, but it can also be pretty fun and exciting.” The Wolverines said goodbye to 10 seniors and graduated four of their five starting offensive linemen from last year. At least rebuilding the offense that produced a 8-3 record in 2014 won’t have to start in the middle. Maysville returns both starting center Jacob Post and third-year starter Matt White at quarterback. Cole said both of them will be important to how the team develops over the course of the season. The third-year coach at his alma mater said Post will be the cornerstone of the Wolverines’ revamped offensive line and that is a role the
junior and three-year starter welcomes. “I’m the one with the experience,” Post said. “I have to be the one to show them what to do and how to do it as a leader. When I was a freshman, I was going up against juniors and seniors three times as big as me and going out there and getting my butt kicked. They are going to have to expect kind of the same thing. It is going to be tough to learn how to do the job and do it well.” But Maysville’s offensive fortunes will depend greatly on the performance of the man to whom Post is snapping the ball. White threw for 1,131 yards yards with 11 touchdowns last year and Cole is counting on the senior’s leadership and composure while the team finds him a new line and replaces all its leading receivers from last year. While White concedes that having to replace so many linemen adds a little pressure for him, he said he is confident in the players com-
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Maysville Wolverines
ing in and what the team’s offense is doing this offseason. Offensively, the biggest question might be who will be on the receiving end of White’s passes when they move away from the running game. Right now it is a group with potential but no proven commodities. Cole knows, though. It will likely be a receiver by committee arrangement in 2015 unlike past years where a Dallas Steiner or Josh Stooksbury was around to provide a top target for White. The defensive side of the ball will be the team’s strength this season — at least in the early going. He said the Wolverines return more people on defense and and have more depth there because even the non-starters gained experience because of the way Maysville rotates personnel. “We’ll put our guys in motion, get aggressive and get after people,” he said. “We are going to have to hang our hat on stopping people defensively, run the football and
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Sunday, August 16, 2015
Trenton eyes bigger things in year 2 under Boswell By CODY THORN St. Joseph News-Press
TRENTON, Mo. — Brandon Boswell’s induction in to the head coaching fraternity last fall proved to be a tough one. The new coach for Trenton opened with five straight losses and the Bulldogs were never able to regroup from that, falling to 2-8, a low-point for wins this past decade, matching the mark from 2009. But with his second year approaching, Boswell is banking on improved depth and battle-tested youngsters to help turn Trenton back in the right direction. “Last year we had a lot of talent, but ultimately it didn’t come to fruition and not all on the kids,” Boswell said. “As a first-year coach I made plenty of mistakes. I came in thinking this is what I want to do and ultimately what I wanted to do was too much. “That is probably one of the main things. You learn a lot and doing assessments I didn’t assess as well as I
could’ve. I’m thankful for the year I had. It made me better.” In four of the eight losses last year, the Bulldogs were defeated by two scores or less, while in two others they were blanked. The win total has dropped every year since 2011 — the last winning season with a 6-5 mark. The past decade the Bulldogs have had five winning seasons and five losing, but they posted a 34-10 mark from 2005 to 2008. To get back to the winning ways, Boswell is looking for a strong showing from the rushing attack and a defense that is loaded up front with returnees. The offense returns running backs Colton Neff, Jonathan Lamp and Travis Leeper, while Kail McCarter shifts into the quarterback role after serving as the backup last year. Lamp and Leeper received a majority of the carries last season after a meniscus tear sidelined Neff for the final seven games. Neff is healthy this year and looking to build on a sol-
id 2013 season in which he led the Bulldogs in rushing during in the final year under former coach Wes Croy. Last year, Lamp’s 588 yards on 76 carries was the best. The Bulldogs will still run the ball first, a trademark offense that is now being run under a third different coaching regime. “I think it is a great fit for us,” Boswell said. “The veer and the option has been at Trenton before I got here. Lets do what our kids have been running since fifth or sixth grade. I think we can do it well. We have the coaches and the athletes who can do it.” The only question mark for Trenton — in its last year as a independent before the joining the Grand River Conference next fall — is the line which returns only two starters in guard Trey Shields and center Tucker Franklin. The rest of the projected line includes a freshman, sophomore and senior, meaning they could be young. “That is the question mark, what will we do on the o-line,
the game is ultimately won or lost there,” Boswell said. The defense, based out of a 4-3, will have six of those front seven defenders back — the only loss comes at one of the linebacker spots. Cree Mullenix and Neff anchor the defensive end spots, while Ryan Hinds and Franklin play inside. Shields is back for a third year at linebacker and will be joined by Austin Burkybile. The secondary returns Leeper and Lamp at cornerback and all-region safety McCarter. “I think we got a better defense,” Neff said. “We changed some things instead of a 3-3 stack we are a more conventional college 4-3. We got a lot of people back. A lot of us have been playing since we were sophomores. It will help out a lot. We have all played at varsity level and have played with each other for a long time.” Cody Thorn can be reached at cody.thorn@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports.
IN D E PE N D E NT/OTH E R CAPSULES CENTRAL
❯❯ COACH — Jeff Wallace, 6th year, 26-27 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 3-7 (3-3 Suburban Red) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Israel Smith (1,143 rushing yards, 19
TDs); Jacob Hess (1,287 passing yards, 7 TDs); Gage Stagner (335 yards receiving, TD) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — OT/DT Brinden Ewing, C/LB/DT Tim Tremain, LB Austin McDonnel ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on offense, 7 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB Jacob Hess, sr.; RB Israel Smith, jr.; WR Gage Stagner, sr.; WR/DB Keith Roderick, sr.; WR/DB Cade Musser, so.; RB/DE Zac Matthews, sr.; FB/LB Jake Hill, sr.; OT/DT Jacob Olson, sr.; C/DT Geordon Gumm, sr.; G Harrison Coulter, sr.; RB Khalik Henderson, so.; DB Lawrence Wulu, jr.; DB XZavion Green, jr.; DB Drew Pecora, sr.; LB Chase Miller, sr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Kearney, A28 Platte County, S4 at Truman, S11 Blue Springs, S18 at Raymore-Peculiar, S25 at Liberty, O2 Ruskin, O9 at Park Hill, O16 at Park Hill South CHRISTIAN
❯❯ COACH — Steve Juhl, 1st season ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 8-3 ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 1-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Matthew Corkins (1,262 yards rush-
ing, 26 TDs); Corkins (1,072 yards passing, 17 TDs); Hayden Solomon (419 yards receiving, 5 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — TE/DE Logan Morrison, LB Scottie Link, RB Josiah Moutray ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on offense, 6 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB/DB Matthew Corkins, sr.; OL/DT John Hall, sr.; OL/DT Blake George, sr.; DE/TE Hayden Solomon, sr.; FB/LB Ben Dahlgren, jr.; RB/DB Jaren Fjellman, jr.; OL/ DT Jacob Burton jr.; RB/LB Braden George, so.; TE/DB Austin Turner jr.; OL/DT Parker Hartigan, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 North Andrew, A28 South Nodaway, S4 at Nodaway-Holt, S11 at North-West Nodaway, S18 HardinCentral, S25 at Axtell, O2 at Independent, O9 at DeKalb, O16 Pattonsburg FALLS CIT Y
❯❯ COACH — Darin Fritz, 4th year, 19-13 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 8-2 ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 5-0 in districts, lost in Class C1 playoffs
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Brenden Heckenlively (813 rushing
yards, 11 TDs); Jack Hartman (1,000 passing yards, 12 TDs); Jordan Stoller (670 receiving yards, 8 TDs), ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB Jack Hartman, WR/CB Jordan Stoller, RB/LB Brenden Heckenlively, C/LB Weston Witt, WR/CB Lee Huettner, OT/DE Tucker Merz, OT/DT Payton Adams ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 0 on offense, 1 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS —RB/C Zayne Heckenlively, sr.; RB/LB Bryan Rose, sr.; RB/LB Brad Rose, sr.; RB/LB Jeremy Robinson, sr.; E/LB Jeremy Waggoner, sr.; RB/DB Colton Reisse, sr.; WB/DB Trent Pentecost, sr.; OL/DL Cody Fredrick, sr.; OL/DL Ben Bauman, jr.; E/DL Brandt Chapple, so.; RB/LB Rudy Vrtiska, so. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A28 Lincoln Lutheran, S4 Fairbury, S11 at Ashland-Greenwood, S18 at Douglas County West, S25 Auburn, O2 Louisville, O9 at Johnson County Central, O16 Syracuse, O23 at Conestoga FALLS CIT Y- SACRED HEART
❯❯ COACH — Doug Goltz, 28th year, 267-46 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 9-3 ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 4-0 in district play, lost in state semifinals ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Sawyer Kean (1,275 rushing yards, 18 Cody Thorn | St. Joseph News-Press
Trenton coach Brandon Boswell goes over plays during a team camp in July in Trenton, Mo. Boswell is entering his second year at the helm.
Falls City-Sacred Heart hopes to keep momentum going By THOM HANRAHAN St. Joseph News-Press
After losing five starters on each side of the ball, Falls City-Sacred Heart is looking for new faces to mature quickly. For years, the Irish have been the gold standard of Nebraska eight-man football, but if coach Doug Goltz’s squad is going to repeat — or improve — last year’s trip to the state semifinals, it will likely do it by leaning on a pair of big, veteran linemen. Senior Reggie Johanson and junior Bryant Jorn return as starters up front and both will be called upon to clear lanes for whatever combination of backs will try to replace the 2,612 yards produced by the now-graduated tandem of Austin Malone and Sawyer Kean. “It’s probably going to be a couple of sophomores — Sean Arnold and Christian Harring,” Goltz said about the backfield. “Both are good, little running backs, but they are young. Those two will probably rotate quite a bit at the I-back position. “We’ve got some good linemen and some big linemen. We probably have more size than we’ve had in quite a few years.” And that inexperience at the skill positions might force the Irish to employ BRAYMER ❯❯ COACH — Craig Railsback, 1st year ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 3-7 (0-6 GRC) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Logan O’Dell (rusher); Wade Phillips (passer); Austin Hall (receiver) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — WR Brent Campbell, WR Juan Brandon, OL/DL Ty Hays ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 12 on offense, 12 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB/RB Logan O’Dell, sr.; QB/WR Wade Phillips, sr.; OL/DL Drake Parker, sr.; OL/DL Garet Scott, jr.; WR/DB Austin Hall, jr.; RB Robbie Stone, so.; RB Jacob Dudley, jr.; OL/DL Tanner O’Dell, so. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at Orrick, A28 Slater, S4 at Maysville, S11 King City, S18 at Wentworth Military Academy, S25 at South Harrison, O2 Polo, O9 Princeton, O16 at Gallatin GALL ATIN
❯❯ COACH — Kevin Grundy, 3rd year, 12-9 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 7-4 (4-2) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 1-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Trystan Sunby (1,084 yards rushing, 16 TDs); Jacob Boyd (902 yards passing, 8 TDs); Brandon Bradley (283 yards receiving, 3 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB/DB Jacob Boyd, G/LB Michael Stanley, T/LB Jesse Bundy ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 3 on offense, 4 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB/OLB Wyatt Bird, jr.;
a more basic, run-first offense early in the season. Goltz said they will likely simplify things until everyone gets on the same page. But he is confident in the new starters because they got significant playing time between subbing in during varsity games and playing a full junior varsity slate. “I’m still hoping that we’re still going to be able to be pretty multiple on offense,” Goltz said “But with the size we have we might be a little bit more of a ball-control team while those young guys pick everything up. Because most players for the Irish play on both sides of the ball, Sacred Heart faces a similar situation on the defensive side of the ball. But fortunately, the losses are more evenly spread out among positions. The team returns three players, with one at each level. Johansen returns to anchor the defensive line and is backed up by junior linebacker Austin Aheru and senior defensive back Henry Arnold. “We’ve got some size if we want to go with a big defensive front,” Goltz said. “But just like with the offense, there are going to be some inexperienced guys in some of those roles.” Unfortunately, the learning curve for Sacred Heart’s new starters will
need to be a quick one. The Irish open with what Goltz said will likely be the best team they face all year. That will be an Aug. 28 road clash with defending Missouri 8-man champion North Andrew. “We’re playing a great, well-coached team that has multiple starters back,” Goltz said. “Then you throw in the fact that Missouri starts earlier than we do — North Andrew will have already played a game and a jamboree before we have our first game with them. “But it’s a good way to start your year and see where your team is.” This situation isn’t an unfamiliar one for the team, however. After winning the state title in 2013, Sacred Heart graduated 10 seniors. Yet last year’s team made it to the semifinals in a 9-3 season. “I think we surprised a lot of people that we made it all the way to the semis,” Goltz said. “I’m hoping it’s kind of the same again this year. A lot of people might think we are going to be down because of all the people we graduated. “Hopefully we can take off where we left off.” Thom Hanrahan can be reached at thom.hanrahan@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPsports.
TDs); Austin Malone (1,112 passing yards, 19 TDs); Bailey Witt (331 receiving yards, 6 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB/DB Austin Malone, RB/LB Sawyer Kean, FB/ LB Zavan Kirkendall ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 4 on offense, 3 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — LB Reggie Johansen, sr.; DE/DB Henry Arnold, sr.; DE Bailey Witt, sr.; LB Bryant Jorn, jr.; LB Austin Ahern, jr.; DB/RB Christian Harring, so.; RB/LB Sean Arnold, so.; LB Robert Olberding, jr.; DE Brandon Scheitel, so.; DB Noah Keller, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A28 at North Andrew, S4 at Meridian, S11 Pawnee City, S25 at Johnson-Brock, O1 Lewiston, O9 ExeterMilligan, O16 at Sterling, O22 Parkview Christian PL AT TE COUNT Y
❯❯ COACH — Bill Utz, 8th year, 47-31 (55-84 overall) ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 9-2 (4-1 Suburban Blue) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 1-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Mike McNair (993 yards rushing, 7 TDs); Justin Mitchell (1,992 yards passing, 21 TDs); Aliek Reed (793 yards receiving, 10 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — WR/DB/KR Aliek Reed, LB Topher Kilkenny ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 8 on offense, 7 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB Justin Mitchell, jr.; OL Derek Kohler, jr.; DL Dane Rader, sr.; DL Christian Grissom, sr.; DB Lloyd Lockett, sr.; DB Kobe Cummings, so. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at William Chrisman, A28 at Central, S4 Ruskin, S11 Park Hill South, S18 at Winnetonka, S25 Belton, O2 Kearney, O9 at Grandview, O16 Raytown South TRENTON
❯❯ COACH — Brandon Boswell, 2nd year, 2-8 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 2-8 ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS —Jonathan Lamp (588 rushing yards, 5
TDs), Dalton Ellis (496 passing yards, 8 TDs), Aaron Anderson (267 receiving yards, 3 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB/CB Dalton Ellis, RB Bailey Owen, WR/CB Aaron Anderson ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 7 on offense, 7 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — FB/DE Colten Neff, sr.; RB Jonathan Lamp, sr.; RB Travis Leeper, sr.; OL/LB Trey Shields, sr.; S Kail McCarter, sr.; OL/DL Tucker Franklin, sr.; OL/DL Ryan Hines, sr.; WR/DE Cree Mullenix, sr.; S Spencer Harris, jr.; LB Austin Burkeybile, jr.; TE Connor Cotton, jr.; FB/DE Logan Shuler, sr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Carrollton, A28 at Lexington, S4 at Holden, S11 Lafayette County, S18 at Pembroke Hill, S25 at Princeton, O2 South Harrison, O9 at Kirksville, O16 Concordia
G R AN D R IVE R CON F E R E NCE CAPSULES OL/DL Harris Cameron, sr.; WR/CB Bradley Rhoades, sr.; RB/S Tate Hancock, sr.; RB/ILB Corbin Toney, so.; WR/DB Caleb Boyd, so.; RB/OLB Tristen Wilson, sr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 North Platte, A28 at Hamilton, S4 Polo, S11 at Princeton, S18 South Harrison, S25 at King City, O2 Maysville, O9 at Summit Christian Acadmey, O16 Braymer KING CIT Y
❯❯ COACH — Micah Breckenridge, 5th season, 11-28
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 3-6 (2-4) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Skylar Lane (1,012
yards rushing, 17 TDs); Devin Breckenridge (654 yards passing, 7 TDs); Noah Poling (305 yards receiving, 5 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — RB Skylar Lane, TE/DE Chris Easton, OL/DE Tailor Galgano ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 9 on offense, 8 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB/DB Devin Breckenridge, jr.; OL/LB Walker McCallon, sr.; RB/LB Kendrick Ebersold, sr.; WR/DB Noah Poling, sr.; RB/DB BJ Eiberger, jr.; OL/DL Mitch Saunders, jr.; RB/DE Cobey Funk, sr.; TE/DL Davis Washburn, jr.; RB/LB Brendon McCoy, sr.; LB Lane Potter, jr.; OL/DL Alec Travelute, jr.; OL/DL David Hershberger, jr.; OL/DL Dalton Jones, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at Mid-Buchanan, A28
Milan, S11 at Braymer, S18 at Maysville, S25 Gallatin, O2 at Princeton, O9 at Polo, O16 South Harrison MAYSVILLE
❯❯ COACH — Mark Cole, 3rd year, 14-7, (91-43 overall)
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 8-3 (5-1) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 1-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Reid Steiner (1,086
yards rushing, 10 TDs), Matt White (1,131 yards passing, 11 TDs), Josh Stooksbury (517 yards receiving, 3 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — OL/DL Josh Riggs, RB/DB Reid Stiener, OL/DL Andrew Crawford ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 4 on offense, 4 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB Matt White, sr.; RB/ LB Robert Graves, sr.; RB Troy Powers, jr.; RB/LB Wes Neil, jr.; OL/DL Clayton Gibson, jr.; OL/DL Nick Evans, so. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at East Buchanan, A28 Mid-Buchanan, S4 Braymer, S11 at Christ Preparatory Academy, S18 King City, S25 Polo, O2 at Gallatin, O9 at South Harrison, O16 Princeton POLO
❯❯ COACH — Kyle Ross, 6th year, 38-17, (47-26 overall)
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 10-2 (5-1) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 2-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Wiley Martin (2,607
rushing yards, 32 TDs), Martin (384 passing yards, 6 TDs); Brandon Richardson (158 receiving yards, TD) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB/DE Wiley Martin, RB/LB Jacob Hicks, Mason Misel OL/DL ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 7 on offense, 4 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — SS/RB Ty Parker, sr.; RB/ DE Gunnar Martin, jr.; OL/DL Zach Phillips, jr.; OL/DE Luke Cory, so.; QB/DB Brandon Hubbard, sr.; DB/RB Erik Johnston, sr.; TE J.J. Zeiglar, sr.; OL/DL Derek Faulkner, sr.; FB/ NG Israel Alsbury, sr.; OL/DL Garret Jones, so.; DB/RB Patrick Covey, so.; LB/RB Drake Burton, so. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Summit Christian Academy, A28 Lathrop, S4 at Gallatin, S11 at South Harrison, S18 Princeton, S25 at Maysville, O2 at Braymer, O9 King City, O16 University Academy PRINCETON
❯❯ COACH — John Goodwin, 4th year, 9-21 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 1-9 (1-5) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Brant Faulkner (790 yards rushing, 7 TDs; Faulkner (1,310 yards passing, 8 TDs); Hunter Boxley (634 yards receiving, 3 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB/DB Brant Faulkner, WR Jason McLain ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on offense, 7
on defense
❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — WR/LB Hunter Boxley,
sr.; RB Cash Hartley, jr.; QB Andrew Smith, so.; OL Chandler Anderson, ; OL/DL Josh Schoonover, sr.; OL Jared Campbell, sr.; LB Garrett Enright, so.; DL Drew Dailey, so. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at Milan, A28 Putnam County, S4 at South Harrison, S11 Gallatin, S18 at Polo, S25 Trenton, O2 King City, O9 at Braymer, O16 at Maysville SOUTH HARRISON
❯❯ COACH — Mike Wilhelm, 1st year ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 5-5 (4-2) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — J.D. Johnson (949
yards rushing, 14 TDs); Wyatt Thomas (869 yards passing, 7 TDs); Stanton Blake (453 yards receiving, 3 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB/DB Wyatt Thomas, TE/LB Corby Clark ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 8 on offense, 7 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — OL/LB Kasey McFall, sr.; WR/CB Chris Spence, sr.; OLB Gabe Webb, sr.; DE/RB Bryce Kirk, sr.; C Lane Fuston, jr.; OL Marshall Norris, so.; DB/RB Kinser Corbett, so.; TE/DB Treyton Campbell, so.; OL/ DT Wyatt Starmer, jr.; OL/DT Trevor Baker, sr.; OL/DT Max Clark. so. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Hamilton, A28 at East Buchanan, S4 Princeton, S11 Polo, S18 at Gallatin, S25 Braymer, O2 at Trenton, O9 Maysville, O16 at King City
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Sunday, August 16, 2015
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PL AT TE VALLE Y CON F E R E N CE CAPSULES DeK ALB
❯❯ COACH — Dan Collins, 1st year (154-
❯❯ 2014 RECORD —1-10 (0-5 PVC) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP —1-1 in district
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 3-7 (2-3) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in district
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS —Scott Grable
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Garrett
5-15 play
(976 rushing yards, 10 TDs); Darain Horr (502 passing yards, 5 TDs); Duncan Owens (316 yards receiving, 4 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES —RB/LB Scott Grable, OL/DE Tyler Pierce, RB/DB Riley Marriott ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on offense, 5 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — OL/DL Dalton Henderson, sr.; RB/DB Duncan Owens, sr.; QB/DB Darain Horr, sr.; E/ LB Tanner Reagan, sr.; RB/DB Zane Reagan, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Chilhowee, A28 Pattonsburg, S4 at Northwest (Hughesville), S11 North Andrew, S18 at South Nodaway, S25 Stewartsville, O2 at East Atchison, O9 St. Joseph Christin NORTH ANDREW
Andrew Carpenean | St. Joseph News-Press
Stewartsville coach John Reed gives players instructions while running a practice drill earlier this month at Stewartsville High School.
Reed hopes to restore Stewartsville to past glory By CHRIS BILS St. Joseph News-Press
Andrew Carpenean | St. Joseph News-Press
Stewartsville players run through agility drills during practice earlier this month at Stewartsville High School. gram has seen in recent years. “Having a quarterback that can read the defense, we’ll be calling audibles,” Reed said. “That’s new to the kids. We haven’t called audibles in the past, but as (Rush) grows as quarterback I’ll give him more leeway to call audibles at the line.” Rush will also be able to rely on his leading receiver from last year, Daniel Bell, who will be a senior and also see some time in the backfield at running back. In 2014, he caught 27 passes for 585 yards and seven touchdowns.
North Andrew returns plenty of pieces on offense CONTINUED FROM Page B1 “Every year we work our butts off.” North Andrew has a similar dynamic with returning all-staters Bauman — on the line — and defensive back Zach Atkins. “Defensive back-wise we have speed all over the place and we’ve got guys we can put in at inside and outside linebacker,” Schoonover said. “We have a nose guard that’s played there for three years. We can shuffle guys in and out and replace that pretty quick.” The schedule does North Andrew no favors with early games against the Falls City-Sacred Heart team that gave the Cardinals a run last year and against area rival St. Joseph Christian. Schoonover said he knows Sacred Heart — the gold
standard in Nebraska 8-man football — will be gunning for his team after last year’s win on the road. He doesn’t plan on altering the way the Cardinals prepare, despite the tough front-loaded slate in 2015, but if the team is to achieve the 8-man state title three-peat, it may have to exceed its own expectations, as well. “The guys expect to win when they step out on the field, so it’s kind of a new culture that they’ve got going on at North Andrew,” Schoonover said. “The guys have a level head on them and they take one game at a time. “They know what the big picture is and they know where we have to go to get there.”
Chris Bils can be reached at chris.bils@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPsports.
❯❯ COACH — Jonathan Schoonover, 4th year, 37-1
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 13-0 (5-0) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 3-0 in district
play, won 8-man Show-Me Bowl championship ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Gunner Hughes (1,176 rushing yards, 32 TDs); Hughes (1,781 passing yards, 39 TDs); Mitchell Officer (901 receiving yards, 18 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — G/DE Clay White, OL/ DL Jarred Ellis, RB/DL Devin Golf, RB/ DB Darek Mercer
❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS - 7 ON OFFENSE, 5 ON DEFENSE ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB Gunner
Hughes, WR/LB Zach Atkins, WR Mitchell Officer, LB Brody Bauman, WR Caleb Patterson, RB/DL Deryk Goff ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at St. Joseph Christian, A28 Falls City-Sacred Heart, S4 at Pattonsburg, S11 at DeKalb, S18 at Stewartsville, S25 Chilhowee, O2 Worth County, O9 Southwest Livingston, O16 South Nodaway PAT TONSBURG
❯❯ COACH — Dan Dreesen, 2nd year, 2-8 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 2-8 (1-4) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-1 in district play
❯❯ KEY LOSSES — RB/LB Jared Teel, OL/ LB Jeff Dreesen, WR Adam Sullivan
❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 4 on offense, 4 on defense
❯❯ KEY RETURNERS —QB/FS Peyton
Jones, so., WR/FS Cole Dilley,. so., OL/DL Skylar Reynolds, jr., OL/DL Justin Booth, so., OL/DL Gary Moore, jr., OL/DL Dylan MCAfee, so., WR/FS Gary Sperry, fr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Kansas City East Christian, A28 at DeKalb, S4 North Andrew, S11 at Stewartsville, S18 Southwest Livingston, S25 Norborne, O3 at South Nodaway, O9 South Holt/ Nodaway-Holt, O16 at St. Joseph Christian
68 overall) play
LaMaster (767 yards rushing, 9 TDs; 399 yards passing, 4 TDs), Tristan Freemyer (328 yards receiving, 4 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB Garrett LaMaster, OL/DL Jimmy Carter, OL/DL Ty Wiltrout ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 5 on offense, 4 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — RB/DB Regan Meyer, jr.; RB/LB Tristan Freemyer, jr.; RB/LB Michael McConkey, sr.; OL Austin Pulley, sr.; OL/DL Trey Farnan, jr.; OL/DL Nate Galbraith, sr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 at South Holt/ Nodaway-Holt, A28 at St. Joseph Christian, S4 at Norborne, S11 Mound City, S18 DeKalb, S25 at Southwest Livingston, O3 Pattonsburg, O9 Stewartsville, O16 at North Andrew SOUTHWEST LIVINGSTON
❯❯ COACH — Tyler Anderson, 6th year, 42-14
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 9-3 (4-1) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 2-0 in district
play, lost to North Andrew in semfinals
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Lake Crowe
(2,237 yards rushing, 51 TDs); Keaton Eddins (430 yards passing, 4 TDs); Logan Sampsel (220 yards receiving, 2 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — OL/DL Levi Ireland, RB/DB Keith Nelson, DE/DB Ryan Bell ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on offense, 6 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — RB/DB Lake Crowe, sr.; G/DE Austin Johnson, jr.; QB/DE Keaton Eddins; RB/LB Logan Sampsel, jr.; OL/DL Ridge Barron, jr.; TE/DB Peyton Hein, so.; C Austin King, sr.; OL/DL Peyton Dodson, jr.; OL/DL Trent Hastings, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A21 Northwest (Hughesville), A28 at Chilhowee, S4 at Stanberry, S11 Norborne, S18 at Pattonsburg, S25 South Nodaway, O2 at Stewartsville, O9 at North Andrew, O16 DeKalb STEWARTSVILLE
❯❯ COACH — John Reed, 1st year ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 7-4 (3-2) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 1-1 in district play
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Payden
Thompson (758 yards rushing, 7 TDs); Gage Rush (1,756 yards passing, 26 TDs); Daniel Bell (585 yards receiving, 7 TDs). ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — RB/LB Payden Thompson, RB/LB Travis Peaslee, WR/DB Austin Walker ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on offense, 3 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB Gage Rush, soph.; RB/LB Daniel Bell, sr.; RB/ DE Carson Francis, jr.; RB/WR James Langley, sr.; OL/DE Denton Yager, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — A14 at St. Joseph Christian, A21 Norborne, A28 at Mound City, S4 Chilhowee, S11 Pattonsburg, S18 North Andrew, S25 at DeKalb, O2 Southwest Livingston, O9 at South Nodaway, O16 at Northwest (Hughesville)
S Stewartsville tewartsville C Cardinals ardinals STEWARTSVILLE FOOTBALL 2015 DATE 8/21 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16
OPPONENT LOCATION Norborne Home Mound City Away Chilhowee Home Pattonsburg Away North Andrew Home DeKalb Away Southwest Livingston Home South Nodaway Away Northwest (Hughesville) Away
TIME 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
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Not many people know more about Stewartsville football than John Reed. The coach from 1981 to 1991 before taking over as athletic director and principal, he has been in and out of assistant coaching positions for more than two decades. So when the school board asked him to take over the program during a transitional period, he jumped at the opportunity. “I just love football and I love the kids here,” he said. “We have outstanding kids over in Stewartsville and Osborn, and I just saw the opportunity maybe to show them some of the things I know.” Reed, who has spent the past three years since retiring from education as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator, inherits a team that went 7-4 last year and a combined 6-13 the two seasons prior under previous coach Corey Creason. The Cardinals return their starting quarterback, Gage Rush, who is coming off a stellar freshman season in which he threw for 1,756 yards and 26 touchdowns. Reed will give Rush more responsibility in his new system, but will also look to establish more of a run-based attack than the pro-
Senior James Langley and junior Carson Francis will also shift back and forth between running back and receiver, giving the Cardinals options to spread the ball around in the wake of losing leading rusher Payden Thompson (758 yards, 7 TDs) to graduation. Bell, Langley and Francis will all play both sides of the ball, while junior Denton Yager (defensive end) and Dusty Jones (offensive and defensive line) should be key contributors. Back on the coaching front, Dakota Dunlap will be Reed’s top assistant, with the hope that Dunlap will inherit an improved Stewartsville program in the next few years. For now, Reed is putting his oldschool approach to work, attempting to restore the Cardinals to the heights they reached under his tutelage 30 years ago. “Hopefully we’re going to teach them the basics of football. I’m really big on fundamentals, I think that’s what the board of education was looking for. … You have to have fundamentals, and that’s what we’re really trying to push right now.”
SOUTH NODAWAY
❯❯ COACH — Kaleb Wardlow, 3 years,
Thom Hanrahan can be reached at thom.hanrahan@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPsports.
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B8
Sunday, August 16, 2015
DeKalb football program seeking steps in different direction
By CHRIS SCHOONOVER St. Joseph News-Press
DEKALB, Mo. — Heading into last year’s playoffs, DeKalb coach Kaleb Wardlow told his guys to go out and play loose. That attitude helped the Tigers pick up their second win of the season, and with a new season on the horizon, DeKalb wants to take that mindset into this season. “A lot of the games were close so it wasn’t like we were getting blown out,” Wardlow said. “Near the end of the year, we started playing more relaxed. We actually did fairly well. “Most of the group has played with each other for several years so they know what each other are doing and where they’re going to be.” After losing do-it-all running back/linebacker Scott Grable, the Tigers have a big hole to fill on both sides of the ball. Grable tallied 976 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing and 131 tackles. “We have to find a bunch a different guys that can fill a bunch
Chris Schoonover | St. Joseph News-Press
DeKalb quarterback Darian Horr throws a pass during team camp in July at DeKalb High School. of different roles,” senior lineman Dalton Henderson said. “We need a few of us to pick up some slack this year, especially on defense with Scott gone.” Returning to the fold is quarterback Darian Horr and H-back Duncan Owens. Horr rushed for 606 yards and eight touchdowns, while Owens caught four touchdowns and ran for seven more in a Percy Har-
vin-esque role. “He, along with others, are going to have to step up and fill that role that Scott left behind,” Wardlow said. “We have to get him into different positions and figure out different ways to get the ball into his hands. “With Darian coming back, it helps with hand signals and the cadence and just knowing how he acts and how I have to ap-
proach him when I want to get something done.” The familiarity in the backfield will go along with an offensive line that is primarily intact from last season. “Getting better at blocking and tackling … technique stuff,” Wardlow said. “We want to win everything at the line. That couple of feet there is where most of the game is decided.”
Henderson — a senior — is the leading returning tackler (62 tackles and 6½ sacks) and is the leader on the offensive line. “We’ve seen a lot of improvement really fast and we aren’t even in season yet,” Henderson said. “It looks really good. “I’ve been going to extra training and have been going to combines with college coaches. Anything I can do to improve my game.” DeKalb went 2-9 last year, the third losing season in a row. “These kids know and I know it, these kids aren’t going to win back-to-back-to-back state titles,” Wardlow said. “This is the team that you have to look at and set the foundation for a winning program in the future. “I think a lot of people are overlooking us. We’re going to be able to surprise some people because when you have one win, everyone is going to be looking past you. Hopefully, we are going to embrace the underdog role.” Chris Schoonover can be reached at chris.schoonover@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports
Mound City working to turn around program, earn respect on field By CHRIS SCHOONOVER St. Joseph News-Press
MOUND CITY, Mo. — In an attempt to bring his program back to the top, coach Brian Messer has his guys focused on doing the little things. Last season, Mound City went 4-7 — the only losing season in Messer’s sevenyear tenure and the first since 1998. The Panthers started 3-0 but then dropped six in a row. The final win of the season was sandwiched around a pair of losses to Stanberry.
I learned that adversity is very difficult, especially when the kids haven’t really faced it before. — BRIAN MESSER, Mound City coach
“I learned that adversity is very difficult, especially when the kids haven’t really faced it before,” Messer said. “Secondly, I learned that when we focus on just the win-loss record, there is a lot of room for disappointment. This year, we’re going to focus on the bigger picture and try to make improvements. We want to bring the program back to being respectable again.” Mound City has won the state title six times, most recently in 2010.
The Panthers will have an uphill battle to face on both sides of the ball after quarterback and corner Hayden Marrs graduated. Marrs picked off eight passes while rushing for eight touchdowns and throwing for seven in his senior season. “He won’t be replaced, individually,” Messer said. “But I think we have enough experience as team coming back to kind of overlap the things he did for us. I think we will have to do it as a group.” Jaden Gillenwater — the team’s leading receiver from last season and allstate punter — will be taking over behind center. “It’ll be mainly running the ball and play-action pass,” Messer said of the offense. “I think we will do a little more straight, drop-back pass with Jaden. He is a pretty good passer and he has a little more size.” Rarely does a freshman make a big impact as a high schooler, but Dylon Faller did so in his first season, racking up a team-high 707 yards rushing to go with seven touchdowns for the Panthers. He led the team in rushing by three yards over Marrs. Messer expects the young back to improve as he matures. “I think just his knowledge of the game has increased,” Messer said. “He should last year that he is tough enough to be a good varsity back. I think he has a learned a lot.” Blocking for Faller will be Riley Holstine at center and his brother, Conner,
at guard who missed his junior season with a back injury. The Panthers lost their top three tacklers, but will bring back Kyler Miles, who recorded 53 tackles
and a sack in his junior year. “He’s brings a physical presence,” Messer said. “He is a big guy that is built like a linebacker and has an athletic looking
build and he can be kind of intimidating to look at. He runs and does what he’s told.” Blake Shifflet picked off three passes last season and will be one of the
MOUND CITY FOOTBALL 2015 DATE 8/21 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16
OPPONENT East Atchison Stewartsville Worth County South Nodaway Rock Port Albany North-West Nodaway South Holt/Nodaway-Holt Stanberry
LOCATION Home Home Home Away Home Away Away Home Home
TIME 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
Highway 275 Conference’s top defensive backs heading into his junior season. Chris Schoonover can be reached at chris.schoonover@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports
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OPPONENT
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North-West Nodaway
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7 p.m.
9/4
Albany
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7 p.m.
9/11
Stanberry
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7 p.m.
9/18
Mound City
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10/2
South Holt/Nodaway-Holt
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10/9
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10/16
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Sunday, August 16, 2015
B9
Stanberry lose all-state talents but have plenty left in reserve Bulldogs’ open positions key to continue title hunt By CHRIS SCHOONOVER St. Joseph News-Press
STANBERRY, Mo. — Stanberry has been to the state title game the past three seasons — with a win in 2012. Some key players will need to be replaced if the Bulldogs make it four trips in a row to St. Louis, but for now coach Shane Hilton is keeping his guys focused on game-by-game. In those three state title games, the opponent has been the same — North Andrew, a future Grand River Conference foe next year. “To be 35 minutes apart and to play each other six hours away three years in a row and them getting it the last two years from us, it’s hard,” Hilton said of the budding rivalry with North Andrew. “The guys talk about it a lot but we have to bring it back down to practice. “We have to play NorthWest Nodaway week one, who last year gave us one heck of a game. That’s where our focus has to rely, but it’s hard with high school kids.” The Bulldogs lose all-state running back Nic Shanks (1,333 yards and 29 touchdowns), quarterback Ike Heddinger (18 passing touchdowns and 11 rushing touchdowns) and leading tackler and all-state offensive lineman Mason Rosier. “(Ike) brought intelligence more than anything,” Hilton said. “He understood anything we wanted to do. We were putting in a new system; it was his first full year of starting, which is quite a bit to put on anybody.” Despite losing a plethora of File photo | St. Joseph News-Press Stanberry’s Daniel Hailey tackles North Andrew quarterback Gunner Hughes during the talent, Stanberry has a lot of weapons returning. 8-man championship game last year at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.
It’s kind of one those deals where you have a really good defensive line and hide your linebackers ... — SHANE HILTON, Stanberry coach
Running back Clayton Stoll was an extremely productive second option to Shanks, rushing for 1,277 yards and 22 touchdowns in his sophomore year. “He’s going to have to be a leader in the backfield because he’s got the most experience,” Hilton said. “He’s going to have to be the one that gets them going where they need to be going. I think he’s going to do a good job. He’s a pretty quiet kid on the field but when something needs to be said, he says it.” Leading the way for the starting quarterback job is junior Corey Luke, who was a do-it-all player last season, but will guide the run-first offense. “He played a little backup quarterback last year, running back, tight end…wherever we needed him,” Hilton said. “He’s a pretty good athlete and a good track athlete.” Physically, Dan Hailey stands out at 6-foot-5 with a linebacker-build. After a firstteam all-state basketball season, the tight end will have a chance to build on a seventouchdown junior season, although that’s not his focus. “As tight ends, we don’t really focus on the passing part,”
Hailey said. “We’re basically another lineman with the perk of catching passes. I’m not too worried on the passing part. “I’d rather catch, but I will block for the guys that we have.” Opposite of Hailey is 6-5 Alex McQuinn, who caught five touchdowns last season, providing Luke with a pair of tall targets when the Bulldogs do pass the ball. On defense, Haley returns as an all-state linebacker, along with all-state defensive end Shelby McMillen and McQuinn. The Highway 275 conference is loaded with teams that can run the ball, and Hilton thinks he has the guys that can slow them down. “It’s kind of one those deals where you have a really good defensive line and hide your linebackers or have really good linebackers that can just sail from sideline to sideline,” Hilton said. “The last few years, we’ve had a really good defensive line, to say the least. Our linebackers are always undersized that can run with big guys taking up blockers in front of them.” Last season was Hilton’s first year at the helm after taking over for Dan Collins after years of being an assistant for 14 seasons. He took them to the state title game, but suffered his only defeat as a coach in that game. “I knew the kids and we had all the talent in the world,” Hilton said. “It was more just not screwing it up more than anything.” Chris Schoonover can be reached at chris.schoonover@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports
New coach Collins brings newfound energy to South Nodaway By CHRIS SCHOONOVER
got to know the guys. The guys that are back have been exposed to my coaching style. GUILFORD, Mo. — The name “I was prepared to sit out last Dan Collins is synonymous with year but we went down to the excellence in 8-man football in all-star game down in William the state of Missouri. However, Jewell and I realized I wasn’t the former state champion at ready to sit out a year. I called Stanberry has his plate full with Coach Skogland and asked if he a struggling South Nodaway wanted help and it fell into place Longhorns team. since then.” After a season as an assisCollins — a man used to wintant for South Nodaway, Collins ning — is putting his blueprint is taking over for Dustin Sk- down for a team that has had ogland, who is now the athletic just one winning season in eight director. years. “Last year, I got the experi“You’re going to bring some of ence of volunteering and helping (a winning attitude) with you bethem out,” Collins said. “Then I cause that’s the way you think St. Joseph News-Press
as a coach,” Collins said. “It’s a new system and a new group. It’s going to take some time, and I think these guys understand that.” The Longhorns will be going into the 2015 campaign without dual-threat quarterback Garrett LaMaster, who rushed for 787 yards and nine touchdowns while throwing for four touchdowns and 399 yards. “Quarterback is our No. 1 spot we’re searching for right now,” Collins said. “We have nobody that was back with us this year that played backup for us. We have a freshman who played junior high quarterback last year,
so he (Tanner Davis) would have to be a candidate.” Returning to fold is Tristan Freemyer (five rushing and four receiving touchdowns), Regan Meyer (522 yards and seven touchdowns) and Michael McConkey (377 yards and seven touchdowns), making carries hard to come by for the group. “We been putting in new sets and just a little bit of a different terminology,” Freemyer said. “But I think we’re picking it up pretty well, actually. On defense, South Nodaway will be without second-team Allstater Jimmy Carter but return Freemyer and his 77 tackles and
Meyer’s team-leading two picks. Champions are not made overnight, so Collins has his guys going back to the basics in an attempt to breathe life into the program. “There was a lot of things that I felt we could have done better,” Collins said. “We are obviously going to spend a little more time on fundamentals and drills. When it would come down to key situations last year, we would fumble, turn over the ball or jump offsides.” Chris Schoonover can be reached at chris.schoonover@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports
East Atchison Wolves DATE 8/21 8/28 9/4 9/11 9/25 10/2 10/9 10/16
OPPONENT LOCATION Mound City Away Albany Fairfax North-West Nodaway Away S. Holt/Nodaway-Holt Tarkio Stanberry Tarkio DeKalb Fairfax Rock Port Away Worth County Away
TIME 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
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B10
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Amid changes in program, Cline looks to lead Albany
By JON DYKSTRA St. Joseph News-Press
ALBANY, Mo. — Despite changes all around the program, Albany is looking to take another step toward elite status in 8-man football. New coach Doug Fountain knows the program, having assisted under Alan Gottula last season as the Warriors went 9-2 with their only two losses coming at the hands of eventual state runner-up Stanberry. “I would like to make it further than we did last year,” quarterback Seth Cline said. “When we lost to Stanberry those two times it was pretty disappointing because they handled us pretty well and I thought we were a better football team than that.” Fountain guided Albany from 2007-2011 and knows the team that Albany will have to beat if they are to reach the ultimate goal of getting to St. Louis for the championship game. Fountain served as an assistant coach for Stanberry for two years prior to returning to Albany, which moved to the 8-man level last fall. It won’t be easy for Fountain and Albany to reach those new heights as they will be replacing two of the most prolific runners in school history. Drew Cottrill built himself into one of the most fearful
four pass catchers. In addition to Cottrill and Sharp, Cole Parman and Noah Wilmes accounted for 860 yards and 15 scores combined. Among the returners for the Warriors, they only have three reception for 50 yards. “We do lose a lot of production in terms of stats and numbers out of those skill positions last year,” Fountain said. “Those kids were terrific kids that worked really hard. What we do have is guys behind them that have some game experience and got some reps so its not going to be completely new to them walking onto a varsity football field.” One position where Fountain and the Warriors are set at is quarterback. Cline begins his second season under center and is confident he can lead the team to even greater heights in 2015. Cline threw for 1,323 yards with a 58 percent completion percentage. His best contribution may be running the option with their skilled runners. Cline accounted for 416 yards File photo | St. Joseph News-Press and nine scores. Albany quarterback Seth Cline looks for running room against Stanberry last year in Albany, Mo. “In the game of football, its very important (to have experience weapons on the 8-man level last nine yards-per-carry with 16 season, but made the most of at quarterback),” Fountain said. season, finishing the season touchdowns on 848 yards. his attempts with 190 yards and “He was a starter last year. He’s with 1,423 yards and 29 touch“We graduated some guys that four scores. a terrific leader and worker and I downs on nearly 10 yards-per- were good players for us and “All the guys in the backfield just think he’s going to make evcarry and that helped him land good players in the program for have a chance to play varsity,” eryone around him better.” a spot with Benedictine. The several years,” Fountain said. Cline said. “They are capable. Warrior running game didn’t Drake Naylor is the heir ap- They are all quick. They handle Jon Dykstra can be reached end with Cottrill. Zachary parent at running back. The the ball well.” at jon.dykstra@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports. Sharp also averaged more than senior only had 17 carries last Albany also loses their top
South Holt, Nodaway-Holt join forces hoping for rebound season By JON DYKSTRA St. Joseph News-Press
OREGON, Mo. — Transitions are plentiful for South Holt and NodawayHolt this year as they look to collectively rebound from tough seasons on their own. Last season the two teams finished the season with a combined 2-18 record but the two schools formed a co-op agreement after the season and hope to build a stronger team, a formula that worked last year for North-West Nodaway. Coach Josh Petersen and Nodaway-Holt opened the season with a 48-0 win over South Holt but went on to win only one more game. South Holt failed to win a game for the second straight season and didn’t score a point until the eighth game of the
year as a number of issues plagued the Knights. As the two schools look to get back on the right track, they will do so together this season as the Spartans, a new moniker for the combined team. Nodaway-Holt will host three home games for the Spartans this year, while two home games will be played at South Holt. “Kids are on board with what we want to do,” Peterson said. “Looking at both team’s records from last year, they want a change.” Peterson will be the head coach, but South Holt’s Mark Bolger will remain on staff as well after leading the Knights’ program the past three seasons. Brody Day was the leader in piling up yards for either team last year as the
Kids are on board with what we want to do. Looking at both team’s records from last year, they want a change. — JOSH PETERSEN, South Holt/Nodaway-Holt coach
Trojan quarterback put up 439 yards through the air and 419 on the ground. He also accounted for 13 rushing touchdowns while adding one passing score. The junior will have to opportunity to add to those rushing numbers this season as he transitions into the role of being a fulltime running back. “Brody’s a natural running back so he got moved back to the position that he would naturally play and he’s one of our faster kids,” Peterson said. Day is excited about the
move after spending the year playing out of position despite the statistics he put up. “(The switch is) going good, because last year we really didn’t throw the ball much, we ran most of the time,” Day said. Day can make that move thanks to South Holt quarterback Alan Ottman’s return to the field this fall. Ottman missed last season with an ACL injury, but Peterson and the coaching staff have high hopes that with Ottman and Day they have a back-
field that can help lead the newly-formed program into the new era. “He’s stepped in and just from the install this year, he’s done a pretty good job,” Peterson said of Ottman. “We’ll run the pistol; we’ll run some option. We have a pretty fast backfield.” Mixing in the two teams, there will be quite a few players with starting experience. Based on last year’s roster, each team returned four starters on offense and four on defense, meaning every man on the field this year could have starting experience in the tough Highway 275 Conference. Both programs have historical wins in the past, with South Holt claiming four state championships, including MSHSAA’s firstever in 1988. Nodaway-
Holt has two titles to its credit, meaning the two have won six of the 27 total titles awarded at this level. Peterson won five games in each of his first two seasons guiding the Trojans, but the program has not made the playoffs since 2009. South Holt last made the playoffs in 2011 but won only two games after that and the programs merged in the middle of a 21-game losing streak. Ottman says the goals for this team aren’t complicated. “I’ll do whatever will help the team,” Ottman said. “Just need to win games, win a lot of games. I haven’t won a game my entire high school career so I just want to win.” Jon Dykstra can be reached at jon.dykstra@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports.
2015 -16 MSHSA A DISTRICT ASSIGNMENTS 8-MAN FOOTBALL District 1 Greenfield North-West Nodaway Rock Port Tarkio Worth County District 2 Albany Mound City South Nodaway Stanberry District 3 DeKalb North ndrew Pattonsburg South Holt/ Nodaway-Holt St. Joseph Christian Stewartsville District 4 Chilhowee Norborne Northwest (Hughesville) Southwest (Livingston) Sedalia Sacred Heart 11-MAN FOOTBALL CLASS 1
District 1 Barat Academy Chaffee Crystal City Louisiana Mark Twain Monroe City St. Vincent Valle Catholic District 2 Cabool Lockwood Marionville Miller Pierce City Sarcoxie Thayer
District 3 Adrian Archie Drexel Jasper Liberal McAuley Catholic Midway Rich Hill District 4 Appelton City Crest Ridge Lincoln Osceola Skyline Tipton Windsor District 5 Knox County Milan North Shelby Paris Putnam County Schuyler County Scotland County South Shelby District 6 Fayette Harrisburg Marceline Salisbury Santa Fe Slater Sweet Springs Westran District 7 Concordia Lone Jack Mid-Buchanan North Platte Orrick Plattsburg Wellington-Napoleon West Platte District 8 Braymer Gallatin Hamilton King City Maysville
Polo Princeton South Harrison
Principia Transportation & Law Trinity Catholic
Normandy Soldan Sumner
CLASS 2
District 6 Bowling Green Clark County Clopton Highland Montgomery County North Callaway Palmyra Van-Far
District 3 Ava Buffalo Mountain Grove Osage Salem Springfield Catholic St. James Warsaw
District 1 Caruthersville Charleston East Prairie Hayti Kelly Malden Portageville Scott City District 2 Cardinal Ritter Carnahan Cleveland NJROTC Cuba Grandview (Hillsboro) Herculaneum Jefferson (Festus)
District 7 Cole Camp Father Tolton Regional Catholic Hallsville Holden Knob Noster Lafayette County South Callaway St. Paul Lutheran
District 4 Aurora Cassville East Newton Hollister Monett Mt. Vernon Reeds Spring Seneca
District 3 Ash Grove Diamond Fair Grove Houston Liberty (Mountain View) Pleasant Hope Strafford Willow Springs
District 8 Bishop LeBlond Brookfield Carrollton East Buchanan Lathrop Lawson Lexington Trenton
District 4 Afrikan Centered College Preparatory Academy Butler El Dorado Springs Lamar Sherwood Stockton Summit Christian Academy University Academy Charter
District 1 Central (New Madrid County) Central (Park Hills) Dexter Fredericktown Kennett Potosi St. Pius X Ste. Genevieve
District 6 Blair Oaks Boonville California Eldon Fulton Owensville Southern Boone Versailles
District 2 Bishop DuBourg Confluence Prep Academy Charter John Burroughs Lift for Life Academy Charter McCluer South
District 7 Central Academy Clinton Hogan Prep O’Hara Oak Grove Odessa Pembroke
District 5 Brentwood Hermann Lutheran North Lutheran St. Charles
CLASS 3
District 5 Centralia Christian (O’Fallon) Duchesne Macon MMA Orchard Farm Winfield Wright City
Southwest ECC District 8 Cameron Chillicothe East (Kansas City) Lincoln College Prep Maryville Northeast (Kansas City) Richmond St. Pius X (Kansas City) CLASS 4
St. Francis Borgia Sullivan Union Westminster Christian District 5 Bolivar Carl Junction Hillcrest Logan-Rogersville Marshfield McDonald County Webb City West Plains
District 1 Central (Cape Girardeau) DeSoto Farmington Festus Hillsboro North County Perryville Sikeston
District 6 Center Grain Valley Grandview Harrisonville Nevada Pleasant Hill Raytown South Warrensburg
District 2 Affton Gateway Lutheran South Miller Career Academy Roosevelt St. Mary’s (St. Louis) Vashon Windsor (Imperial)
District 7 Hannibal Helias Catholic Kirksville Liberty (Wentzville) Marshall Mexico Moberly Warrenton
District 3 Clayton Jennings MICDS Riverview St. Charles St. Charles West St. Dominic University City District 4 John F. Kennedy Pacific Priory St. Clair
District 8 Benton Excelsior Springs Kearney Lafayette (St. Joseph) Platte County Savannah Smithville Van Horn (Independence) CLASS 5
District 1 Fox Jackson Oakville
Parkway South Poplar Bluff Rockwood Summit Vianney District 2 Chaminade Hazelwood East Ladue Horton Watkins McCluer McCluer North Pattonsville Webster Groves District 3 Ft. Zumwalt East Ft. Zumwalt North Ft. Zumwalt South Holt Parkway Central Parkway North Parkway West District 4 Battle Camdenton Lebanon Rolla Washington Waynesville District 5 Branson Central (Springfield) Glendale Nixa Ozark Parkview Republic District 6 Belton Carthage Neosho Ruskin Smith-Cotton Willard District 7 Fort Osage North Kansas City Raytown Truman
William Chrisman Winnetonka District 8 Central (St. Joseph) Liberty Liberty North Oak Park Park Hill Park Hill South Staley CLASS 6
District 1 Eureka Kirkwood Lafayette (Wildwood) Lindbergh Marquette Mehlville Northwest (Cedar Hill) Seckman District 2 Christian Brothers DeSmet Francis Howell Central Francis Howell North Hazelwood Central Hazelwood West Ritenour SLUH District 3 Blue Springs South Francis Howell Ft. Zumwalt West Hickman Jefferson City Rock Bridge Timberland Troy Buchanan District 4 Blue Springs Joplin Kickapoo Lee’s Summit Lee’s Summit North Lee’s Summit West Ray-Pec Rockhurst
| Pigskin Preview
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Riverside reloads new cast
By CODY THORN
St. Joseph News-Press
B11
Trotter, Ravens hopes to build off last year’s program success, playoff berth By RANDY SPEER St. Joseph News-Press
WATHENA, Kan. — Though the history of the school can be counted on one hand, Riverside has one distinction that is easily worth bragging about. The Cyclones have never had a losing season on the gridiron. Four years after the merger of the Wathena and Elwood football teams, Scot Koranda’s bunch has posted a 28-10 mark. “We are grateful for that and the kids that played hard for us to be allowed to say that,” Koranda said. Change is in the air this fall, though, with perhaps the biggest roster overhaul to date. The Cyclones went 5-4 last year and for the third year in a row were on the outside looking in after districts. A large graduating class exited and this year only six players return with starting experience in the black-and-blue. “The key will be how we come together,” Koranda said. “We never had to replace this many. There has always been somewhere around six to seven guys returning. This year we only got three to four (on each side of the ball). It is kind of thin.” There aren’t a lot of known commodities for Riverside this year without a McGaughy, Keller or Studer still around. There are only three players back on offense who saw significant time last year: running back Bryer Miller (312 yards, 5 TDs last year on 68 carries), 6-foot-6 tight end Grant Shue — the top returning receiver with 164 yards — and guard Dalton Resler.
File photo | St. Joseph News-Press
Riverside’s Andrae McGaughy dives for extra yardage while being tackled in a 2012 game against Doniphan West. McGauhy started for three years at quarterback. Gage Olivero saw time at running back his sophomore year before missing last fall due to a broken leg, but is slated to return to that spot. Four offensive lineman are gone, as well as a three-year starter at quarterback in Andrae McGaughy, now at Baker. “I definitely got to lead the younger guys and teach them what the seniors taught me last year,” said Resler, now a senior. “It will be a lot different being the veteran, but the young guys all like to work hard.” In line to be the next quarterback is sophomore Andrew Miller, who played in two games last year — including the Hiawatha game when he took snaps under center from older brother, Alec Miller. But with only one pass under his belt, Andrew Miller will be put to the test early and often as eight of the Cyclones’ nine games are against Big Seven foes. Andrew Miller has a strong arm, but will have to be asked to run the ball as well in the Cyclones’ option-based offense under Jonathan Winder, who has called plays for Koranda
the past seven years. The loss of starters on offense also impacted the defense as many of those gone were two-way starters. The lone returners on defense are defensive lineman Resler and Shue, Miller at linebacker but he could be moved to strong safety, cornerback LeRoy Watson and Donovan Duncan, who started late in year at linebacker due to injuries. Resler had 50 tackles, second on the team last year and tops among this year’s returnees. Shue made 41 stops, while Watson had 33. There will be at least six spots up for grabs in the Cyclones defense that will rotate between a 4-3 and 4-4 this season. “We are kind of replacing a lot and I don’t know how much the past has really meant,” Koranda said. “Some looked at it as it’s not really me playing so it’s not a big deal. “We need to come together as a team and get tighter as a family.” Cody Thorn can be reached at cody.thorn@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports.
ATCHISON, Kan. — Following last season’s trip to the Class 3A playoffs, Maur Hill–Mount Academy coach Jermaine Monroe has high expectations for an encore performance. “We want to build off of last season,” said Monroe, who guided the Ravens to a 7-3 mark and a 5-1 record in the Northeast Kansas League. “That’s one of our goals; we want to return and we want to win our first playoff game.” For the Ravens to reach their goal, they will need their new quarterback, David Olberding, to step up. A backup the past three years, Monroe believes he is ready. Last season, Olberding attempted six passes without a completion while serving as Josh Caudle’s understudy. “He is a smart kid, so he has soaked in all the good positive things from the previous quarterbacks, but also the negative things, so he can fix those,” Monroe said of Olberding. Fortunately, the first-year quarterback has a pair of running backs to lean on while he adjusts to the starting role. Senior Harry Trotter and junior Nick Caudle will be the feature backs for MH-MA. Monroe believes they could be two of the top backs in Class 3A this season after solid 2014 campaigns. Last season they combined for 1,390 yards and 17 touchdowns. Trotter took the majority of the snaps, accumulating 912 yards and 13 touchdowns. Nick Caudle is the team’s top returning receiver with 18 catches for 277 yards and 10 touchdowns — the Ravens had only 12 as a team last year. The offensive line — when you add in blocking tight ends — has
File photo | Atchison Globe
Harry Trotter does his best to avoid a Valley Falls defender in a game last year in Valley Falls, Kan. only one of six from that front line back this year. Linemen Cole Harris, Kevin Lykins and tight end Luke Ervin were underclassmen who had some experience last year. Of the team’s 237 yards per game average last year, 180 came on the ground — 101 of that from Trotter. Trotter will not only need to shoulder the load on the offensive side of the ball, but defensively as well. The Ravens will be leaning heavily on their linebacking corps of Trotter, Olberding and senior Canyon Miller after losing a lot of experience from the defensive line. The 5-foot-10 middle linebacker Trotter is the top returning tackler, racking up 69 stops. “(Trotter) knows the defense like the back of his hand — he will be the leader out there,” Monroe said. “We have some young guys that need to step up.” The secondary has solid guys back as Nick Caudle had four interceptions last year, while Jose Soto and Olberding had two each. As a team, the Ravens had 15 interceptions.
DONIPHAN WEST FOOTBALL 2015 LOCATION TIME
9/4
Onaga
Away
7 p.m.
9/11
Valley Heights
Home
7 p.m.
9/18
Washington County
Home
7 p.m.
9/25
Centralia
Away
7 p.m.
10/2
Maranatha Christian Academy Home
7 p.m.
10/9
Riverside
Away
7 p.m.
10/16 Troy
Home
7 p.m.
10/23 Christ Preparatory Academy
Home
7 p.m.
10/29 Jefferson County North
Away
7 p.m.
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OPPONENT Jefferson West Nemaha Central ACCHS Perry-Lecompton Royal Valley Doniphan West Sabetha Hiawatha Horton
LOCATION Away Home Home Away Away Home Home Away Home
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Troy eyes new faces for continued success By THOM HANRAHAN St. Joseph News-Press
TROY, Kan. — For two years, Troy coach Derek Jasper had the comfort of knowing Tristan Speer was at the controls of the Trojans offense. Now he has the challenge of replacing the four-year starter and standout performer. As a senior, the now-Highland Community College freshman Speer accounted for 2,881 total yards and 47 touchdowns. And now Jasper and the Trojans will turn to junior signal caller Reid Greaser to guide an attack that produced 42 points per game in 2014 and advanced to the state semifinals in a 10-2 season. In limited action, Greaser matched Speer’s completion rate of nearly 67 percent. “I tell ya, he’s a heck of a player,” Jasper said. “He doesn’t have to be Tristan Speer, he just has to be Reid Greaser. He quarterbacked our JV as a freshman and a sophomore to an 11-1 record those two years and 6-0 last year. “He’s the kind of kid that can run it and can throw it, so we’re not going to change much.” Unfortunately, two of the Trojans top two receivers — Collin Jasper and Jake Ross — have moved on as well. But Greasor welcomes back junior Cuttar Huss, who hauled in 52 passes for 727 yards and nine touchdowns last season. “We’re going to find ways to get him the ball, but it’s going to be a little tougher for him this year because he’s going to draw the focus of the defense,” Jasper said. “Whereas last year, we had that three-headed monster. Now Cuttar is probably going to draw some double-teams and stacks.” Jasper said the Trojans will not be as fast at that spot, but believes Chris Winkel could be headed for
File photo | St. Joseph News-Press
Troy wide receiver Cuttar Huss looks for running room against Valley Heights during a game last year in Troy, Kan. a breakout season. The coach said the senior improved his speed over the offseason and has a set of sure hands. “He went against our varsity last year in practice and did a great job,” Jasper said. “He’s just been waiting his turn behind those guys that we lost.” Jasper also said junior Brody Winder will be in the receiving mix as well. Troy’s rushing attack will also likely get a rebuild as it loses more than 1,700 yards on the ground from its three top rushers. Among the returnees, Alex Martinez had the most success with 235 rushing yards and an impressive 9.4 yards-per-carry average. And from the quarterback position, Greaser added more than 100 yards with a percarry average that bested Speer by more than two yards. Another back that will get a look is Kortin Blevins, a transfer from Doniphan West that sat out last
year because of the transfer rules. “He’s a big kid — probably about 215 pounds — and kind of a fullback-type, bruising runner,” Jasper said. “And Alex Martinez is a shifty kid with lots of potential with natural ability to make moves running the ball. “We’ve got probably four or five kids that are going to be competing for some time there and I think our carries are going to get split up quite a bit.” On the defensive side of the ball, Jasper will have to find replacements for his three top tacklers, sack leader (Speer) and eight of the team’s 14 interceptions. But Greaser and Huss each had two picks, which tied for secondbest in 2014, and the team returns Brody Winder, who was just one sack behind Speer last season. Juniors Jarren Frump and Wil Smith averaged 4.1 and 3.8 tackles per game, respectively. Unfortunately, Frump may be out for the year with an ACL injury and that could be a blow to a team without a lot of depth. Jasper said the sophomore class on the team is just one deep and further injuries could prove problematic. “We would like to give some people some rest,” Jasper said. “But we’re looking at having about 27 kids out, so people are going to have to play both ways. “We have a real question mark at linebacker, because we have to replace a guy in Jay Whetstine who led the team in tackles the last three years.” And the solution to that question may lie in using another offensive weapon. Jasper said Blevins could step in at middle linebacker and be the defense’s cornerstone. Thom Hanrahan can be reached at thom.hanrahan@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPsports.
Atchison returns experience on both sides By RANDY SPEER St. Joseph News-Press
ATCHISON, Kan. — An experienced Atchison squad is looking to duplicate last season’s league success, while trying to reverse its winless district record. Two of the three district opponents, Piper and Basehor-Linwood, reached regional games. Piper made it to a sub-state game. Atchison coach Jim Smith hopes that bringing back eight starters on offense and seven defensive starters will turn around the team’s district record after calling last season’s performance a “disappointment.” The Redmen started out of the gates hot, winning the first six and along the way claimed the Kansas City-Atchison League championship. “The experience is huge, coming in and getting that Friday night experience,” said Smith, who enters his 18th year as the coach. “But I think the biggest thing is the kids are a year older. They have gotten bigger; they have gotten faster, which is going to help your ball club.” Leading the offensive charge is quarterback Wykeen Gill. The 5-foot-11 senior threw for 521 yards and six touchdowns, while also rushing for 616 yards and 10 scores.
File photo | Atchison Globe
Wykeen Gill looks for room to run outside during Atchison’s game against Washington last year in Atchison, Kan. Last year’s backup, junior Adam Smith, completed 19-of-47 passes for 231 yards and rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown. “Our strongest point is our quarterback position,” Smith said. “I have two quality quarterbacks, either way I go, I expect the other to step in and help offensively somewhere.” The Redmen return their top running back, Parker Welch, too. The junior finished second on the team in touchdowns with eight
and rushed for 518 yards, also second behind Gill. Top receiving threat Bryce Enzbrenner, a 6-2 junior, had 303 yards and three touchdowns. He racked up more than 20 yards per catch, best of the returning players on the team, right ahead of senior Logan Wahwahsuck, who had a 19.5 average. On the defensive side of the ball, the Redmen lose three of their top five tackle leaders, but return leading tackler Austin Bonnel. The junior linebacker racked up 86 tackles and forced two fumbles. Another key piece for the Redman is returning all-conference and honorable mention all-state defensive linemen Dai Coy Haley, a 6-2, 270 pound cog in the middle. He is the only returning defensive linemen, but suffered a concussion during a team camp this summer. “He hasn’t been able to work out and that going to play a big part,” Smith said. “We are probably going to have to ease him in to things.” The junior had 61 tackles and four sacks last season. His return will be key for Atchison to build on what they want to accomplish. “We have good, overall speed along with solid depth,” Smith said. “We hope to defend our league championship and build on a disappointing district.”
Sunday, August 16, 2015
K ANSAS CAPSULES ACCHS
❯❯ COACH — Nick Fuemmeler, 2nd year, 2-7 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 2-7 (1-4 Big 7) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-3 in district play
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Joey Landwehr
(823 yards rushing, 9 TDs); Lane Bowen (543 yards passing, 6 TDs); Jesse Noll (234 yards receiving, TD) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — WR/DB Jesse Noll, OL Levi Baker, OL/DL Colby Baker, OL/DL Dillon Weaver, WR/LB Kyle Kimmi, RB/ LB Joe Landwehr ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 4 on offense, 4 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — RB/DB Hunter Ostertag, jr.; RB/DB Lane Bowen, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — S4 at Hiawatha, S11 Sabetha, S18 at Riverside, S25 Nemaha Central, O2 at West Franklin, O9 Holton, O16 MH-MA, O23 at McClouth, O29 at Pleasant Ridge ATCHISON ❯❯ COACH — Jim Smith, 18th year, 86-77 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 6-3 (5-0 KCAL) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-3 in district play ❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Wykeen Gill (616 yards rushing, 10 TDs); Gill (521 yards passing, 6 TDs); Bryce Enzbrenner (303 yards receiving, 3 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — TE/SS Marcus Denton, LB/TE Chase Grippin, G/DT Kevan Birkinsha, RB/LB Steve Cline ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 8 on offense, 7 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — QB Wykeen Gill, sr.; RB Parker Welch, jr.; G Jase Nelson, sr.; T Nick Buster, sr.; WR Bryce Enzbrenner, jr.; DB Adam Smith, jr.; LB Austin Bonnel, jr.; DL Dai Coy Haley, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE —S4 Pleasant Ridge, S11 Sumner, S18 at Washington, S25 at Harmon, O2 at Schlagle, O9 Wyandotte, O16 Tonganoxie, O23 at BasehorLinwood, O30 at Piper DONIPHAN WEST
❯❯ COACH — Rod Pittam, 2nd year, 3-7 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 3-7 (0-5 Twin Valley) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 1-2 in district
75051268
TIME 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.
lost in 1st round of Class 3A playoffs
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Harry Trotter
(912 yards rushing, 14 TDs); Josh Caudle (526 yards passing, 11 TDs); Nick Caudle (277 yards receiving, 10 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB Josh Caudle, OL/DL Dillon Kramer, DE/TE Jake Schmidt ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 6 on offense, 7 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — RB/LB Harry Trotter, sr.; RB/DB Nick Caudle, jr.; CB Jose Soto, jr.; OL/DL Cole Harris, so.; QB David Olberding, sr.; RB/DB Matthew Schrick, so.; TE/DE Luke Ervin, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — S4 at Immaculata, S11 Jackson Heights, S18 at Ellis, S25 at Valley Falls, O2 Christ Prep, O9 Horton, O16 at ACCHS, O23 Pleasant Ridge, O29 at McClouth RIVERSIDE
❯❯ COACH — Scot Koranda, 8th year, 2810, (59-78 overall)
❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 5-4 (5-3 Big 7) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 1-2 in district play
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Andrae
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Brenden Steele
❯❯ COACH — Derek Jasper, 3rd year, 17-6 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 10-2 (4-1 Twin Valley) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 3-0 in district
(398 rushing yards, 4 TDs); Levi Watts (773 passing yards, 5 TDs); Cooper Leach (281 receiving yards, 5 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — RB/CB Tynan Bolinger, sr. ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 10 on offense, 7 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — RB/LB Lane Spiker, sr.; RB/LB Wade Joyce, sr.; QB/DE Levi Watts, so.; WR/CB Cooper Leach, sr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — S4 at Onaga, S11 Valley Heights, S18 Washington Co., S25 at Centralia, O2 Maranatha, O9 At Riverside, O16 at Troy, O23 Christ Prep, O29 at JCN
❯❯ COACH — Chris Diller, 8th year, 29-39 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 0-9 (0-7 Big 7) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 0-3 in district play
(728 yards rushing, 5 TDs); Ryker Smith (403 yards passing, 2 TDs); Joseph Kunkle (156 yards receiving, TD) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — RB/DB Brenden Steele, OL/D Joe Hogle, QB/DB Ryler Smith; DE/TE Nicholas Reese ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 7 on offense, 7 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — RB/LB Ethan Pierce, sr.; QB/DB Joseph Kunkel, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — S4 ACCHS, S11 at Royal Valley, S18 at N Central, S25 Holton, O2 at Jefferson West, O9 Perry Lecompton, O16 at Horton, O23 Riverside, O29 Sabetha HORTON
❯❯ COACH — Nick Dowell, 8th year, 22-41 ❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 7-2 (5-0 NEK) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 2-1 in district
play, lost in 1st round of Class 3A playoffs
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Derek Rich-
ardson (903 yards rushing, 12 TDs); Derrick Stone (445 yards passing, 3 TDs); Trey Dishon (196 yards receiving yards, TD) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — LB/OL Kyle Becker, DL/ OL Brandon Lewis, WR/DB Spencer DeLosSantos, DL/OL Jake Pahmahmie,
TROY
play, lost in Class 2-1A semifinals
❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Derek Franken
(759 yards rushing, 9 TDs); Tristan Speer (2,441 yards passing, 36 TDs); Collin Jasper (802 yards receiving, 14 TDs) ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — WR/DB Collin Jasper, QB/DL Tristan Speer, RB/LB Alex Schmille, WR/DB Jake Ross, RB/DB Derek Franken, OL/LB Jay Whetstine, OL/DE Nathan Gaarder ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 4 on offense, 3 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — OL/DL Luke Smith, sr.; WR/LB Chris Winkel, sr.; WR/DB Taylor Scherer, sr.; OL/DL Preston Robinson; OL Ben Wardlow, sr.; WR/DB Cuttar Huss, jr.; OL/DL Wil Smith, jr.; WR/DL Brody Winder, jr.; QB/DB REid Greaser, jr.; RB/LB Kortin Bleavins, jr. RB/LB Connor McNorton, jr.; RB/LB Alex Martinex, jr.; WR/DB Tyler Franken, jr.; OL/DL Wyatt Huss, jr.; LB Brant Hamilton, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — S4 at Washington County, S11 Centralia, S18 at Valley Heights, S25 Onaga, O2 JCN, O9 at Maranatha, O16 at Doniphan West, O23 at Inman, O30 Immaculata
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❯❯ 2014 RECORD — 7-3 (5-1 NEK) ❯❯ POSTSEASON RECAP — 3-0 in districts,
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❯❯ 2014 STAT LEADERS — Wade Joyce
TROY FOOTBALL 2015 OPPONENT LOCATION Washington County Away Centralia Home Valley Heights Away Onaga Home Jefferson County North Home Maranatha Christian Away Academy Doniphan West Away Inman Home
MAUR HILL-MOUNT ACADEMY
❯❯ COACH — Jermaine Monroe, 4th year,
McGaughy (992 yards rushing, 18 TDs); McGaughy (1,068 yards passing, 9 TDs), Colton Munger (315 yards receiving, 5 TDs). ❯❯ KEY LOSSES — QB/FS Andrae McGaughy, C/DT Alec Miller, WR/OLB Colton Munger ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 3 on offense, 4 on defense. ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — RG/N Dalton Resler, sr.; WR/SS Bryer Miller, sr.; WR/ DE Grant Shue, sr.; DB Leroy Watson, sr.; QB/DB Andrew Miller, so.; RB/MLB Gaige Olivero, jr.; WR Leroy Watson, sr.; OL/DT Donovan Duncan, jr.; WR/ FS Seth Bembrick, sr.; RT/DE Jayden McCall, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — S4 at Jefferson West, S11 Nemaha Central, S18 ACCHS, S25 at Perry-Lecompton, O2 at Royal Valley, O9 Doniphan West, O16 Sabetha, O23 at Hiawatha, O29 Horton.
Troy Trojans DATE 9/4 9/11 9/18 9/25 10/2 10/9
TE/DL Trey Dishon, QB/DB Derrick Stone, WR/DL Zach Earp, WR/LB Robert Wewenes ❯❯ RETURNING STARTERS — 3 on offense, 3 on defense ❯❯ KEY RETURNERS — DB/RB Derek Richardson, sr.; LB/OL Cole Wolf, sr.; DL/OL Mitchell McClain, sr.; DL/OL Brandon Dexter, sr.; DL/OL Michael Gabbard, jr.; LB/RB Rex Bruning, jr.; DB/QB Cameron Smith, jr.; LB/RB Christian White, jr. ❯❯ SCHEDULE — S4 at Jackson Heights, S11 at McLouth, S18 Valley Falls, S25 Jefferson County North, O2 Pleasant Ridge, O9 at Maur Hill-Mount Academy, O16 Hiawatha, O23 at Sabetha, O29 Riverside
Agent 205 St. Joseph Street P.O. Box 355, Wathena, KS 66090-1201 Bus. 785-989-3555 Toll Free 888-989-9625 Fax 785-989-3339 www.jessicastuder.com
Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®
TROY MAIN OFFICE
785-985-3553 75050437
B12
130 West Locust Troy, Kansas 66087