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Rappleye has an easy answer for that.

“To stay calm, trust the Lord, you know. He’ll guide you through the way,” Rappleye said. “All the stress and everything like that, I should just use it to my ability and go out there and be like, ‘You know what, this is what it is. This is what it’s going to be. I’m ready for it.’”

The Cardinals are more than just their quarterback. Returning with him on the offensive side of the ball are junior wide receiver Eli Duhm, the team’s other all-Southern Section selection; junior wide receiver Wyatt Shields; senior center Jude Patton; and junior running back Jonathan Boelter.

Duhm led all Cardinals receivers ith 57 catches for 751 yards and 15 touchdowns. He returns along with most of the receiving corps from last season, a group that includes junior Wyatt Shields (37 catches, 339 yards, six TDs) and a couple of unproven guys in junior Wyatt Waldron and sophomore Caleb Shaffer. Carter Aispuro was the only senior receiver on last year’s squad.

Those four will be tasked with getting open in Fry’s zone-read system, one that worked wonders last season and, with more options, could be even more dangerous. Duhm thinks the depth — Fry said he has 25 players looking to make the team — will also help when players inevitably go down with injuries.

“It’s a really big help, especially at practice, we can get a full scout team against our offense,” Duhm said. “And it’s a lot easier to fill, in especially when someone gets injured.”

Taking over at tailback will be junior Jonathan Boelter after Timmy Tadler transferred to Hart following a standout sophomore campaign.

Fry is expecting big things out of Boelter, who transitions to fully being a two-way player after filling in mostly at defensive end last season.

“He’s a big kid, and he’s so fast,” Fry said. “I’m really excited to put him in that spot. We tried it last year, and I think we tried it in ways that didn’t help him succeed. And I think this year, to give him that whole spectrum of run plays now — not just the dive or the power, but actually make him think through where he’s running — if he gets it, I mean, it can be exciting.”

Many of those players who are expected to carry the load offensively are also expected to do the same on the defensive side of the ball. Rappleye and Duhm were standouts on defense, with two and five interceptions, respectively, with the former also stepping up to lead the team in tackles with 100.

Boelter comes back after a teamhigh six sacks last season, while Shields will fill in at defensive back, senior Jude Patton looks to anchor the defense at linebacker and senior Noah Butler is hoping to put an injury-riddled season behind him and lead the offensive line.

Butler was forced to sit out the first half of last season after transferring from Saugus, and once he got back on the field, he tore his ACL in just his second game. The senior hopes to be medically cleared in time for full contact by the start of the season and truly take the reigns as the defensive captain for the Cardinals, a role that was held by Landon Hermanson.

“Being a leader on the team, team captain I would say I’m kind of taking that role of Landon,” Butler said. “He was a [defensive end]. I wasn’t able to play a lot last year, so just being that loud player who leads the team spiritually and being a leader and being that role for the team. I just need to step up and be an ex-

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ample to the teammates.”

Patton is a believer that all of the pieces are sure to fit together.

“I think we’ve all developed very well, especially some of my teammates who have been going to football camps,” Patton said. “I think it’s really dangerous for other teams facing our offense, seeing how well our pass game is and even how well our blocking has become. I would be scared if I were them.”

So why not the Cardinals? As much as Fry is a believer in his team, he knows every other team has been improving as well.

“For us, I think knowing we were two points away from a semifinal,” Fry said, “that gives fuel to our hopes that if we were that close to a semi, and then we’re getting better — we know everyone else is getting better — but if we’re getting better, then why can’t we aim for that or more?” 

AUGUST 18, 2023