12 minute read
Eagle Point
from Prep Football 2021
HEAD COACH
Erik Johnson (third year, 3-12)
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GENERAL INFORMATION ASSISTANTS: Trampis Waite (offensive coordinator), Tyson Wolfe (defensive coordinator), Josh Graves
Johnson (assistant head coach), Nate Helwig (JV head coach), Rick O’Callahan (JV offensive coordinator), Jory Foulon (JV assistant head coach), Rob Cowden (receivers), Joe Meerten (defensive line). 2020-21 OVERALL RECORD: 1-5.
PREDICTED FINISH THIS YEAR: Sixth. 2019 RESULTS
EAGLE POINT OPPONENTS 34 ..................... Klamath Union 8 29 ........................ Redmond 27 20 ....................... Springfield 27 7 .......................... Thurston 50 20 ..................... South Eugene 56 0 ........................... Ashland 48 13 ......................... Churchill 44 0 ............................ Crater 56 19 ..................... North Eugene 42 2020-21 RESULTS
EAGLE POINT OPPONENTS 24 ........................ Springfield 7 0 .......................... Mazama 63 7 ..................... South Medford 34 7 ............................ Crater 24 24 ...................... Grants Pass 49 26 ....................... Willamette 34 RETURNING STARTERS
OFFENSE (9): Lineman David Johnson (6-3, 260, sr.), lineman Ethan Bodenbender (6-0, 230, sr.), lineman Kevin Turcios (5-10, 230, sr.), lineman Luis Uribe (6-0, 220, sr.), running back David Brown (6-0, 160, jr.), running back/receiver Isaiah Hill (5-9, 155, jr.), receiver Jimmie Copeland (6-1, 180, sr.), receiver Wyatt Graves (6-3, 175, jr.), receiver Josh Jackson (6-2, 175, jr.).
DEFENSE (9): Defensive back Alex Smith (5-10, 165, sr.), defensive back Anthony Milian (5-11, 165, sr.), linebacker Ethan Moody (6-0, 170, sr.), safety Triston McGuire (5-10, 165, sr.), lineman Nathan Cordova (6-2, 280 jr.), linebacker Isaiah Hill, defensive back Josh Jackson, linebacker Wyatt Graves.
OTHER NOTABLES
Quarterback/defensive line Caiden Lacey (6-3, 210, jr.), quarterback Bryton Livingston (5-11, 160, so.), quarterback Dawson Foulon (6-2, 175, jr.), receiver/safety Logan Cardwell (6-0, 155, sr.), placekicker Jeremiah Cordle (5-10, 150, so.).
2021 SCHEDULE
Sept. 3 ............... at Churchill, 7 p.m. Sept. 10 .............SPRINGFIELD, 7 p.m. Sept. 17 .............at Willamette, 7 p.m. Sept. 24 ...............at Mazama, 7 p.m. Oct. 1 .................THURSTON, 7 p.m. Oct. 8 ................... CRATER, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 ................ at Ashland, 7 p.m. Oct. 22 ..............NORTH BEND, 7 p.m.
DENISE BARATTA PHOTOS / FOR THE MAIL TRIBUNE
Eagle Point senior linebacker Isaiah Hill has emerged as one of the Eagles’ top leaders entering the 2021 season.
Seasoned Eagles will look to soar
Eagle Point returns nine starters on each side of the ball to raise hopes
By Danny Penza
Mail Tribune
EAGLE POINT — The football seasons may be just a few months apart, but Eagle Point head coach Erik Johnson can already tell just how much more confident his team is feeling this fall over the spring.
“There’s a lot more chatter out there,” Johnson said, “and that just feeds off the confidence. We’re looking more confident, we’re looking more comfortable out there with things.”
In the last few months, the Eagles have gone from a young and inexperienced group to one that feels more prepared for a varsity campaign.
The goal is to turn the experience they got in the spring into more success this fall, something that seems more realistic with added maturity and confidence in what needs to be done.
“Every year is a new year no matter what and it has its
Eagle Point junior David Brown will be a key contributor for the Eagles at running back and linebacker this season.
own personality, but it does feel better in the first year that I’ve been here having experience and upperclassmen,” said Johnson, in his third season at Eagle Point. “That experience is big. Having both of those, finally, we’ll feel a little more comfortable.”
The Eagles went 1-5 during the spring season, losing five straight after winning their opener against Springfield. Two of those losses came to teams Eagle Point will face this season in a return to Midwestern League play, Crater and Willamette, while two others were to 6A schools in South Medford and Grants Pass. While his team took their lumps in the spring, Johnson said the hope is that it set a foundation for what they will try to accomplish this fall.
“The year under their belts and getting a few months in between for their maturity was big,” said the coach, “but their commitment has changed more than anything. We had summer training and they were there all the time.”
Johnson said he was able to learn plenty about his young football team throughout the spring.
“Each week we competed more and more,” he said. “The experience we gained as individuals and as a team was big.”
As other teams around the MWL replace most of their key players from the spring season, Johnson needs almost all of his fingers and toes to count how many starters he has back on both sides of the ball. Eagle Point returns nine starters on both offense and defense.
From Page 5
Sheldon returns four playmaking receivers at Thomas’ disposal in senior Keegan Line (5-11, 160) and juniors Zach McEwen (5-10, 155), Luke Leighton (6-5, 190) and Isaac Peters (6-0, 160). Leighton’s combination of height and speed make him a matchup problem, while Zach McEwen is Sheldon’s top playmaker when things break down.
“He’s an outstanding weapon,” Line said of Zach McEwen, who joins sophomore Seth McEwen as sons of John McEwen and nephew to former Oregon star Seth McEwen. The elder McEwens were North Medford stars in the 1990s. “I wouldn’t say that Zach is anything other than just a great football player. He really understands the game really well and has a natural feel for the game of football. We’re going to rely on him a bunch.”
Grafton Robinson, a 5-9, 170-pound junior, and senior Karson Mazziotti (5-11, 170) are explosive running backs who will share duties in the backfield to complement their defensive duties.
An offensive line that battled to find the right rhythm a year ago appears to be in step already entering the fall, with seniors Tilman Ritchie-Tuisue (6-2, 285) and John Gelsomino (6-2, 200) joined by juniors Josh Merriman (6-2, 240), Ryan Yakovich (6-4, 280) and Carl Harward (5-10, 215).
That group will turn around and anchor a defensive line built to free up linebackers like Leighton, junior Joey Rubino (6-2, 170) and sophomore Will Haverland (6-4, 190) to wreak havoc.
Roseburg
With only two seniors on the roster, and one that regularly played, Roseburg may have been the youngest team in the state in the spring — and took some lumps because of it.
The Indians never complained, never gave up, and those two factors are as important heading into this fall as any for sixth-year head coach Dave Heuberger.
“At times we’re outmanned
CHRIS PIETSCH / THE EUGENE REGISTER-GUARD
Sheldon football coach Josh Line, left, enters his fifth season at the helm of the Irish this fall.
and undersized but I think our kids play hard and play the game the right way,” said Heuberger. “We were excited to see that last spring that at the end of the game you knew our kids put it all out on the line, so we’re excited to build off of that now. They proved to us they know how to play the game, now we’ve just got to do a better job of coaching and teaching them the game.”
No one had more of an impact than junior defensive tackle Tiger Black (6-4, 250), who was a first-team all-SOC selection for his consistently disruptive efforts.
Senior linebackers Dawson Gillespie (6-1, 170), Logan Klopfenstein (6-0, 180) and Braden Steinacher (5-10, 200) also return to anchor a defense that will be leaned upon to keep Roseburg in games while the offense develops.
Injuries and other issues made the quarterback position a bit of a carousel last spring for the Indians, and the absence of returning senior Dominic Tatone (5-8, 170) from summer workouts due to his role on the Dr. Stewart’s baseball team opened the door for senior Colton Marsters (6-0, 158) to get a look at the position.
Marsters impressed early with his athleticism and ability to throw a nice ball, said Heuberger, and his move from receiver could allow Roseburg to use Tatone in a variety of ways. Given the grueling nature of a football season, though, Heuberger said it’s likely both will see time at QB.
Senior Landyn Dupper (6-0, 170) has big-play ability with his track speed (10.85 seconds in 100 meters), while senior Haydon Snyder (6-1, 245) returns from a knee injury to add stability to the Indians’ host of junior linemen.
Have a story idea? Reach sports editor Kris Henry at 541-776-4488, khenry@ rosebudmedia.com or www. twitter.com/Kris_Henry
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HEAD COACH
Beau Lehnerz (fifth year, 15-14)
GENERAL INFORMATION ASSISTANTS:
Scott Chadick (offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks), Eric Sullivan (special teams/ linebackers/
Lehnerz running backs), Bubba Rylance (offensive line/outside linebackers), Austin Brower (offensive line/defensive line). 2020-21 OVERALL RECORD: 3-1 JV.
PREDICTED FINISH THIS YEAR: Seventh. 2019 RESULTS
ASHLAND OPPONENTS 56 ....................... Willamette 27 49 ........................ Springfield 0 60 ......................... Ridgeview 6 33 ......................... Redmond 7 66 ......................... Churchill 27 13 ........................... Crater 48 35 ...................... North Eugene 7 49 ..................... South Eugene 35 State Playoffs 50 ........................... Dallas 27 15 ...................... West Albany 41 2020-21 JV RESULTS
ASHLAND OPPONENTS 32 ....................... Eagle Point 29 20 ......................... Woodburn 0 20 ................. North Valley (VAR) 13 0 .......................... Mazama 40 RETURNING STARTERS
OFFENSE (11): Quarterback Ronin Kimbrough (6-0, 150, sr.), quarterback/receiver Jackson Kemper (5-10, 170, sr.), running back Gavin White (5-9, 165, so.), receiver Caden Negra (6-3, 170, so.), receiver Crosby Lehnerz (6-3, 150, so.), receiver Elijah Broseamie (5-6, 155, jr.), receiver Noah Shrader (5-8, 165, so.), receiver Tripp Repp (5-9, 170, sr.), lineman Nathan Shrader (5-9, 170, so.), lineman Colson Abel (6-3, 225, sr.), lineman Jack Bauer (6-0, 215, jr.).
DEFENSE (10): Lineman Colson Abel, lineman Nathan Shrader, lineman Jack Bauer, linebacker Patrick Latham, linebacker Elijah Broseamie, defensive back Ronin Kimbrough, defensive back Jackson Kemper, defensive back Gavin White, defensive back Caden Negra.
OTHER NOTABLES
Quarterback Jack Maucort (6-2, 140, so.), tight end/linebacker Marcelo Saturen (6-2, 185, so.).
2021 SCHEDULE
Sept. 3 .................. HENLEY, 7 p.m. Sept. 10 .............NORTH BEND, 7 p.m. Sept. 24 .............. CHURCHILL, 7 p.m. Oct. 1 ...............SPRINGFIELD, 7 p.m. Oct. 8 ...............at Willamette, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 .............. EAGLE POINT, 7 p.m, Oct. 22 ............... at Thurston, 7 p.m. Oct. 29 ................. at Crater, 7 p.m.
DENISE BARATTA / FOR THE MAIL TRIBUNE
Ashland’s Jackson Kemper saw action at quarterback, receiver and defensive back this past spring for the Grizzlies. ASHLAND
From Page 8
The Grizzlies went 3-1 during their junior varsity schedule this past spring, including a win over North Valley’s varsity team.
Lehnerz said that was the perfect amount of games to find out what he had in his current crop of players but also to leave them wanting more in preparing for the fall.
“With the (spring) season, we wanted to give them something,” Lehnerz said. “And it ended up being the perfect amount of a carrot dangling in front of them, so after the season they were all hungry to get in the weight room, to learn.”
With such a small senior class, Ashland’s large junior class will also be looked upon to provide leadership on and off the field.
Lehnerz said this group is extremely tight-knit, pointing to the Grizzlies’ winter workouts that were forced to be out in the snow at Walter A. Phillips Field after COVID-19 restrictions prevented them from being in the weight room.
Now it’s just about getting the experience as varsity players that they currently lack.
“We’ve got a solid but small group of upperclassmen that has seen a lot of weird stuff, all of the craziness, and they’re doing a great job of bringing those kids along and not playing the upperclassmen card,” Lehnerz said. “They see they need these kids to have the best senior year they can have.”
Where the Grizzlies won’t be young is at the quarterback position.
Two of Ashland’s seniors, Ronin Kimbrough and Jackson Kemper, have been competing for snaps throughout preseason camp. Kemper, who’s also the starting catcher on the Grizzlies’ baseball team, played under center for the Grizzlies last season after Kimbrough broke his arm and was forced to play receiver.
“(Kimbrough’s injury) ended up being a pleasant surprise for us,” Lehnerz said. “Jackson’s a really good athlete and he was kind of thrown into it but he picked it up. We’re having a nice competition with Jackson and Ronin at quarterback.”
Lehnerz described the Grizzlies’ experience level on both the offensive and defensive line as “we have some veterans, but we’ve also got some really young pups.”
Where the Grizzlies will certainly be young is on the outside, with size and speed looking to overcome the lack of experience.
Ashland has height in targets like 6-foot-3 sophomores Caden Negra and Crosby Lehnerz — which reminds the Grizzlies’ head coach a lot of how his 2019 team was constructed.
Then there’s the speed in receiver/defensive back Elijah Broseamie, who Lehnerz said was one of the Grizzlies’ breakout performers in the spring.
Sophomore running back Gavin White will be the primary ball carrier for Ashland, as well as be part of the Grizzlies’ young defensive backfield.
“We’ve got some really good skill players that are young, so the future is bright,” Lehnerz said. “It’s very similar to the group in 2019 in that we’ve got big, tall wideouts on the outside and we’ve got some really shifty, athletic kids who can play slot. Skill-wise, they know they’re young, but we’ve got athletes at those positions so we don’t have any holes. We’ve got weapons.”
Now it’s just about getting all of those weapons — and just about everybody else on the Ashland roster — up to speed.
And with how competitive the Midwestern League can be, that much-needed experience will arrive in a hurry one way or another.
“We’re excited to see what everything looks like at full speed in a real game, especially when there’s some adversity,” Lehnerz said. “They’re all hungry, they all want to play, they all want to be good, so that’s exciting.”
Reach Danny Penza at 541776-4469 or dpenza@ rosebudmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @penzatopaper.
