PAGE 4 — THE CONCORDIAN, Concordia, Missouri, Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Orioles must replace dynamic skill players by Hobby King SPORTS WRITER In his second year as the Concordia Orioles' head coach, Tom Gramates led the Orioles to the brink of the state playoffs, making it to the Class 1, District 4 championship game. Despite losing at Crest Ridge 32-6 on a bitterly cold and windy night last November, the Orioles made great strides during the season. They finished second to the Cougars in the I-70 Conference's regular-season race, their only loss being to Crest Ridge 32-16 in the regular season. Their only other regular-season loss was to Class 2 Higginsville 42-26 in the season opener. The Orioles' offense was potent for most of the season, producing 516 points (43 points per game), the most among the conference schools. In conference games, the Orioles put up 342 points (48.9ppg), again the most among all league teams. This year might be different for the Orioles as they lost almost all of their skill-position players, including three-year starting quarterback Austin Hon and two-year starting running backs Layne Baldwin and Cass Heimsoth, the latter rushing for more than 1,200 yards in his senior season and nearly 2,000 total in his junior and senior campaigns. Hon will be hard to replace as he passed for more than 1,700 yards and 23 touchdowns and rushed for another 579 yards and 13 scores. Last year, Heimsoth scored 16 rushing touchdowns and caught 25 passes for 514 yards and seven TDs. Baldwin rushed for 574 yards and two scores. Also gone is Cory Meineka, who rushed for 465 yards and five TDs and Austin Beydler, who caught 26 passes for 552 yards and nine scores. Up front, the Orioles will miss Tony Sherman and Dalton Treat. Gramates said he will move Jordan Schlueter, who was a receiver last year, to quarterback this season. A year ago, Schleueter caught 15 passes for 432 yards and seven scores. Chase Rosser and Ty Have Have aa great great year! year! Flandermeyer are listed as the team's halfbacks ― Flandermeyer rushing for 81 yards and five TDs last 211 SW 7th Street
year. Trent McGinnis and Mason Rohr will serve as split ends in the flexbone offense out of the pistol formation. “Schlueter, Galloway, Hastings, McGinnis, Flandermeyer and Rosser have the ability to help us maintain a high-powered offense,” said Gramates, who will be as-
end will be any combination of David Hemme, Braden Pfannkuch, Jon Need (one quarterback sack in 2013) or Collner. The four linebackers are slated to be Galloway (43 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, one touchdown in 2013) and Hastings (50 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, one sack, four fumble recoveries and one interception last year) as inside backers and McGinnis (17 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack in 2013) and Lindstrom (nine tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack in 2013)on the outside. Rosser and Flandermeyer (19 tackles and one tackle for loss in 2013) are the leading candidates to be corner backs and Schlueter (26 tackles, two forced fumbles — Tom Gramates and one fumble recovery in 2013) and Rohr (two tackles and one sack last year) as safeties. “We need to eliminate giving up the sisted by J. K. Basye (13th year) and Josh Link (first big play,” Gramates said. year). Gramates points out teams cannot go to sleep when The offensive line is projected as having Evan Coll- the Orioles are kicking off. Galloway returns for the third ner and Clint Collier at the tackles, Patrick Hasting or season as the kicker. Andy Galloway at one guard and Derrick Lindstrom at “He has helped us have a very dynamic kickoff team, the other. Anchoring the line in the middle at center is recovering 16 out of 21 onside kicks last year,” Gramates slated to be Caleb Pfannkuch. said. “We return an experienced offensive line,” Gramates McGinnis also returns as the team's long snapper. said. “They have improved every year executing the “I have not had a better long snapper than Trent anyscheme.” where I have been,” Gramates said. A year ago, the Orioles allowed 174 points (24.9ppg) Overall, the Orioles have a roster of 30, including 11 in conference games and 300 (25ppg) in all games. seniors, four juniors and nine sophomores. On defense in the 34/33 scheme, Gramates will have Collier (29 tackles, two tackles for loss, one fumble recovery in 2013) at nose tackle. At defensive
“We need to eliminate giving up the big play.”
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