NBC

Eastwood Eagles

FROM LEFT: Row 1: Matt Trapp, Zack Linhart, Tyler McCrory, Brent Schlumbohm, Preston Link, Jacob Rahe, Brennan Seifert, Zach Ross, Josh Harper Row 2: Grant Geiser, Jack Heckman, Trevor Shultz, Ryan Mang, Montrece Cole, Caleb Tussing, Devin Snowden, Tommy Mann, Chris Orcutt, Zach Thompson, Noah Zatko, Jonathan Bowlus Row 3: Adam Krukemyer, Brad Radabaugh, Skylar Dierker, Blake Kohring, Jordan Randall, Garrett Leuck, Isaiah Conkle, Zach Coffield, Adam Wolf, Derick Buchman, Logan Bess, Tim Bell Row 4: Jake Schmeltz, Enrique Miranda, Eli Brown, Hunter Sutton, Mitchell Davidson, Michael Flipse, Lucas Friess, Jake Radabaugh, Ian Maytham, Garrett Ballard, Abe Reyes, Brandon Vollmar, Ben Haas, Jason Fertig, Joey Salinas Row 5: Michael Glaze, Andrew Blair, Shane VanVorce, assistant coach Joe Wyant, assistant coach Andy Friess, assistant coach Jeff Rutherford, assistant coach Eric Rutherford, head coach Jerry Rutherford, assistant coach Craig Rutherford, assistant coach Glenn Owens,assistant coach Rick Keyes, assistant coach Nick Schmeltz, Jakob Skriba, Brad Hoy

Coach: Jerry Rutherford, 31st year

Last season: 11-1, 7-0 NBC

Retuning letter winners: 12

Returning starters: Offense 3, defense 4

Schemes: Wing-T/5-2

Top players: Seniors Isaiah Conkle, 5-11, 168, RB/LB. Skyler Dierker, 5-10, 161, RB/S; Blake Kohring, 5-11, 172, TE/DE; Adam Wolf, 5-11, 193, OG/DT; Derek Snowden, 5-10, 172, K. Junior Jake Schmeltz, 5-11, 165, QB/CB.

Outlook: The Eagles won the first NBC title, earned a spot in the playoffs and beat Ottawa-Glandorf in the first round before falling to Columbus Bishop Hartley.

Rutherford installed the Wing-T offense for the first time last season and believes that a year of experience should pay dividends.

"The first thing was knowledge of the system. We are far ahead of where we were a year ago," he said.

He said special teams and the defensive secondary should be very solid.

"We have a nice backfield and an experienced quarterback that played 12 games," he said.

Schmeltz connected on 29 of 49 attempts for 620 yards and nine touchdowns.

Conkle earned All-NBC first team after rushing for 1,190 yards on 103 carries (11.6 average) and scoring 24 touchdowns in the regular season.

Kohring will move from defensive back to defensive end. Wolf was a two-way starter last year and earned all-league second team.

"Our linebackers are inexperienced but should be pretty good," Rutherford said.

Inexperience on the lines could be a point of weakness early on.

"Our lines could be pretty good but there are a lot of new faces in there. They will continue to improve," Rutherford said.

The key to a successful season is being able to run the ball and stop the run on defense.

"We hang our hat on that," Rutherford said.

2012 EASTWOOD SCHEDULE

Aug. 24-Patrick Henry

Aug. 31-at Clyde

Sept. 7-at Oak Harbor

Sept. 14-at Lake

Sept. 21-Elmwood

Sept. 28-at Rossford

Oct. 5-Fostoria

Oct. 12-Otsego

Oct. 19-at Woodmore

Oct. 26-Genoa