NW OHIO

Arcadia Redskins

Arcadia seniors: Row 1: Seth Bauer, Casey Mock, Clay Moyer and Tyler Bame. Row 2: Gabe Johnson, Kevin Keefe Jr., Travis Roller and head coach Pat Gehrisch

Coach: Pat Gehrisch, first year

Last season: 7-4, 6-3 Blanchard Valley Conference

Returning letter winners: 5

Returning starters: Offense 2, defense 3

Schemes: I formation/4-2

Top players: Seniors Tyler Bame, 6-0, 175, RB/LB; Seth Bauer, 5-10, 175, WR/LB; Kevin Keefe, 6-3, 215, OL/DL; Casey Mock, 6-0, 160, QB/DB; Clay Moyer, 6-1, 180, TE/DL; Travis Roller, 6-4, 285, OL/DL. Junior Sawyer Kieffer, 5-8, 150, WR/DB. Sophomore Hayden Ramsey, 5-10, 235, OL/LB.

Outlook: Last season Arcadia claimed the first playoff berth in school history, but the Redskins lost 17 seniors from a team that lost in the Division VI playoffs to league rival Leipsic.

Gehrisch, who was an assistant at Vanlue the last two seasons and was the head coach of the Wildcats in 2002-03, said that playoff berth has pumped life into the program.

"Last year's team set a tone," Gehrisch said. "The kids who are here now were around that team, and they saw that with hard work and a good ethic you can have success. When we put our program into motion, we had good attendance and saw that these kids have learned those lessons."

The problem is that there is a limited number of players returning with varsity experience.

On offense, one of the leaders is senior QB Casey Mock, a three-year starter who threw for 827 yards and six touchdowns last season. The running game will be led by senior Tyler Bame, while center Kevin Keefe will anchor the offensive line.

On defense Keefe is a two-year starter on the line, while sophomore Hayden Ramsey has shown promise as well.

"Our experience and our depth is a concern," Gehrisch said. "We will be counting on some younger kids to step into roles and play. Some of our freshmen will be starters, and we will move some kids around to accommodate the freshmen who can play."

2012 ARCADIA SCHEDULE

Aug. 24-Lakota

Aug. 31-at Vanlue

Sept. 7-Arlington

Sept. 14-Cory-Rawson

Sept. 21-at Van Buren

Sept. 28-Liberty-Benton

Oct. 5-Leipsic

Oct. 12-at McComb

Oct. 19-Hardin Northern

Oct. 26-at Pandora-Gilboa