2013 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Whitmer Panthers

Three Rivers Athletic Conference

2013 Whitmer Panthers

Team photo from left:

Row 1: Zachary Smith, Casino Stacker, Austin Hanna, Chase Bodeman, Larry Patterson, Logan Wolfe, Elijah Elliott, Matthew Sutter, Christopher Boykin, Robby Tober

Row 2: Bailey Henkle, Brendan Larkin, Jamal Bell, Matt Winzeler, Royce Colbert, Shue Sanders, Alex Miles, Larry Van Buren, Tylor Schneider, Mitchell Kubicki, Austin Buczkowski

Row 3: Jordan Freimark, Isaiah Kanyion, Marcus Elliott, Austin Bly, Al Nemeth, Brandon Borman, Matt Stockdale, Ryan Kusic, Cameron Cherry, Zac Ryan, Luke Speweike, Devin Gardner

Row 4: C.J. Wilkinson, Avila Jesus, Chris Krueger, Derrick Malone, Richard Ruiz, Garret Stallkamp, Darnell Cathey, Adam Hanna, Austyn Melroy, Mike Rickard, Ian Golembiewski

Row 5: Leon Foreman, Davlen Swain, Josiff Mathile, Trevor Wiskochil, Reis Vanderpol, Zachery Miller, Austin Letson, Christian Mikolajczyk, Mark Quimbar, Zach Jacobs, Connor Jacobs, Dominic Mauder

Row 6: Chris Haack, Jacob Cebina, Corvez Braswell, Cody Ledzianowski, Anthony Govan, Lord Lowe, Austin Shaffer, Nick Makris, Dylan Bovia, Ben Hricovsky, Adam Hart

Row 7: Casey Reineke, Ricky Turner, Justin Frost, Micheal Freeman, Craig Kirsteins, Shane Logan, Kyle Evanoff, Tank Cummings, Nick Jackson, Andrew Summers, Casey Holsten, Andrew Shuherk

Row 8: Austin Ridgeway, Brandin Kericko, Jacob Pelleteri, Davon Smith, Jordan Mick, Adam Huebner, Craig Conkle, Jacob LaPoint, Phil Hoskins, Coy Bacon, Kenny Guerrero, Brandon Moldenke (manager)

Row 9: Dave Hamen (trainer), Aaron Sage (trainer), Anthony Gregory, Blake Bengela, Nick Hartford, Kobee Houghtlen, Hayden Graham, Cooper Huth (manager), Jim Laser (video), Kyle Mikolajczyk (video), Brian Skorich (video), Hunter Johnson (manager)

Row 10: Coaches Brad Densmore, Wandell Hills, Ken Winters, Dave Laser, Eric Brown, Mike Williams, head coach Jerry Bell, Justin Keller, Irshad Bannister, Stan Meinen, Greg Kubicki, Jordan Simmons, Curt Hartman, Rob Branyan

Not in photo: Alex Ribas, Keenan Baker, Corey Baker, Talal Farhan

ABOUT THE TEAM:

Coach: Jerry Bell, second year

Last season: 14-1, 7-0 TRAC

Returning letter winners: 11

Returning starters: Offense 2, defense 5

Schemes: Spread/​4-3

Top players: Seniors Chris Boykin, 6-4, 205, WR; Marcus Elliott, 6-1, 185, DB; Tylor Schneider, 6-1, 190, DB; Jacob Lapoint, 6-0, 205, DL; Lord Lowe, 6-4, 240, OL; Matt Sutter, 5-10, 180, DB. Junior Jamal Bell, 5-10, 170, WR-RB.

Outlook: No Ohio team has won as many games the last three seasons as the Panthers, who are 39-4 with Division I state semifinal appearances in 2010 and 2011 followed by a 20-12 loss to Cincinnati Moeller in last year’s state final.

With 27 seniors included on a 100-player roster, the Panthers should continue to thrive.

Experience-wise, the defensive secondary and the receiving corps are top strengths. Overcoming inexperience while tackling a tough schedule will be the primary challenge.

A possible showdown for the TRAC title comes in week 4 when the Panthers travel to Central Catholic.

“We are going to be young and inexperienced,” Bell said. “We are looking for our key guys to step up and take on the leadership role. We have a championship culture in our locker room, and we raise our kids to believe that they’re champions.

“We expect them to play at that [championship] level, no matter who the new guy is that’s coming in. I’m very confident that we can keep at that high level again this year. I would be disappointed if we don’t.”

WHITMER SCHEDULE

Aug. 30-at Perrysburg

Sep. 6-Orchard Lake St. Mary

Sep. 13-at Detroit Catholic Central

Sep. 20-at Central Catholic

Sep. 27-Clay

Oct. 4-Fremont Ross

Oct. 11-St. Francis at UT

Oct. 18-Findlay

Oct. 25-St. John's

Nov. 1-at Lima Senior