Article published August 22, 2007
2007 PREVIEW
OTHER NW OHIO: Oak Harbor, Fairview picked to repeat
Close battles are expected in GBC, BVC, MAL
BLADE SPORTS WRITERS
Coming off its best season in school history, Oak Harbor will be hard pressed to match its 2006 run to the state semifinals.
But the Rockets (13-1) have nine returning starters and are picked to repeat as Sandusky Bay Conference champs.
With 15 seniors back who helped Oak Harbor reach the Division IV semifinal, veteran coach Gary Quisno said the cupboard is not bare.
“They all have so much experience from last year’s playoff run,” Quisno said. “They’re a little bigger and stronger than last year. We’ll rely on them to set the tone and they will be a strength.”
The defensive line should be particularly stout led by Wade Ishmael and Spencer Skinner. Ishmael, a 6-1, 235-pound senior, made the All-Ohio first team as a tackle. Skinner (5-10, 215) returns at defensive end where he garnered All-Ohio honorable mention.
Two other key starters, Jeff Chambers and Kirk Tank, make the Rocket defense the team’s biggest asset. Chambers (6-0, 255) plays along the line. Tank 5-10, 170) will play cornerback.
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The Rockets lost their two leading rushers to graduation, but have talented seniors David Ulery and Tom Baker back in the backfield. Quarterback Adam Grof also has departed.
Quisno, who is 216-80 in his 28-year career at Oak Harbor, guided the fourth ranked Rockets to an upset over defending champion Coldwater in the playoffs last year. The 13-1 mark was the best in school history. The Rockets went 12-2 in 1999 and reached the state semifinals.
“To be honest, we have not spoken much about last year,” Quisno said. “From a motivational standpoint, the guys already know what they did last year. It was a fun trip going as far as we did. That should motivate them to do it again.”
Oak Harbor lost 21 seniors to graduation.
“In a way we have our work cut out for us,” he said. “But we have a nice nucleus coming back.”
The SBC title could come down to the regular season finale between Oak Harbor and Clyde.
The Fliers (7-3, 5-2) will be led offensively by junior quarterback Alex Gillett. Senior linebacker Jacob Andrews will pace the defensive attack.
Gillett threw for 1,250 yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for seven TDs last year. Andrews led the team with 120 tackles.
Clyde coach Marc Gibson, who is 19-5 in two seasons, believes his kicker Jerry Phillips is one of the best in the state. Phillips earned All-Ohio second team as a punter and kicker last year.
Among 17 seniors are wideout Nate Caudill, tight end Aric Thurn, linebacker Joel Meyer and defensive back Danny Michaek. Thurn led the team with six sacks.
Gibson, who has four starters back on offense and seven on defense, said his biggest concern is replacing nearly his entire offensive line.
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In the Green Meadows Conference, quarterback Ryan Radcliff is expected to lead Fairview to a repeat championship.
Radcliff, who has verbally committed to Central Michigan, has thrown for 4,611 yards and 57 touchdowns in his career. The 6-3, 195-pound senior threw for 3,808 yards and 48 scores last year as Fairview tied Ayersville and Tinora for the GMC title.
All three went 6-1 and should compete again for the title.
At Fairview (9-1), Radcliff has all-state receiver Ben Wonderly to throw to. Wonderly, a junior, had 88 catches for 1,392 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2006. Three offensive lineman, Jon Masser, Brandon Vance and Joey Gregg, also return for coach Bob Olwin.
Olwin said a lack of depth could be a potential pitfall.
“We will be very competitive,” he said. “Our kids have worked extremely hard and are very strong. I believe we can compete for the league title.”
Ayersville (9-1) has 12 returning lettermen and six starters back. The Pilots have running back Anthony King and wideout Travis Flint back as all-league performers.
Offensive guards Eric Cooksey and Marlon Graves also return along with tackle Kurt Hanenkrath.
Coach Chris Dales, who is 23-11 in three years at Ayersville, said the team’s strong points are its offensive line, running backs and secondary. Dales said he is concerned with the inexperience of the defensive line.
Tinora lost running back Joe Seigel and quarterback Luke Mitchell, but the perennially tough Rams are still expected to challenge for the title.
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In the Greater Buckeye Conference, Fremont Ross and Napoleon hope to contend.
A year ago, Fremont Ross had to replace standout quarterback Aaron Opelt with a relatively unknown senior.
It turned out fine as Ryan Ottney led the Little Giants to a perfect regular season and a berth in the playoffs while earning All-Ohio honors.
Now Ross must replace Ottney. The candidates are Brad Woleslagel and Cody Foos.
“We try to keep the game as simple as possible for them, so yeah, I expect a lot of productivity from the quarterback through the air,” said Ross coach Derek Kidwell. “Both of them are big, physical quarterbacks, so we’re going to run the ball with them as well.”
A trio of running backs will replace Devin Johnson, an All-Ohio selection last year.
Ross, which was upset by Whitmer in the first round of last year’s playoffs, returns eight starters on defense. Four more saw significant playing time.
“Our defense is going to have to carry us and be our backbone while our offense finds its strengths and weaknesses and finds what we can do and what we can’t do,” Kidwell said.
Despite losing 21 players to graduation, Napoleon actually has a larger senior class this year with 25. But injuries have plagued the Wildcats in preseason camp.
Napoleon returns 17 starters from a team that finished 7-4.
Top returnees on defense include strong safety Lee Drummond (83 tackles last season), linebacker Derek Dulaney (63 tackles, 13 for loss) and Matt Niese (56 tackles, 5 for loss).
“If we get healthy we’re pretty optimistic,” said coach John Snoad, who has led Napoleon to three consecutive postseason berths. “We have pretty talented seniors and not many juniors, but the ones we have are a pretty good supporting staff.”
Defense could be a concern for Findlay, which returns just one starter — linebacker Matt Alexander — on that side of the ball. The Trojans (4-6 in 2006) return nine players on offense who either started or played significantly. Jimmy Davidson (64 catches, 782 yards) and Alexander (731 yards rushing) can aid junior quarterback Eric Gilbert as he begins his first season as starter.
“People have asked me how we’re going to be and I don’t know yet,” Findlay coach Mark Ritzler said. “I think we have the potential to be decent, but anytime you have a lot of new guys out there it’s going to take some time.”
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The Blanchard Valley Conference should be both very tough and very even this season.
“It’s unbelievably balanced,” said first-year Liberty-Benton coach Tim Nichols.
Nichols inherits a team that went 12-2 last season, finishing unbeaten in the league and advancing to the state semifinals.
“We’re not changing a whole lot,” said Nichols, who replaces his former boss, Scott Garlock, who is now coaching at the University of Findlay. “Basically I got to keep almost the whole staff. We didn’t feel we needed to overhaul anything and we’re going to keep doing what we’ve done.”
Sophomore quarterback Aaron Craft returns after throwing 23 touchdowns. Craft, though, will be without playmakers Michael Busch, Brandon Craft and Wyatt Elbin, all of whom graduated.
“Everybody has their own expectations to improve,” Nichols said. “I guess we have to get to week 15 [to improve] but the kids that we have back have been involved in some pretty big games.”
So has Hardin Northern, which went 10-2 last year and advanced to the playoffs for the 12th time in 13 years. Four Polar Bear starters return on each side of the ball. Nathan Bame, an All-Ohio tailback as a junior, returns after rushing for 1,800 yards. Hardin will likely replace quarterback Cory Brunow with senior Chase Motter.
“We have a lot of kids that had a little bit of time but not a lot of experience, so it’s going to take a little bit of time to try and get everybody to gel together,” Pete Brunow said.
McComb is also coming off a playoff appearance, its sixth in the last nine years.
Panthers coach Kris Alge returns a plethora of talent on offense, including junior quarterback Kevan Westenbarger, who threw for more than 1,900 yards in 2006. He will be throwing to senior receivers Cody Rader and Shane Swisher, both whom came on strong at the end of last season.
“I hope we can try to keep it around 50-50 running versus passing,” Alge said. “It may be 60-40 with the receivers we have. If we can complete [passes] that will open up our run game that much more.”
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In the Midland Athletic League, Mohawk coach Erik Baker doesn’t spare any superlatives when talking about his talented offense.
“We feel we might have the best set of skill kids we’ve had since I’ve been at Mohawk anyway,” Baker said.
Baker, now in his seventh year, has coached some very good teams, compiling a record of 50-16 and winning four Midland Athletic League titles.
Senior receivers Ben Burks and Connor Jump return as does versatile Keith Zigler. The backfield may be Mohawk’s greatest strength with Brock Kirian (1,300 yards rushing, 17 touchdowns in 2006), fullback Kent Fredritz and Tyler Hogan all expected to make an impact.
“Their backups would probably start at anywhere else at that spot,” Baker said.
Twenty seniors make up a team that finished 9-2 and undefeated in conference before losing to Norwalk St. Paul in the opening round of the playoffs.
“Initially it looks like we’re going to have a lot of our guys going two ways until some of our younger guys develop a little bit and work their way into the rotation,” Baker said.
Mohawk’s chief conference rival, Hopewell-Loudon, returns 10 starters from a squad that went to the regional finals. Back for the Chieftains (11-2, 6-1) are league selections Luke Schalk, Robbie Oldaker, Nate Siebenaller, Anthony Reinhart, Adam Brickner and Travis Wise.
“The defense will be our strength early,” Hopewell-Loudon coach Brian Colatruglio said. “Success of the offense depends on the progression of the offensive line and quarterback.”
Carey returns just six starters from a team that finished 5-5 and 4-3 in conference.
Although the Blue Devils have many question marks, coach Todd Worst is confident in his safeties Ben Hall and Jacob Ludwig.
“Those two guys are going to be key leaders on offense and defense,” said Worst, who will begin his second season as head coach. “We’re looking for Jacob to be a good physical presence on offense and defense. Ben is a little more of a thinker, but he makes plays with his feet too.”
In the last six seasons Mohawk has won three MAL titles with Hopewell winning two. They also split a championship during that time.
“Our goal is to be competitive with those two teams right now,” Worst said. “They seem to be the ones to beat, at least of our league. For our division they’ve been performing pretty well also.”
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For the first time in school history, Ottawa-Glandorf appeared in consecutive state football playoffs. Now the Titans, who compete in the Western Buckeye League, look to make it three in a row.
“We’re pretty optimistic on how things are going,” Ottawa-Glandorf coach Ken Schriner said. “We have good experience back from last year and our improvement from game five to the end of the season we’re hoping to carry over to this year.”
After a 2-3 start, the Titans rallied for five straight wins before losing in the opening round of the playoffs. They have six returning starters on defense and five on offense.
Though they didn’t put up gaudy statistics in 2006, Schriner is looking to Alex Hermiller (defensive back and tailback), Luke Bellman (defensive back and receiver), John Kreinbrink (linebacker and fullback) and Jordan Conn (lineman) to lead the team.
Defiance has been consistent for the last three seasons, finishing 6-4 in each of them.
The Bulldogs return 10 starters, five on each side of the ball. Senior quarterback Adam Wagner is back for his third year behind center. Wagner was a second-team Western Buckeye League selection in 2006.
“When we start [a quarterback] as a sophomore we just say play with the team and don’t make mistakes,” said Defiance coach Jerry Buti. “As a senior we expect him to win games for us. Last year he won a couple games for us on last-minute passes or guiding us down the field, but I guess I’d like to see him be more demonstrative and take charge and he’s very capable of that.”
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