MSL-O HIO D IVISION
Grandview Heights
Bobcats looking to build on last year’s run By SCOTT HENNEN THISWEEKSPORTS.COM
After winning its first regional championship, the Grandview Heights High School football team wants more. The Bobcats lost to eventual state champion Kirtland 13-9 in a Division VI state semifinal at Mansfield Madison as they finished a program-best 12-2 overall. Senior Joey Landusky said it was a turning point for the program and gives them the confidence needed to repeat or better that feat this season. “After that game, we feel we can go up against anyone,” said Landusky, who steps into the role of starting quarterback. “There isn’t anyone we can’t go up against.” Grandview also set the school record for playoff victories (three) in a season and won its first regional title by defeating eighth-seeded Fredericktown 25-14 in the Region 21 final at White Field in Newark. Now the Bobcats are aiming for another program-best – a third consecutive playoff berth. That won’t be easy an easy task, however, and it also brings added pressure. “I feel we have more expectations because people are expecting us to win,” senior guard Ben Fultz said. “We’re not living on last year. We have our own high expectations, and we have to follow through.” Grandview has 12 seniors as part of the 47-player roster, and these seniors know the importance of continuing the momentum started last season. “It’s a totally different feeling now,” said Fultz, whose team tied Bexley for the MSLOhio title at 5-1. “Every rep you take has a sense of urgency. It feels like a countdown every day, and you don’t want to let the other guys down.” Landusky understands that urgency. He suffered a broken wrist during a 35-6 win over West Jefferson in the seventh game a year ago, and returned five weeks later in a limited role during a 14-6 win over Lucasville Valley in the regional semifinal. “You have to go hard 100 percent on every play because you don’t know when it will be your last,” he said. Senior center Donny Casey said one of the biggest keys to success is remaining level-
skill players back who have played a lot of football.”
At a glance
Hudson Jump rushed for 631 yards and six touchdowns last year as a freshman. COLUMBUS DISPATCH FILE PHOTO
headed. He said that was the problem when the Bobcats lost their only regular-season game last fall, a 44-37 setback to Columbus Academy. “I know that we have to work hard and can’t take anything off or we can lose,” Casey said. “We got cocky before we played Academy and ended up losing. We have to come ready to play every week.” Coach Jason Peters said his team proved a lot last season, but has to do that all over again when the Bobcats open Aug. 26 at Centennial. “We went toe-to-toe with the state champion, but that was last year,” said Peters, who begins his 10th season. “Now we have to go out and prove that we can do that again.”
OFFENSE
The Bobcats return nine starters. including four in the backfield and five on the line, in an offense that borrows from schemes like the wing-T and option. Casey (second-team allleague), Fultz and senior tackle Patrick Taylor (honorable mention all-league) join junior tackle Brandon Spaulding (secondteam all-district and all-league) on the line. Junior James Lachey (nine catches, 237 yards , four TDs) also returns at tight end. The line lost 2015 graduate Luke Treasure, who was firstteam all-state, all-district and all-league. Landusky moves from slotback to quarterback, taking over for two-year starter Andre Readey (special mention allstate, first-team all-district and all-league). Readey rushed for 1,328 yards and 15 scores on 195 carries, and was 61-for-126
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passing for 1,174 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Last fall, Landusky rushed for 306 yards on 36 carries with three touchdowns and caught five passes for 103 yards in an injury-riddled season. “Joey is a great runner who throws a great ball and has a lot of varsity experience,” Peters said. “He started for two years as a running back and he’s started at defensive back since he was a freshman. He has a great football IQ and has seen it all. It’s going to be exciting to see him go out and do it.” Other returnees in the backfield are seniors Jordan Beight and Hunter Holland and, sophomore Hudson Jump. Beight rushed for 260 yards and five touchdowns on 33 carries, but missed nine games with a broken collarbone. He also caught nine passes for 161 yards and one touchdown. At the Division III state track and field meet in June, Beight was the only athlete to place in four individual events. He took second in the long jump and 300 hurdles, sixth in the 100 and ninth in the 110 high hurdles.
2016 SCHEDULE Aug. 28 ...................vs. Centennial Sept. 4 ...................at Berne Union Sept. 11.................vs. North Union *Sept. 18 ....at Columbus Academy *Sept. 25 .......................at London *Oct. 2.......................vs. Whitehall *Oct. 9 ..............vs. West Jefferson *Oct. 16 .............at Madison Plains Oct. 23........at Grove City Christian *Oct. 30.........................vs. Bexley 2015 RESULTS (12-2 overall, 5-1 MSL-Ohio) Centennial ......................W, 38-14 Berne Union......................W, 38-6 North Union ....................W, 34-26 *Columbus Academy........L, 44-37 *London..........................W, 41-27 *Whitehall.........................W, 45-8 *West Jefferson ................W, 35-6 *Madison Plains ..............W, 42-12 Grove City Christian.........W, 64-16 *Bexley...........................W, 21-10
PLAYOFFS Hannibal River ................W, 56-15 Lucasville Valley................W, 14-6 Fredericktown.................W, 25-14 Kirtland .............................L, 13-9 *League contest INSIDE THE BOBCATS •Coach: Jason Peters, 10th season •Top players: Jordan Beight (RB/DB), Donny Casey (OL/DL), Ben Fultz (OL/DL), Hunter Holland (WR), Hudson Jump (RB/LB), James Lachey (TE/DL), Joey Landusky (QB/DB), Brandon Spaulding (OL/DL), Bryce Stanley (OL/DL), Luke Sterneker (OL/LB) and Patrick Taylor (OL/DL) •Key losses: Benton Bair (WR/LB), Glenn Cheney (RB/DB), Rhodes Jump (RB/LB), Michael Kotte (OL/DL),Andre Readey (QB/DB), Preston Robson (OL/DL),Thomas Stanley (OL/DL) and Luke Treasure (OL/DL)
From Bexley to Westerville Follow your community headlines on facebook Holland (honorable mention all-district, second-team allleague) moves to the slot from wide receiver, where he had 12 catches for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Jump ran for 631
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DEFENSE
Grandview has several starters returning in its 4-3 defensive alignment, but must replace 2016 graduate Rhodes Jump at linebacker after he was the state’s co-Defensive Player of the Year along with Kirtland’s Evan Madden. Lachey is back on the defensive line after being named special mention all-state, first-team all-district and honorable mention all-league. Other returnees include Beight and Landusky in the defensive backfield and junior Luke Sterner at linebacker. “We have some depth, but we have a lot of players going both ways,” Peters said. “That’s the way it is in small-school football. You need depth, especially up front. We have a lot of kids back on the lines but you need that depth. You need someone able to step in when you get someone dinged up.”
THE LINEUP
yards and six touchdowns on Offense 84 carries, and caught 15 passes Quarterbacks: *Joey Lanfor 323 yards and four scores. dusky (sr., 5-11, 195), Joe “Beight is back and ready McCauley (sr., 5-10, 155), Kyle and should help us a lot,” Peters BOBCATS >> 94 said. “We have a lot of good
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August 25, 2016
FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE 2016 Football Preview
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