LCL-B UCKEYE DIVISION
Licking Heights
Hornets counting on depth to wear down foes By BRAD EMERINE THISWEEKSPORTS.COM The Licking Heights High School football team will need to mature quickly in order to reach the playoffs once again. Only three starters return on offense and just two are back on defense following a season in which the Hornets finished 8-3 overall and made their fourth playoff appearance in five seasons. According to 12th-year coach Darren Waters, however, the number of returning full-time starters doesn’t always tell the full story about a team’s potential. “I think we’ve got a lot of guys with playing experience because we tend to use a lot of guys on Friday nights,” said Waters, whose team won the LCL-Buckeye Division before losing 40-32 to Franklin Heights in the first round of the Division II, Region 7 playoffs. “We’re not a true twoplatoon team and we only had two guys who played full time on both sides of the ball last year and rarely came off the field. The rest of the guys pretty much played in rotations. “That helps develop depth, gives our guys a breather and keeps them fresh to go against
At a glance 2017 SCHEDULE Aug. 25......................vs. Westland Sept. 1......................at Chillicothe Sept. 8...................vs. New Albany Sept. 15..........................vs. Heath Sept. 22...........at Newark Catholic *Sept. 29....................vs. Granville *Oct. 6 ......................at Lakewood *Oct. 13........vs. Watkins Memorial Oct. 20.....................at Johnstown *Oct. 27................at Licking Valley 2016 RESULTS (8-3 overall, 4-0 LCL-Buckeye) Westland ..........................W, 31-0 Hamilton Township............W, 21-0 New Albany .....................L, 24-23 Newark Catholic................W, 38-7 Heath ..............................L, 24-23 *Watkins Memorial..........W, 14-11 St. Charles ........................W, 33-3 *Lakewood .....................W, 82-27 *Granville..........................W, 49-7
Senior tailback Maurice Edmondson is one of only three returning starters on offense for the Hornets. LORRIE CECIL/THISWEEK
a lot of tired players on the opposite side. For example, when we have a fresh tailback going against weary defenders, I definitely like our chances.” The expectations and traditions at Licking Heights are passed down from one senior
class to the next, and the first test for the former players who graduated in 2017 will come in the opener Aug. 25 at home against Westland. “The true indication of the success of every senior class is determined after they’ve left Licking Heights forever,”
Waters said. “I think their most important legacy is how well they’ve taught the young kids before they leave. If there’s success the year after they’ve graduated, they’ve done a very good job. “Most of our leaders this year were role players last year. This senior class doesn’t want to be the drop-off point for this program. They owe it to those who came before them to continue to match and exceed what we’ve accomplished in previous years.”
OFFENSE
Junior quarterback Jacob Righter, senior tailback Maurice Edmondson and senior center James Snider are the returning starters on offense. Edmondson rushed for 492 yards and four touchdowns on 79 carries, and Righter was 78for-148 passing for 843 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Righter was honorable mention all-district. “Maurice can be one of the best backs in the area and he sets a good example for those around him,” Waters said. “We’re blessed with speed back there with (juniors) Zion Sharp and Will Chatman in that rotation.” The tailback committee will try to make up for the lost production of 2017 graduate Ke’Shawn Moore, who had 1,114 yards rushing on 115 carries, 183 yards receiving and 1,658 all-purpose yards while accounting for 19 touchdowns and being named LCL-Buckeye Back of the Year. First-team all-league fullback Josiah Harrell (853 yards on 122 attempts, 9 TDs) will be replaced by senior Noah Lasenby and sophomore Cody Wilson. Senior Tanner Allton and junior Spencer Vincken will start at receiver, and senior Christopher Thomas is the tight Page 64
*Licking Valley ..................W, 38-6 PLAYOFFS Franklin Heights...............L, 40-32 *League contest INSIDE THE HORNETS •Coach: Darren Waters, 12th season •Top players: Tanner Allton (WR/DB), Will Chatman (RB/DB), Maurice Edmondson (TB/CB), Noah Lasenby (RB/DL), Jacob Righter (QB/DB), Spencer Schell (WR/DB), Zion Sharp (RB/DB), James Snider (OL/DL), Christopher Thomas (TE/DL), Spencer Vincken (WR/LB), Gavin Waters (WR/LB) •Key losses: Killian Brewer, Chance Canady, Jordan Coulter, Joey Harrell,Tosh Hayes, L.A. Kelly, Josh Martin, Ke’Shawn Moore, Quintin Payton, Brandon Smith
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end. “Allton is nearly 6-foot-6, so we think he can be a mismatch problem for defenses and he’s also a good blocker, plus we’ve got some good young receivers making a push for playing time,” Waters said. “We’re blessed to have Snider back at center to direct the traffic up front. “We’re young on the offensive line, but we think we have some talented kids there that will adjust and come together quickly. “(Senior) Cameron Hershey has good feet after throwing the shot put and discus and (senior) Carlos Martinez is very athletic. (Senior) Randy Mbouge is built well and can flat-out run. But we’re still trying to determine what rotations we’ll use because many of the same kids will be on the defensive line.”
DEFENSE
The two full-time returning starters on defense are senior inside linebacker Gavin Waters – the coach’s son – and Thomas at defensive end. “Christopher Thomas won’t be rotating out on defense at all,” coach Waters said. “He’s the captain of that group and gives us intensity and leadership. We had such a dominating defensive front last year and our goal is to work hard to match the play we had there. “Gavin was our leading tackler last year and he’ll be in charge of the front eight and the linebackers are a pretty tight-knit group. Edmondson played a lot in the secondary last year and will be a leader at cornerback.” Thomas had 60 tackles, 12 for loss, with nine sacks and two fumble recoveries and was selected first-team all-district. Jordan Coulter, a 2017 gradu-
ate, was LCL-Buckeye Defensive Lineman of the Year for the second year in a row. Waters had 62 tackles, 10 for loss, with three sacks, three forced fumbles and six pass breakups last year when he was honorable mention all-district. Waters will be joined in the middle by senior Dominic Anzalone, and Vincken and senior Spencer Schell are the outside linebackers. Martinez will flank Thomas at the other end on the line, with Mbouge also seeing action. Senior Keyshawn Brown, Snider and Lasenby will work in at tackle. Chatman and junior Cody Trago are the safeties, while Sharp and junior Sharif Calhoun will rotate with Edmondson at cornerback.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Incumbent senior Rayce Ritzenthaler and junior Kyle Willison were competing for place-kicking duties during the preseason, and Righter is expected to be the punter. Vincken or senior Nick Spencer will be the long snapper. Waters said he will use a large number of players to return kicks.
THE LINEUP
Offense Quarterbacks: *Jacob Righter (jr., 6-0, 165), Cody Trago (jr., 6-0, 150) Running backs: Will Chatman (jr., 5-9, 175), *Maurice Edmondson (sr., 5-8, 155), *Noah Lasenby (sr., 6-1, 260), Zion Sharp (jr., 5-9, 150), Cody Wilson (so., 5-9, 175) Slotbacks: *Spencer Schell (sr., 5-9, 160), *Gavin Waters (sr., 5-10, 175) Receivers: *Tanner Allton (sr., 6-6, 185), Keyshawn Jones
HORNETS >> 76 August 24, 2017