CITY L EAGUE-N ORTH DIVISION
Northland
Vikings taking aim at first playoff win
By JARROD ULREY THISWEEKSPORTS.COM
The Northland High School football team isn’t planning to let up this season. After reaching the postseason for the first time in 2010, the Vikings went 4-6 in 2011 and 5-5 the next year before earning another playoff berth last fall. Considering there were just 12 seniors on the roster a year ago, Northland enters its opener Aug. 29 at home against Independence believing another trip to the playoffs is within reach. The drive to build on last year’s 7-3 record – which included a 35-21 loss to New Albany in the first round of the Division II, Region 5 playoffs
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IS LIKE LIFE — it requires
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– fueled the team throughout the preseason, according to senior Nateshawn Hargrove. “I don’t want the guys to get complacent just because we did well last year,� said Hargrove, who is back for his third season. “We have to make sure guys are staying focused. We’ve got high expectations. We want to get our first playoff victory and advance deep into the playoffs.� Northland, which also lost its playoff opener in 2010, earned the eighth and final playoff spot in Region 5 despite losing its regular-season finale to Beechcroft 17-14. After winning both of their non-league games a year ago, a tougher and busier non-league slate awaits the Vikings. Northland plays host Sept. 5 to Marion-Franklin, which was a Division III state semifinalist a year ago, and again faces Cincinnati Taft. With Brookhaven no longer on the schedule, the Vikings also added Whitehall on Sept. 19. The Rams went 5-5 but averaged 36.1 points a year ago. Northland has gone 55-56 with four winning seasons since coach Kevin Tooson took over in 2003. Tooson has the longest current continuous tenure of any coach in the City League-North Division, but rarely has he had such an experienced cast to work with heading into a season. The Vikings tied Beechcroft for second at 5-2 in the league behind Brookhaven (7-0) a year ago. “Provided we can stay healthy, we can have a good season,� Tooson said. “We’ve got a nice group of freshmen, and our senior class is pretty strong. “The push is to make the guys mentally tougher and com-
At a glance
Sherman Watson had 15 receptions for 337 yards last season. JABIN BOTSFORD/THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
mit them to excellence. (Former Northland boys basketball) coach (Satch Sullinger) has a saying that ‘good is the enemy of great.’ I’ve just talked to them about how they need to constantly be trying to find an edge so that they can be great. When you’re satisfied, you’re not hungry.�
OFFENSE
Although two of the Vikings’ biggest playmakers last year, Jhustus Cornley and Glenn Smith III, are no longer with the program, several others who contributed are back. Senior quarterback Nick Fischer was 71 of 134 passing for 1,358 yards with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. Hargrove finished with more than 700 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns and was first-team all-City-North and second-team all-district. Senior Sherman Watson was
2014 SCHEDULE Aug. 29 ..........vs. Independence Sept. 5.........vs. Marion-Franklin Sept. 12 .........vs. Cincinnati Taft Sept. 19..................at Whitehall *Sept. 26........at Columbus East *Oct. 3 ..................at Centennial *Oct. 10 .....................vs. Mifflin *Oct. 17 ................at Whetstone *Oct. 24......vs. Linden-McKinley *Oct. 31...............vs. Beechcroft 2013 RESULTS (7-3 overall, 5-2 City-North) Independence .............W, 20-18 Cincinnati Taft .............W, 36-30 *Brookhaven................L, 29-28 *Columbus West..........W, 64-20 *Centennial...................W, 55-6 *Mifflin .........................W, 42-7 *Whetstone.................W, 33-24 *Linden-McKinley........W, 66-16 *Beechcroft .................L, 17-14 PLAYOFFS New Albany .................L, 35-21 *League contest INSIDE THE VIKINGS •Coach: Kevin Tooson, 12th season •Top players: Mohamed Diakite (WR/LB), Nick Fischer (QB/LB/P), Nateshawn Hargrove (RB/DB), Mike Harris (OL/DL), Michael Kyle (OL/DL), Abu Turay (RB/DB) and Sherman Watson (WR/DB) •Key losses: Corbin Bannister (WR/DB), Jhustus Cornley (RB/WR/ DB), Mike Kambwanya (OL/DL), Malcolm Marshall (RB/DB), Glenn Smith III (WR/DB) and Adrion Taylor (OL/LB)
the second-leading receiver with 15 catches for 337 yards. Senior Abu Turay will use his speed at slot receiver and tailback. Senior offensive lineman Michael Kyle will be in his third season as a starter and has offers from Indiana State and Youngstown State. He was firstteam all-league. Cornley split time between AVAILABLE ON WOW! running back and wide receiver and finished with more than 700 all-purpose yards as a senior. He signed with Indiana State. Smith III led Northland in receptions with 20 and was second-team all-league but transCertain restrictions apply. Š 2014 WideOpenWest Finance, LLC. ferred to Westerville North for his senior season. He was the Vikings’ starting quarterback The lineup two years ago. Quarterbacks: *Nick Fischer “It was great getting a feel for varsity last year,� Fischer (sr., 5-foot-10, 210 pounds), said. “We want to get off to a Dante Lewis (sr., 5-11, 170) Running backs: *Nateshawn great start again.�
Hargrove (sr., 5-9, 195), *Abu Turay (sr., 5-7, 160) Receivers: *Mohamed Diakite (sr., 5-11, 170), *Sherman Watson (sr., 5-10, 165), *Caleb Woods (jr., 5-9, 145) Linemen: *Darrick Drennan (sr., 5-10, 220), *Mike Harris (sr., 5-8, 230), *Michael Kyle (sr., 6-5, 280), *Adam Tyson (sr., 5-11, 230), *Moussa Kaba (jr., 6-1, 240) (*denotes projected starter)
DEFENSE
Northland is expecting to run an even front with four linemen and four linebackers on defense. While the loss of Cornley (first-team all-district) creates a hole in the secondary, Hargrove, Turay and Watson are expected to lead the backfield. Turay returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown in a 55-6 win over Centennial last season. He was secondteam all-league.
The lineup Linemen: Drennan, Kyle, *Harris, *Tyson, *Kaba, Dominique Powers (jr.) Linebackers: *Diakite, *Fischer, *Malik Williams (sr.) Secondary: *Hargrove, Chris Swann (sr.), *Turay, *Watson, Chad King (jr.)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Northland scored five touchdowns on special teams plays last season, including a 98-yard touchdown return for a score by 2014 graduate James Williams against New Albany.
The lineup Kicker: Jesus Bustos (jr.) Punter: Fischer, Donovan Lewis (soph.) Returner: Watson Long snapper: Fischer, Watson julrey@thisweeknews.com
Mifflin
Miller hopes change in style benefits Punchers By JARROD ULREY THISWEEKSPORTS.COM A change in preseason philosophy that wasn’t easy to accept for Mifflin High School football coach Gregg Miller could pay dividends later this season. With only about 40 athletes, the Punchers spent significant chunks of their practice time staying in top physical shape with an eye on being healthy for the long run. Miller also spent extra time teaching the game. Limiting drills was a foreign concept to the veteran of more than 30 years. “We’ve concentrated more on conditioning and education
of football rather than on beating each other up,� Miller said. “That’s not my style. My style is that you beat up on each other in practice so that Friday nights are easier.� The Punchers lost three of their final four games last season to finish 5-5 for the second time in Miller’s first four years. Mifflin is 25-15 since Miller took over after going 24-46 over the previous seven seasons. The Punchers have made the playoffs just four times, with the last appearance in 2002. “We’re just trying to get ready because we want to make it to the playoffs this year,� senior Makiyn Tate said. For that to occur, Mifflin
likely will need to get out to a better start than a year ago when it lost two of its three non-league games. The Punchers open with the same three opponents as a year ago, beginning Friday, Aug. 29, against visiting Licking Heights, and currently have a bye in week 10, but Miller is expecting to find an opponent for that week. The areas with the most depth entering the season likely will be at running back, where Tate is among a group of returnees, at wide receiver, where senior Stanley Jackson is back, and on an offensive line that returns three-year
Melik Scott is coming off a season in which he had 81 tackles
PUNCHERS >> 57 and was second-team all-district. JOSHUA A. BICKEL/THISWEEKSPORTS
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