DanceLastAll-StateQBElijahOwensaimstoleadJacksonvillebacktotheplayoffsinhisseniorseason A special supplement to the Journal-Courier • August 25, 2022 • 50 cents • FOOTBALL 2022
Getting the players back helped, but once players and assistant coaches became familiar with the new system, the Tigers started playing much better. “I felt like once we got to about Week 5 or so, we were all on the same page, and the kids themselves started to see stuff like we did, as coaches,” Craig Beardstownsaid. lost about a dozen seniors from last year’s team, but the Tigers aren’t starting totally from scratch, with six players back on offense, and seven on defense. With the system now in place, Beardstown wants to pick up where it left off. “We’re ahead of where we were at this time, obviously, last season,” Craig said. Except for quarterback, the Tigers have experience returning at the skill positions. To fill the QB spot, Beardstown has been looking at Owen Quigley, who played at running back/ slot receiver last year, and sophomore QB Ethan Heller, who was sidelined all season after being injured in last year’s scrimmage game.Craig said both players have a thorough knowledge of the offense and what the Tigers want to accomplish. “They both bring something a little bit different to the table,” the coachBeardstownsaid. returns lightning-fast brothers Lucas Domitien and Christy Domitien in the backfield. Senior Lucas Domitien, who played at slot receiver/ running back last season, had a ton of carries and catches, and was the Tigers’ main kick returner. “Teams stopped punting it to him,” Craig said. “Teams stopped kicking it deep to him on the kickoff because he’s got a lot of talent.” Christy Domitien, his younger brother, returns for his junior year, hoping for some better luck. Domitien missed about half the
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It took awhile for the Beardstown football team to learn a new system under first-year head coach Elliott Craig. But once they did, the Tigers rolled. And despite losing most of the starters from last year, Beardstown hopes to keep things rolling this season. The Tigers lost their first two games last year, and lost badly, falling to Greenfield-Northwestern 42-13 and West Central 43-6. Beardstown went on to win five of its next seven games to finish the regular season 5-4, and then gave No. 4 seed Williamsville a fight in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs.
“That was my goal when I took the job, was to play Week 10,” Craig said. “You’ve got to get in first, and then you go from there. And that hasn’t’ changed. That’s still their goal.”
Beardstown battled through injuries and COVID drama all last season. “We started out a little rough, but that’s going to happen with a new coach, new system,” Craig said. “We did not have a full starting lineup until the playoff game against Williamsville. Every week there were at least two starters out due to COVID protocols, contact tracing, injuries or whatever. I know other teams go through that, but it just seemed like it was every week where we had those type of things we had to battle through. And once we got to the playoffs and had what would normally be our 11 first-stringers on each side of the ball, and special teams, we hung around with a real good Williamsville team.”
Speedy backfield keys resurgent Tigers
By Dennis Mathes
Photos by Dennis Mathes/Journal-Courier Beardstown’s Owen Quigley makes a handoff during a recent practice.
Nickname:BEARDSTOWNTigers Head Coach: Elliott Craig Previous Record: 5-5 Aug 26 7:30p SepGreenfield-NWat27:00pWest Central Sep 10 1:00p at Routt Sep 15 7:00p Triopia Sep 23 7:00p Brown County Sep 30 7:00p at Mendon Oct 7 7:00p Camp Point Oct 14 7:00p at Calhoun Oct 21 7:00p Pleasant Hill 2 • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • Jacksonville Journal-Courier
“Last year we were pretty diverse,” the coach said. “We jumped around from a three-man front to a fiveman front and a four-man front. We were pretty diverse. That’s what I’d like to be again. But your personnel dictates what you can and can’t do each week.”Beardstown’s defensive line could include a rotation of guys like Ryder Hamlin, Leonel Lopez, Abraham Hernandez and the other offensive linemen.Braxton Baer could play either at insider backer or on the defensive line. “He’s versatile enough that he can kind of do both,” Craig said.Christy Domitien will play inside backer, with Lucas Domitien moving from corner to linebacker. Craig said Domitien is looking forward to the change. “He likes to hit. I appreciate that,” the coach said. “And honestly, we need more linebackers in theEthanprogram.”Heller figures to play some outside linebacker. “He really stood out, before he got hurt, as a freshman kid that really will stick his nose in there,” Craig said. “And he’s had a really good offseason in the weightRyanroom.”McClenning, a returning starter on defense, will probably play corner. Elizah Thomas, who played corner at the JV level, figures to get some playing time there as well. Quigley returns at safety, and he’ll be a valuable piece. “We’ll probably keep him in that position, as a safety,” Craig said. “He already kind of knows it … it’s one of the tougher positions in my defense.”
Beardstown players line up for an impromptu photo during a recent practice.
season because of COVID protocols and contact tracing. “He had a really, really nice game against Williamsville and had 180 yards,” Craig said. “He certainly will get his share of the carries, along with his brother.”RyanMcClenning is another key returner. A spotstarter last season, McClenning caught the game-winning touchdown against Triopia, in overtime. He can run or catch. Those three will get the bulk of the carries and receptions, Craig said. Also in the mix is Elizah Thomas, who will start at outside receiver or one of the slot positions. He wound up playing quarterback at the JV level when Heller got hurt. “He’s a real good athlete,” the coach said. “We’ll find a way to get him the ball. He looked good in some 7-on-7 stuff, I thought, this summer. … He’s just an athlete.” Micah Wink also returns this season, and that’s a big deal for this team. Wink was having a great year before he was sidelined with a knee injury about halfway through the 2021 season. A stalwart on defense, Wink could be used at fullback this year. He played at wideout last season.“Wink can kind of play anywhere,” Craig said. “Big, strong kid. He’s had a great offseason in the weight room coming back from injury.” It all adds up to what could be a diverse, dynamic offense, depending on how Beardstown’s offensive line comes along. Craig said with an inexperienced line, skill-position players will have to pick up a few more blocks than they did last year.Beardstown lost three good seniors on the line. The players who return don’t have much experience. “We’re going to be young,” Craig said. “That’s an area where we’ve got to try to continue to improve, and I think hopefully as the season goes along, those guys up front will mesh together with a new unit,” the coach said. “Just communication and meshing together is pretty important, even if it isn’t always perfect.”
“Those guys have played the line,” Craig said. “It’s just that they haven’t played it on Friday night. And it’s just a big difference between Monday and Friday.”Craig himself coaches the offensive line. The season is in their hands. “How well they do is probably going to dictate how good we’re going to be offensively,” Craig said. “But I don’t think that’s any different than any other team. If your line is solid, you’re probably going to be solid offensively.“Youdon’t have to have five All-Americans up front,” Craig said, “but those guys have got to work together and be in sync with one another.” Micah Wink should start at defensive end.
“He’s kind of that returning leader in the middle that could make some of those line calls for us, and hopefully he’ll be even better this year as a junior than what he was as a sophomore,” Craig said. “I know he’s hungry to do that as well.”Other prospective linemen all played JV last year. They include senior Gabe Herzog, who played a little varsity last season; juniors Leonel Lopez and Abraham Hernandez; and sophomore Ryder Hamlin.
Jacksonville Journal-Courier • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • 3
Junior Braxton Baer, Beardstown’s starting center, is the only returner on the offensive line. He also played middle linebacker at times last season, and Craig expects him to get quite a few reps there this year as well.Baer started as a sophomore, and saw some time as a freshman, too. “He really improved,” the coach said. “His first several games were not very good. He would admit that to you. He had to learn how to snap shotgun and block, which is not easy to do. And he really struggled the first few games. But he got progressively a lot better as the season went along, which was another big reason why we started to move the ball better on the ground.
Craig said Wink was headed for an all-conference type of season before he was injured last year. “I expect good things from him,” the coach said. Aside from Wink, Craig said he wasn’t sure what the team was going to do schematically on defense early in preseason practice.
VanMeter went on to coach in the North Greene youth football league for 10 years. After serving as an assistant coach with the high school team, he coached at West Central for the past three years, serving as offensive coordinator last season.
Photos by Dennis Mathes/Journal-Courier
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VanMeter Previous Record: 0-8 Aug 26 7:00p at Mendon Sep 2 7:30p Brown County Sep 9 SepGreenfield-NW7:30p167:00pat Carrollton Sep 23 7:00p
Brian VanMeter played football for two seasons at North Greene High School.Then he found other things to do. And now he wishes he hadn’t. North Greene didn’t have a particularly good team those years. Since he was an underclassman, VanMeter didn’t play much. So he decided to give up football after his sophomore year. “Just was working and wanted to have a vehicle when I was a younger kid … went that route — which I regret,” he said.
Any team would love to have North Greene junior lineman David Hicks, who’s 5-foot-10 and weighs in at around 200 pounds. “Weight room maniac,” the coach said. “Just got quick feet. Going to be playing line for us. Likes to seek out contact, I believe. He can open some holes for us.
VanMeter is now the head coach of the North Greene football team, a squad that has been plagued by low numbers in recent years. The new coach is hoping to convince student-athletes at his alma mater to come out for the team and not make the same mistake he did.“I regret that in my life,” VanMeter said. “It’s something I can share with them. Football, you only get one shot. It’s not a sport you can continue to play later in life.”
“I know there are some others who are going to show up, and then the ones I’m hoping show up,” the coach said before practice began. “And I’m just trying to get my captains to encourage them to come out. I’m hoping they’re saying we’re having some fun, and encourage them to come play.”In the offseason, Van Meter analyzed film to get an idea of his players’ strengths, but it’s going to take some time to determine who plays where this“We’veseason.still got a lot of figuring out to do,” the coach said early in preseason practice. “Our core’s going to be more on the younger side. We’ve got a good group of sophomores. We’ll probably have five or six seniors. We’re still trying to put all thatThetogether.”Spartans have several outstanding players to build the team around. Senior Cayden Eilers has been a leader this summer. “He’s going to be one of our captains,” VanMeter said. “He’s really been good at getting kids and encouraging them to be in the weight room just to get better every day.”
rise under new coach
New head coach Brian VanMeter talks to players during a recent practice. Coach: Brian at at
Triopia 4 • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • Jacksonville Journal-Courier
By Dennis Mathes
NORTH Nickname:GREENESpartans Head
“It’s good to be back home,” VanMeter said. “I want to try to turn this thing around, and get a competitive team here at North Greene back again.”VanMeter was hired in April, and he went straight to work, opening the weight room in early May. “We have been focusing on strength and conditioning for most of the summer,” the coach said. “I’ve had really great numbers showing up for that. So, really excited to get to the football aspect here.”North Greene had a strong showing at team camp in July. “Had really good turnouts for that,” VanMeter said. “We’ve been averaging 25 to 30 kids showing up at camp and workouts throughout the summer. “I’ve known some of these kids for a while,” the coach said. “I think it’s a good relationship between us. I think that’s a little bit of it. And I think the kids are tired of losing. They want to create some memories and have someBeforefun.”practice began, VanMeter said he thought the roster would top out at 35 or 40 players. North Greene wound up with 38 players on the first day of practice. That was a pleasant surprise.
“I think it’s going to take all 11 players on the field for us this year,” VanMeter said. “We’ve got to develop that team mentality. I believe we’ve got a lot of good kids, but it’s going to take all 11 pulling in the same direction.”Expect Quentin Campbell to contribute, along with sophomore Ethan Clark. Sophomore Kaleb Williams has never played football before, but the coach said he shows a lot of potential. “I
Pleasant Hill Sep 30 7:00p at West Central Oct 7 7:00p Calhoun Oct 15 1:00p Camp Point Oct 21 7:00p
Spartan numbers
think he’ll be a good player for us,” VanMeter said. “And then we’ve got a lot of younger guys who I feel can really be … . In a couple of years, if we stay the course, we can get there.” What’s the key to turning things around at North“Well,Greene?firstoff is numbers, of course,” VanMeter said. “You’ve got to have that in a football team. But I think it’s just back to making the game fun. Sometimes, as coaches, we take it a little too serious. It’s serious, but we’ve got to have some fun at times, and we’ve got to get competitive again. “Of course, we need to have some success. That’ll bring numbers, too.” In his two seasons playing football at North Greene, VanMeter said he learned discipline and developed a good work ethic. Football was about learning to play as a team, and having fun with your friends.And with some work, there’s no reason why North Greene can’t start winning again. “I’ve just been trying to tell them, the seasons they’ve had in the past … we’re the same kids as everyone else,” VanMeter said. “If we work hard and we do the right things in practice, focus on what we need to focus on, there’s not teams that are 60 points better than you. We just have to do things the right way, practice accordingly, and we can close the gap.”
Jacksonville Journal-Courier • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • 5
A North Greene player hits the team’s well-worn tackling sled during a recent practice.
The Jacksonville football team has an All-State quarterback, a corps of fleetfooted receivers and one of the fastest running backs the school has ever had at theWaitingposition.for a “but”? A young offensive line and a defense that returns almost no one are question marks for the Crimsons, but they’ve been working on it.
Nickname:JACKSONVILLECrimsons Head Coach: Mark Grounds Previous Record: 5-5 Aug 26 7:00p at Chatham Glenwood Sep 2 7:00p Springfield SepLanphier97:00p Springfield SepSoutheast167:00p at Sacred Heart-Griffin Sep 23 7:00p at Springfield Sep 30 7:00p Decatur OctEisenhower77:00p at Decatur MacArthur Oct 14 7:00p at Rochester Oct 21 7:00p Normal University 6 • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • Jacksonville Journal-Courier
Explosive Crimsons aim for return to playoffs
cruiting short because he felt like he had a great fit, and that’s where he wanted to go, and has been all in and all focused on Crimson football this summer because of it,” Grounds said. “And I think it’s important to him to get this team back to the playoffs, and he wants to make some noise while he’s there. He’s a great football player, and even greater person. And I’m just lucky to have him for anotherGroundsyear.”said this could be a special season for Owens.“I always feel our quarterbacks, between their junior and senior years, have traditionally made huge bumps in production and play-making ability, and I think a lot of it is they go through a learning process, and they get to the point where the game slows down for them, and they literally can become coaches
By Dennis Mathes
Coming off their first playoff appearance since 2016, the Crimsons are determined to make another run at the dianaplayAll-State,he’she’scenter.ingtionpostseason.ergoodstarters,themlotthem,niors,thatyoungeringspotskeyGroundssonvilleintoconfidence“There’spostseason.somedefinitethatcarriedovertheoffseason,”Jack-coachMarksaid.“Gotsomereturnersatsomekeywhoarereallyhelp-bringalongsomeoftheguysbecauseofconfidence.Ourse-there’snotatonofbutthey’veplayedaoffootballforus.Mostofhavebeenthree-yearandthat’salwaysabuildingblock.”Jacksonvillehastheplay-toleadthembacktotheAll-Stateselec-ElijahOwensisenter-hissenioryearunder“He’sathree-yearstarter,areturningAll-State,atwo-timeAcademiche’scommittedtofootballnextyearatIn-State—cuthisre-
Photos by Dennis Mathes/Journal-Courier Jacksonville QB Elijah Owens fakes a handoff to a teammate during a recent practice.
S PORTS EDITOR
A8 Jacksonville Journal-Courier • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • 7
is confident they can do the job. “We’ve got about seven or eight guys who are really, really battling,” the coach said. “You’ve got some seniors in Landen Fricke and Evan Dorris, Case Turner … but we’ve got some really good, young guys who are pushing them in (Ryan) McCombs and (Avery) Cook, and (Oliver) Cooley’s a junior who got some really quality reps for us as a sophomore and had a great wrestling season, and that’s carried over to a fantastic fall for us. And then the big man, (Dandu-Mwani) Miradi, has put in a ton of work. So, I mean, that’s, I think, seven guys that I named, but we’ve got a couple of other young guys who are pushing as well, so it’s been spirited competition.”
Jacksonville Jacksonville’s Elijah Owens looks for a receiver during a recent practice.
Jacksonville’s passing game is on the verge of reaching the next level. The Crimsons return several receivers, all of whom possess explosive speed.
The Central State Eight has turned into a speed league. This year the Crimsons have the speed to compete. “I think we have some really good quicks,” Grounds said. “And we have some home run hitters out there. So I think that we have the ability to be explosive, but the defenses that we face have the ability to shut you down as well. There’s never any easy moments in our lineJacksonville’sleague.”offensiveisyoung,butGrounds
Grounds said great skill position players can offset a young offensive line. “Good running backs can help young linemen look really good,” the coach said. “And I think that we’ve got some good pieces around the young line. And if we’re not in long yardage situations where defenses can tee off, it helps them as well. So a strong running game and a smart quarterback that puts us in the right position, and good running backs, that’s a key to a good offense, but it’s also a key to helping young offensive linemen continue to develop.”The Crimsons will score points. How quickly their defense comes together could determine how the season will go.
out on the field with their teammates,” the coach said. “You always want them to be an extension of the staff on the sideline, and I think he’s worked as hard or harder than any kid we’ve had at that spot that’s been a three-year starter. I’ve had some great, great starters that were two-year guys. I’ve had very few three-year starters.”Owens has a supporting cast that should make this a special year for the Crimsons.“Our offensive line, we may be young, but I think we’re talented and worked exceptionally hard all winter, spring and summer in the weight room, and seldom missed workouts,” Grounds said. “I think our wide receiver corps, others experienced there with Deone Salther and Jacob Pool coming back. You add in guys like Zaidyn Jefferies, who’s playing football for the first time but a great athlete, Rodney Reed, Manny Moore — and don’t forget we had one of the most explosive running backs in the league in Cam Ron Mitchell who’s back for his second year as a starter, and he’s only a junior as well.”
“I think Deone was an all-conference inside receiver for us,” Grounds said. “He’s going to play a little bit on the outside. There’s a great natural connection between him and Elijah. Jacob Pool, he’s one of those guys that just does anything that you ask of him, and he does it well. And then on the outside, with Rodney Reed and Zaidyn Jefferies, you’ve got two exceptionally fast guys who have really taken huge steps from the start of the summer to the end of summer with their route-running abilities, and just their overall dedication to the craft of being a good wide receiver.”
All-Central State Eight selection Cam Ron Mitchell returns for the Crimsons at running back. Jacksonville has other options in the backfield as well, including Owens, who is an exceptional ball carrier. “Cam Mitchell was exceptionally explosive — allconference kid for us,” Grounds said. “We’ve got Manny Moore, who’s coming back from injury, who will give us a ton. La’Marion Williams is a sophomore who had a really good freshman year for us — actually scored our only touchdown in our playoff game near the end. I think we’ve got some other guys who are really scrambling. Casimir Jackson is going to be a defensive stalwart but has done some really nice things at running back and wide receiver for us. So I think we’ve got some really good pieces. The summer has been good to figure out how it all fits together.”
Crimsons continues on
graduated 100 percent of a solid linebacking corps. Candidates for the position this season including senior Ja’Shawn Trevillian, juniors Griff Martin and Manny Moore and sophomore La’Marion Williams. Cam Mitchell and Deone Salther also have been taking reps at outside linebacker. “They give us some explosiveness there that will continue to help us, hopefully, be able to play our 3-4 scheme and cause people some problems off the edge, which will then help protect our younger inside backers,” Grounds said.
lost most of its defense from last season. Drake Nicholson is in the mix on the offensive line, along with Oliver Cooley. Some young sophomores who are big and physical will challenge for startingJacksonvillespots.
Brandon Sims will step in at kicker for JHS. “He made some extra points and did some kicking for us in varsity games, so he had some experience,” Grounds said. “He’s got a quality leg.” It was a quiet summer for Jacksonville. The Crimsons participated in a few 7-on-7s but stayed close to home for the most part. “We didn’t do a ton of traveling this year because of some vacations and stuff, some conflicts that came about,” Grounds said. “What we did do was, we really had, I feel like, a renewed, energetic weight room, and speed training sessions this summer that carried into very crisp, high-speed practices for us. And that’s carried over to the fall as “Overall,well. I like the effort,” the coach said. “I like the camaraderie and the culture that our seniors are helping develop in the locker room this year. They’ve been a fun group to coach and teach. We’ve taken a lot of young guys … I think we’ve taken some of the necessary steps this summer.”
Dennis Mathes/Journal-Courier
A Jacksonville receiver looks the ball in during a recent practice.
Jacksonville’s defensive backs did an outstanding job limiting the big play last year. Jacob Pool is the only starter back there. Rodney Reed and Casimir Jackson are vying for time at the corners, and Zaidyn Jefferies and two or three other young players will give the team some depth at the position. Crucifixio Mitchell, a sophomore quarterback, has taken reps at defensive back and did a great job this summer, Grounds“Summersaid.is different than during the season, there’s no question about it,” the coach said. “But I think there’s a core group of seven or eight guys who are in competition to see playing time at those four spots.”
CRIMSONS From page A7 8 • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • Jacksonville Journal-Courier
T he Hornets sust ained a series of injur ies but still managed t o limp into the playo ffs with a 5-4 record — t hen shocked No. 4 Tol edo Cumberland on t he road in the first r ound. “We were really h appy with the way t hat our guys were able t o battle,” Brown C ounty coach Tom Litt leTsaid.hose injuries might h ave been a blessing in d isguise for this year’s t eam, as several playe rs got some experie nce they otherwise m ight not have had.
“ He’s got a little bit of e verything,” the coach s aid. “He’s a good runn er. We let him run for u s a little bit as a runn ing back. We put him a t tight end. We put h im at fullback. He’s b een a very versatile p iece. He’s a tremend ous athlete. And he’s g ot a good arm, but he’s g oing to beat some peop le with his legs, too. A nd if we need to, he c an become a blocker, a nd do that stuff well. S o we’ve got a really n ice athlete at that pos ition.”Brown County ret urns plenty of experie nce at running back, r eturning Colby Wort a t fullback and Cole B ehymer at wingback. “ We return both of t hose guys in those s pots,” Little said. “ Dalton Reische was a n offensive lineman f or us who started on t he offensive line and s ometimes on the def ensive line, and then G avin Montgomery p layed some of that f ullback when Colby g ot hurt. He replaced h im as that fullback. So we return a lot of guys t here. And then Tyce Fullerton would be ano ther one who got a lot o f reps as a freshman. S o going into his sopho more year, we’re exp ecting a pretty big t urn from him.”
H aving an experie nced running back c orps is key to Brown C ounty’s offense.
“ They all seem like t hey’re right back to w here they were at the e nd of the season last year, with knowing w here to be and doing t he small things, so I t hink that’s going to h elp them in becoming b etter running backs t his year,” Little said. “ They’ve got such a g ood base to go off of l ast year that we should s ee continued improvem ent in all of those g uys.”Center Dalton R eische is the lone ret urner on the offensive l ine, which was made u p mostly of seniors l ast season. “Dalton is a r eturner, and then we’ve got a lot of other g uys who got very good e xperience throughout t he playoffs and playoff p ractices against that very good group. So we’re expecting a lot of t hose guys to step up a nd be able to contribu te at a high level for us r ight off the bat.”
“ We’re excited with the p otential of last seas on,” Little said. “A lot o f these guys hopefully g ot some really good e xperience, and hopef ully that will carry over into this season.” S ix starters return, i ncluding quarterback A ngel Duarte, who s ubbed in for Tate Full erton when he got h urt last year. Duarte w as Brown County’s J V QB, and Little said h e did a nice job this s ummer under center.
K ayden Sorrells, a s enior, saw some time a t different spots on the l ine last year. Tanner S itze, a sophomore w ho gained some varsit y experience last year, a lso returns. “Then we’ve got a lot of other g uys who carried a lot o f that JV time,” Little s aid. “We’re hoping o ne of those guys can f ill a couple of those s pots.“Some of these kids, t hey’ll get after it,” the c oach said. “And luckil y, the way we do stuff, we can use some lighter g uys and get away with h aving a little bit light er guard or tackle, and c all plays a little bit diff erently. We feel like we’ve got a good group. We’ve just got to find t he right guys to step u p and take that spot.”
T he Hornets have s ome players who can c atch the ball. Junior D allas Clark got a lot of r eps last year. “We’re e xpecting big things f rom him,” Little said. S am Carr, a good athl ete who hasn’t played f ootball since his freshm an year, and Drew M arkert, a sophomore w ho had a really good o ffseason, should both f igure into the mix. W hat does it take to e arn a starting spot at B rown County? “ We say a lot of times a t practice, we don’t n e cessarily pick the s tarters — they just k ind of pick thems elves,” Little said. “ They step up to the f ront of the line, they w ant that leadership r ole, they’re wanting to b e first in line in reps a nd those kind of t hings. That’s the kind o f thing we look at, is t hat guy who’s willing t o step up. Sometimes i t’s not always the kid you would have exp ected. We look for t hat person who just s ays, hey, I put in the t ime, I put in the effort, t his is my spot. ... Usua lly that kid will take t hat spot.” R eische, a senior, w ill anchor the defens ive line as well. Sitze g ot a lot of reps on the l ine last year and will p lay a vital role. Brown C ounty also has two i mportant players back a t the defensive end/ o utside linebacker s pots in Dallas Clark a nd Gavin Montgome ry.“Gavin moved a round a lot last year w ith a lot of these injur ies and played really well on the defensive s ide of the ball,” Little s aid, “so we’re expecti ng him to keep up that l evel of intensity and t hat level of leaders hip, and be one of our l eaders on the field.” M averick Henry, w ho starred on the b aseball diamond, did a nice job with the footb all team as a freshm an last year. “We’re s tarting to see him step u p on the defensive s ide,” Little said early i n preseason practice. “ He’s been looking r eally good in practice, a nd hopefully he can c ontinue that through t he next couple of weeks.”Oneof the goals this s eason is to allow more p layers to focus on off ense or defense, and r educe the number of t wo-way starters. “ We’ve got a lot of a thletes in a lot of spots t here, so our big thing r ight now is just trying t o find the right spot f or every guy to get our b est football players on t he field and try to s pread it out — trying t o get a little more d epth,” Little said. “ We’re really hopef ul that we can use the d epth of kids that we’ve got to make a diff erence in this season.”
Injuries a blessing in disguise for young Hornets By Dennis Mathes S PORTS EDITOR BROWN Nickname:COUNTYHornets Head Coach: Tom Little Previous Record: 6-5 Aug 26 7:00p Calhoun Sep 2 7:30p at North Greene Sep 9 7:00p at Triopia Sep 16 7:00p Camp SepPoint23 7:00p at SepBeardstown307:00p Routt Oct 7 7:00p Mendon Oct 14 CarrolltonOctGreenfield-NW7:00p207:00pat Jacksonville Journal-Courier • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • 9
T he Brown County f ootball team is coming o ff an unusual year.
Nickname:PITTSFIELDSaukees
“Thelevels.strongest attribute we have right now is the desire to be successful and the desire to continue building on what we did last year,” Ferguson said. “I can tell our guys are hungry, and they are ready to take that next step.
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The Pittsfield football team made strides in the right direction in Zachary Ferguson’s first year as head coach. The Saukees finished last season with a 4-5 record, which was the most wins for the program in a season since 2009.
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Ferguson said he will have a mixed bag of youth and experience on his roster this season. One of the players with experience will be senior quarterback Weston McAllister. Last year under center, McAllister completed 82-of-139 passes for 964 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for two scores.
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“We had good participation this summer and our kids really put in the time. We definitely progressed a lot faster this summer than we did last summer.”
“Anytime you have somebody new, there are going to be some speed bumps, and some people will take a little more time to get things going,” Ferguson said. “It took a little while. This year, we have everyone in the program last year running the same stuff with the same terminology. The same concepts are going more smoothly this summer.” The Saukees started strong last season, beating Riverton and Auburn in two of the first three games of the season. Rough backto-back losses were followed by a win over New Berlin in Week 6. A fourth win over PORTA/A-C Central in Week 8 kept Pittsfield’s playoff dreams alive heading into the final week. Despite keeping the game scoreless into the second quarter, the Saukees ended their season with a loss to future state quarterfinalist Williamsville.
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“Our kids started realizing we can compete with almost every team we play,” Ferguson said. “It was just about getting confidence in the kids with their abilities — because we have some talent.”
Oct 14
Head Coach: Zachary Ferguson 4-5 Athens at Stanford 7:00p Williamsville 7:00p at New Berlin 7:00p Maroa Forsyth 7:00p at Pleasant Plains 7:00p Auburn 7:00p at PORTA/A-C 7:00p Riverton
10 • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • Jacksonville Journal-Courier
Lane Yelliot will return for his senior season at running back. Last season, he led the Saukees with 605 rushing yards on 109 carries and two touchdowns. He rushed for 100-plus yards in three games last year and is expected to lead the team once again. Jason McKee returns after rushing the ball 29 times last year, scoring two touchdowns on the ground. Elijah Leonard made two catches last season, and Konner Allen should also get some touches on offense thisSeniorsseason.Jeremiah Jackson and Leonard will lead the defense, along with McKee and Allen. Ferguson said the Saukees program now has three levels, something that started last season. This is the first time in a long time that the Saukees will be competing at the freshman and junior varsity levels, along with varsity. The coach said he wants to build the program by having success at all three
Dennis Mathes/Journal-Courier
Ferguson, who led Staunton to a playoff appearance in four seasons as head coach, has been pleased with his team’s progress over the past year. The difference between this summer and last summer has been night and day.
Pittsfield has a tough start to the season. In the first five weeks, Pittsfield will host Athens, Williamsville and Maroa Forsyth — all three were playoff teams in 2021. The Saukees will make road trips to Sangamo newcomer Stanford Olympia and New Berlin in weeks 2 and 4.
Pittsfield ready to take the next step
By Travis Zuellig
Sep 30
Pittsfield linebackers work on pursuit during a recent practice.
Big finish has Pretzels looking forward to this year
By Travis Zuellig
NEW Nickname:BERLINPretzels Head Coach: Seth Hill Previous Record: 3-6 Aug 26 7:00p at Auburn Sep 2 7:00p PORTA/A-C Sep 9 7:00p at Riverton Sep 16 7:00p Pittsfield Sep 23 7:00p at Stanford Sep 30 7:00p Williamsville Oct 7 7:00p at Athens Oct 14 7:00p at Maroa OctForsyth217:00p Pleasant Plains Jacksonville Journal-Courier • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • 11
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New Berlin won three of its final five games to end the year on a high note, including road wins over Riverton and Pleasant Plains. Hill said those wins helped give the team confidence last season and helped give the Pretzels a boost heading into this year.“We ended not quite the way we wanted to, but the last three games, our young guys really stepped to the table and started to turn our culture a little bit,” Hill said. “I think those same young guys went into the spring lifting season, and coming into the summer, they have done a good job at stepping into leadership roles and pushing our program in the direction we want to go.”
Hermes is expected to start at quarterback this season after taking some snaps last year. He completed 15-of-34 passing attempts for 157 yards last season while rushing for 61 yards on 27 “Hecarries.has really taken command of our team and is doing a good job,” Hill said.Senior ball carrier Kevin Howell leads all returners in rushing yards last season, carrying the ball 37 times for 235 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 14 receptions for 147 yards and oneFlynntouchdown.Tireyis New Berlin’s top returning receiver, making 30 catches for 468 yards and scoring two touchdowns last year. Lucas Bixby saw some time at quarterback and running back last season and is expected to make an impact again this season, along with newcomers Noah Lyons and Clark Nelson. On the other side of the ball, New Berlin returns many of its top tacklers from a season ago. Lyons led the team with 71 tackles and six sacks. Howell was right behind with 70 tackles, and he finished with a team-high three interceptions. Linebacker Thad Bergschneider returns for his senior season after making 52 tackles last year. Tirey finished with 50 tackles last year. Hill said the defense wasn’t as affected by the early season COVID issues.“Defense was probably our stronger side of the ball last year,” the coach said. “Our COVID-related outages didn’t necessarily hurt our defense because those guys weren’t defensive players. They were aggressive, downhill last year, and they are carrying that mentality over to this year, and hoping to improve on it — keep getting after the ball every single play and try to create chaos.”New Berlin will start the season with a favorable stretch for the opening five games. The Pretzels will travel to Auburn in Week 1 before hosting PORTA/A-C Central at home. The Pretzels play Pittsfield at home in Week 4 after traveling to Riverton the week before. All four teams finished under .500 last season. Conference newcomer Stanford Olympia hosts the Pretzels in Week 5. The Spartans finished 2-7 last season. The Pretzels’ golden chance is now. “I would like to see us be in every game competing,” Hill said. “I would like for it to come down to the fourth quarter every game. I think in the Sangamo, you hope you are within reach in the fourth quarter with every team you are playing. I would like to see our seniors grow leadership-wise and help to push our program in the direction we are wanting to move.”
Since Seth Hill took over as head coach of the New Berlin football team in 2018, the Pretzels have been on the cusp of being playoff eligible. Tough competition in the Sangamo Conference has kept New Berlin from reaching five wins over the past couple of seasons, but a late-season surge last year may be the spark the Pretzels need to get over the hump this year. Last season started rough with four straight losses with several key players out due to COVID restrictions.
Dennis Mathes/Journal-Courier
That win over Riverton in Week 7 was a key point in the Pretzels’ season. New Berlin trailed 12-6 at halftime before seniors Mason Oschwald and Troy Williams scored rushing touchdowns to turn the tide. The Pretzels went on to win After19-12.atough loss to state quarterfinalist Williamsville, New Berlin capped its season with a rivalry win at Pleasant Plains. The Pretzels trailed 18-12 at halftime, but then-junior Ben Hermes rushed for two touchdowns in the second half to spur the victory. Hill is happy with the way this team, led by nine seniors, has improved over the spring and summer.“Ithink they have done a good job at pushing the tempo for what our program is going to look like this year,” Hill said. “They have done a good job pushing attendance and driving practice for us — I think we have had a really good start to the first week here of August. They are developing the younger guys and really helping to push our team.”
A New Berlin ball carrier gets around the end during a recent practice.
Injuries plagued Routt last year. Linebacker Will Jackson broke his leg in Routt’s scrimmage game last season, and the Rockets never really recovered. Routt was counting on Jackson to be a key piece in the backfield as well last year. “We’re excited to have him back,” Creviston said.“He’s been working hard in the offseason, getting ready,” the coach said. “He really wants to have a stellar season.”
Nickname:ROUTT Rockets Head Coach: Barry Creviston Previous Record: 2-7 Aug 27 7:00p at Pleasant Hill Sep 3 1:00p Carrollton Sep 10 1:00p Beardstown Sep 16 7:00p at Mendon Sep 24 1:00p Camp Point Sep 30 7:00p at Brown County Oct 8 1:00p Triopia Oct 15 1:00p West Central Oct 21 7:30p Greenfield-NWat 12 • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • Jacksonville Journal-Courier
Expectations sky high for Rockets
It happens just about every year in high school football.Ifyou have an experienced offensive line, you have all new skill position players. If you return all your skill players, you’re dealing with a brand new line.Not at Routt. Not this season. The Rockets return 15 seniors, including a quarterback who has been starting for the past three years, a corps of tall, talented receivers, and the entire offensive line. If you think expectations are sky-high for Routt, you’d be right. The growing pains are over. Now it’s time to Routtfly.hasn’t seen a senior class this big since 2018.“There’s years when you can say we just don’t have any upperclassmen, but this year is different,” Routt coach Barry Creviston said. “We have good depth at the junior-senior level. I think we have about 16 juniors and seniors. So, to say we can get 16 guys on the field who have been playing for two years or three years, that’s a bonus. Everybody wants to be a senior-oriented team with experience.”Kohen
“We always had Gus as the middle-of-the-field guy, but Dax was our deep threat and then kind of our possession guy as well,” Creviston said. “For us to be successful this year, we really need to spread the ball around to everybody and make other teams’ defenses cover the whole field.”
By Dennis Mathes
S PORTS EDITOR
Photos by Dennis Mathes/Journal-Courier Routt's Dax Baptist catches a pass during the Rockets' scrimmage last Friday night.
Hoots has grown at the quarterback spot over the past three years, culminating in a Second Team All-WIVC selection last season. He finished the 2021 season with a combined 1,000 yards rushing and passing. “He’s been playing since he was a freshman, and we’re expecting big things out of him,” Creviston said. “We’re expecting big things out of all of them.”Routt lost receiver Gus Abell to graduation, but the rest of the Rockets’ receiving corps returns. And they’re good. “I think this is probably one of the more talented receiving corps I’ve ever had at Routt,” Creviston said. “Just across the board, we have all-conference Dax Baptist, who led the team in yards and receptions last year — I think he led the conference in both. We need to fill Gus Abell’s spot, but we get Ryan Oswald back. He had one catch, one touchdown for 50 yards last year, and broke his ankle going into the end zone against PHill. … He’s a big 6-6 target. Ethan Walker on the other side, he’s 6-4. Michael Wilson, he’s 6-4. Aiden Lahey. He is a small, shifty receiver, so we look for big things out of him, too. Carter Lightfoot could see some time at tight end. … Again, usually you have one big target. We have four very athletic, over 6-4 receivers. And then Dax, who is just a great route runner. So I’m very excited for them as a group.”Baptist had a special season last year, taking charge when Oswald was injured in the first game.
Routt has several options at running back. Besides Jackson, Geno Daniels and Charlie Allen could see time in the backfield. Hoots is always a threat to run as well. Injuries depleted the team’s offensive line last season as well. This year, all five return. “There was about a six- or seven-week stretch where I don’t think we had the same five guys in there at one time,” Creviston said. “We’ve gone injury free all summer, and we’ve had a core group of five guys Second-Teamagain.” AllWIVC right tackle Colton Decker leads the group, which also includes Eli Pine and Ky Gibson. The left side of the line is held down by Lutheran High’s Christian Lahniers and Eli Oldham. Creviston said the team as a whole is stronger; several players worked on farms over the summer — as it was in the old days. “Everybody has improved strength-wise,” the coach said. “If we can get those guys being five guys cohesive, working together as a unit, that’s going to make us special,” Creviston said. On defense, Decker, an all-conference selection at tackle, anchors the defensive line as well, along with Michael Wilson, who was named All-WIVC at defensive end/defensive tackle. “(Wilson) was probably one of our better defensive players last year,” Creviston said. “And then, to have Ryan Oswald and Michael Wilson at ends, and then Decker clogging up the middle with Will Jackson at mike linebacker … I mean, that’s a good starting point for our defense.”
Jace Lautemann and Charlie Allen could also see time at the position.Routt has other returning pieces on defense.
Jacksonville Journal-Courier • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • 13
“Nobody on this team has been to the playoffs,” Creviston said, “so I know that’s a goal.” Routt quarterback Kohen Hoots throws a pass during a recent practice.
The Rockets will be solid at defensive back, too, with Baptist and Kohen Hoots.
Routt is expecting the roster to top out at 40 — the most since 2018. With that many players, there are backups at almost every position — and, competition. “With numbers, you have competition. A lot of times, at smaller schools, it’s just like, oh, I’m a senior. I’m the starter,” Creviston said. “So I’d like to say that at least now they know there’s guys behind them that can play as well.”Routt will be playing all of its home games at the old MacMurray College football field this season. The schedule seems to favor a return to the postseason for the Rockets.
Trey Gause, who’s quick off the ball, played at defensive end last year. Adam Huffman played a lot of linebacker last season. Gavin Amdal also saw time at that position. Baptist and Oswald will be doing the kicking this season.Daniels, a senior from Lu-High, could be Routt’s secret weapon, potentially playing at running back and defensive back or outside linebacker. He’s one of the best athletes at Lutheran, so having him come out for football represents a big step forward for the young co-op. “He’s an athlete,” Creviston said. Seven Lu-High players — an all-time high — came out for the team this year. The coach hopes that trend continues.
“I think his field presence has just gotten better,” the coach said. “He did start one game as a freshman, and then he started every game there in the COVID season, the six games that we played there in the spring. And then he started all 10 games for us last year. He’s got plenty of experience, and he’s really becoming that field general.
With five starters coming back on offense, and six on defense, the West Central football team will rely heavily on its seniors this season. And one senior in particular: quarterback Tyson Brown.
Owen Barber, who played at guard last year, is getting a look at
Photos by Dennis Mathes/Journal-Courier
Two years ago, I don’t know that I would have said that about him. But really kind of excited about him. He’s kind of taken that leadership role on and has kind of progressed and taken some of these younger kids in — guys who are going to work for him, or with him for the future of the program.”Junior Chance Little returns after starting last year at fullback, as a sophomore. “Chance has grown some, so it’s nice to see some of that maturity coming out in him,” CoultasWestsaid.Central has other options in the backfield as well, including Mason Berry, who started in the playoff game when Ryan Moore was injured in Week 9. Junior Conner Turner is a track athlete with a lot of speed. “Not a very big young man, but strong for no bigger than he is,” the coach said. “We’re kind of looking for him to help carry some of the load this year.”
“We’re kind of laying everything on his shoulders,” West Central coach Matt Coultas said. “I told him earlier at camp, you’ve had the luxury of having some older kids ahead of you, but guess what? Now you’re the older one, and it’s your turn to lead this squad. So we’re going to rely pretty heavily on him to lead us thisUsedseason.”mostly as a distributor in the past, Brown could carry the ball a bit more this season. “He’s been a staple for us — a hard-working young man,” Coultas said. “It’s time that we gave him a little bit more to do, so we’re going to see how he handles it this year.
By Dennis Mathes
S PORTS EDITOR
A West Central ballcarrier takes the ball up the middle during a recent practice.
Tyson Brown gets his chance lead
WEST Nickname:CENTRALCougars Head Coach: Matt Coultas Previous Record: 6-4 Aug 26 7:00p Triopia Sep 2 7:00p at Beardstown Sep 9 7:00p at Calhoun Sep 16 7:00p at Pleasant Hill Sep 23 OctOctOctNorthSepGreenfield-NW7:00p307:00pGreene77:00pCarrollton151:00patRoutt217:00pMendon 14 • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • Jacksonville Journal-Courier
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Spencer returns at noseguard. “Not a very big kid, but he’s got a lot of potential to be one of the upper-end guys as far as the conference goes, in my opinion,” the coach said. “He just works hard, and he’s got a motor that don’tWestquit.”Central was looking for tackles early in pre-season practice. “Those spots are kind of open right now,” Coultas said. “We’ve kind of got a mixed bag of types and different athleticisms there. We’ve got some bigger kids that maybe aren’t quite as athletic, but then we’ve got some smaller kids who are super-athletic and quick. Given the right game plan, and given the right situation, any of those kids can be successful in what we’re trying to Westdo.”Central graduated both defensive ends.
Jacob Bangert, a junior, looked good there during camp, and so did sophomore Hayden Jefferson.
Tyson Brown, Mason Berry and Conner Turner all started last year at defensive back at one time or another, and they return.Coultas said this team will have plenty of speed and athleticism on defense. “Maybe not as experienced, and maybe not as big,” the coach said, “but we’re going to be athletic, we’re going to be aggressive.”Despite their inexperience, Coultas likes this team.“We’re going to be young, but I really like what we’ve got, and I think we’re going to be deeper than we have been the last two years, and the competition level is up for us,” the coach said. “You’ve got to realize these kids that are sophomores and juniors, they played every day against those kids who graduated last year, so you know they’re battle-tested, and they’re ready to go.”
KJ Spencer, who started at noseguard last year, also has been working at center to try to earn that spot. Sophomore Nolan Melanson has been working at guard. “He’s making some great gains and some progress,” Coultas said. “He’s another one of those kids who’s been in the weight room with us from November to the end of July, and he’s made some really good strength gains for Sophomoreus.”
“He kind of fits one of those specialty positions — athletic young man,” Coultas said. On defense, West Central returns both outside linebackers, Barber and Little. They started every game last year. “It’s nice to have that leadership back in there,” Coultas said. Replacing middle linebacker Lathan Barnett — some big shoes to fill there — will be Carson Brown. He played for one half at the position against GreenfieldNorthwestern last year and did a good job. “We’re looking for him to anchor the middle of that,” Coultas said. “With his experience from last year, I think he’s going to be just fine where he’s at.”
tailback, along with sophomore Hayden Jefferson. “(Jefferson has) made a lot of gains strength-wise and size-wise and just maturity-wise,” Coultas said. “So we’re kind of looking for him to be a part of that group.”Carson Brown returns at right guard. He played next to Jackson Ford last year as a freshman and started 10 games. “We’re going to rely on his experience to be able to share with everybody else, even though he is just a sophomore. But he definitely has enough experience under his belt to be able to lead that front end for us,” CoultasBesidessaid.Brown, West Central’s offensive line is a re-build. Except for center, the Cougars won’t be as big as they were last year on the line, but Coultas said this unit has speed and athleticism. “We lost both offensive tackles, and lost our center to graduation,” the coach said. “If we can get those three pieces kind of filled in, I think we’re going to be in pretty good shape.”Line candidates include senior Rylen Shaw. “He played on JV in the past, and he’s one that’s really kind of taken hold of wanting to earn one of those spots, so we’re really looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table his senior year,” CoultasJacksonsaid.Surratt, a junior from Bluffs, should also figure in. “He gave us a lot of good minutes in JV last year, played pretty hard-nosed for us,” the coach said. “He’s playing center, but we may look at him at a tackle.”
Jacksonville Journal-Courier • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • 15
West Central quarterback Tyson Brown throws a pass during a recent practice.
Hayden Jefferson has been working at tight end. Conner Turner will play at wide receiver. Coultas said the Cougars might use one of the backfield candidates at wide receiver or tight end as Westwell.Central has a couple of freshmen to watch, even though they might not be quite ready for prime time yet. One of them is Ryker Ford, Jackson Ford’s younger brother. He qualified for four events in the state track meet in junior high and earned a medal in all four.
The Pleasant Hill football team has struggled with numbers over the past couple of seasons. With a roster of only 21 players last season, some assistants were even used as members of the scout team.That is no longer the case for the Wolves, as the team has nearly doubled in size from last year. Head coach Mike Giles said this is one of the better turnouts he has seen now entering his 15th season at the helm in Pleasant Hill.
By Travis Zuellig
The Warriors played a tough schedule last season in the WIVC South, with all seven losses coming against future playoff teams. The wins came against Pleasant Hill and North Greene in early October.
“Last year, this team competed,” Elmore said. “We were in a lot of games at halftime, and the seniordominated teams we played last year would take over. But I think this team that we have coming up is confident in themselves, and I think they are ready to get out there and compete at a high level.”Calhoun returns many of the top performers from last season, including Lorton at quarterback. The thensophomore completed 21of-39 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 385 yards on 73 carries and five touchdowns in his first season as the starter. This will be Lorton’s eighth season running the Warrior offensive scheme, dating back to when he was playing at the youth level.
at
An increase in the number of players, and the return of the team’s top four rushing leaders from last season has the CalhounBrussels football team looking at a chance to return to the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. The Warriors’ roster increased to more than 40 players, and head coach Aaron Elmore thinks that will make a huge difference thisAseason.mongthose returning is junior quarterback Miles Lorton, who started behind center during his sophomore season. Seniors Hunter Roth and Chris Stanley saw the majority of the touches out of the backfield last season, and both are back as Calhoun looks to improve on five straight 2win seasons.
“We have probably the most kids we’ve had playing football in quite awhile due to an increased number of students in our school,” Elmore said. “It was an awesome summer. A lot of motivated kids to come out and have a great year. We have a lot of returners from the previous season, and we are looking forward to it.”
“This is one of the best summers we have had in a long time,” Giles said. “The weight room has been packed. I am going to have the best numbers I have had in probably 13 to 14 years, so we are really excited. “I have really been pleased with our positive attitude, and I think that is going to be huge for us. The kids have been gung-ho and have been super positive.” The Wolves had to deal with plenty of issues last season, with injuries and COVID restrictions. Three different quarterbacks took snaps. The main man behind center last season was Carter Dolbeare, who is back for his senior season. He completed 16-of-52 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown in seven games last year. He was Pleasant Hill’s leading rusher as well, racking up 408 yards on 90 carries and three touchdowns. Giles is expecting big things out of his senior quarterback. J.T. Walston, who suffered a knee injury during basketball season, has been cleared to play and will return for his senior season. The fullback ran for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 65 carries last year. Dae Corion Dolbeare, Thorne Holcomb and Brody Dolbeare all had carries out of the backfield last season.
“He knows how to read what we are trying to do, and he is a good leader. We are looking for him in the next couple of years to solidify our offense,” Elmore said.Lorton will have plenty of weapons around him. Seniors Roth and Stanley should see most of the carries, with sophomore Patrick Friedel and Conner Longnecker also seeing touches. Stanley led Calhoun in rushing last year with 481 yards and six touchdowns. Roth had 283 rushing yards on 55 carries. Longnecker had a productive freshman season, running the ball a team-high 79 times for 351 yards and two touchdowns.Ondefense, Augie Squier returns as a third-year starter at linebacker and an AllWIVC South performer. He returns as the leading tackler, making 87 tackles last season. Fellow linebacker Hunter Medling will be back after making 55 tackles a season ago. Roth is a threeyear starter at safety and made 69 tackles last year. Will Hurley will be another piece on the defensive line looking to make an impact. “The weight room has changed some bodies, and I think we are going to be able to be physical,” Elmore said.Calhoun will open the season on the road at Brown County before hosting back-to-back home games against Mendon Unity and West Central; all three were playoff teams. Elmore believes his team has the players to compete for a playoff spot this season.
Experienced Calhoun hoping for return to playoffs
F OR THE JOURNAL-COURIER PLEASANT HILL Nickname: Wolves Head Coach: Mike Giles Previous Record: 1-8 Aug 27 7:00p Routt Sep 2 7:00p at Camp Point Sep 9 7:00p at Carrollton Sep 16 7:00p West Central Sep 23 7:00p North Greene Sep 30 7:00p at Calhoun Oct 7 7:00p Greenfield-NW Oct 14 7:00p Triopia Oct 21 7:00p at Beardstown 16 • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • Jacksonville Journal-Courier
Pleasant Hill looking up as roster doubles in size
Beardstown Oct 21
Reese Thompson returns to anchor the offensive line at center in his senior year. Junior Gavin Crowder also will be on the offensive line and will hold down the defensive line as well. Walston, Dae Corion Dolbeare and Blane Miller are a few of the top tacklers returning this season, while sophomores Brody Dolbeare and Waylon White will step into starting roles on defense. The Wolves are expected to have eight seniors on the roster — far more than the five last year, and the lone senior during the 2021 spring season. Giles expects his team to improve over the course of the year, despite still having to rely on some underclassmen.“Ithinkwe will get better as the season goes,” the coach said. “We are still a little young but have a core of seniors. We will rely a lot on sophomores, but we will have some quality sophomores in there.”Last season’s lone victory came in Week 5 over North Greene. Walston scored twice on the ground in that game and Carter Dolbeare also scored a rushing touchdown.The Wolves will open the season by hosting Routt in Week 1, followed by trips to Camp Point Central and Carrollton, which each won Western Illinois Valley Conference division championships last season. “It is always our goal to be very competitive in our conference and make the playoffs. Anything is possible,” Giles said.
By Travis Zuellig 7:00p 7:00p Camp Point
F OR THE JOURNAL-COURIER Nickname:CALHOUN Warriors Head Coach: Aaron Elmore Previous Record: 2-7 Aug 26 7:00p at Brown County Sep 1 7:00p Mendon Sep 9 7:00p West Central Sep 16 7:30p SepGreenfield-NWat237:00pat Carrollton Sep 30 7:00p Pleasant Hill Oct 7 7:00p at North Greene Oct 14
F OR THE JOURNAL-COURIER PORTA/A-C CENTRAL Nickname: Bluejays Head Coach: Lonnie McAnally Previous Record: 0-9 Aug 26 7:00p Williamsville Sep 2 7:00p at New Berlin Sep 9 7:00p Maroa Forsyth Sep 16 7:00p at Pleasant Plains Sep 23 7:00p Auburn Sep 30 7:00p Athens Oct 7 7:00p at Riverton Oct 14 7:00p Pittsfield Oct 21 7:00p at Stanford Jacksonville Journal-Courier • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • 17
Junior Bryson Schachtsiek returns at quarterback after starting last season as a sophomore. Schachtsiek took over the role after senior Colby Flanders suffered a shoulder injury in practice last season. Also returning for the Bluejays in the backfield are juniors Hunter Stroupe and Gatlin Servis, who both saw time carrying the ball last season. Senior Declan Larakers missed last season with a knee injury and is also expected to get touches out of the backfield this season. McAnally said he has a good rotation of players to carry the Leadingball.the offensive line will be Trace Shaub.
The PORTA/A-C Central football team had to cancel three games at the beginning of last year because of COVID-19 protocols, paving the way to an 0-9 season.A major difference for the Bluejays this season will be the number of players in the program. They’ve added another 25 players to the roster. PORTA/A-C went from 44 players last season to 70 this season. Head coach Lonnie McAnally says he has more freshmen now than the total number of players in the program when he took over as head coach in Despite2019.the winless season, the Bluejays were competitive in games toward the end of the campaign, and McAnally hopes that momentum will propel the team forward at the start of this“Earlyseason.on, it was terrible. We had to forfeit games, and I didn’t want to do that,” McAnally said. “Missing guys and having to play underclassman was not what I wanted to do, so that was part of it. After getting away from that midseason, we finally caught our stride and did some really good things, which rolled up to this offseason and into this year as well.”
The Bluejays will return most of their key starters on offense, including senior fullback Cade Christison.
PUSH COMES TO SHOVE
It has been a tough couple of seasons for McAnally and the Bluejays. The team went 3-6 in the coach’s first season. PORTA/A-C lost all four games during the 2021 spring season before the rough campaign in the fall of 2021. After those three forfeits early in the season, and still missing players midway through the season, McAnally had to change course and adjust on the “Withfly.COVID and a few of key injuries, we had to switch our game plan about midseason,” the coach said. “We had to switch gears offensively and defensively to accommodate our needs. It was kind of a mess last year, to say the least.”
The senior captain was an All-Sangamo performer last season and is expected to lead this team at center. McAnally said Shaub helps hold everything together.
Bluejays add 25 players, set for special season By
Routt linemen work on technique at a recent practice. The Routt football team opens its season at Pleasant Hill this Saturday night.
PORTA/A-C begins its season by hosting Williamsville and Maroa Forsyth in the first few weeks, with a trip to New Berlin sandwiched in the middle. The schedule levels out with games against Pleasant Plains, Auburn, Riverton, Pittsfield and Stanford Olympia in five of the final six weeks. All five of those teams finished below .500 lastMcAnallyseason. said his goal is to win a football game for the first time since 2019, but beyond that, he thinks this team can compete for a playoff“Afterspot.those Williamsville and Maroa (Forsyth) games, we feel that our schedule looks pretty good for us. I don’t think our schedule could have shaken out better than this,” he said. “My goal is to win half of our games, if not more. I think a realistic goal for us is to be a 5-4 football team. And in the Sangamo Conference, being 5-4 is pretty special.” Travis Zuellig
DENNIS MATHES/JOURNAL-COURIER
Isaac Guinan also returns on the offensive line.“We are doing something right. We are not right where we want to be quite yet, but we are definitely on the right track,” McAnally said.
Pleasant Hill Oct 21 7:00p North Greene 18 • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • Jacksonville Journal-Courier
Routt Oct 14 7:00p
Camp Point Oct 8 1:00p
S PORTS EDITOR
Young ready for fresh start
A total of three starters are back: quarterback Jake Mueller; Evan Murphy, who started on defense last year; and Aiden Neathery, who started at offensive guard and defensive tackle. Neathery will be playing two new positions this season.The Trojans have seven seniors, including a newcomer who hasn’t played football before, along with big sophomore and freshman classes. “My sophomores are going to be OK at the varsity level,” Brockhouse said. “They’ll be manageable. They’re going to Ascompete.”Triopia builds toward the future, Brockhouse has some quality student-athletes to work with. Mueller is a fourth-year starter at quarterback, starting at the position since Week 8 of his freshman year. Triopia will be inexperienced at running back. Track star Will Bateman, a senior, will get his chance in the backfield this year. “William has done a great job on the JV level,” Brockhouse said. “He has just not seen that varsity speed yet, that varsity contact. He’s
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Triopia might have had the best 4-5 team in the history of football last season. But that was little consolation to players and coaches who had to endure a series of truly soul-crushing losses.“We had all expectations to have a playoff game, and we just did not get to that point, and it was upsetting for myself, and not only myself, but the seniors who put in four years’ worth of work,” Triopia coach Adam Brockhouse said. It was Heartbreak City from the start for the Trojans, who lost four of their first five games last year by razor-thin margins. The Trojans fell to West Central (8-6), Brown County (14-9), Beardstown (28-27, in overtime), and Mendon Unity (14-13).“We had every hope and dream to be in the postseason, and then we lose four games by a combined (nine) points,” Brockhouse said. “It leaves a really bad taste in your mouth. We were in those four games – I believe we were a combined 13 yards away from the end zone in all four of them, so it’s not like we had to drive the field 80 yards. We were inside the 10 three out of the four games. It was just one of those years. We just couldn’t finish it off, and … welcome to high school athletics.”This is a brand new season, but unfortunately for Triopia, the Trojans lost a lot of varsity level experience from last year, including seven key seniors. Triopia graduated more than 90 percent of all the tackles made last season. “We’ve got a lot of holes to fill,” Brockhouse said. “We had a very good offseason,” the coach said. “I can’t say enough for how many kids showed up, day in and day out, and they worked their backsides off. We’re going to be very young this year.” Triopia went back to basics in camp. “Last year my interior three were upperclassmen, so I really didn’t have to worry about my offensive line calls against defenses,” Brockhouse said. “Now this year, my interior three have never seen a varsity football field. So, I’m trying to teach them the little things to try to help us be successful on Fridays.”
Trojans
Photos by Dennis Mathes/Journal-Courier
By Dennis Mathes
A Triopia player eludes a tackle during a recent practice. at at at at
Nickname:TRIOPIA Trojans Head Coach: Adam Brockhouse Previous Record: 4-5 Aug 26 7:00p at West Central Sep 2 SepGreenfield-NW7:00p97:00pBrown County Sep 15 7:00p
Triopia players work on a receiving drill during a recent practice.
“My interior three, even though they’re young and they’re small, they’re smart,” Brockhouse said. “That’s probably one of the smarter interior threes I’ve had in a long time. They do pick up on stuff quick.” Right now, it’s a matter of size, and strength. Brockhouse said they’ll need more time in the weight room, but they could form the foundation for an outstanding offensive line in the near future. With 45 players on the roster, Triopia hopes to limit the number of twoway players this year. Jack Cox should figure in at defensive tackle, with George Gallegos most likely starting at nose tackle. Sophomore Joseph Lacy will figure in somewhere on the line. Cooper Pahlmann and Ian Kessler also will be in the mix for the defensive line rotation, with Beck and Hildebrand at tight end. Evan Murphy, Caleb Carpenter, Evan Bell and Brandon Bottens are all options at linebacker. Triopia has been experimenting a bit at defensive back. Brock York, Jake Mueller, Will Bateman and Aiden Neathery are all in that conversation.
fast as “Hopefully,lightning.he kind of shines a little bit,” the coach said.Sophomore Brock York could also contribute in the backfield, along with Evan Bell, sophomore Caleb Carpenter and senior Evan Murphy, who should be a solid replacement for Caden Moore. “He looks good,” Brockhouse said. “He’s put his time in, in the weight room. He’s kind of hungry to get back out on the football field. So, I’m excited to see him.” Senior Aiden Neathery, who played at tight end last year, took some reps in the backfield at camp this summer. “He’s an athlete, so we don’t know what we’re going to do with him,” Brockhouse said. “He could be a tight end, he could be a running back … he actually played offensive guard for me last year. Aiden will play where we need him to play.”Some running back candidates could be moved to receiver. “Brock York is very fast, he’s very elusive,” the coach said. “He’s a kid that we want to get in space.” Neathery also could be in the mix there, along with KJ Beck, a natural fit at tight end. “He’s just so big and strong – he’s 6-6 or 6-7 and about 215, 220,” Brockhouse said. Brady Hildebrand, a good blocker with good quickness, will also play at tight end. Triopia will be young on the offensive line. Sophomore Ticen Crawford is expected to play at center. “He’s going to be a very nice ballplayer. … Great athlete,” Brockhouse said. “He’s smart as all get-out. It’s just trying to get him over that sophomore hump.”
Jacksonville Journal-Courier • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • 19
How do you speed up the learning curve for a young team? Brockhouse has a plan. Triopia watched film two days a week last year. This season, the players will be watching film every day. Practice, which had been capped at an hour and 45 minutes last season, this year will be two hours and 15 minutes, with the first 30 minutes of every practice devoted to film. “We’ll watch the previous day before we walk out onto the field just so we kind of visualize it, see it,” Brockhouse said. “So we’re going to spend more time actually watching film, watching practices this year than we used to. “We’re hoping that helps.”With some good athletes, but not a lot of experience, finding the right pieces for the right spots will be a little like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. “We have potential,” Brockhouse said. “We’ve just got to get past some growing pains.”
Others who could figure in include sophomore Jaxon Dion at right guard; senior Brandon Bottens, fighting for a spot at left guard (he played tight end on the varsity team last year); Ian Kessler at right tackle (he split time with Beck on varsity last year); and junior Cooper Pohlman at left tackle. No positions were set early in preseason practice.
The brookourplayprovingpastthetobrookreturningseniorsplayoffforsamethisondintolastfirst-roundThepostseasonseasonnotbrooksonsinplayoffs,haswesternGreenfield-North-footballteamahabitofmakingtheseeingWeek10sevenoftheninesea-headcoachJoePem-hasbeenincharge,countingthespringin2021,whenthewascanceled.Tigerswontheirplayoffgameseasonbeforefallingarch-rivalCarrolltonaclosegameinthesec-round.TheexpectationsforseasonremaintheastheTigerslookafourthconsecutiveberth.Withnineandahandfulofstarters,Pem-expectshisplayersbuildoffthesuccessteamhashadoverthefewyears.“Thegoalistokeepim-andhopefullytothemaximumofpotential,”Pem-said.“Ifwedothat, the wins and losses will take care of themselves, and potentially, we will be looking at a postseason berth. That is always the long-term goal. We know we have to win a handful of games to do that.”Along with Carrollton in the WIVC South, Young Tigers ready to earn their stripes By Travis Zuellig F OR THE JOURNAL-COURIER Dennis Mathes/Journal-Courier/ A Greenfield-Northwestern ball carrier follows a block during a recent practice. Nickname:GREENFIELD-NW Tigers Head Coach: Joe Pembrook Previous Record: 8-3 Aug 26 7:30p Beardstown Sep 2 7:00p at Triopia Sep 9 7:30p at North Greene Sep 16 7:30p Calhoun Sep 23 7:00p at West Central Sep 30 7:30p Carrollton Oct 7 7:00p at Pleasant Hill Oct 14 7:00p at Brown County Oct 21 7:30p Routt 20 • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • Jacksonville Journal-Courier
ernGreenfield-Northwest-hasbeenaconsistentplayoffteamsincetheturnofthecentury,earn-ing15playoffappearanc-esinthatspan.Afterastringoffirst-roundloss-es,theTigershaveearnedwinsinthefirstroundofthepostseasonthepasttwoyears,beat-ingBrownCountyin2019andearninga30-6triumphoverSaltForkinWeek10lastyear.Thisyear’sgrouphasbeensuccessfulatthefreshmanandjuniorvarsitylevels.Pembrooksaidhewantstoseehisplayerscontinuetobecompetitiveagainthisseason.“Wehavehadsomegreatsuccessatthelowerlevelsthelastfewyears,andtheguyshavelearnedthesystemandgottenmorecomfortable.NowitistheirturntostepuponFridaynightsandreallytakeoveratthevarsitylevel,”hesaid.TheTigeroffensewillbemulti-dimensionalthisseason,usingalotofdifferentformations.WithBradyPembrookgraduatinglastspring,hisyoungerbrotherDy-lancouldmovefromwidereceivertoquarter-backforhisjuniorsea-son.Lastyear,DylanPembrookledGreen-field-Northwesternwith42catchesfor586yardsandfivetouchdowns.Greenfield-NWwillhavetoadjusttothegraduationdeparturesofSamWalkerandDrakeStuart,whocombinedforover60percentoftheteam’scarriesoutofthebackfieldlastseason.Se-niorBrettBilbruckandjuniorsColtonKnappandKohenVetterwillbeexpectedtostepintothoseroles.Bilbruckcar-riedtheball61timesfor413yardsandeighttouchdownslastseason,andCoachPembrooksaidtheseniorwillhelpleadtheTigeroffense.“Heisgoingtobeone of our strongest players, and he will be relied upon for leadership and be able to carry us in moments,” Pembrook said. At wide receiver, a handful of players are ready to jump in. Vetter leads all returning receivers with eight catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns.
Jacksonville Journal-Courier • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • 21
Senior Gavin Rynders, junior Nathan Nord and sophomores Garrett Costello and Caleb Albracht are all in the mix.
Greenfield-Northwestern's quarterback fakes a handoff during a recent practice.
Conner McEvers returns to lead the offensive line for his senior season.“We hope to be quick and athletic, especially out on the edges,” Pembrook said. “We think we have some good athleticism there. Hopefully, we will be able to get our guys on both sides of the line to catch up with that, and we will a formidable opponent for everyone thisThefall.”Tigers will host Beardstown in Week 1 before traveling to Triopia hoping for some payback. The Trojans, who finished 4-5 last year, beat Carrolltongame.fourdowningwesternGreenfield-North-inWeek2,scor-ona95-yardtouch-passwithlessthanminutesleftintheTheTigershostinWeek6.
“He’s a great athlete,” Flowers said. “He’s a great kid — another high-character kid. He’s got really good hands. He can jump. And he’s tough. So, we feel like if we can get him the ball, he can do some good things.”Therest of the receiving corps will be inexperienced, but with loads of potential. From five to seven student-athletes could contribute. “We’re mixing in some unproven juniors out there at some of our receivers, and a few unproven sophomores. … Their work ethic’s there, their attendance is there, their attitude’s there,” Flowers said.
“Very high expectations for those five seniors, three of whom played a lot last year — either started both ways, or on one side of the ball or the other,” Flowers said.
Photos by Dennis Mathes/Journal-Courier
“We’ve got a saying around here,” Carrollton first-year head coach Rodney Flowers said, “and that’s tradition never graduates, and reloading and not rebuilding. So that’s who we are, and that’s what we’re going to keepFlowers,doing.”a longtime assistant coach with the Hawks, was nearly passed over for the head coaching job when his brother Nick retired from coaching and teaching. The superintendent had hoped to hire a coach who could also fill Nick Flowers’ teaching position. But after some school board drama, and protests by parents and fans, Flowers got the job. Flowers will have only three returning starters in his first year ever as a head coach. Carrollton has 32 players, with five seniors, eight juniors, 11 sophomores, and eight incoming freshmen.
tertophe’sourmasteringgoodthat.team,“We’resaid.athrow-to-runandheunderstandsAndhe’sbeengoingajobat7-on-7s,kindoftheconceptsofspreadsystem.Andalsoaphysicalkid,onofhe’sahigh-charac-kid,andhe’sa straight-A student. That’s what we look for in our quarterback, is a wellrounded young man, and he’s fulfilling that right now.”Even with a young squad, Flowers is sticking with the spread offense. “These kids have been running this system in the JFL level since fifth grade, and by the time we get them, they’re fundamentally ready to go,” he said.
A Carrollton receiver turns the corner as the Hawks run a play during a recent practice. Rodney
“We actually had a good showing at 7-on-7 in Jacksonville, and at that point, I came home and was more optimistic than in past years, believe it or not,” the coach said. “We definitely saw development increases over the summer.”Sophomore Lucas Howard is a receiver to watch. But Flowers said Dennis Mathes
Nickname:CARROLLTONHawks Head Coach:
S PORTS EDITOR
“We believe the experience they’ve had, with two quarterfinal showings in ’18 and ’19, and then the state runner-up year, that’s really unmeasurable experience,” Flowers said. “And those three kids know the expectations, and they know how to lead this team. So, we’re excited to have them in leadership roles.”
Flowers said Carrollton had a great summer. “We’ve got really positive attitudes with all of them, and we’ve had good attendance,” the coach said. A couple of players worked out at quarterback this summer, but sophomore Grant Cox took most of the snaps. “He’s a threesport athlete at Carrollton, and he’s really starting to show some maturity here as we’re getting into the late summer months,”
Flowers’ nephew, Boden Flowers, at wide receiver.
“We’ve added a lot of terminology and tweaked a few concepts, but we still believe that spread is a point of difference in the conference, and we believe it’s a point of difference in the playoffs. It’s really been key to our playoff success, and our two state runner-up runs over the last seven years.”
Flowers
Carrollton starts over with new coach By
Carrollton returns
After a run to the state championship game last November and a tumultuous offseason, the Carrollton football team is ready to get back on the field and give it another shot.
Those three are Willie Gilmore, Boden Flowers and Matt Beiermann — three First Team AllWIVC selections who give the Hawks a solid nucleus.
Flowers Previous Record: 11-1 Aug 26 7:00p Camp Point Sep 3 1:00p at Routt Sep 9 7:00p Pleasant Hill Sep 16 7:00p North Greene Sep 23 7:00p Calhoun Sep 30 7:30p BrownOctOctWestOctGreenfield-NWat77:00patCentral147:00patMendon207:00pCounty 22 • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • Jacksonville Journal-Courier
The team performed better than expected at 7on-7s early in the summer.
The Hawks graduated running back Harley Angel after a record-setting season last year. Carrollton has been experimenting in the backfield. Seniors who were all-conference linemen have been lining up in skill positions. “You might see a Willie Gilmore at one of our ace backs or one of our flex backs,” Flowers said. “You might see Matt Beiermann at a tight end or a flex back. They’re big, strong athletes, and we believe that’s what you need to have to be able to run the ball in the WIVC, and set the edge. And that’s what we want to Seniordo.”Tyler Singleton should be in the mix as running back/ receiver. He’s had a good summer. “He’s done well for us on special teams, and he’s just been in the shadows of that big senior group we had last year. … He’s a great young kid,” Flowers said. QB Grant Cox, too, will be a threat to run in the Hawks’ spread.Gilmore and Beiermann return on the line, but the Hawks are young or inexperienced at the other spots. Senior Mason Baumgartner should figure in. “We have probably more size up front than we’ve had in a long time,” Flowers said. “We’ve just got to get them in shape, and that’s what it’s all about that first couple of games in the season. So, a lot of juniors sprinkled in with a few sophomores there on that offensive line.”
they all understand the concepts, they’re good perimeter blockers and they have good hands. “I like our depth at the receiver level,” the coach said.
On defense, Gilmore figures to play at one defensive end, with sophomore Eli Flowers, the coach’s nephew, at the other. Beiermann is expected to play at outside linebacker. Preston Harrelson, a returning junior who played a big role on special teams last year, will play at middle linebacker this season. Boden Flowers returns as an allconference safety. “We’ve got some returning starters from a great defense last year,” the coach said. “Again, we’re going to be young, but very aggressive defensively.”Carrollton has anywhere from seven to nine juniors and sophomores vying for time at defensive back. “We’ve got a lot to choose from there,” the coach said.After 27 years as an assistant — from Illinois College, to Carrollton, to Jacksonville, then back to Carrollton — Flowers said he’s enjoying his new role as head coach. “It’s been a fun summer,” he said. “I don’t like all the administrative stuff that comes along with it, but again, it’s not a big deal. And I’m very blessed with just a tremendous, experienced coaching staff, and I’m really excited about that.”
“Nick and I talk a lot,” Flowers said. “He’s not going to play a role on the staff, but Nick and I talk all the time. We’re good friends — obviously, we’re brothers. We’re good friends, and what he’s done in these 17 years since he’s been coaching is tremendous for himself, for the school district and for the community. I always know he’s a phone call away. I call him my consultant, so he’ll definitely be consulting me and our staff. And we’re going to miss him.” But football, Flowers said, isn’t about the coaches. It’s the players, and they can make the season anything they want it to be New Carrollton head football coach Rodney Flowers talks to former Hawk QB Hunter Flowers at a recent practice.
Jacksonville Journal-Courier • Thursday, August 25, 2022 • 23
Nick Flowers has completely stepped away from coaching, but he’s been there when his brother has needed him.
