Erie-Prophetstown

Speed, line depth strengths for E-P

By DAN WUSSOW

dwussow@shawmedia.com

PROPHETSTOWN – With an 8-3 season and 56-20 win over Clifton Central in the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs in 2021, the bar was raised for Erie-Prophetstown football.

With 17 seniors moving on and all but two of last year’s starters with that class, the Panthers will be considerably younger and less experienced this year.

Without the varsity game experience of last year’s team, Erie-Prophetstown is anticipating some growing pains early on. But as the season goes along, the Panthers are confident everyone will get on the same page and the team will start clicking.

“It’s been a learning curve. Just looking at where we were last year compared to this year, we’re not quite as far ahead, and that’s going to come with the lack of experience, just game experience,” coach Jesse Abbott said. “They are a confident group, they are ready to learn, but we’ve gotta maybe work through some things a little bit more than we did and just make sure we have all the details right. And they’re willing to learn them, and they’re willing to get the details right. And so we’ll sacrifice a little pace to get things right, for sure.”

Senior wide receiver/outside linebacker Hunter Bruketta and senior quarterback Jack Minssen expect their younger teammates to acclimate as the season progresses.

“I feel like right now, we’re kind of struggling in practice to just come together, but I feel like as Week 1 comes around, Meet the Panthers, we’ll just become a lot better and get ready for the year,” Bruketta said.

“I think a lot of our younger kids haven’t played a lot, they haven’t started varsity, but I know they’ve all watched all these [past varsity] kids and gotten a ton of reps. And I thinking watching these older kids on the varsity level last year really got them in a good spot and ready for their first year.”

“Just improve every game we’ve got, every opportunity we’ve got. Go out there, and I expect by the end of the year, we’ll be looking in pretty good shape,” Minssen said. “Just sticking together as a team throughout the ups and downs. There’s a lot of ups and downs in the game, and we’ve gotta to stick together through the hard parts and pull all together.”

Minssen, who started at defensive back last year, steps into the sizable shoes of IHSFCA first-team All-State quarterback Kolby Franks, who graduated this spring. Other seniors slated to lead this year’s team are running back Jase Grunder and two-way lineman Clay Hockaday.

In a survey of perceived team strengths going into the year, speed and intelligence were a repeat answer.

“I think we’ve got pretty good speed all across the board. Pretty good smarts for the game, too,” Minssen said.

SVM file photo by Troy Taylor – ttaylor@shawmedia.com Erie-Prophetstown’s Mason Misfeldt (15) congratulates Nick Ballard (75) after Ballard made a tackle during last year’s first-round playoff game against Clifton Central. Misfeldt and Ballard are among the 17 departed seniors who left some big shoes to fill.

Roster

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos.

1 Franky Bushaw 6-0 180 Jr. WR/LB 2 Tyler Ballard 5-9 140 Sr. RB/DB 4 Jack Minssen 5-11 155 Sr. QB/DB 5 Demetree Larsen 5-10 180 So. RB/LB 6 Justus Hough 5-10 170 Jr. RB/DB 7 Shawn Cannavo 5-10 145 Jr. WR/DB 8 Luke Otten 6-0 205 Jr. TE/LB 10 Jeremiah Kochevar 5-8 140 Jr. QB/DB 18 Hunter Bruketta 6-3 180 Sr. WR/LB 20 Matt VanOosten 5-10 160 Jr. WR/DB 22 Sebastian Deberry 5-9 160 Jr. WR/DB 23 Trevor Dennison 5-10 135 Sr. WR/LB 25 Hayden Sumner 5-11 155 Sr. WR/DB 31 Jase Grunder 5-9 165 Sr. RB/DB 50 Michael Collins 6-3 190 Sr. OL/DL 51 Bryce Folsom 6-4 205 Jr. OL/DL 52 Amen Barron 5-8 210 So. OL/LB 54 Shawn Chandler 5-10 245 Sr. OL/DL 65 Afton Eyrich 6-2 285 Jr. OL/DL 67 Carl Sonnenburg 6-0 270 Sr. OL/DL 70 Zeb Wickes 6-1 160 Jr. OL/DL 71 Nate Packer 5-7 210 Jr. OL/DL 72 Clay Hockaday 6-2 310 Sr. OL/DL 74 Clayton Gerlach 5-10 190 Jr. OL/DL 75 Jaiden Orr 6-2 250 Jr. OL/DL 80 Caleb Naftzger 6-4 200 Sr. TE/DE

Schedule

Game time Opponent

Fri., Aug. 26, 7 Mendota Fri., Sept. 2, 7 at St. Bede Sat., Sept. 10, 1 Sherrard Fri., Sept. 16, 7 at Rockridge Fri., Sept. 23, 7 Orion Sat., Oct. 1, 1 Harvard Fri, Oct. 7, 7 Bureau Valley Fri., Oct. 14, 7 Monmouth-Roseville Fri., Oct. 21, 7 at Morrison

GOOD LUCK

Area Teams

Have agreat season!

GOODLUCK TEAMS!

Good Luck To All Area Teams!