Moberly spartans

The Moberly Spartans finished the 2022 season with a 5-6 record, landing them at third place in the North Central Missouri Conference. They salvaged last season by winning a district game and playing into week 11. For a program that has seen several exceptional seasons, two straight losing seasons doesn’t sit well. Head Coach Cody McDowell, entering his ninth season with Moberly, will look to alter this trend in the 2023 season and he has just the team to do that. The Spartans return valuable experience, but the true hope lies in a dense group of newcomers. With a mindset that centers around a balanced, aggressive attack, Moberly aims to reclaim their spot at the top of the conference.

Entering the new season, Moberly has 26 returning lettermen, including eight returning starters on offense. A big advantage for the Spartans is an experienced offensive line. They bring back their entire starting offensive line in 2023; this includes senior OL Gage Fallow (5’10, 195), senior OL Zach Cox (6’3, 220), junior OL Devin Snow (6’3, 280), junior OL Isaac Stoneking (6’0, 215) and junior OL Case Thompson (6’1, 190). Thompson and Stoneking were both part-time starters last season. The Spartans also have several newcomers who will compete for playing time on the offensive line, including junior OL Brady Riley (5’10, 215), senior OL Colten Gerry and junior OL Rhett Wilborn. Coach McDowell said that the team takes pride in their running game, so players up-front

Class: 3 or 4

Conference: North Central Missouri

Head Coach: Cody McDowell

Years at School: 8

Record at School: 48-40

Overall Record: 76-56

Offensive Starters Returning: 8

Defensive Starters Returning: 8

Total Returning Lettermen: 26

2022 Overall Record: 5-6 will need to gel quickly to put ball carriers in good positions. In the backfield, Moberly sees the return of three starting backs: senior RB Gage St. Clair (5’9, 140), junior RB Luke McCormick (5’10, 170) and sophomore RB Ka’Von Tiger (5’10, 190). Four newcomers will compete for time in the backfield: senior RB Chris Alexander (5’7, 155) and junior RBs Mason Tayler (5’7, 170), Carter Grant (5’9, 180) and Carter Baughman (Baughman also lines up as a receiver). Moberly sees no returners in its receiving corps, but starting TE Gabe Flood (6’3, 195) does return for his senior season. Newcomer TE Jordan Lindsay will likely see playing time this season as well. The Spartans’ passing game will largely be composed of newcomers, including junior QB Jackson Engel (5’8, 140) and three new wide receivers: senior WRs Micah Land and Austen James, as well as junior WR Cade Bohm. Coach McDowell is excited about his offense headed into the season and said there will be plenty of opportunities for players both new and experienced. Moberly’s offense, though heavy on the run game, remained balanced throughout 2022. They averaged 21 points per game, with 150 rushing yards and 125 passing yards per game. Last season was close to being very different since they suffered a few tight losses that would have been a huge boost heading into Districts. The offense will likely lean upon its experienced players early on, particularly behind its five returning starters on the offensive line. But look for the Spartans to increase their aggressiveness as newcomers continue to develop.

On the other side of the ball, Moberly’s defense also brings back eight starters. The Spartans are particularly experienced in the secondary, with four starters returning in 2023. These include senior DB Nick Kessler (5’7, 130), senior DB Tyler James (5’10, 130), junior DB Josiah Owen (5’10, 175) and sophomore DB Kyler Fanning (6’0, 175). These four returners will be key in establishing an aggressive defense that forces mistakes for opposing offenses. They will be joined by two newcomers: senior DB Tyler Crouse and sophomore DB Max Richardson. On the defensive line, Moberly returns two starters: DL Donavyn Courtney (5’11, 210) and DL Zach Baker (5’8, 200); both enter their senior season in 2023. Junior DL Carter Wood joins them up front. Their extensive list of newcomers provides both great opportunities and great challenges for the defense, “how well [newcomers] gel and play together will determine how successful we are on defense,” McDowell said. McDowell added that, like the offensive side, opportunities will be plentiful for his players. The Spartans also see the return of two senior linebackers: LB Gabe Flood and LB Carter Smith (5’8, 185). They add five newcomers to their linebacker corps in 2023. These include senior LB Weston Hurt and junior LBs Kemper Powell, Landon Morris, Brooks Head and Dyllan Johnston.

The Spartans’ defense allowed 28 points per game last season, with 187 rushing yards and 162 passing yards allowed per game. Coach McDowell said to expect the defense to run multiple formations this season. In 2022, Moberly was able to best opponents with the help of a high-powered offense. But the Spartans defense will need to make things harder for opposing offenses if they hope to reclaim their spot among the best in the conference. McDowell notes that the team is on the right track, “We rotated a lot of kids at different positions, so game experience and depth is something we should be able to hang our hat on,” he said.

Moberly is a team that has become accustomed to winning. With the team focused on winning those close games, coach McDowell and the Spartans are eager to turn things around. They boast a solid group of experienced starters and an abundance of newcomers in 2023. Their season begins on August 25 against Smith-Cotton. Moberly has the pieces in place and experience to reestablish themselves as one of the best teams in a tough North Central Missouri Conference.