Pacific indians

In the 2022 season, the Pacific Indians finished with a disappointing 1-9 record – their sole win coming nine weeks into the season. Pacific Head Coach Paul Day seeks to develop a team of young players in an attempt to get the team back on track. In his third year in the role, Day saw his team fall just one spot shy of last in the Four Rivers Conference. With a solid quantity of returning players, Pacific will look to grow far beyond their past season. Out of a group of 27 returning lettermen, Pacific returns seven offensive starters in 2023. One of the biggest reasons for the team’s struggles last year was the loss of QB Luke Meyer early in the season. Meyer (6’1, 217), will return for his senior season and Coach Day will move him around the field to utilize his athletic ability. Sophomore QB Seth Stack (6’3, 215) enters his sophomore season, after stepping in when Meyer went down. He looks to lead an offense that struggled to move the ball last season. In 2022, Stack did most of his damage on the ground, racking up five rushing TDs and 369 rushing yards. He finished with three passing TDs, along with 7 interceptions, a turnover rate that he and Coach Day will seek to minimize. The Indians also see the return of sophomore RB Colton Kossuth (5’9, 165).

Kossuth had an impressive 1,000-yard season in 2022, along with six rushing touchdowns and an additional receiving touchdown. Pacific will need its young players like Kossuth to bring some offensive firepower if they hope to improve upon their past season. On the offensive line, senior OT Nathaniel Knaff (6’4, 255) and junior OT Aiden Dickey (6’1, 260) will return to the starting lineup. Knaff earned first-team AllConference and All-District honors in 2022; Coach Day also noted Dickey’s strong sophomore season. Pacific will also return key skill players, with junior WR Jaden Thomas (5’9, 150) and junior slot WR Jason Kossuth (5’9, 180). Thomas recorded 250 receiving yards on 20 catches in the 2022 season, while Kossuth will aim to bounce back after going down with injury in week two of the season. The Pacific offense undoubtedly struggled in 2022, as they were held under 20 points in eight of their ten games. The team averaged 14 points per game, recording 179 rushing yards per game and 106 passing yards per game. With a mix of young, developing players and a handful of injuries, the offense suffered in 2022 but has much room to grow. “We should have more experience coming back,” Day said. “The guys had a great offseason.” Despite a disappointing record, Day said the team made great strides throughout the season and will continue to develop its young players.

On the defensive side, Pacific will return six starters from this past season. Two of the returning starters include senior LBs Luke Meyer and Arion Echols (6’2, 215). Echols had a strong 2022 season, as he recorded 53 tackles and one fumble return. Meyer, who started his freshman and sophomore season, will be welcomed back after missing most of 2022. The team will need his playmaking ability to help contain offenses better than they did last season. Additionally, Pacific sees the return of junior SS Jason Kossuth and junior FS Jadon Thomas. Kossuth, who got injured in week 2, registered 19 tackles (14 solo) and one tackle for loss. Thomas had a strong season, registering 54 tackles and a tackle for loss, which earned him second-team All-District honors. On the defensive line, DE Nathaniel Knaff returns for his senior season, along with senior DT Raidon Fowler (5’8, 230). Both players add valuable experience to a defense looking to put more pres- sure on offenses this season. In 2022, Knaff registered 53 tackles, 7 tackles for loss and 3 sacks; Fowler registered 46 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. Both will seek to disrupt even more in the upcoming season.

Though Pacific saw struggles from its offense in 2022, it is the defense that will truly need to sharpen in the upcoming season. The defense allowed a staggering 38.3 points per game in 2022, including four games where opponents scored over 50. With key returning starters, Coach Day and the Pacific team have worked hard so that those totals won’t be repeated.

The team failed to win on the road in

2022 and suffered their worst loss to Rockwood Summit in their final game. Pacific will need to sharpen on both sides of the ball if they hope to improve upon their disappointing season. Their schedule is frontloaded with quality opponents beginning with a road game against St. Francis Borgia, a team that shut them out in week one of last year. Pacific will seek to improve with its young core and show their toughness against conference competition as they ready themselves for a late season and District push.