MSL-BUCKEYE
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Continued from page 69
“Dalton handled the offensive tran-
sition very well,” Hinton said.
Other skill players who look to make
big contributions include Judd Ellinger
at tight end and Josh Mathes and Tay-
lor Griebel at wide receiver.
Senior center and third-year starter
Cory Tedrow will anchor the line, but
other players will need to fill out the
rest. Ray Spence played some on the
line last year and likely will see more
time this fall.
One the defensive side Amanda-
Clearcreek returns most of its backs,
but will need players to fill in the front
seven. Ellinger plays outside linebacker
and was one of the team’s leading tack-
lers last season. Mathes and Griebel
also play in the secondary.
BLOOM-CARROLL
When Burkhardt arrived at Bloom-
Carroll, everything changed.
Bloom-Carroll had operated out of
a shotgun spread formation, throwing
the ball nearly every play. With
Burkhardt in control, the offense under-
went a major renovation.
“We run the football,” said
Burkhardt, whose team will open Fri-
day at Liberty Union. “Everything is
new to them.”
Using the passing attack, Bloom-
Carroll struggled last season, finish-
ing 3-7 overall. Burkhardt brings his
running offense from Fisher Catholic,
where he made the Division VI play-
offs all four years as a coach.
The change most will affect senior
quarterback Ryan Hughes (6-foot-4,
210 pounds), who collected big stats
and statewide recognition under the
spread offense. Hughes has started
since his sophomore year and thrown
for more than 2,500 years each of the
last two seasons.
Burkhardt said he likes to run boot-
leg passes, so Hughes will carry the
ball more and develop his abilities out-
side the pocket.
“He was the first guy that has been
on board with the (new offense),”
Burkhardt said. “He has been great
Central Ohio High School Football Preview ’07 • August 22, 2007
and I love his abilities at quarterback.”
Now with the team running between
60-70 percent of the time, the running
backs will have a chance to get car-
ries. Joining Burkhardt from Bloom-
Carroll are his twin sons. Ryan
Burkhardt (5-7, 145) played quarter-
back at Fisher Catholic and led his
team to a 10-2 record last year, but
with Hughes at the position Ryan will
move to fullback.
John Burkhardt will play the wing-
back position along with Aaron Dani-
son (5-10, 142) and freshman Doc
Kilby (5-11, 168)
Other players who likely will get
time in the backfield include Woody
Schmitz, Pat Cunningham (5-9, 162)
and Alex Grover (6-0, 172).
During the early part of practice,
the offensive linemen have developed
a previously foreign technique: run
blocking. With the spread offense, the
line focused on pass blocking, but now
it will have to create holes for the run-
ning backs.
Another strength for Bloom-Car-
72 roll is senior kicker Nick Blevins (5-
8, 164). Burkhardt considers Blevins
one of the top kickers in central Ohio.
CIRCLEVILLE
In past years, Circleville has beaten
opponents with its size, overpower-
ing teams and pounding the ball on
the ground. The Tigers plan to change
this season.
Lacking the size they had previous
years, the Tigers have decided to open
the offense and throw the ball more
often.
“It is different,” said coach Keith
Downing, whose team will open Sat-
urday at home against Miami Trace.
“You have to take some chances and
I think that we have the personnel to
do that.”
Last season Circleville made the
Division III playoffs, going 8-3 over-
all. The Tigers lost 18 graduates from
that team and return four starters on
offense and four on defense.
One returning player is senior quar-
terback Kory Hartinger (6-2, 165),
who threw for more than 1,000 yards
and had seven touchdowns last sea-
son. With a larger emphasis on pass-
ing the ball, Hartinger’s play will be
a major aspect of the Tigers success.
Hartinger’s top target will be senior
Drew Clanin (5-9, 160), who was first-
team all-district and all-league. Clanin
also starts in the defensive backfield,
and the coaches said he can make big
plays with his speed.
Another returning first-team all-dis-
trict and all-league selection is senior
running back Cody Griffin (5-9, 175),
who scored 16 touchdowns and had
more than 1,100 total yards last year.
With the graduation of running back
Adam Turner, the coaches expect Grif-
fin to be the workhorse in the back-
field.
On the offensive line Circleville will
have to replace Travis Lester and Joey
Cooper, who cleared the way for Grif-
fin and Turner last season. The coach-
ing staff will use all grade levels to fill
the empty spots on the line. Senior
Terry Ford (6-0, 240) will play cen-
ter and his brother, freshman Dylan
Ford (6-3, 260), likely will start at left
tackle.
On the defensive side, the Tigers
return three starters in the secondary.
Clanin and Griffin both started in the
secondary and senior Andy White (6-
3, 240) is back at linebacker. White
can make plays behind the line of
scrimmage and was one of the team’s
leading tacklers.
FAIRFIELD UNION
Winning the MSL-Buckeye and
making the playoffs two years in a
row does not have Fairfield Union rel-
ishing its accomplishments. In fact,
the Falcons have stepped up the expec-
tations.
“We have to take that one step fur-
ther,” said coach Tom McCurdy, whose
team will open Friday at New Lex-
ington. “We want to go further in the
playoffs.”
Fairfield Union finished 8-3 over-
all last year after it lost to Gallipolis
GalliaAcademy 14-9 in the first round
of the Division III playoffs.
Fairfield Union returns 21 letter-
winners and 16 seniors, but lost most
of its skill players. Six starters return
on defense and McCurdy expects the
line and linebackers have the ability
Former DeSales coach Bob Jacoby has taken over at Hamilton Township, a program which has gone a combined
1-19 the last two seasons.
to shut down the run.
Seniors Ike Lacey (6-2, 210),Andy
Watkins (6-0, 206), Travis Fisher (6-
2, 217), junior Ted Duvall (6-3, 215)
and sophomore Patrick Seesholtz (6-
3, 217) will handle the duties on the
defensive front.
Offensively, the Falcons will need
players to fill in at most of the skill
positions. Junior Ross Householder
(5-9, 160) will start at quarterback. He
has game experience at split end and
defensive back, but has not played any
games under center.
The Falcons operate out of a wing-
T formation, primarily running the
option. Junior Nate Shull (5-5, 135)
will start at halfback.
Using the option attack, the Falcons
try to distribute carries evenly between
the halfback and the fullback. At full-
back, Fairfield Union will use senior
Aaron Moore (5-8, 180) and juniors
Mike Smith (5-8, 185) and MattArcher
(5-8, 152).
The Falcons also return four expe-
rienced linemen —seniorsAlex Vogel
(5-11, 181) Devin Schwartz (5-9, 227),
Lacey and junior Kris Ashbaugh (6-
1, 218).
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP
After winning just one game in the
past two seasons, Hamilton Township
has new expectations under Jacoby,
who is wasting no time changing the
culture at his new job. The Rangers
will open Friday at home against Madi-
son Plains.
“I want to have a winning record
and see if we can make a run at get-
ting into the playoffs,” Jacoby said. “I
don’t want our kids to think that is not
something that is possible.”
Last season Hamilton Township fin-
ished 1-9 overall. It has most of its
team returning, and also has seen a
significant increase in the number of
students coming out of the team. The
Rangers have added a freshman team
this year, and have about 70 players
overall. At the end of last season, the
Rangers had 35 players.
The coaching staff will implement
an option-style offense, and the
Rangers have three players compet-
ing for the job at quarterback — senior
Richard Delozier (5-11, 210), junior
Dorian Curry (6-3, 195) and sopho-
more Casey Smith (5-10, 150).
One of the main targets at receiver
is senior Kevin Darst (5-7, 140). Hamil-
ton Township plans to use a two run-
ning-back set, and four players are
vying for the two spots. Seniors Matt
Snider (5-8, 174), Donovan Rains (5-
7, 150), Josh Frakes (5-7, 170) and
Sean Hart (5-10, 180) will compete
for the running back spots.
Jacoby also expects all four of those
players to also play defense.
LOGAN ELM
Logan Elm is not known for its cre-
ative offense. The program has devel-
oped a reputation as a power team,
and this year’s squad looks to con-
tinue with that mindset.
“For about 30 or 40 years we have
been smash-mouth football,” said
Stephens, whose team will open Fri-
day at Washington Court House. “Our
success is going to be whether we are
able to play smash-mouth football
when we need to.”
Last season Logan Elm went 4-6
overall. It returns key components of
its running attack, including senior
running back Bryant Blake (6-0, 200)
and a core of the offensive line. Seniors
Clay Sparks (6-3, 330), Zach Frazier
(6-1, 245) and Josh Linton (6-2, 205)
will anchor the line.
Senior tight end T.J. Templeton (6-
1, 240) also will play a versatile role.
In addition to Blake, the Braves will
use several others as the halfback.
Logan Elm varies from using the half-
back as a blocking back or a threat out
of the backfield.
Juniors Cody Cordle (5-11, 205)
and Lance Konkle (6-2, 182) and senior
Steven Peters (5-8, 168) hope to get
time as the team’s second back.
The quarterback battle has not been
resolved, as two players are compet-
ing to replace last year’s starter, Luke
Sergeant — senior Tyler Davis (5-11,
175) and junior Taylor Steed (6-2,
160). Davis stands in the pocket and
Steed is more of an athletic quarter-
back.
At wide receiver the quarterbacks
will have junior Chase Minor (6-1,
190) and senior Dustin Hardbarger
(5-11, 175) as targets.
Logan Elm lost several starters from
last year’s defense, and will look to
the young players to fill in the holes.
TEAYS VALLEY
After a disappointing record last
By Jim Metzendorf/ThisWeek
season, Teays Valley hopes to return
to the top tier of the MSL-Buckeye.
Last year the Vikings struggled and
finished 4-6 overall. The players and
coaches expect a different result this
season.
“Our goal is to win the Mid-State
League and have an opportunity to get
into the playoffs,” said Evans, whose
team will open Friday at home against
Westfall.
A Division II program, Teays Val-
ley has the largest roster in the league,
and it returns 13 seniors from last sea-
son. It runs an option-style offense,
. . . .
rushing 35 to 40 times a game. Most
of the passing game comes from play-
actions, and the Vikings plan to throw
only 10 to 15 times per game.
Teays Valley lost 17 graduates,
including most of the skill players.
During camp theVikings have worked
to establish starters at quarterback and
running back.
Senior Dustin Williams (5-10, 170)
likely will begin the season as the quar-
terback, but junior Brady Stewart (6-
2, 210) also has battled for time.
At running back the Vikings have
senior Walter Stewart (6-5, 210), a big
back who also can break a run to the
outside.
Stewart also brings a tough pass
rough on the defensive side. At out-
side linebacker and defensive end, he
can cause problems by getting into
the backfield with his combination of
size and speed.
Other players who could see time
at running back or wingback include
senior Andrew Cox (6-1, 189) and
juniors Stewart Trego (6-0, 180),
Colton Foreman (6-0, 180), Anthony
Barnes (5-8, 148), Kaleb McManus
(6-1, 170), Jeremiah Moody (6-2, 185),
Nate Ormiston (6-0, 183) and Jacob
Pontius (6-3, 200).
TheVikings return most of the offen-
sive line, which Evans considers an
athletic group. The linemen do not
have the same size as previous groups,
but Evans thinks that shedding the
extra pounds will help the offense.
Senior center Joe Streitenberger (6-0,
270) will anchor the middle of the line.
Defensively, TeaysValley has speed
that can cause problems for opposing
offenses.
Senior linebacker Tanner Hoover
will look to lead the way.