St. Charles County prep football preview
For high school football fans, the month of August always marks the start of a new year as players prepare for the upcoming season through grueling two-a-day practices that athletes wear like badges of honor during the season.
Once again St. Charles County is loaded with talented football players that have some schools focusing on goals that include not only conference championships, but also state championships.
Timberland (10-1, 7-0 GAC North) – The Wolves appear to be on the prowl once again for a GAC North championship as well as a district championship this season.
“We’ve got a lot of new faces this season but we’ve done the things in the off-season to keep our team at a high level of play,” Timberland head coach Craig Collins said. “In order to do better in the playoffs, we’ve got to be lucky, stay healthy and have the drive to improve each and every week.”
Offensive lineman/defensive tackle Nick Demien (pictured at left) is one of the most talked about players in the state. The 6-6, 291 lb. senior lineman is getting scholarship offers from just about every NCAA Division I school in the country and the media circus surrounding him will likely build should the Wolves advance deep into the playoffs.
“Nick’s a guy you have once in a coaching career,” Collins said. “He has the size, mobility and flexibility you just don’t see very often.”
Timberland’s Chase Cresong returns as the team’s starting quarterback after throwing for 632 yards passing and seven touchdowns last year.
“We’re going to be asking a little more out of Chase this season,” Collins said. “He’s a solid thrower and a good athlete.”
Junior Halleem Rayford is a top returning threat on the Wolves’ ground attack as he accumulated 450 yards rushing with a total of four touchdowns.
“Halleem was very good as a sophomore and (has) gotten stronger in the off-season,” Collins said. “We feel like he’s an explosive player that’s going to be hard to tackle.”
Ft. Zumwalt West (9-3, 6-0 GAC South) – The Jaguars have won four consecutive GAC North championships and 2009 could easily mark their fifth under head coach Paul Day.
Zumwalt West wide receiver Devonte Majors will look to improve on his 2008 season statistics in which he caught 36 passes for 484 yards and six touchdowns.
“Devonte is a pretty special player,” Zumwalt West head coach Paul Day said. “He can run, has good hands and is a tough kid. He’s a guy that we’ll be trying to get the ball to this year.”
Sophomore Running back Ray Harris is another threat for the Jags on offense after carrying the ball 42 times for 326 yards and three touchdowns.
“Ray started half of our games as a freshman and has put on an extra 25 pounds,” Day said. “He’s had a great off season and we look for him to have a good season.”
Senior offensive lineman Bryan Carroll returns to the trenches this season after garnering second team all-state honors as a junior.
“Bryan’s a big, physical, tall and athletic kid,” Day said. “He started for us as a sophomore and has become a leader on the offensive line. We expect great things from him this season.”
Classmate Sean Haggen will join Carroll on the offensive line after playing linebacker last season. Haggen racked up 110 tackles as well as two fumble recoveries and one sack last season on the Jaguar defense.
“We actually moved Sean from linebacker to offensive tackle this season,” Day said. “He’s done a great job and has really taken to the offensive tackle duties.”
On defense, senior linebacker Joe Jordan returns after recording a total of 65 tackles that also included two interceptions and one fumble recovery.
“Joe’s one of our starting linebackers returning from last season,” Day said. “We think that he’s going to put himself in a position to have a great year.”
The Jaguars’ quarterbacking duties will go to either senior David Washko (pictured above, with ball) or sophomore Drew Hare.
Washko completed 12 of 20 passes for 161 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also carried the ball 15 times for 121 yards and three touchdowns.
“Both David and Drew are doing a great job,” Day said. “David is a tremendous athlete and will be somewhere in our offense. Drew’s got a great arm and both guys bring something to the table for us.”
Duchesne (4-7, 3-4 GAC North) – The Pioneers finished in the middle of the conference standings last season and should climb up the ranks of the north division with several key returning players.
Seniors Andrew Tegethoff and Blake Caimi return as the Pioneer’s top running threats after combining for 1,445 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns last season. Junior quarterback Jake Tweet should improve in 2010 after throwing for 931 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions while also rushing for 142 yards and five touchdowns. Senior Tyler Loewenstein returns as Duchesne’s leading receiver from the 2009 campaign after hauling in eight catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns.
On defense, Duchesne graduated four of its top tackling threats, which leaves Zack Bohr and Chad Webber as the team’s top defensive threat. Both Webber and Bohr recorded a total of 55 tackles, with Bohr also recording two fumbles and two interceptions, while Webber racked up one fumble recovery.
Fort Zumwalt East (1-9, 0-7 GAC North) – Simply stated, 2009 was a tough season for the Lions.
But Zumwalt East does return junior quarterback Marvin Byrd who threw for 1,230 yards passing, eight touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Byrd was also a threat on the ground for the Lions after carrying the ball 190 times for 637 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns. Junior running back Tim Chung also returns after racking up 410 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Dante Bailey will also return for the 2009 campaign after recording five touchdowns and 327 yards receiving.
Junior linebacker Conor Vorthems will look to improve on his 2008 season numbers in which he led the Lions with 98 tackles, two sacks and three fumble recoveries.
Fort Zumwalt North (4-6, 4-3 GAC North) – The Panthers were solid last season in league play but faltered once districts rolled around where they were outscored 132-13.
Senior running back Jon Gibbs is the Panther’s top running back from last season where he carried the ball 42 times for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Blake Carter is the Panthers’ top receiving threat from 2009 where he hauled in 22 passes for 411 yards and six touchdowns.
Gibbs was also solid on defense as he recorded 47 tackles; one sack and one fumble recovery for the Panthers last season. Niko Isaiah is the team’s top defensive threat with 50 tackles and three sacks last season.
Ft. Zumwalt South (0-10, 0-6 GAC South) – The Bulldogs have nowhere else to go but up from last season where they were outscored 396-70.
Senior running back Grant Shannon led the Bulldogs with 88 carries for 372 yards and three touchdowns. Classmate Adi Tuckavoic returns as Zumwalt South’s leading tackler with a total of 41 tackles and one fumble recovery.
Wentzville Holt (7-4, 5-1 GAC North) – Over the course of the past several seasons, the Indians have marched up the conference standings and could possibly challenge Zumwalt West for a conference championship.
Senior running back Nick Grubbs accumulated 610 yards rushing with six touchdowns last season and should pair up well with junior running back Terrance Tate who recorded 605 yards rushing with four touchdowns. Tate also caught 13 passes for 182 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
On defense, senior linebacker Andrew Lazalier led the Indians last season with 72 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery and one interception. Another linebacker who should be solid again this season is senior Ryan Price who also had 72 tackles as well as one interception.
Francis Howell (3-8, 3-3 GAC South) – While the Vikings fared well in conference play, they were outscored 214-51 in non-conference action.
One of the biggest questions about the Vikings is whether or not sophomore Eric Siebenshuh will take on the starting quarterback duties over junior Brett Graves. Siebenshuh completed 15 of 24 passes for 225 yards, three touchdowns and one interception last season while Graves completed 7 of 22 passes for 83 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Francis Howell Central (2-8, 2-4 GAC South) – The Spartans dropped their first six games to start off the 2008 season before defeating Ft. Zumwalt South 17-10 in Week 7.
Just who will lead the Spartans at quarterback? Will it be Alex Saffo who completed just 37 of 90 passes for 353 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions. Or will Charles Henderson take the starter’s job after completing 7 of 14 passes for 251 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Senior wide receiver Anthony Bonner returns as the Spartans leader in receptions last year with 18 catches for 260 yards and one touchdown.
On defense, senior linebacker Garner Wilson led Howell Central last season with 84 tackles, two fumbles and three interceptions. Another senior linebacker to keep an eye on this season is Micah Alsobrook who racked up 64 tackles, three sacks and one interception.
Francis Howell North (3-7, 2-4 GAC South) – The Knights struggled last season but they do return senior quarterback Jake Schneider who threw for 1,068 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. Schneider was also effective in the running game as he carried the ball 180 times for 868 yards and eight touchdowns.
Schneider’s favorite target last season was senior tight end Nick Dimarco who accumulated 643 yards receiving and seven touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Andrew Wooten is another threat in the air attack after recording 258 yards receiving along with four touchdowns.
Senior linebacker Josh Foeller led the Knights last season with 71 tackles and one fumble recovery. Defensive back Mike Castro was also effective on defense with a total of 47 tackles.
Lutheran St. Charles (6-4, 4-2 AAA) – The Cougars moved up the conference standings and took runner-up honors to Cardinal Ritter last season.
Senior quarterback Ben Mahnken saw limited action last season in which he completed seven of eight passes for 70 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Senior running back Cole Bagby is the Cougars’ leading threat on the ground after carrying the ball 42 times for 191 yards and three touchdowns. Tight end Brian Loesel is another senior to keep an eye one after putting together a 558-yard performance that included five touchdowns.
St. Charles (2-8, 2-5 GAC North) – The Pirates of St. Charles had enough holes in their boat to sink a defense that gave up over 30 points a game last season.
Junior defensive back Robert Parnell was St. Charles’ leading defensive threat last season with 52 tackles, two fumble recoveries and one interception.
St. Charles West (10-2, 6-1 GAC North) – Despite winning 10 games last season, the Warriors have the unfortunate circumstance of playing in the same conference as Timberland.
“We’re going to be young everywhere but the offensive and defensive line,” St. Charles West head coach Gary Strauss said. “We’ve got some good competition and it’s going to be a learning process, but I’m very pleased with how hard our team is working.”
Senior offensive and defensive lineman Alex Bruns led the Warriors with a total of five sacks and 68 tackles in 2008.
“Alex is a workout demon,” Strauss said. “He’s a hard working kid and it’s really paid dividends for him.”
Mike McKeon, Ryan Olive and Tyler Hutchison will join Bruns on the offensive line with McKeon also playing on the defensive line. Olive will see time at linebacker and Hutchison will line up for the Warrior defense at defensive end.
St. Dominic (6-4, 4-2 AAA) – The Crusaders were solid last season but suffered losses to St. Charles West and Warrenton in district play, which prevented them to participate in the Class 4 playoffs.
Junior quarterback Evan Merz should improve in 2009 after completing 57 of 128 passes for 1,003 yards, six touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season. Senior running back Tyler Jenkins will keep the Crusaders’ attack balanced after rushing for 996 yards and a total of 10 touchdowns.
Chris Ebers is another senior running back that hammered out 362 yards rushing and nine touchdowns for St. Dominic last season. Ebers was also stout for the Crusaders as a linebacker where he tallied a total of 70 tackles as well as one sack.
