Greenville and Versailles performed one another for his or her final scrimmage of the offseason in preparation for his or her season openers.
Photograph by Drew Terhall | The Day by day Advocate
By Drew Terhall
DailyAdvocate.com
DARKE COUNTY — Week one has lastly arrived. After months of practices and weeks of scrimmages, soccer groups across the county will get to start out their 2023 season.
Six of the seven native groups will begin the season at dwelling. Some groups will probably be seeking to see how their skilled squads look this 12 months whereas some will probably be seeing what their youthful group is made from proper from the bounce.
Here’s a fast preview for every group and who they’re matching up in opposition to.
Ansonia vs Riverside:
Whereas the Tigers will probably be with out their report setting operating in Exzaviar Moody, they do have a variety of expertise returning. Keegen Weiss was the quantity two operating again final 12 months and will probably be joined by a gaggle of fellows to get the operating sport going. Weiss had 905 yards dashing and 11 touchdowns together with being the group’s main receiver with 12 catches and 164 yards.
On protection, Ethan Reichert returns after main the group with six sacks and 19 tackles for loss. Additionally they return a First Workforce All-WOAC defensive again in Layne Bowman, who was a freshman final season.
The group should exchange a lot of the offensive line guys this 12 months. Head coach Adam Corridor mentioned he feels assured in what these guys have proven to this point that they’ll step in and be superb.
Final season, Ansonia defeated Riverside 36-14. The Pirates should exchange their main rusher, Warren Shockey, who had 1,663 yards dashing and 23 touchdowns. Additionally they misplaced their main receiver in Simon Godwin who had 777 yards and eight touchdowns. They do return their quarterback, Myles Platfoot, together with their sack chief, Nate Copas, who had six sacks final season. Riverside will even have a extra skilled offensive and line of defense.
Arcanum vs Covington:
The Trojans are in a great place to start out the season. They return all of their offensive linemen and have added some proficient freshmen to that group. Additionally they get again their unique beginning quarterback, Landon Wagner, after he went down with harm early into final season.
Head coach Matt Macy mentioned the road on either side of the ball figures to be the energy of this group early on. They modified some schemes round on protection to get extra of their proficient linemen on the sector. They are going to be a bit younger on the talent positions on either side of the ball. Arcanum additionally has to make up for the lack of the college’s main tackler in Jacob Rayburn. He had 126 complete tackles final season.
Covington will probably be a bit younger this season. They are going to depend on some youthful guys this season as they do have some expertise returning.
Bradford at Middletown Christian:
The Railroaders make their return to the varsity gridiron after not having the numbers to compete on the varsity stage final 12 months. They did play some decrease stage soccer, however are going into this 12 months with only a few children having varsity expertise.
Head coach Nick Bandstra mentioned him and the workers are centered on simply bettering every day in the course of the season. The report will probably be what it’s on the finish of the season, they simply wish to see regular enchancment all year long.
They are going to tackle Middletown Christian at Carlisle on Aug. 19.
Eaton vs Greenville:
The Inexperienced Wave will probably be a younger group this 12 months. They misplaced a variety of seniors from final 12 months. Guys like report setting operating again Brock Quick, beginning offensive lineman AJ Shaffer and their defensive chief Ryan Crampton are all gone.
Head coach Bart Schmitz mentioned the group goes to be younger, particularly up entrance. The offensive line goes to be an entire new group basically. On either side of the ball, they may want a number of video games to get used to the varsity stage.
Greenville will profit from having their senior quarterback, Evan Manix, again to run the offense. Schmitz mentioned he has seen Manix enhance in the course of the seven on sevens and through practices. Manix threw for 495 yards final 12 months on 85 makes an attempt with 4 touchdowns. He additionally had 186 yards dashing and three touchdowns as he could make performs together with his legs.
Final season, Eaton received 44-13 over Greenville to open the season. The Eagles will probably be coming in having to exchange their quarterback and main rusher together with some offensive lineman. They do carry again their high three receivers and most of their protection outdoors of the line of defense.
Mississinawa Valley vs Waynesfield Goshen:
The Blackhawks will probably be counting on their offensive line this 12 months. They return all however one in every of their linemen whereas they’ve to exchange some key guys on the talent positions. Head coach Steven Trobridge mentioned the offensive line will probably be a giant a part of their offense.
Stepping in to play quarterback will probably be sophomore Kyle Wehrkamp. His senior brother, Dylan, is the lone receiver coming again after he had 486 yards and eight touchdowns. They might want to exchange the remainder of receiving core together with discovering extra guys to run the ball as their high two rushers final 12 months are gone.
The group additionally modified up their protection to maintain up with the offenses they may face within the WOAC. Up to now, the group has been getting the hold of the brand new scheme.
Waynesfield-Goshen was 11-1 final season and a 3rd seed within the postseason. They return their quarterback, Drew Breitigam, who was their convention offensive participant of the 12 months. Additionally they return a variety of expertise from final 12 months’s group.
Tri-Village vs Troy Christian:
The Patriots have a variety of expertise returning on the talent positions, however should exchange so much on the road. Southwest District Offensive Participant of the Yr and First Workforce All-WOAC quarterback Braden Keating is again. Main rusher senior Reed Wehr and main receiver senior Tanner Printz are again for one final go. All three have been starters for 3 plus years. Wehr had 1,449 yards dashing and 22 touchdowns. Printz had 933 yards and 13 touchdowns. Additionally they return Noah Finkbine, who crammed in properly when Printz was out for the primary two playoff video games.
Head coach Matt Hopkins mentioned whereas nobody is larger than the group, his very long time starters on the talent positions should assist out the youthful gamers, particularly these on the road, to win video games this season early on. They misplaced their entire offensive line after most of them acquired All-WOAC and Southwest District honors. It will likely be a course of, however they do have a variety of expertise at different positions to hold the load offensively and defensively.
Troy Christian will are available in with a brand new quarterback this season. Final season, Lee Burkett was the group’s sign caller and led the group with 697 yards dashing and 4 touchdowns. They do return two gamers who had double-digit tackles for loss. Paul McDonald had 14.5 and Vaughn King had 12 tackles for loss.
Versailles vs Celina:
There are some adjustments to the Tigers this season. Proper now, it looks as if Michael Osborne would be the group’s new quarterback this season as he was enjoying receiver final season. He acquired the primary group reps throughout their final scrimmage in opposition to Greenville and scored on each drive he performed. He’ll command the offense because the group is changing a variety of gamers on the offensive and line of defense.
Head coach Ryan Jones mentioned after the scrimmage they may have a greater thought of what their beginning lineup is initially of the week’s observe getting ready for Celina. After going via observe and scrimmages, Jones mentioned guys have executed sufficient to win their place battles.
The group should carry the identical power from the scrimmage to their sport in opposition to Celina. The Bulldogs are returning a variety of gamers from final 12 months’s 6-5 group. In final 12 months’s sport, the Tigers took the win 31-6 at Celina.
Contact Day by day Advocate sports activities editor Drew Terhall at [email protected]
Originally posted 2023-08-17 14:20:14.