Southport coach Brandon Winters breaks down a practice session with the Cardinals while preparing for the new season.
(7-3) – Cards keep graduating quality players to D1 under fourth-year coach Brandon Winters (18-13) … finished 2018 with four straight wins but bowed to Brownsburg in sectional opener … Conference Indiana runner-up … big move on offense with senior Ryan Luzon to quarterback from wide receiver … his targets include returning starter Matt Munoz, Carson Moore moves from defense, at tight end … new group of wide receivers … senior LaMarko Yates, missed last year due to injury, and juniors Donovan Hon and Gage Nelson at running back … protection up front comes from senior/third-year starter Peyton Cheatham, returning tackle, with seniors JP Ginsberg and Riad Hachem ready … soph Charley Schott can go at center or right tackle and on defense; juniors Chandler Wilson and AJ Helton played as sophomores…senior middle linebackers David Woods and Josh Moore have experience…secondary has strength with returning starting seniors Brayon Hogan, Jordan Tweedy and Ben Morlan … junior cornerback Antonio Fisher returns with Russell Peterson-Womack to help… seek fourth straight non-losing season under Winters … expect to contend for league crown.
Coach’s comments: “I don’t think we have a weakness. We are solid all around, but we will have to stay healthy, because we aren’t very deep. A lot of our juniors are playing their second year of varsity. We want to see our offensive line step up for two reasons: they are talented and a bit bigger than last year. We are going to be young at a couple of spots in some skilled-position situations .There are talented players there to enable us to continue with what we want to do. Ryan Luzon is possibly the most competitive player I’ve ever been around – he’s a kid who picks up everything quickly. We expect good production from him. On offense, there’s the assumption we will run a lot, but Luzon is a very capable passer. And I don’t expect a huge drop-off at wide receiver. Our new running backs will have to share the load with LaMako (Yates). We have players who can advance to D1 if they do what we ask them to do. Our first six games are a grind; look at the number of state championships by Roncalli and Chatard, and Gibson Southern will be a tough test. Our young players will have to figure it out early.”
Coach’s comments: “I don’t think we have a weakness. We are solid all around, but we will have to stay healthy, because we aren’t very deep. A lot of our juniors are playing their second year of varsity. We want to see our offensive line step up for two reasons: they are talented and a bit bigger than last year. We are going to be young at a couple of spots in some skilled-position situations .There are talented players there to enable us to continue with what we want to do. Ryan Luzon is possibly the most competitive player I’ve ever been around – he’s a kid who picks up everything quickly. We expect good production from him. On offense, there’s the assumption we will run a lot, but Luzon is a very capable passer. And I don’t expect a huge drop-off at wide receiver. Our new running backs will have to share the load with LaMako (Yates). We have players who can advance to D1 if they do what we ask them to do. Our first six games are a grind; look at the number of state championships by Roncalli and Chatard, and Gibson Southern will be a tough test. Our young players will have to figure it out early.”
A trio of offensive linemen, from left, Riad Hachem, Peyton Cheatham and JP Ginsberg are set to move the Cardinals offense.
Southport’s offense expects to move on the ground or through the air with, from left, wide receivers Michael Mick and Matt Munoz, running back Jay Jones, quarterback Ryan Lezon and running back LaMarco Yates.
Southport’s corps of linebackers includes, from left, Russell Peterson-Womack, Josh Moore, Jay Jones and David Woods.
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