Coach’s comments: “What do you do to make up for the number of quality seniors we graduated from last year’s team? Essentially, we are in the same position we were four years ago – an opportunity to get better each day. Our focus is to make this team the best it can be. This year’s seniors are our leaders; they have played in two semi-state games, and they have been in the program since eighth grade. “Our success begins with our three seniors on the offensive line. Our skilled guys on offense may not have been starters, but they were backups and split a lot of minutes with our starters last year. We lack some experience and cohesiveness. “We have big young kids who have prepared themselves. We are young and don’t have guys with total game experience, but when you extend seasons (playoff games) that experience begins to add up. Most of our linebacker corps is back. Our goals are to be competitive every week, play hard, be at our best going into sectionals.”
CLASS A LUTHERAN (11-3) – Saints have been one win from reaching state finals two years in a row … coach Dave Pasch (76-46) in 11th year; 46-18 in past five seasons … lineman Emeka Jillani (Ball State) among 12 graduates along with quarterback Andre Jones and receiver Bailly Barham … strong O-line features seniors Mark Caster, Brett Reid and Jack Brouse … key returnees: junior running backs Marcus McFadden (also a LB), Dante Jones and Logan Beard; junior receiver/ D-back Jalen Elliott … receiver Ben Settlemeyer; junior D-backs Jalen Elliott and Xavier Hardiman; junior linebacker Dante Akins. O-line gets help from juniors Gabe Abel and Ethan Ward and sophomores Hayen Filopovich and Tyler Richards … junior Peyton Knight continues as long snapper … successor to quarterback Jones up for grabs … tough schedule for Saints with seven opponents above Class A … visit rival Beech Grove Friday.
Coach’s comments: “What do you do to make up for the number of quality seniors we graduated from last year’s team? Essentially, we are in the same position we were four years ago – an opportunity to get better each day. Our focus is to make this team the best it can be. This year’s seniors are our leaders; they have played in two semi-state games, and they have been in the program since eighth grade. “Our success begins with our three seniors on the offensive line. Our skilled guys on offense may not have been starters, but they were backups and split a lot of minutes with our starters last year. We lack some experience and cohesiveness. “We have big young kids who have prepared themselves. We are young and don’t have guys with total game experience, but when you extend seasons (playoff games) that experience begins to add up. Most of our linebacker corps is back. Our goals are to be competitive every week, play hard, be at our best going into sectionals.”
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