PANDORA – After Chris Myers was let go as the Pandora-Gilboa head coach under somewhat controversial circumstances, Matt Hershey, an assistant under Myers the past two years, was asked to take over the reins of the of the Rocket football program.
Hershey admits it was a tough choice because of his loyalty to Myers but he also had a commitment to the players and decided to accept the position.
“I worked for Chris Myers and it was definitely bittersweet for me,” Hershey said. “I wanted to be the head coach but it wasn’t quite the right timing or the best opportunity. There was some community issues that went along with it. But I am glad I took the job. Being here the last two years I knew the issues. I knew the players. I knew the parents. I knew the coach. I knew the administration. It would have been hard not take the job. I was on the fence for a while. But knowing the kids and knowing what we had coming back I felt cofident that we could get through the rough patches.”
Hershey, who has helped in basketball and other athletics, said the transition to head coach was a little awkward because now he is the man in charge instead of the assistant who could be the player’s buddy.
Hershey said the players have been receptive to him and his coach staff that does include several new faces and adds that this has been a challenge but overall the team has been coming together.
Hershey inherits 14 returners from a team that went 3-7 with most of his starters coming back on both sides of the ball, Hershey is keeping a lot of things the same.
“We are not trying to change a lot,” Hershey said. “We are trying to keep things similar because we do have a lot of upperclassmen and a lot of returners. We don’t want to just flip the script on them. They have shown they can be our guys.”
Offensively, one of those guys who has shown he can play at the varsity level is quarterback Jared Breece, who has started 18 games the last two years for the Rockets. In 2016, Jared Breece threw for 1,092 yards and seven touchdowns with 13 interceptions.
Breece will have plenty of familiar faces to throw to as Carter Nofziger, perhaps the team’s best all-around receiver, had 43 receptions for 631 yards and 13 receptions returns, as does senior Josh Wauters and junior Travis Maag, who Hershey said “can take the top off the defense.” with his speed. Riley Larcom, Austin Niese and Josh Wauters are also in the mix.
“We have some skill on the outside and it will tough for teams to match up with us on the outside,” Hershey said.
Junior Petyon Traxler, who led the team in rushing, also bolsters the Rockets’ arsenal. Traxler, who started the final eight games, ran for 793 yards and six touchdowns. Breece was second on the team in rushing with 282 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In addition to the talented skilled position players back, the entire Rocket front line also returns.
“If they weren’t a starter last year they contributed in some shape or form whether they played a back-up role or because of injuries,” Hershey said.
Seniors Jeffrey Luttfring and Ethan Steiner, are the two most experienced linemen returning with senior Andrew Buess, who saw action due to injuries, back. Josh Shartell, senior, did not play last year, is back in the fold and Gage Hovest, who is battling injuries, should be ready to go as well. Hershey also said Zeb George, who was in a fill-in last year, rounds out the line. Sophomore Isaac Stall is waiting in the wings to fill in if anyone goes down to injury.
“We have nobody brand new and that is good,” Hershey said. “We are not deep but we have a lot of experience back.”
Hershey said for the Rockets to be successful the offense is going to have to produce
“The last two years that I have been here our big problem has been our offensive efficiency,” Hersney said. “We were in almost every game but we just couldn’t find that first down to keep that clock running or that third and six to keep the chain moving. That is what we are really focusing on.”
While the offense is getting its fair share of work, the defense will also have to bring its “A” game.
Because the team lacks depth, the majority of the players will be playing both ways.
“With only 30 guys, they understand small-town football,” Hershey said. “We have moved linemen to linebacker and one of our linebackers is a back-up safety so we just play mix and match and it is kind of a chess game.”
On the defensive line, Steiner, a second team, all Blanchard Valley defensive selection anchors the front four. Also back is Hovest, Hayden Blank and George. Maag will also see time as a defensive end.
Luffring, because of injuries was moved from the defensive line to middle linebacker last year and he will be flanked by Austin Niese, who started all 10 games last year as a sophomore, and Larcom, who would have started all 10 games last year but was hurt. Stall and Sam Burkholder, a freshman, will vie for time at the linebacker position.
The defensive backfield is perhaps the most experienced group. Nofzinger, a three-year starter returns as the team’s strong safety and Wauters, also a three-year starter, also returns at cornerback. Senior Ryan Lee, who has missed the last two years to injury, will man the other corner spot. Senior Cole Schwab, who has never played organized football, will take over the other safety spot. Austin Miller, battling injuries, will also see time in the defensive backfield. A promising newcomer is freshman Bryce Basinger, who Hershey said has shown early signs of being ready to play.
“Our defense is aggressive,” Hershey said. “They are the same kids as offense and they are all hard-nosed players.”
Hershey said staying healthy will be the key to winning games and he added they are also going to beat some the upper echelon teams in the BVC.
“I would like to say our goals are to win the league and go to the playoffs, Hershey said. “With that being said we have not beaten the top teams in the league. In order for us to consider that we have got to go out and prove it. If we want to be the best we have to beat the best.”
