Bluffton’s Garret Bogart (8) completed 82 of 155 pass attempts for 1,337 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
BLUFFTON — After taking their lumps last year in Division V and with five seniors on the roster, the Bluffton Pirates enter this season in Division VI and will have more than 10 seniors in uniform.
“This group of seniors I think is a very special group for me,” Bluffton coach Jeff Richards said. “Their freshman year they came into probably one of the most chaotic years you could imagine with the 2020 season and that year our numbers were down. Some of them had to play right away.
“They had to respond to COVID protocols. They had those weird adjusted schedules where we couldn’t have so many people in the locker rooms at times. Our guys had to be spaced out on the sidelines and all those things.
“This group is a very close-knit group, and they matured pretty fast. We’re to the point now where I have a group of seniors that I fully trust to lead where in previous years you would have a few seniors that were standout leaders whereas this year we have such a good crop of them that they all take turns being a good leader in certain aspects.”
Among those seniors is Braeden Jordan, who earned second-team all-Northwest Conference honors at wide receiver and honorable mention all-conference at defensive back and honorable mention all-district.
“I am excited to get after it for our senior season,” Jordan said. “I’m excited about all of us to finally come together and finally put this thing together.
“As long as we are working together and on the same page at all times, I think we will be a real tough team to beat. I think as long as we are in synch, I think that is how our success will be defined.”
“I am excited to finally get back into the swing of things,” senior teammate Ian Rieman said. “We are so blessed to be able to get this opportunity to play together. We have been working together real hard day in and day out. Really excited to hit the field as a team.”
Another advantage Richard sees from last year is this being the largest roster the Pirates have had “in a very long time.
“I think the biggest advantage you get, one is your pool of athletes to pick from is significantly deeper. But then also I think something that a lot of times gets underappreciated is practice-wise, having a true scout team to practice against to be able to get good looks to prepare for opponents. I go back to our 2016, ‘17, ‘18 teams where we had to go half-line scrimmage in practice so we could get quality reps and things. It’s really hard to prepare for good opponents when you can’t get a good scout team to mimic what the team your playing against is going to be doing, so I think that really helps with it.
“Developmentally, for future years we have young guys that they don’t have to be a role player right away. They can mature in our system and get better over time. rather than being a kid who is fresh out of junior high expecting to play on a Friday night.”
“We have a lot of young guys in practice that our pushing us to get better,” Jordan said. “That’s been a real help.”
Offensively, the Pirates will employ a pro style/spread.
“We have been in a triple option-based offense for six years, but will be adding a more balanced approach in the run and pass game this season,” Richards said. “We will be anchored by a veteran offensive line and a number of dynamic skill players such as Hayden Dearth, Braeden Jordan and Gavin Bogart.”
As a team, Bluffton averaged 26.4 points a game in 2022. Junior Landen Worcester led the Pirates in rushing with 556 yards and seven touchdowns on 97 carries, earning him second-team all-NWC recognition. Jordan had 23 receptions for 532 yards and four TDs and Dearth, a senior, finished with 21 catches for 300 yards and a trio of TDs, earning honorable mention all-NWC and all-district. Bogart received honorable mention all-conference at running back after rushing 21 times for 306 yards and four touchdowns.
Quarterback Garret Bogart, a senior named honorable mention all-NWC, completed 82 of 155 pass attempts for 1,337 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Look for the offensive line to be anchored by senior second-team all-NWC and honorable mention all-district honoree senior Jacob Granger.
Also back is honorable mention all-district kicker senior Kyle Basil.
Defensively, Bluffton begins its second season employing the 3-4.
“Year one with it we went from a 4-2-5 defense which had been in for a number of years,” Richards said. “Stylistically, it was very different for our secondary because responsibilities change. You are using linebackers a little bit different . You are blitzing a little bit more. Finding the right guys last season was a little bit of a growing process. Early on in the season, we were shuffling guys around. This year with us bringing back such a large group of veteran players we have guys that have had a year in that system, and they are able to fine-tune some things and also teach younger guys that are new to the system. It’s great for us in that they have matured in the defense, and they’re better with it.”
Expected to again play a major role will be second-team all-NWC and honorable mention all-district linebacker Worcester, who had more than 100 tackles each of his first two seasons.
“He’s a great overall player,” Richards said. “As a leader … he does a great job about getting guys in the right position and getting them ready. We’ve got two other seniors that are playing outside linebacker (Gavin Bogart and Dearth) with him. It’s a great dynamic we have there.”
Junior Quinn Eachus, who was second-team all-conference and honorable mention all-district at defensive back, also returns.
“Secondary-wise, we have seen huge growth in them,” Richards said. “I think a big part of it was everybody in our secondary from last season that’s here this season is comfortable in the 3-4 now which is great.”
Richards said another advantage is the stability of his coaching staff.
“Terminology has stayed consistent,” Richards said. “We are going to use a lot of movement with our defensive line. We have an athletic defensive line. They move a lot.”
Returnees include honorable mention all-NWC defensive line selections seniors Preston Laytart and Marco Eiden.
Overall, Richards said “We feel we have one of the faster teams in our league. We are going to try to make the most of that. We feel with the group we have this year, if we can stay healthy and stay consistent we can do a lot of great things.”
After starting off 4-0 in the NWC last season, the Pirates fell to conference champ Allen East 30-14 and then closed the season with losses to Delphos Jefferson and Columbus Grove.
During tough times “we just got to stick together,” Rieman said. “Talking to each other is one of the most important things. Communication. We stick together, we can do anything.
“As long as we keep our heads cool and stay together, we could really find success.”
“My biggest goal as a coach is for these young men to be leaders of their peers and then respond as adults,” Richards said. That’s something I think a lot of times as coaches we get looked at for the wins and losses but when I have former players come back and I see them as successful young men, that’s one of the biggest wins for me.”
More high school football previews
TEAM PROFILE
Coach: Jeff Richards (eighth season)
Division: VI
Last year’s record: 5-5 (4-3 NWC)
Ticket information: blufftonschools.org/athletics/athletics-tickets
Returning 2022 varsity letter winners include: Garret Bogart (Sr., QB/DB), Braeden Jordan (Sr., WR/DB), Carson Weaver (Sr., RB/LB), Preston Laytart (Sr., OL/DL), Hayden Dearth (Sr., ATH/LB), Gavin Bogart (Sr., ATH/DB), Ian Rieman (Sr., OL/DL), Daniel Fredritz (Sr., OL/DL), Marco Eiden (Sr., OL/DL), Jacob Granger (Sr., OL/DL), Kyle Basil (Sr., Kicker), Griffin Stackhouse (Jr., WR/DB), Quinn Eachus (Jr., WR/DB), Noah Bricker (Jr., RB/LB), Brody Anderson (Jr., WR, DB), Carson Kruse (Jr., WR/DB), Landen Worcester (Jr., RB/LB), Xavier Diller (Jr., OL/LB), Gabe Meza (Jr., TE/LB), Jackson Bowlus (Soph., RB/LB), Evan Grothause (Soph., OL/DL)
Promising newcomers include: Ethan Kohli (Jr., RB/LB), Brody Sommers (Jr., OL/DL), Eli Jones (Soph., QB/DB), Avery Sprunger (Soph., WR/DB), Javen Crawfis (Soph., WR/DB), Tayte Giesige (Fr., QB/DB), Lleyton Miller (Fr., ATH/DB), Mason Shank (Fr.. TE/LB), Kizer Young (Fr., WR/DB), Parker Lovell (Fr., RB/LB)
2023 schedule
(Kickoffs scheduled for 7 p.m.; subject to change)
Aug. 18 — Benjamin Logan
Aug. 25 — Pandora-Gilboa
Sept. 1 — at Ayersville
Sept. 8 — Delphos Jefferson
Sept. 15 — at Spencerville
Sept. 22 — at Ada
Sept. 29 — Crestview
Oct. 6 — Leipsic
Oct. 13 — at Allen East
Oct. 20 — at Columbus Grove
