KENTON – The Wildcats are coming off of a very un-Kenton like 2-8 season that was due in large part to youth and inexperience.
Coach Brice Fackler hopes that 17 returning starters (9 on offense and 8 on defense) will lead to a much more successful season for his team.
Senior quarterback Trent Hites will lead the Wildcats for the third season. He threw for over 4,000 as a sophomore but fell off to only 2,000 yards last year, due in large part to having an inexperienced set of receivers to throw to in the Kenton spread offense.
With five wide receivers returning as targets, look for Hites to return to the type of numbers he put up as a sophomore.
“We must have development of our receivers,” Fackler said. “We have quality coming back with one year of experience.”
There is no mention of a running back because the Wildcats will line up and try to throw the ball on every down this year.
Three offensive linemen return to provide protection for Hites. They include juniors Steven Stalder and Clint Kitchen. But the line will be anchored by senior tackle Tyler Heintz (6-4, 275) who recently committed to play collegiately at Kent State.
The Wildcats return two defensive linemen (seniors Dalton Kessler and Thomas Phillips), two linebackers (senior Mason Crabtree and junior Shawn Conover), and four defensive backs (seniors Austin Buroker, Robert Shemeth, and Ty Carmean to go along with junior Trent Reichelderfer) to anchor their 4-3 defense.
“We hope to be bigger, stronger, and faster on defense this year.” Fackler said.
Kenton wants to put that 2-8 record from a year ago in the rear view mirror as soon as possible.
“2-8 is not what we expect as a team, as a school or as a community,” Fackler said. “We have more seniors so leadership will be much better; we have a ways to go but we will be improved.”
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