NORTON PANTHERS
Norton football's returning lettermen (19)
- Danny Adair, OL/DL, 6-0, 220, Sr.
- Aiden Baker, WR/LB, 6-1, 175, Sr.
- Jeffrey Becker, OL-DL, 6-2, 275, Sr.
- Jason Beverly, RB/LB, 5-9, 155, So.
- Adam Bloom, OL/DL, 5-7, 265, Sr.
- Markus Brown, RB/LB, 5-11, 180, Jr.
- Ajay Bulgrin, WR/LB, 5-10, 165, Sr.
- Caeden DeDomenic, QB/DB, 6-2, 160, Jr.
- Xavier Fetter, WR/DB, 5-9, 155, Jr.
- Connor Finegan, RB/LB, 5-10, 165, Sr.
- Dominic Higgins, OL/DL, 6-4, 290, Jr.
- Mason Hitti, OL/DL, 6-3, 295, Jr.
- Tyler Koger, TE/LB, 6-1, 190, Sr.
- Jackson Lewis, QB/LB, 6-0, 175, So.
- Austin Plybon, TE/DL, 5-10, 180, Sr.
- Luke Senderak, RB/LB, 6-0, 180, Sr.
- Ayden Smith, OL/DL, 5-10, 185, Jr.
- Colin Starling, K/P, 6-1, 180, Sr.
- Buddy Willig, WR/DB, 6-1, 175, Jr.
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Norton football’s impact players
Willig was a first-team Division III all-state wide receiver who had 26 receptions for 536 yards. He also carried the ball 51 times for 532 yards and scored 11 touchdowns and logged 88 tackles, two defensive TDS and three interceptions. … With Higgins returning at tackle after missing five games to injury, it’ll be a shot in the arm for an already prolific offense. … Hitti, Adair and Becker bring a combined seven years as starters on the offensive line. … As legendary coach Jim Tressel will tell you, the punting game is the most important part of any team, and the Panthers have a good one in two-time All-Metro Athletic Conference first-team pick Starling.
What's new with Norton football in 2024
He’s not new, but Senderak returns as a linebacker and running back after injury wiped out his entire 2023 season. Brown, who was a second-team all-conference pick at defensive end, makes the move to linebacker and running back in 2024. … DeDomenic or Lewis will take over for Zach Bowman (1,452, 18 touchdowns, one interception) at quarterback. … Willig will get help from Aidan Williams, who transferred back to his home school from St. Vincent-St. Mary, and Isaac Hunter, who is a basketball standout for the Panthers. … Expect two-way starters Fetter and Beverly to have major roles this season. … Norton moves from Division III, Region 10 to Division IV, Region 13.
Norton football’s outlook
The three-time league champions have a 15-game regular season winning streak heading into 2024. Their last league and regular-season loss was Sept. 16, 2022, to Woodridge (28-21, OT) . … The senior class is 31-5 and has won at least 10 games all three years. … “The strength of our 2024 Panthers will lie in the trenches on both sides of the ball, with veterans who look to create running lanes for multiple ballcarriers and be stout against the run game of opponents on defense,” Kruger said. “The league will be a tough challenge once again, and young/inexperienced players will need to grow and develop at the skill positions as the season progresses. With a strong offseason in the weight room, we look forward to getting better every day and competing to uphold the standards that have been set here with Norton football.”
Norton football schedule for 2024
- Aug. 23 NORTHWEST
- Aug. 30 NEW BREMEN
- Sept. 6 FIRESTONE
- Sept. 13 at Ravenna
- Sept. 20 at Field
- Sept. 27 STREETSBORO
- Oct. 4 CLOVERLEAF
- Oct. 11 at Woodridge
- Oct. 18 at Springfield
- Oct. 25 at Coventry
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival
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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Norton Panthers 2024 high school football schedule, preview
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