Port Clinton senior has reputation for toughness at 155 pounds

Port Clinton coaches referred to Owen Auxter as ‘smallbody’ because he punched above his weight class.

Senior safety Briar Rohrer, who weighs 20 pounds fewer than his former teammate Auxter at 155, respects Auxter. Rohrer also wants to top Auxter’s single-season program record 87 tackles.

“Owen is 5-9, not that big,” Rohrer said. “That’s about what I am. I want to take that ‘smallbody’ name for myself.”

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Rohrer had 82 tackles last season. As much as he’d love to collect 90 tackles, he’d like even better to prevent receptions, maybe even pluck a few passes to give the ball to the offense.

“Getting that title would finish it all,” he said. “I knew I was close. It’s something I want to do. It’s one of my biggest goals on defense.”

He expects to be underestimated. Things wouldn’t be the same if that weren’t the case.

“People overlook me, how small I am,” he said. “If I don’t have that chip, I won’t have the ability to hit and play the way I do. People will overlook me more if I don’t carry that; I wouldn’t have the ability to play the way I do.”

Rohrer started at safety since Week 3 as a sophomore. Last year’s game against Clyde stands out.

“A couple plays, I could’a scored on one,” he said. “I got fatigued and I tripped at the 5. I should have scored, it was an 80-yard run. Then, there was a bubble screen. I came down and made him do a front flip. Another, a linebacker made me fumble.

"The very next play, he got the ball and coming right toward me, I put my shoulder into the ball, the ball comes out and we get the ball back.”

Rohrer played a little bit of running back as a sophomore and rushed for one touchdown as Dagan Meyers' backup last season.

“I’d like to score,” he said. “I haven’t scored too much. My goal is at least four touchdowns. I’ll have chances with the ball in the open field, that’s where I thrive.”

Rohrer, who shifts to receiver this season, continued to think of himself as a running back. Until, he stopped dropping the ball.

“The biggest challenge was working on my hands,” he said. “I had the speed, it was catching the ball. It held me back as a freshman, but I’m a lot better focusing on that. My hands have gotten better. I love running back, that’s what I’ve always been, but I’ve realized I love receiver.

"You have to get open, catch the ball, not just take the handoff. It’s fun. It’s exciting to see what I can do and work the defense with that. Coaches realized I had the speed and agility and my hands came together to make more plays at receiver.”

Of course, Rohrer isn’t afraid of traffic, but Port Clinton hopes to provide him with opportunities to operate in space. After catching eight passes last season, he’s embracing all facets at receiver.

“The excitement of anticipating catching that ball,” he said. “I anticipate the ball coming toward me and that defensive back trying to get it – there’s a challenge – I have to do more to get the ball. I miss (running back) at times. I do miss being behind the line.

"It was a blessing in disguise. Never in my life did I think I’d play receiver. Last year, I still ran it quite a bit. I’ve slowly started to love the receiver position.”

Junior Malakii Pinkelton slides in at running back this season. Senior Josh Cornell and junior Wyatt Siefke join Rohrer at receiver, along with senior Gabe Koskela, who played quarterback last season.

Sophomore Wyatt Yarbrough steps in at quarterback. Cornell joins Rohrer at safety on defense, and Siefke is a linebacker.

“He played varsity a little on defense, but he’s put in the work lifting, footwork and his arm to be quarterback this year," Rohrer said. "He’s always locked-in focused, and I trust him to make the right decisions.”

Rohrer was the only freshman to earn a letter, with a role on special teams for kickoffs when Port Clinton advanced to a state semifinal.

“Everyone thought Van Wert would kill us and we completely upset them,” he said.

Port Clinton won three games last season.

“A lot of people look down on Port Clinton with the seniors we lost and how little the numbers are,” Rohrer said. “We graduated linemen. We have new coaches, a new mindset. We can be better than last year if we enjoy the game together, have fun and win games.

“We’ll work with what we have and make the best of it. I hate losing. I couldn’t stand losing last season. The goal is to come closer. We’re a step closer to that one, bonded team that looks after each other and cares for each other.

“It’s a whole different ballgame at that point.”

mhorn@gannett.com

419-307-4892

X: @MatthewHornNH

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Port Clinton senior has reputation for toughness at 155 pounds