Sometimes, a true sleeper team just comes out of nowhere to surprise everyone.
A middle-of-the-road team from a year ago, perhaps benefitting from a weak strength of schedule or the return of some standout players, can just go on a run and turn some heads in a quest for a league title or a quality playoff berth.
FOOTBALL DATES TO KNOW Aug. 1 : Ohio practice begins
Aug. 12: Michigan practice begins
Aug. 23: First Ohio Friday night games
Aug. 29: First Michigan games
Where will that team come from this year? What will be the 4-6, 5-5, or 6-4 team from a year ago that will make its mark known in northwest Ohio high school football circles?
Here’s a look at four candidates — three of which are playing for the same league title in a race where plenty of talent from a year ago is coming back.
CLAY
The Eagles finished fourth in the Northern Lakes League Cardinal Division a year ago, going 1-3 in division plan en route to a 4-6 regular-season record. But the core of Clay’s offense, a high-producing aerial game, is back.
Quarterback Mason Heintschel, who showed off his acrobatic skill in more than one cliffhanger finish last year, led the Cardinal Division with 2,140 passing yards and 20 touchdowns. Also returning are his two top receiving targets, Troy Hazuda and Hudson Byers, who were first and third in the division in receiving, respectively. All three were honorable mention All-Ohio picks.
Hazuda led the NLL Cardinal with 723 yards on 53 catches, while Byers was third with 456 yards on 42 receptions.
After opening at Sandusky and at home against Northview, Clay does face a difficult stretch in which it faces NLL Buckeye Division powers Whitmer (away), Findlay (home), and Perrysburg (away) in successive weeks. Once through that, however, Clay will be in division play and has every chance to be right in the mix.
NAPOLEON
While Clay will enjoy the strength of returning offensive firepower, Napoleon brings back some defensive talent that could make scoring on the Wildcats difficult.
Defensive back Trey Rubinstein, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound senior, was a first-team All-Ohio pick in Division IV last season. Napoleon finished 5-5 in the regular season but went 3-1 in league play, losing only to NLL Cardinal champion Southview.
After an 0-4 start that included a loss to a Northview team that wound up going 2-8, Napoleon went on a five-game winning streak that included a shutout and two victories in which it yielded just six points. The Wildcats also held Southview to its second-lowest scoring total of the season in a 20-14 loss in the regular-season finale.
Napoleon has three tricky opponents on its nonleague schedule, returning playoff qualifiers in Defiance (Week 1), D-V state runner-up Liberty Center (Week 2), and Anthony Wayne (Week 4). But there’s also chances to build momentum for league play with games against Northview (Week 3), Springfield (Week 5), and Bowsher (Week 7).
FREMONT ROSS
Like Clay and Napoleon, Fremont Ross treaded near the .500 mark last year before finishing the regular season a 4-6 (2-2 NLL Cardinal). Like the Eagles and Wildcats, the Little Giants also have an All-Ohio selection returning.
Kaden Mayle, a 6-foot-6, 315-pound senior, was a first-team offensive line pick in Division II. The Kent State commit gives Fremont Ross someone to run behind this fall.
The Little Giants’ test will be dealing with a schedule that is one of the most difficult in northwest Ohio. All but one of their opponents qualified for the playoffs last year, and the nonleague schedule includes consecutive games against Perrysburg (Week 3), Whitmer (Week 4), and Findlay (Week 5).
Coming off that stretch of games against NLL Buckeye Division powers, however, comes back-to-back home games against Napoleon and Clay. Win those, and the stage is set for a potential Cardinal Division championship.
START
Start has both a returning All-Ohio selection and a favorable schedule to work with as it tries to improve on a 5-5 regular-season record from a year ago.
The Spartans, who finished second behind Lima Senior in the City League with a 5-1 mark, return defensive back Marvon Thompson, a junior who was an honorable mention All-Ohio pick.
Like Napoleon, Start came on strong in league play a year ago after a slow start. But if the Spartans can build off of last year’s finish, there’s some opportunities to rack up victories early on. The first three opponents this season — Norwalk, Clyde, and Springfield — all finished with five or fewer victories a year ago.
The big game will come in Week 10 at home against Lima Senior. They met for the league title last year, with Lima Senior picking up a home 26-14 victory.
How our sleepers to watch last year fared: Findlay improved from 5-5 to 8-2. Patrick Henry improved from 6-4 to 8-2. Edon improved from 5-5 to 6-4. Port Clinton went from 5-5 to 3-7.
Most Popular
Comments / 0