High school football: Experienced lines a strength for Leipsic

LEIPSIC – Maybe the most notable area of strength for Leipsic this season is having experienced players at almost every position on its offensive line.

That experience runs so deep that when the three leading ball carriers from last season’s team (8-3 overall, 5-2 Northwest Conference) graduated, coach Joe Kirkendall moved honorable mention All-Ohio offensive tackle Quinn Westhoven to the No. 1 running back position this season.

“We lost almost 95 percent of our rushing statistics from last season,” Kirkendall said, looking back to last year when Estevan Carrillo and Quin Schroeder, who were four-year starters, both rushed for more than 600 yards and Trent Siefker gained nearly 500 yards on the ground.

“Quinn Westhoven is the fastest guy on our team or the second-fastest. That will be an interesting transition. Our other running back will be Colin Niese (who started at linebacker last season as a freshman). We’ll use those two, rotate them and figure some things out,” Kirkendall said.

Leipsic has four returning starters on its offensive line – tackles Lyzaya Berg and Colin Foreman, center Donovan Cunningham and guard Jose Garcia. The defensive line has three returning starters – Westhoven, Berg and Grant David.

“You have to go back to 2010, 2011 to see a team where we had this many guys coming back (on the offensive line). It’s a calming thing. It does reduce a lot of anxiety. We ran the ball really, really well last year. We had some limitations throwing but our offense was still pretty effective and it was all through the run game. Those guys coming back is a calming feeling,” Kirkendall said.

Freshman Marc Kirkendall will start at quarterback for the Vikings. Jayce Brecht, who had 16 catches a year ago and last season’s starting quarterback, Tyler Lammers, will be the Vikings’ top wide receivers.

Freshman slot receiver Aaron Hazelton also is expected to be among the top pass catchers.

“We have a lot of seniors. We have a lot of length. We have a freshman coming in who is going to start for us from Day 1 at the slot position, kind of a hybrid receiver/running back position. You can hit him with that quick, short pass or you can run him off tackle. He’s going to be well beyond what you’d expect from a freshman playing that position,” Kirkendall said.

On defense, Lammers, Tommy Offenbacher and Tavis Bejarano are returning starters in the defensive backfield and Brecht is a returning starter at long snapper.

Leipsic will return to the Blanchard Valley Conference this season after playing in the Northwest Conference for the last three seasons.

TEAM PROFILE

Coach: Joe Kirkendall (fifteenth season)

Division: VII

Last year’s record: 8-3, 5-2 NWC

Tickets: Available at the gate

Returning 2023 varsity letter winners: Lyzaya Berg (OL), Jose Garcia (OL), Donovan Cunningham (OL), Colin Foreman (OT), Quinn Westhoven (RB/DE), Ty Lammers (WR/DB), Jayce Brecht (WR/LS), Colin Niese (RB/LB), Tommy Offenbacher (DB), Tavis Bejarano (CB), Grant Davis (DT), Gio Vallasana, Tyler Walther (OL/DT), Clark Schroeder (WR)

Top newcomers: Kadin Schroeder, Leo Parker, Micah Ruiz, Marquise Williams, Avery Paris, Myles Camareno, Aaron Hazelton, Marc Kirkendall

2024 schedule

(Kickoffs scheduled for 7 p.m.; subject to change)

8/23 — Lake

8/30 — at Van Buren

9/6 — Elmwood

9/13 — Pandora-Gilboa

9/20 — at Arcadia

9/26 — at Riverdale

10/4 — McComb

10/11 — Liberty-Benton

10/18 — at Arlington

10/25 — at Ada