Oak Harbor football believes window remains open for its prolific offense

Jaqui Hayward, Dalton Witter and four linemen graduated from Oak Harbor’s explosive offensive unit.

But senior quarterback Mike LaLonde did not and he believes the Rockets can be even more dangerous with this year’s group.

“We’re not going to skip a beat,” LaLonde said. “We still have Carson Ridener. We still have a ton of guys with a ton of experience. I don’t understand how teams can throw our offense out the window. The guys are mad people are saying that and we’re ready to get going.

"We might be even better.”

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Oak Harbor finished 12-1 last season, advancing to a regional semifinal. It won the Northern Buckeye Conference its first season in the league.

Junior Isaac Schulte returns along the line and running back Carson Ridener returns after missing half of last season with an injury. Twin Jacob Ridener would have been among the top linemen on the team last season, but he concentrated on the defensive side to earn first-team all-state status for a second straight season.

Juniors Alex Rife and Ryder Lindsay, and senior Logan McKitrick step in to protect LaLonde and create space for Carson Ridener and junior Blake Nickel. Seniors Garry Brooks, Jaxson Overmyer, Brayden Butzin and Brady Losie, and juniors Wyatt Augsburger and Cooper Schultz are options at receiver.

Brooks and junior Travis Bouyer join the twins as linebackers for a defense that stifled opponents just as much as the offense overwhelmed them last season. LaLonde occupies a leadership spot on both sides of the ball as a defensive back, but he has plenty of help from 12 classmates.

“Everybody is going to do whatever it takes to end on a win,” LaLonde said. “That’s the great thing, everyone will leave everything out there. My role will be the same. Do my best to lead because everybody around me does a great job.”

LaLonde established single-season program records for yards (2,215) and touchdowns (25) passing. He tied the single-game mark with four scoring passes in a regular season victory over Otsego and he threw just four interceptions all season.

You might see LaLonde throw a ball away or run out of bounds in order to live another down, rather than risk forcing a throw into tight coverage or a big hit this season. You might.

“Last year was a good season but the goal is to top that and we have the guys to do that,” he said. “We’re capable of going further, as long as everybody buys in. The guys around me are great and they know what they’re doing.

“If we’re on the same page, we’ll be fine. The big three: A conference championship back to back to back; that’s never been done. We want to get on the big bus and go down for a regional championship. Then, a state championship.

"Of course, it’s one game at a time.”

mhorn@gannett.com

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This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Oak Harbor football believes window remains open for its prolific offense