Bridgeport Bulldogs: 2024 High School Football Preview

In his first year as head coach of the Bulldogs, Andrew Yahn wasted no time in trying to establish a solid foundation at Bridgeport.

It’s his first stint as a head coach but he brings a wealth of experience. He’s coached 4 years at Wheeling Park and two years at West Liberty.

When he’s not on the field, Yahn works as a firefighter and EMT for the Wheeling Fire Department.

From the moment he was hired back in May the team has been hard at work in the weight room and on the field.

The focus has been on fundamentals, blocking, tackling and ball control. It’s a relatively young team, with around thirty players on the roster.

Despite some strong senior leadership, they are mostly underclassmen.

However, Yahn says they have a strong work ethic and are happy with their progress.

I like that we’ve been getting better every single day. That’s one of the things that I preach is getting 1% better every single day. They’ve really bought into that. No matter how good we get, we can always get a little better.”

Andrew Yahn, Bridgeport, Head Coach

They will be looking for junior Jaki Threet to lead the way at quarterback.

Last year, he saw significant playing time at the running back and wide receiver positions.

Yahn says Threet is a great athlete who poses a double threat with a strong arm and great speed.

He won’t catch much of a break this season, as he is playing middle linebacker on defense. He is also the team’s punter and kick-off return specialist.

They look to establish a strong run game, with AJ Bishop seeing time at running back. The junior speedster is a threat in the open field but is a hard runner who can pick up the tough yards as well.

He saw limited time due to an injury last year but now looks to be a big part of the team’s offense.

They also have plenty of speed at the skill positions. Avery Jackson will line up at wide receiver and defensive end. Lyrik Brown, who has a great set of hands, will play tight end and strong safety.

Another key for the Dogs this year will be in the trenches, where they have good sizes and plenty of experience. Matt Kuzmicki will return at center. Justin Ekkert will play guard and defensive tackle, and Logan Baker will line up at tackle and defensive end.

A lot of good teams and a lot of good coaches we are going up against each week. We’ve got to respect. We are going to do our best to prepare each week for each one of our opponents. We want to go 1-0 each week so we can be where we want to be at the end of the season.”

Andrew Yahn, Bridgeport, Head Football Coach

The Dogs open their season at home on Thursday night, August 22, when they host the Frontier Cougars.

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