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Whether he’s playingas running back ...... or wide receiver,Jerry Brown is McComb’s2012 Area Schedule | T29This season’s seniorTrojans | T32 & T33... quarterback ...The CourierWISHING THE BEST OF LUCK TO ALL AREA TEAMS!DAILY SPECIALSMON: 50¢ CHICKEN CHUNK-A-DUNKS • TUE: BURGER TWOSDAYWED: 35¢ WINGS • THU & SUN: $10 SPECIALTY PIZZAStheLanding PadFamily Pizzeria & Sports Pub1123 Trenton Ave. • Findlay419-425-0250

T2COVER STORYTHE COURIERWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012McComb’s Jerry Brown is definition of versatilityBy JAMIE BAKERSTAFF WRITERMcCOMB — Look up the word versatilein the dictionary and you might find a photoof McComb’s Jerry Brown.As a junior, Brown did just about everythingon the gridiron.Selected the Blanchard Valley ConferenceOffensive Player of the Year, Brown playedevery skill position for the Panthers.As a running back, he racked up 1,373yards on 167 carries with 24 touchdowns.As a receiver, he caught 50 passes for 904yards and 13 scores.He even threw the ball on occasion out ofthe wildcat formation.Expect much the same in 2012.Most of the time Brown will line up as arunning back behind McComb quarterbackDalton Buck. Sometimes Brown will line upin a slot, other times he can be found as awideout.But lining up behind the center in a shotgunformation, is Brown’s favorite position.“I like the wildcat the best. I like to getthe ball in my hands and just run,” said the6-foot-1, 190-pound bleach-blond Brown, whowas a second team all-Ohio selection at runningback last season.“I want the ball in my hands. I want toput it in the end zone every time I touch theball. I want to make plays because I have theconfidence in myself to get yards and firstdowns.”Brown got yards, first downs and touchdownsby the bunches in 2011.His 38 total touchdowns broke JerryMapes’ long-standing school season record,a mark set when the Panthers won the 1983Division V state title.Brown has also scored 52 career touchdowns,more than anyone in McComb history.And his sixth-sense at finding a way intoSee BROWN, Page T3

THE COURIERWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012COVER STORYT3Brown’s presence alters game preparationsLeipsic’s Kirkendall:‘He epitomizes thewords football player’By JAMIE BAKERSTAFF WRITERMcComb senior Jerry Brown is the primary topicof conversation when Blanchard Valley Conferenceteams are preparing to play the Panthers.And for good reason.In fact, the conference’s coaches thought sohighly of him that they named him the BlanchardValley Conference Offensive Player of the Year in2011.“When he’s on the field, opponents have to planfor him,” McComb Coach Kris Alge said. “That’swhy just having him out there makes us better. Ourother guys know they have to step up because withso much focus on Jerry, they are going to get theirchances to make plays.“He’s just a good student and good kid. He’s funto be around. He’s a great team player, too“It’s not just about Jerry. He’ll go to any positionwe tell him to and he doesn’t complain aboutBrownContinued from page T2the end zone earned him the welldeservednickname “Touchdown”Jerry Brown, one he incorporates intohis Twitter handle @TDJerryBrown.It was a few games into last seasonwhen McComb coach Kris Alge figuredhe had captured lightning in abottle.“Last year as a receiver he wasable to just jump in the air and getthe ball. In the middle of the year,we were doing a lot of running in ourunbalanced (wish)bone and we foundout he was a pretty good runner, too,”Alge said.“We were able to put him at quarterbackin our version of the wildcatand we found out he’s not too bad atthrowing (it).“We want to use him more at quarterbackso he has to be able to throwthe ball, because we can’t have otherteams putting everyone in the boxwhen he’s back there.”Last season when teams put eightor nine men near the line of scrimmage,it just didn’t matter.Against Arcadia was a perfectexample. Nothing the Redskins diddefensively seemed to slow Brown.On a warm mid-October night atKieffer Field, Brown made a play thatfans will remember for years.On McComb’s second play fromscrimmage, Brown lined up in theit because he knows its going to make our teambetter.”Leipsic coach Joe Kirkendall had to prepare forMcComb and Brown twice last season.In Week 10, Leipsic became the only team tokeep Brown out of the end zone, holding him withouta touchdown and to 58 yards rushing and 5yards receiving in a 48-20 loss to the Vikings.It was a different story, but the same result twoweeks later.Brown scored three times, rushed for 202 yards,passed for 45 and had 27 receiving yards in Leipsic’s34-28 overtime win over McComb in the regionalsemifinals.Kirkendall was impressed.“The first word I think of when I think of JerryBrown is versatile. He does a lot of things very,very well. He epitomizes the words football player,”Kirkendall said.“He comes across as knowledgeable and seemsto understand the game with a wider focus thanmost other kids do.“I’ve had college coaches ask me about him andI tell them that I’ve never seen a kid with the balancethat he shows. His agility and the way he canturn a play that looks like nothing into somethingis unique.”Brown has a knack for being in the right place atthe right time, particularly on offense.wildcat, found a big hole toward thesidelines and hurdled Arcadia defendersLucas Recker and Casey Mock.The two defenders crashed into eachother and fell to the turf. Brown raced21 yards untouched to the end zone.The jaw-dropping play, which isaccessible on the Internet, stunnedthe entire crowd.“That was probably my bestgame. When I hurdled those kids, ohmy gosh, I don’t know how I did itor where it came from. I think Godtook over for me,”Brown said.“I was luckyneither one of“He is very versatile.He’s right up there withthe top athletes whohave gone through hereat McComb. He’s a goodbasketball player and hehad a great track seasonlast spring.”them clippedmy leg. I was sopumped up afterthat play. It wascrazy.”It was the firstof Brown’s fivetouchdowns in a67-13 romp.His statisticsline for the gameread:180 yards rushing,40 receiving,1-of-1 passing for 12 yards.Oh, yeah, he also had a bunch oftackles and an interception on defense.It seemed every time Browntouched the ball it was electric. Players,coaches and fans thought somethingspecial was about to happen.And as Alge says, “It usually did.“He is very versatile. He’s right upthere with the top athletes who havegone through here at McComb. He’sa good basketball player and he had agreat track season last spring.“Football-wise, he’s not a 4.5 guy.He went to some of these combinesand ran a 4.7 or 4.8. But when you puthim on a football field and put a ball inhis hands, he’s one of those 4.5 guys.“He can cut, he sees the field andhe can do things that are amazing.“Jerry’s a good leader but he leadsmore by example. He’s not a real vocalkid all the time but when it’s reallytime to go, he’s vocal. He just wantsto win the game.”KRIS ALGE,McCOMB FOOTBALL COACH“Brown has speed, he has great balance and hehas Kris Alge as his coach calling the plays, that’sa tough combination to stop,” Cory-Rawson coachJosh Meyer said.“He’s also got great awareness and a natural feelfor what the defense is going to do to try and stophim. He has just a great overall awareness of thegame.”Brown reminds Pandora-Gilboa head coachCarey Arthur of a former P-G star he coached thatwent on to have a solid career in college at the Universityof Findlay.“Back in the 1980s we had Nathan Sprunger.He did a lot of the same things that Jerry does. Iremember in a game he lost a shoe in the backfieldand went 65 yards for a touchdown,” Arthur said.“(Brown) is one outstanding athlete that’s toughto stop and when you have an athlete of that caliberin a small-school league like the BVC, that’s huge.“Probably his greatest asset is that he seems tohave a sense of what’s happening on the field aroundhim and that’s something you really can’t teach.“He’s one of those players you hope to coach oncein a lifetime. I’m looking forward to seeing what hecan do this season; I just don’t want to see him doit against us.”Baker, 419-427-8409jamiebaker@thecourier.comBrown hasn’talways been thecenter of attentionon the gridiron. Inmidget and juniorhigh football, headmits he was achubby, slow fullback.But he soonblossomed intoa solid footballplayer.As a freshman,Brown sawenough playingtime in the defensivebackfield to earn a varsity letter.Brown was a wide receiver as asophomore, and handled the placekickingduties. When injuries left thePanthers shorthanded, he had a twoorthree-game stint at offensive tackleand defensive end.“He reminds me a lot of (formerMcComb standout) Craig Aukerman,a two-time All-American at (Universityof Findlay),” Alge said.“He has an instinct that you justcan’t teach when he has the ball in hishands. He is always in the right placeat the right time.”McComb’s opponents have to knowwhere Brown is at all times, or theyare likely to get burned.And all the attention Brown drawsis just fine with him. He knows thatextra attention will open things up forsome of his talented teammates.“I kind of like it when teams focuson me. Let them do it, too, because wehave a lot of great weapons this year,”Brown said.“Brandon Ishmael is a senior. He’sthe fastest kid on our team in track.Cody Wilson, Clay Dysert, ClayGrubb, Mitch Schroeder, and DaltonBuck, he’s probably our best receiverwhen he’s not at quarterback.“If teams want to focus on me, goright ahead because we have a lot ofother weapons on offense.”Brown also has plenty of confidencein his offensive line. He knowsevery one of his 1,746 career rushingyards and 1,292 career receivingyards wouldn’t have been possiblewithout the blocking up front.“Our line makes the holes and I justread it,” Brown said.“I just hit the hole my line opensup for me as quick as I can and givethe defense a little shake-and-bake.”While Brown loves the offensiveside of the ball and facing the challengeof playing all of the skill positions,the part of the game he prefersmost is defense and laying a lick onSee BROWN, Page T28InsideArcadia T4-5Arlington T6-7Cory-Rawson T8-9Hardin Northern T10-11Leipsic T12-13Liberty-Benton T14-15McComb T18-19Pandora-Gilboa T20-21Van Buren T22-23Vanlue T24-25TRAC capsulesT28 & T30Area football scheduleT29Findlay T31 & 34Bluffton T36-37Carey T38-39Elmwood T40-41Fostoria T42-43St. Wendelin T44-45North Baltimore T46-47Ottawa-Glandorf T50-51Patrick Henry T52-53Riverdale T54-55Upper Sandusky T56-57Hopewell-LoudonT60Columbus GroveT59AdaT582011 standings T62SPORTS EDITORLarry AlterSTAFF WRITERSJamie BakerDave HannemanNathan InnigerBrian LesterTed RadickJohn ReitmanSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHERRandy RobertsCONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERSKyle HunterNick MooreKent TarboxCOVER PHOTOGRAPHYRandy RobertsCOVER DESIGNJason Smith

T4ARCADIATHE COURIERWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012MockKEY TO THE SEASONBameOFFENSEAccording to quarterbackasey Mock: “Execution. We’reretty big up front, so just blockur guys, open up holes, hopefullyreak a few. It’s key that we playith confidence again this year.”DEFENSEAccording to linebackerTyler Bame: “We lost a lot of startersfrom last year. Everybody hasto man up, do their part, and weshould be good.”2011 LEADERSPASSING ATT COMP YDS TD INTMock 204 93 1,360 19 11RUSHING ATT YARDS AVG. TDMellott 69 463 6.7 5Colman 64 454 7.1 4RECEIVING REC. YARDS AVG. TDColman 26 593 22.8 8DEPTH CHARTBy BRIAN SCHLIEVERTFOR THE COURIERARCADIA — The 2011 season wassignificant for Arcadia, culminatingin the school’s first-ever appearancein the state playoffs.Despite being stung by conferencerival Leipsic 51-0 in the first round,2011 cannot be classified as anythingless than a successful season, whichincluded a 7-3 regular season and a6-3 mark in the Blanchard Valley Conference.But that was then and this is now.Arcadia experienced heavy lossesto graduation, returning just threestarters and five letterwinners. Findingtheir identity will be key for 2012Redskins.Adding to the mix is a change inthe head coaching position and theinstallation of a new offense.Pat Gerisch has taken the reins.Gerisch began his coaching career atCrestline (1994-2000) as an assistant.After spending the 2001 seasona Liberty-Benton assistant, he tookthe head coaching responsibilities atVanlue in 2002 and 2003, going 2-18.Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt.QB Casey Mock Sr. 6-0 160FB Tyler Bame Sr. 6-0 175RB Chase Gonzales So. 5-6 140WR Seth Bauer Sr. 5-10 175WR Sawyer Kieffer Jr. 5-8 150TE Clay Moyer Sr. 6-1 180OT Travis Roller Sr. 6-4 285OT Jacob Keefe Fr. 6-0 235OG Hayden Ramsey Sr. 5-10 235OG Bobby Vera Jr. 5-10 235C Kevin Keefe Sr. 6-3 215OFFENSIVE UNITRedskins arehit hard bygraduationQB Chad Baker Fr. 6-3 175FB Shae Watkins Fr. 6-1 180RB Landon Carnicom Fr. 6-0 175WR Terrance Cheeks So. 6-3 160WR Garrett Enders Fr. 5-6 130TE Trey Bermudez Jr. 6-1 170OT Jacob Moyer Fr. 6-0 195OT Gabe Johnson Sr. 6-4 295OG Jacob Thompson So. 6-0 180OG Matt Rood So. 5-10 190C Cody Hill Jr. 6-0 170KYLE HUNTER / for The CourierTYLER BAME, left, and Sawyer Kieffer defend on a play at the Liberty-Benton 7-on-7 camp in July.After time off to tend to familymatters, Gerisch returned to Vanluein 2010 as the junior high coach andlast season was the high school defensivecoordinator.The first order of business forGerisch at Arcadia was to instill asense of confidence in his players,most of whom have seen little or novarsity playing time.“I think at times they questionthemselves,” he said.“They want to win, they want tobe successful, they want to make theirmark and get back to the playoffs. It’sjust getting them to believe that theycan do that.”If coaches were told they couldchoose to have battle-tested experienceat one position, they likelychoose the quarterback position.Gerisch has that in senior Casey*Returning starters in boldPos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt.NG Bobby Vera Jr. 5-10 235DT Travis Roller Sr. 6-4 285DE Clay Moyer Sr. 6-1 180DE Kevin Keefe Sr. 6-3 215OLB Seth Bauer Sr. 5-10 175OLB Shae Watkins Sr. 6-1 180ILB Hayden Ramsey So. 5-10 235ILB Tyler Bame Sr. 6-0 175CB Chase Gonzales So. 5-6 140CB Sawyer Kieffer Jr. 5-8 150S Casey Mock Sr. 6-0 160DEFENSIVE UNITSee REDSKINS, Page T16NG Gabe Johnson Sr. 6-4 250DT Matt Rood So. 5-10 190DE Jacob Moyer Fr. 6-0 195DE Jacob Thompson So. 6-0 180OLB Terrance Cheeks So. 6-3 160OLB Chad Baker Fr. 6-3 175ILB Landon Carnicom Fr. 6-0 175ILB Cody Hill Jr. 6-0 170CB Tristan Lucas Fr. 5-9 140CB Garrett Enders Fr. 5-6 130S Tristan Love Fr. 5-2 110QUICK FACTSCOACH: Pat Gerisch (1st year).LAST YEAR: 7-4 overall, 6-3Blanchard Valley Conference.LAST BVC TITLE: None.OFFENSIVE SCHEME:I-spread.DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-2-5.STRENGTHS: Gerisch believesthe return of three-year starterCasey Mockat quarterbackis one of histeam’s biggeststrengths goinginto the 2012campaign.The Redskinsare also quickand shiftyGerischat the skillpositions andexpect big playsto open thingsup offensively.WEAKNESSES: The Redskinswill put a lot of inexperiencedplayers on the field in 2012. Stayinghealthy will be crucial.GRIDIRON GURUMake no mistake, this is Mock’steam. The players look up to himfor leadership and he has just thetype of calm, confident demeanorthis young squad needs to keepthem focused. Tyler Bame is Mock’smirror image on the defensive sideof the ball. With some early winsto build confidence, the Redskinscould be a force in the BVC.WE SUPPORTYOU REDSKINS!Kathy’s KornerRestaurant100 W. Fremont, Arcadia419-894-6466PrecisionMachiningDelivering some of theindustry’s highest standards ofprecision grinding, machining,and finishing of closetolerance tooling.419-894-6426 • 800-776-3437202 S. Street P.O. Box 278Arcadia, OH 44804-0278rpmprecision.comPrecision Machining Since 1967Good LuckArea Teams!717 N. Main St. * Findlay419-423-9145www.hitchingsinsurance.com

THE COURIERWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012ARCADIAT5Tyler Bame (1), Marcus Vela (2), Tristan Lucas (3), Seth Bauer (5), Trey Bermudez (6), Tristan Love (7), Sawyer Kieffer (8), Clay Moyer (9), Chad Baker (10), Casey Mock (11), TerranceCheeks (14), Chase Gonzales (15), Vlad Sedler (20), Garrett Enders (22), Landon Carnicom (25), Shae Watkins (32), Jacob Moyer (51), Hayden Ramsey (52), Matt Rood (57), Travis Roller (60),Gabe Johnson (62), Bobby Vera (64), Jorden Johnson (68), Cody Hill (71), Kevin Keefe (72), Jacob Keefe (74), Jacob Thompson (75), AJ Knepper (77), Phillip Roberts (88).ArcadiaDate Opponent Home/AwayAugust 24 Lakota H31 Vanlue* ASeptember 7 Arlington* H14 Cory-Rawson* H21 Van Buren* A28 Liberty-Benton* HOctober 5 Leipsic* H12 McComb* A19 Hardin Northern* H26 Pandora-Gibloa* All games 7 p.m.-- Blanchard Valley Conference games2012 SCHEDULEOur TeamWishes ArcadiaGood Luck.Our ServicesBrakes-Alignments-Oil ChangesTires-Engines-BatteriesDiagnostices-Tune UpsWe’ll Keep You OnThe Road19090 SR 12, Arcadia419-894-6447www.arcadiaauto.comLakota 45-13Vanlue 46-0Arlington 43-27Cory-Rawson 21-14Van Buren 30-20GOODLUCKALL AREA TEAMS!2017 Tiffin Ave. • Findlay419-423-0713www.act-1staffingfindlay.comGOODLUCKREDSKINS!Paul Gnepper 419-299-3524Findlay 419-422-3852www.cruisin2.com2011 RESULTS RECORD BOOKLiberty-Benton 14-34Leipsic 13-49McComb 13-67Hardin Northern 42-21Pandora-Gilboa 41-6REDSKINSPlayoffsLeipsic 0-51AT335 N. Main St., Fostoria(419) 435-67002011 7-42010 4-62009 2-82008 1-92007 6-42006 2-82005 2-82004 3-72003 1-92002 3-7THE BESTDENTALCAREWITHTHE BESTDENTALTEAMAlways accepting new patients

T6ARLINGTONTHE COURIERWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012McBrideKEY TO THE SEASONBormuthOffenseAccording to quarterbacklaiz McBride: “Just improving,ay by day and week by week. Weeed to keep getting better andetter every day. We have to workard and get things done.”DefenseAccording to linebacker KyleBormuth: “We’re a young defense.We need to run to the ball, gangtackle and secure tackles. Ouryoung guys are coming up andlearning every day.”2011 LEADERSPassing Att COMP YDS TD INTMcBride 85 37 667 7 5RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TDLeonard 160 939 5.9 18Cheney 55 388 7.1 4Bormuth 79 378 4.8 4Receiving REC YDS AVG TDRecker 18 318 17.7 5DEPTH CHARTBy TED RADICKSTAFF WRITERARLINGTON — Year in and yearout, it seems, Arlington is in the thickof the Blanchard Valley Conferencerace.So, last year has to qualify as adisappointment. The Red Devils didhave a winning record — 6-4 overall,5-4 in the BVC — but slipped to fifthin the league standings and missedthe playoffs for a second consecutiveseason.This year’s team has a point toprove, and a number of returningoffensive players that could make thathappen.“We love linemen,” Arlingtoncoach Dick Leonard said. “We havethree back, which is a good nucleus.We’ve seen good communication fromthose guys, so we’re probably a stepahead of last year in that sense. We’vegot good intelligence up front; thosekids are all good students.”Tackles Logan Grieser (soph., 283pounds) and Joe Rieman (senior, 245)return as does senior guard Jake Billicheck(240). Junior center MattInniger (210) would likely have beenPos. Yr. Wt. Pos. Yr. Wt.QB Blaiz McBride Sr. 165RB Zac Metzger Sr. 163RB Austin Rettig So. 183FB Kyle Bormuth Sr. 175WR Kody Frysinger Sr. 185T Logan Grieser So. 283T Joe Rieman Sr. 245G Jake Billcheck Sr. 240G Bryce Hartman So. 198C Matt Inniger Jr. 210TE Michael Blunk Jr. 225K Zac Metzger Sr. 163OFFENSIVE UNITRed Devilsout to provethemselvesQB Andrew Hunter Jr. 147RB Koltin Marquart Jr. 172FB Jordan Freed Jr. 163WR Ryan McDowell Jr. 158T Chase Glick So. 281G Justin Rice So. 225TE Zach Gehring Sr. 195KYLE HUNTER / for The CourierARLINGTON’S CHASE GLICK, left, and Matt Inniger compete in thetire drill at the Bucyrus Lineman Challenge in July. Glick is a 281-poundsophomore defensive tackle and Inniger is a junior center.a starter last year until a knee injuryshelved him for the season, and sophomoreChase Glick (281) adds size attackle. Sophomore Bryce Hartman(198) will play guard.Senior quarterback Blaiz McBridealso returns. While McBride onlycompleted 37 passes in Arlington’sground and pound Wing-T attack (theRed Devils attempted all 85 passes in2011), seven of those completions didgo for touchdowns.“We’ve been happy with the progresshe’s made,” Leonard said. “He’sPos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt.DE Bryce Hartman So. 198DE Zach Gehring Sr. 195DT Chase Glick So. 281DT Joe Rieman Sr. 245MLB Josh Elledge Jr. 198OLB Kyle Bormuth Sr. 175OLB Kody Frysinger Sr. 185CB Blaiz McBride Sr. 165CB Andrew Hunter Jr. 147S Jordan Freed Jr. 163S Zac Metzger Sr. 163P Blaiz McBride Sr. 165DEFENSIVE UNITSee RED, Page T16DE Michael Blunk Jr. 225DT Matt Inniger Jr. 210DT Jake Billcheck Sr. 240OLB Austin Rettig So. 183OLB Koltin Marquart Jr. 172CB Ryan McDowell Jr. 158QUICK FACTSCOACH: Dick Leonard (5thyear, 26-16).LAST YEAR: 6-4 overall, 5-4Blanchard Valley Conference.LAST BVC TITLE: 1987.OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Wing-T.DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-3.STRENGTHS: Special teams,as the RedDevils returnall-BlanchardValley ConferencepunterBlaize McBrideand reliablekicker ZacMetzger.The seniorLeonardclass is showingoutstandingleadership andcommitment.WEAKNESSES: There’s lots ofnew starters and players switchingpositions, notably among thedefensive front seven. The RedDevils are not blessed with a lotof team speed.GRIDIRON GURUEvery year, coach Leonard vowsto throw the ball more often. And,every year, the Red Devils groundand pound. Given the team’s deepstable of backs and a big offensiveline, that’s playing to Arlington’sstrength. First downs are huge forArlington’s offense; a second-and-4opens the playbook but if the RedDevils are facing second-and-9,that’s a problem.Good LuckTo TheArlington Red DevilsAPPLESEED IGA128 Vail St.Arlington • 419-365-7007To learn more aboutour continuum of carecommunity, call us at(419) 365-5115.www.good-sam.comPhysical/Occupational Therapy • MRI • Surgery • Pain Management • Podiatry1501 Bright Rd., Findlay • Tiffin • Ottawa • Fostoria 419.424.0131 OhioOrtho-SportsMed.com

THE COURIERWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012CORY-RAWSONT9Garrett Shepherd (2), Alex Appleget (3), Matthew Alspach (4), Ian Moser (5), Tyler Harris (14), Dylen Hartman (24), Drew Melton (28), Mason Watkins (33), Trevor Snyder (34), Zach Ream35), Jaydyn Hall (40), Skyler Arnett (42), Macen Desgranges (50), Jacob Wineland (52), Aaron Scarberry (60), Dakota Gibson (61), David Saum (64), Devin Meyer (67), Mitch Karhoff (72),yan Forney (76), Taylor Heldman (77), Cody Andrews (78), Michael Witte (80), Chris Reichley (81), Mathew Kellogg (84), Heath Risner (88). Head coach: Josh Meyer. Assistant coaches: Daveiferd, Cory Brunow, Ryan Ludwig, Clint Brunow, Chad Hirschy.2012 SCHEDULEDate Opponent Home/AwayAugust 24 Bluffton (7:30 p.m.) H31 Hardin Northern* ASeptember 7 Pandora-Gilboa* H14 Arcadia* A21 Liberty-Benton* H28 McComb* AOctober 5 Vanlue* H12 Leipsic* A19 Van Buren* A26 Arlington* H(All games 7 p.m.)* -- Blanchard Valley Conference gamesCory-RawsonBluffton 21-35Hardin Northern 46-13Pandora-Gilboa 33-7Arcadia 14-21Liberty-Benton 14-412011 RESULTS RECORD BOOKMcComb 7-45Vanlue 49-8Leipsic 0-37Van Buren 33-34Arlington 14-31HORNETS2011 3-72010 5-52009 7-42008 3-72007 3-72006 5-52005 5-52004 3-72003 11-22002 9-3

T10HARDIN NORTHERNTHE COURIERWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012DrummKEY TO THE SEASONLaRocheOFFENSEAccording to quarterbackiley Drumm: “Our line has toold their blocks because we areoing primarily to a run offense.Our running backs have to run theball hard every play.”DEFENSEAccording to defensive endinkoln LaRoche: “We needo wrap up on all of our tackles.t seemed like last year we had aittle bit of a problem tackling andgetting all 11 guys to the ball everyplay.”2011 LEADERSPASSING ATT COMP YDS TD INTDrumm 135 45 698 6 12RUSHING ATT YARDS AVG. TDGarman 141 418 3.0 1RECEIVING ATT YARDS AVG. TDPoling 7 230 32.9 2Gossard 11 208 18.9 2Garman 7 92 13.1 1DEPTH CHARTGo Forthe WinPolar Bears!Crop ProductionService892 US 68 • Dunkirk419-759-3111By NATHAN INNIGERSTAFF WRITERDOLA — Keith Obenour has beenpart of Hardin Northern’s football programall the way back to his playingdays.He was a senior during Pete Brunow’sfirst season as the head coach atHardin Northern.The Polar Bears went 7-3 thatseason, their first winning record in10 years.During Brunow’s tenure, HardinNorthern had 22 winning seasonsincluding 19 straight (1989-2007).Brunow resigned before the 2010season. Since then the programhas had a hard generating the numbersneed to be competitive in theBlanchard Valley Conference.The Polar Bears have 20 playersthis season.There was a district meeting inJanuary to discuss the possibility ofnot playing a varsity schedule becauseof the low numbers. The communitydecided to give it a go and Obenourbelieves it was the correct decision.Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt.QB Rylie Drumm Jr. 6-0 160FB Matt Dirmeyer Sr. 5-7 180RB Colton Spearman Jr. 6-0 160RB Brock Spearman Sr. 6-0 160WR Jacob Gossard Jr. 5-6 150TE Dylan Sloan Fr. 5-8 160OT Brandon Smith Sr. 6-0 220OT Brett Roby Jr. 5-9 210OG Linkoln LaRoche Sr. 6-1 210OG Trevor Prichard Jr. 5-7 200C Mitchell Williams So. 5-8 170PK Rylie Drumm Jr. 6-0 160OFFENSIVE UNITObenour istrying to keepPolar Bearsprogram afloatQB Cole Gossard Fr. 5-6 140FB Wesley Schlatter Fr. 5-7 150RB Storm Drumm Fr. 5-9 150RB Cole Gossard Fr. 5-6 140WR Ethon Flowers Jr. 5-7 150OG Isaiah Prowant Fr. 5-5 160C Cameron Deckling Fr. 5-7 180Cut to theTop!Good LuckBears!TheRazor’sEdge270 ½ N. Main St.Dunkirk419-759-2406KYLE HUNTER / for The CourierHARDIN NORTHERN head coach Keith Obenour instructs his players atthe Bucyrus 7-on-7 camp and lineman challenge in July.“The main thing is for the seniors.We have four seniors and they workedpretty hard in the weight room inthe offseason,” Obenour said. “Theytalked about having a junior varsityschedule but for those seniors thatworked so hard, playing a varsityschedule means a lot to them.”Obenour would have hated to seea successful program resort to playinga junior varsity schedule or nothaving a team.That was one reason he wanted theopportunity to coach.“I’m pretty loyal,” said Obenour,who has coached at HN as a juniorhigh coach for 17 years and a varsityassistant for another six.“Coach Brunow came when I wasa senior and we hadn’t been very goodGood LuckHardin NorthernPolar Bears!!BB Excavating& Outdoor Furnaces419-358-5342Bluffton, OHuntil he got here. Then we go 7-3 mysenior year. Then we dominated theleague there for 17, 18 years. Now weare down with low numbers.”Obenour is bringing back Brunow’sunbalanced-T offense.The Polar Bears’ strength will beon the offensive line with three returningstarters in Linkoln LaRoche, BrandonSmith and Trevor Prichard.“They are the ones that workedpretty hard in the weight room,”Obenour said.The only skill player returning isjunior quarterback Riley Drumm, whothrew for 698 yards and six touchdownsin his first varsity season.“He has a nice level head. HePos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt.DE Linkoln LaRoche Sr. 6-1 210DE Matt Dirmeyer Sr. 5-7 180DT Brett Roby Jr. 5-9 210DT Brandon Smith Sr. 6-0 220MLB Trevor Pritchard Jr. 5-7 200OLB Colton Spearman Jr. 6-0 160OLB Wesley Schlatter Fr. 5-7 150CB Jacob Gossard Jr. 5-6 150CB Ethon Flowers Jr. 5-7 150S Rylie Drumm Jr. 6-0 160S Brock Spearman Sr. 6-0 160P Rylie Drumm Jr. 6-0 160DEFENSIVE UNITSee OBENOUR, Page T27DE Mitchell Williams So. 5-8 170DE Dylan Sloan Fr. 5-8 160DT Isaiah Prowant Fr. 5-5 160DT Cameron Deckling Fr. 5-7 180MLB Blake Obenour Fr. 5-7 150OLB Dylan Sloan Fr. 5-8 160CB Cole Gossard Fr. 5-6 140S Storm Drumm Fr. 5-9 150P Colton Spearman Jr. 6-0 160GoodLuckBears!From:The Dairy Dream290 N. Main St.Dunkirk567-674-1263QUICK FACTSCOACH: Keith Obenour (1styear).LAST YEAR: 1-9 overall, 1-8Blanchard Valley Conference.LAST BVC TITLE: 2005.OFFENSIVE SCHEME:Unbalanced-T.DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-3.STRENGTHS: The bulk ofHardin Northern’sreturningplayers arelinemen. ThePolar Bearsreturn threestarters on theoffensive lineand two on thedefensive line.ObenourObenour waspleased withquarterbackRiley Drumm’sperformance a season ago andreturns.WEAKNESSES: With just 20players, Hardin Northern will notbe a deep team. Hardin Northernwill have to break in three runningbacks and a receiver as thePolar Bears go back to the unbalanced“T” that former coach PeteBrunow utilized so well.GRIDIRON GURUHardin Northern ended the2011 season on a positive note witha win over Vanlue in its final gameof the season. If Hardin Northerncan survive the first eight weeksof the season, the Polar Bears willface two teams — Vanlue and Arcadia— with similar numbers andhave a chance for two victories toend the season.Good LuckBears!FromMcCulloughIndustries, Inc.13047 CR • Kenton419-673-0767

THE COURIERWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012LEIPSICT13Terrance Dear (1), Terrel Murriel (3), Isiah Lomeli (4), Ross Mangas (5), Randy Avila (6), Dylan Schey (7), Austin Chamberlain (8), Kurt Schroeder (9), Austin Brown (10), Keith Scheckelhoff(11), Zach Kuhlman (12), Caleb Barrera (14), Derek Steffan (15), Emilio Guerra (17), Edgar Raida (19), Theron Ridinger (20), Logan Haselman (21), Milo Lopez (22), Jordan Chamberlain (23),Aric Schroeder (24), Jordan Brown (25), Devin Mangas (28), Nate Brecht (32), Brady Schnipke (33), Ryan Santana (40), Lorenzo Martin (42), Dean DelaRosa (44), Robert Haselman (50), RiedSteffan (51), Garret Bardall (52), Colyn Niese (53), Alfie Flores (55), Cody Guerra (56), Javier Bustos (57), Donald Durain (58), Jared Rieman (59), Paul Steffan (60), Brandon Wentworth (63),ollin Schroeder (64), Adonijah Flores (66), Chris Zarycki (67), Andre Guajardo (68), Paul Gerdeman (70), Josh Maynard (72), Matt Escamilla (74), Kyle Berger (75), Caleb Klinebriel (76), GavinCupp (77), Cody Settlemire (81). Head coach: Joe Kirkendall.2012 SCHEDULEDate Opponent Home/AwayAugust 24 Hopewell-Loudon A31 Pandora-Gilboa* HSeptember 7 Vanlue* A14 Van Buren* H21 Arlington* A28 Hardin Northern* AOctober 5 Arcadia* A12 Cory-Rawson* H19 Liberty-Benton* A26 McComb* H(All games 7 p.m.)* -- Blanchard Valley Conference gamesLeipsicHopewell-Loudon 13-23Pandora-Gilboa 35-0Vanlue 42-7Van Buren 41-7Arlington 41-72011 RESULTS RECORD BOOKHardin Northern 40-7Arcadia 49-13Cory-Rawson 37-0Liberty-Benton 27-0McComb 48-20VIKINGSPLAYOFFSArcadia 51-0McComb (2 OT) 34-28Delphos St. John’s 20-282011 11-22010 9-22009 10-22008 6-42007 2-82006 1-92005 5-52004 4-62003 6-42002 6-4

T14LIBERTY-BENTONTHE COURIERWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012LinhartKEY TO THE SEASONBowsherOffenseAccording to quarterbackitch Linhart: “First, up front,e have to move people. That willstablish our run before the pass.e have players who can step upnd play their positions as wells (Brady) Vaught and (Dakota)onkle did last year.”DefenseAccording to cornerbackyle Bowsher: “It all starts withetting pressure on the quarterack.That makes our job easiernd allows us to read our keys.e’re going to be solid.”2011 LEADERSPASSING ATT COMP YDS TD INTLinhart 208 106 1,855 23 11RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TDVaught 190 1,371 7.2 22Linhart 100 510 5.1 4Bowsher 13 243 18.7 1RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TDD. Conkle 32 717 22.4 12Cook 20 363 18.2 4Bowsher 20 341 17.1 5DEPTH CHART• Custom Signs• Vehicle Lettering• Banners• Magnets• & More!419-422-5274231 E. Front St., FindlayTodd Cramer - Owner/OperatorBy TED RADICKSTAFF WRITERLiberty-Benton football coach TimNichols won’t hide from this fact: TheEagles’ success will hinge on how awork-in-progress front seven ondefense will perform.Three of the four defensive linemenand all three linebackers graduated offlast year’s 10-2 team. The 2011 Eagleswent 9-1 in Blanchard Valley Conferenceplay and knocked off Division Vpoll champion Lima Central Catholic45-35 in the first round of the playoffsbefore falling 20-13 to Region 18 finalistHicksville.“We have a lot of questions. Wethink they’re going to be all right,but it’s a matter of how soon,” Nicholssaid. “Defensively, that front seven,the sooner they jell the better. Thesecondary will be fine, but we have tobe able to take away something withthe front seven, that’s the run gamepart of it.”Cornerbacks Kyle Bowsher, a5-foot-11, 165-pound senior, and JoelBell, a 5-7, 165-pound junior, anchorthe secondary. Nichols is confidentPos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt.QB Mitch Linhart Sr. 6-3 185RB Austin Combs So. 6-1 211WR Chase Cook Jr. 5-11 150WR Jordan Chiow Sr. 5-10 172WR Joel Bell Jr. 5-7 163WR Kyle Bowsher Sr. 5-11 164T Zack Smelcer Sr. 6-0 246T Ryan Cates Sr. 5-11 214G Michael Loughman Sr. 5-11 261G Chris Warrington Jr. 6-1 211C Larry Lauger Sr. 5-9 175K Mitch Linhart Sr. 6-3 185OFFENSIVE UNITGraduationtook its toll onL-B’s defensivefront sevenQB Joel Bell Jr. 5-7 163RB Tim Petrella Sr. 5-9 166WR Chase Conkle So. 5-11 160WR Nathan Craft Fr. 6-5 195WR Dylan VanDenEynde Jr. 6-2 184WR Anthony Webb Jr. 5-10 180T Brandon May Jr. 6-3 229T Casey Fowler Jr. 6-2 199G Cody Cornwell Jr. 6-1 221G Justin Iott So. 5-11 198C Gage Haws Sr. 5-8 286TRUCK ItDown The FieldEAGLES!419-422-5742www.garnertrucking.comP.O. Box 1506, CR 313Findlay, OH 45839KYLE HUNTER / for The CourierLIBERTY-BENTON head coach Tim Nichols takes a break during theEagles’ 7-on-7 camp in late July. Nichols is in his sixth year in charge ofEagles’ program.in that part of the defense despitethe graduation of first-team all-Ohiosafety Dakota Conkle. Junior BobbySnook (5-11, 171) will start at strongsafety with sophomore Chase Conkle(5-11, 160) at free safety.Replacing another senior from lastseason, middle linebacker Jed Miller,is another matter.“It starts at middle linebacker andgraduating Jed Miller, that’s huge,”Nichols said. “He was our leader andGoEagles!300 Walnut St., Findlay419-423-8771LaugersCarpetOne.complaymaker.”Sophomore Justin Iott (5-11, 200)and senior Larry Lauger (5-9, 175)are battling at middle linebacker. Atoutside linebacker, junior AnthonyWebb (5-10, 180) did get quite a bitof game time last year, but Nicholsnoted a sophomore and freshman arecompeting for the other slot.Senior John Balicki (5-10, 227)Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt.DE Tim Petrella Sr. 5-9 166DE Brandon May Jr. 6-3 229DT John Balicki Sr. 5-10 227DT Gage Haws Sr. 5-8 286MLB Justin Iott So. 5-11 198OLB Anthony Webb Jr. 5-10 180OLB Austin Combs So. 6-1 211CB Joel Bell Jr. 5-7 163CB Kyle Bowsher Sr. 5-11 164FS Chase Conkle So. 5-11 160SS Bobby Snook Jr. 5-11 171P Mitch Linhart Sr. 6-3 185DEFENSIVE UNITSee L-B, Page T16DE Allan Hartley So. 5-11 205DE Marcus Gierke Sr. 5-9 188DT Grant Kinsinger So. 6-0 235DT Chris Warrington Jr. 6-1 211MLB Larry Lauger Sr. 5-9 175OLB Isaish Settles So. 5-11 197OLB Alec Rhodes Fr. 6-0 204CB Jordan Chiow Sr. 5-10 172CB Chase Cook Jr. 5-11 150FS Mitch Linhart Sr. 6-3 185SS Dylan VanDenEynde Jr. 6-2 184QUICK FACTSCOACH: Tim Nichols (6th year,49-11).LAST YEAR: 10-2 overall, 8-1Blanchard Valley Conference.LAST BVC TITLE: 2008.OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Spread.DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-3.STRENGTHS: There’s plentyof returning experience on theoffensive sideof the ball,starting withthree-yearquarterbackMitch Linhart.Three startingoffensivelinemen andthree startingwideouts alsoNichols return.WEAKNESSES: Only onereturning starter is back amongthe defensive front seven, andthe Eagles graduated their entirestarting linebacker corps. L-Balso must replace offensive playmakersBrady Vaught and DakotaConkle.GRIDIRON GURULiberty-Benton will be amongthe teams battling for the BVCtitle. The Eagles will put up plentyof points, but the development ofthe linebacker corps in particularwill be a must in order to stopopposing teams’ run games andgetting that offense back on thefield. Arlington, in Week 2, andMcComb, in Week 3, will providea pair of stern early tests for theEagles’ run defense.

THE COURIERWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012LIBERTY-BENTONT15Mason Rose (1), Chase Conkle (2), Joel Bell (3), Jordan Chiow (6), Chase Cook (7), Colton Bond (8), Mitch Linhart (10), Brandon May (11), Nathan Craft (12), Jacob Schimmoeller (14), StormShepard (15), Bobby Snook (16), Tanner Hindall (18), Anthony Webb (20), Jeff Gierke (25), Kyle Bowsher (27), Cole Smith (30), Mitch Rhodes (32), Austin Combs (33), Alec Rhodes (41), TreyCruz (42), Isaish Settles (50), Marcus McGhee (53), Grant Kinsinger (54), Justin Iott (55), Matt Loughman (56), Ryan Cates (57), Michael Loughman (58), Gage Haws (59), Cody Proehl (60),John Balicki (61), Casey Fowler (62), Eric Peverly (63), Kyle Bell (64), Cody Cornwell (65), Larry Lauger (70), Allan Hartley (72), Marcus Gierke (73), Trevor Springer (74), Matt Groves (75),Zack Smelcer (76), Chris Warrington (79), Dylan Vandeneynde (81), Tim Petrella (83), Trendai Kelley (84), Colton Smith (85). Head coach: Tim Nichols.2012 SCHEDULEDate Opponent Home/AwayLiberty-BentonAugust 25 Fremont St. Joseph A31 Arlington* ASeptember 7 McComb* A14 Vanlue* H21 Cory-Rawson* A28 Arcadia* AOctober 5 Hardin Northern* A12 Pandora-Gilboa* H19 Leipic* H26 Van Buren* HAll games 7 p.m.* -- Blanchard Valley Conference gamesFremont St. Joseph 48-0Arlington 48-14McComb 43-20Vanlue 61-13Cory-Rawson 41-142011 RESULTS RECORD BOOKArcadia 34-14Hardin Northern 53-0Pandora-Gilboa 40-7Leipsic 0-27Van Buren 49-17EAGLESPLAYOFFSLima Cent. Catholic 45-35Hicksville 13-202011 10-22010 7-32009 6-42008 14-12007 12-12006 12-22005 10-22004 11-12003 8-32002 6-4Good LucktoAll BVC TeamsFromGood LuckEagles!Go Eagles!HD/DVR CABLEHigh Speed Internet7519 Patriot Dr., Findlay(in front of Menards)419-427-1007Beginning Stepsto Learning1624 Tiffi n Ave • Findlay419-421-08301433 E. Sandusky St.,Suite B, Findlay419-420-8250140 Main St. • Benton Ridgewww.watchtv.net1-800-589-3837

T16PREP FOOTBALLTHE COURIERWEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012RedskinsL-BContinued from page T4Mock, who has been the Redskins’starter since midway through hisfreshman season.Gerisch will rely heavily on Mock.“Well, I think it’s key that we haveconfidence this year again,” Mocksaid.“I think that played a big part inwhy we did so well last year, becausewe were all confident that we couldplay with anyone.”“He (Mock) brings a calm to thehuddle. He is an extra coach in theContinued from page T14returns at defensive tackle. He’ll bejoined in the interior by senior GageHaws (5-8, 286) with senior TimPatrella (5-9, 166) and junior BrandonMay (6-3, 230) at the ends.Offensively, things are a little moresettled despite the Eagles losing leadingrusher Brady Vaught (1,371 yards,22 touchdowns) and receiver DakotaConkle (32 catches, 717 yards, 12TDs).“I don’t care what kind of offenseyou’re running, it all starts with yourquarterback,” Nichols said. “That’syour man. First and foremost it willstart with Mitch. And, that’s a goodstarting point.”Senior Mitch Linhart (6-3, 185)enters his third year under centerafter throwing for 1,855 yards and23 touchdowns a year ago.“He was still learning some thingslast year,” said Nichols, who notedLinhart lost much of his sophomoreseason to an ACL tear. “I think thisyear, he’ll be more comfortable. We’veseen a different side of him this year.He’s not a vocal-type kid, but we’vehuddle. That’s huge,” Gerisch said.Gerisch is also going to capitalizeon the experience at quarterback byopening up the offense.“We will base our offense on theI-formation, but we will spread it outalso,” he said.“(Mock) has made the transitionvery easy. He already knows wherepeople are supposed to be, is tellingpeople, ‘Hey, this is where you needto be,’” Gerisch said.“I’ve given him the freedom to, ifhe sees something at the line of scrimmage,not to be afraid to change it andmodify on the run.”The Redskins will be looking tospeedy wideouts senior Seth Bauernoticed he’s not trying to blend inlike he was last year like you can havewith a junior working with a groupof seniors.“Being a senior, I think he feelsmore comfortable. He understandswhat responsibilities come with beinga quarterback and I think he’s morecomfortable being a leader. We’ve seensome noticeable growth in that aspect.That says a whole lot, that calmingfactor and that motivating factor.”Three receivers return in L-B’sfour-wide spread. Junior Chase Cook(20 catches, 363 yards) and Bowsher(20, 341) look to be the primary targets,with Bell also back from lastseason. Senior Jordan Chiow (5-10,172) has the inside track on theremaining wideout position.Sophomore Austin Combs (6-1,211) will be the tailback, with Patrellaalso having experience at the position.“We’re going to find someone whocan run the ball,” Nichols said.Center Lauger, guard MichaelLoughman (5-11, 261) and tackleZack Smelcer (6-0, 246) are returningstarters. Senior Ryan Cates (5-11,214) is a newcomer at tackle andjunior Chris Warrington (6-1, 211)will man a guard spot.Radick: 419-427-8405,tedradick@thecourier.comand junior Sawyer Kieffe for big-playpotential.Spearheading the ground gamewill be senior fullback Tyler Bame andsophomore tailback Chase Gonzales.“We’ve got some athletes that canmake some plays with their feet andtheir hands, and if we can get themthe ball in open space, they can makethings happen,” Gerisch said.Senior Keven Keefe will handlethe duties at center with senior TravisRoller and freshman Jacob Keefe atthe tackles and junior Hayden Ramseyand sophomore Bobby Vera at theguards. Senior Clay Moyer will be attight end.Defensively, the Redskins will continueto play the 4-2-5 to which they’vebecome accustomed.“The kids know the defense, theother three coaches on staff knowthe defense,” Gerisch said. “I thinkin the long run that’s going to paydividends.”“Last year set the tempo for thisyear,” senior linebacker and defensivecaptain Tyler Bame said. “We had allthe seniors coaching up the youngerkids. Everybody just has to man upand do their part and we should begood.”Ramsey, Bauer and freshman ShaeWatkins will join Bame at linebackerwith Kevin Keefe and Moyer thedefensive ends and Vera and Roller atnoseguard and tackle, respectively.Gonzales and Kieffer will start at thecornerback positions and Mock willbe at safety.Arcadia will host Lakota to openits season on Friday and then beginBlanchard Valley Conference play onAug. 31 at Vanlue.A year ago, the Redskins openedthe season 2-0 by beating Lakota45-13 and blanking longtime rivalVanlue, 46-0.RedContinued from page T6progressed really well, and so has(junior backup) Andrew Hunter. Ourquarterback play will be improved.“More than anything, it’s beenleadership. Blaiz’s maturity is muchbetter, and so is his understandingof the game. He’s understanding thewhys and what-fors. ‘I’m reading thecorner here; I’m reading the safety onthis play.’ He is understanding whatwe’re trying toaccomplish thisyear.”Senior KyleBormuth willplay the key roleat fullback. BormuthreplacesJake Leonard(939 yards,18 TDs). DickLeonard notedBormuth’s proficiencyat blockingand senior ZacMetzger, sophomoreAustinRettig and juniorJordan Freed willall get plenty ofcarries from thewing/halfbackpositions.Senior KodyFrysinger will be the wideout andjunior Michael Blunk moves tackle totight end.Make no mistake, Arlington is arun-oriented team. But, Leonard said,the pass game will be featured moreoften this season.“While we still love running theball, we’ve got to be able to keepdefenses honest,” he said. “Eight, ninein the box all game long is tough. Wecan be as stubborn as we want, butthat’s tough to deal with.“Right now, we think we’re betterat that.”Graduation losses took a heavy“While we still loverunning the ball, we’vegot to be able to keepdefenses honest. Eight,nine in the box all gamelong is tough. We can beas stubborn as we want,but that’s tough to dealwith. Right now, we thinkwe’re better at that.”toll on Arlington’s defensive line.Glick returns at tackle, where he’ll bejoined by Rieman. Hartman, Blunkand senior Zach Gehring (195) willrotate at defensive end.“Right now, it’s baby steps becausewe have a couple of new linemen,”Leonard said. “Formation recognitionthings, those are an issue. We’re playingwith a lot of kids that were playingon Saturday mornings a year ago, andwe’ll have to wait and see how theyrespond on Friday nights.“I’ve been very happy with oureffort, intensity and leadership. Thoseare the kindDICK LEONARDARLINGTON HEAD COACHof intangiblethings you liketo see. But, weneed to improve.Improvement isgoing to be a keyfor us.”Things are alittle more settledat the secondlevel. Bormuthand junior JoshElledge arereturning startinglinebackerswith Frysingeralso slated tostart. In the secondary,Hunter,at cornerback,and Metzger, atsafety, are back.McBride willman a cornerback spot after spot dutythere a year ago, while Freed will playsafety.“We don’t want to be fifth anymore,”Leonard said. “We want tocompete. We want to compete witheverybody. Winning our league, that’sthe creme de la creme. What you cando with that, is be in the playoffs. Ourseniors want to get in the playoffs andplay with and compete against thebest teams.”Radick: 419-427-8405,tedradick@thecourier.comCentury Health, Inc.Mental health and substanceabuse treatment for adults.419-425-5050Hancock County Board of Alcohol,Drug Addiction & Mental Health ServicesHancock County Community Partnership419-424-1985After Hours Crisis Hotline(Toll-Free) 1-888-936-7116If you need help please call:Family Resource CentersMental health and substance abusetreatment for youth and their families.419-422-8616Give. Advocate. Volunteer.419-423-1432LiveUnitedHancockCounty.org