Jonathan Alder tailback Garrett Proximire (22) is brought down by a Bellefontaine defender in this file photo. The Pioneers will conclude their 2019 preseason by hosting Faibanks for the annual preview scrimmage on Friday at 7 p.m.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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Brett Glass said the 2019 high school football preseason has gone pretty well for his Jonathan Alder Pioneers.
“We’ve progressed nicely and the scrimmage at Teays Valley will tell us a lot,” he said late last week.
That scrimmage, which was held last Friday evening, revealed a solid defensive effort.
“We played really well on that side of the ball,” said the coach.
Glass also saw some good things out of his offense that features a 1,400-yard rusher from 2018 in tailback Garrett Proximire and an 1,800-yard passer in quarterback J.T. Keith.
“We had some turnovers and penalties here and there, but overall, it was a good effort by our offense,” said Glass.
The sixth-year Alder boss said he has been pleased with the leadership displayed by seniors such as Proximire, captains Connor Morgan (offensive/defensive line), Brayden Blain (linebacker-defensive line), Dawson Detweiler (defensive back-wide receiver) and Crew Wheeler (linebacker and running back), along with Cade Keaton and Jacob Fenik, (defensive backs-wide receivers) and defensive back-running back Drew Begin.
“J.T., who is a junior, is also taking his leadership role very seriously,” said Glass.
The JA coach said the team still needs to build some depth on both the offensive and defensive lines heading into the 2019 season.
“We need to see who some of those next guys are going to be,” he said.
Glass said his team went through a good preseason camp, but was “itching to hit somebody else” going into the scrimmage against Teays Valley.
They will have another chance to do that on Friday when they host Fairbanks for the preview scrimmage.
The scrimmage will begin at 7 p.m.
“We just need to keep working on the fundamentals as we prepare to scrimmage Fairbanks,” said Glass.
The Pioneers will kick off the regular season on Friday, Aug. 30 at Philo High School.