Members of the Marysville High School varsity football team are from left, front row, Zach McMinn, Mason Larimore, TJ Sahor, Luke Harper, Logan Neer, Ashton Schmutz, Michael Cogossi, Lincoln Heard, Nick Kessler, Logan McSwords, Ryan Kern and Zach Eades; second row, Aidan Lambert, Colby Kerns, David Bonczak, Logan Hall, Dominic Gaetano, CJ Grose, Caleb Dilsaver, Kaleb Tornberg, Paolo Pena, Clark Hamilton, Jacob Anliker and Nick Lindsey; third row, Jeremiah McNeil, Gavin Rohrs, Gabe Powers, Richard Nielsen, Tanner Powers, Benjamin Bickerstaff, Erryl Will, Drew Hardy, Tyler Webb, Cameron Jones, Kaden Hogan, Trace Mahood and Mason Reed; fourth row, Christian Adelsberger, Braden Miller, Jordan Anspach, Ethan Musel, Griffin Rigel, Andrew Seiltz, Drew Montgomery, Hayden Davis, Sawyer Green, Daquise French, Dylan Harper, Devin Boatright, Marcus Belt and Ethan Moeller; fifth row, Nevin Digney; Morgan Kern, Brady Seger, Griffin Johnson, Evan Collins, Jared Larriuz, Terry Toops, Braden Deere, Christian McCartney, Cole Pombert, Mack Hamilton, Braeden Gray, Will Grubbs and Hunter Keller; sixth row, managers Gillian Schoenleb, Emily Cogossi, TJ Grose, Calla Best and Carly Conley, Andrew Bentz, Jack Blumberg, Colton Powers, Cayman Chandler, Parker Stackhouse, Andrew Howard, Coy Nickleson, Braden Randall, and trainers Darren Clancy and Ashley Dutcher; top row, equipment manager Larry Fox and coaches Scott Freeland, Steve Devine, Paul Devine, Kevin Brandfass, Craig Conley, head coach Brent Johnson, Aaron Rossi, Mike Powers, Mike Young, Aaron Peitsmeyer, Tony Brake, Eric Brack and Joel Metzger. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
A key to the foundation of any high school football team is in the trenches.
To that end, Marysville High School head coach Brent Johnson is feeling pretty good about this year’s squad.
“We have five of our six offensive linemen (including tight end) back this year,” said the coach.
Veteran linemen are Dom Gaetano, Gavin Rohrs, Mike Cogossi, Colby Kerns and Nick Kessler.
“That’s a good foundation for our offense,” said Johnson.
Marysville’s Wing T features a fight for the starting quarterback position.
“We’ve had a pretty good battle this summer between Ashton Schmutz and Ethan Mussel,” said Johnson.
One of those signal-callers will replace Nate Morey, who graduated last year.
Other veterans on the offensive side of the ball are fullback Ryan Kern, H-back Gabe Powers and receiver Logan Neer.
Defensive lettermen include linebackers Powers, Aidan Lambert and Luke Harper.
Veteran D linemen are Erryl Will, Ben Bickerstaff and Zack McMinn.
The returning lettermen will be supported by several varsity newcomers.
They include offensive linemen Jacob Annaliker and Caleb Dilsaver, Z-back Logan McSwords, defensive backs Tanner Powers, Cam Jones and Griffin Johnson and linebackers Colton Powers and Lincoln Heard.
The Monarchs will continue to employ their 4-3 defensive alignment.
“It’s a multiple defense that allows us to give opposing offenses a lot of different looks,” said Johnson. “We can easily shift into a 3-4 when it’s needed.
“We can rotate a lot of guys in our defensive unit and we can use odd and even fronts.”
Johnson said the Monarchs are solid on both sides of the ball.
“We have a lot of talented skill position players,” he said. “I’m not worried at all about those spots.
“Our line of scrimmage will also be very good on both sides of the ball,” said Johnson.
The Monarch coach’s concerns for the 2020 campaign fall in line with coaches from other schools.
“We didn’t have any multiple scrimmages this summer because of the coronavirus,” he said. “That has made it difficult to identify the personality of our team.
“We really needed to be in game situations during the preseason,” said Johnson. “Because of that, we still have to work on our discipline and the smaller details of our game.”
The Monarchs have now become members of the realigned Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division.
“I think the division is going to be pretty balanced,” said Johnson. “Dublin Jerome, Olentangy Berlin, Olentangy and ourselves were all state playoff teams last year.
“Hilliard Darby missed the post-season by one game.”
The Monarch boss said the division should be very competitive during the abbreviated six-game regular season. He also feels Marysville can be among the top squads in the circuit.
There will be, however, a learning curve.
“Last year we were involved in several lopsided games,” said Johnson. “That’s not going to be the case this season.
“We are going to play in a lot of close games and we have to learn how to win those types of contests,” he said.
“Each week is going to be a four-quarter game.”
MHS’ freshman football squad is pictured from left, front row, manager Lily McCartney, Matt Eley, Joe Bates, Blayke Powell, Nick Johnson, Liam Wilder, Nathan Potter, Jacob Ogden, Xander Angelas, JT Hiltscher, Keegan Allen, Jameson Best, Henry Anonvechrucks and Cole Clarridge; second row, manager Emily Cogossi, Josiah Crouso, Zack Straham Aidan Seibers, Ryder Fishbaugh, Joshua Anliker, Damon Wade, Chris Wilson, Vanyn Fultz, Sam Harrington, Stephen Garcia, Luke Bonczak, Matthew Krutowskis and Ethan Collins; third row, manager Kennedy Heard, Jared Shrock, Clayton Smith, Carson Overbey, Drue Fraker, Luke Montgomery, Erick Nelson Jr., Cole Steele, Paul Patterson, Richard Willis, Trace Heminger and Sam Brickner; back row, coaches Jason Heard, Austin Pfarr, Ben Brown, Jimmy Applegate and Jamie Collins. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)