The 2021 North Union football team is as follows: row one, from the left, Brody Wilson, Spencer Parish, Brennan Burk, Ricky Weigand, Evan Hoffer, Ethan Young, Gavin Miller, Trevor Gilbert, Josston Broderick and Corbin Stanley. Row two, from the left, Dalton Wilson, Caden Potts, Tucker Wedding, Owen Davis, Aaron Vanderpool, Perry Thompson, Lincoln Harrah and Brandon West. Row three, from the left, Austin Cline, Rylan Keever, Austyn Wilson, Owen Hoffer, Corbin Gaston, Trey Bossaller, Tyler Fout, Elijah Hudson, Landon Converse and Hagen Albert. Row four, from the left, Cayden Lassiter, Noah Lewis, Carter Skaggs, Tyler Cline, Brian Norman, Liam Adams, Drue Duncan, Glade Jolliff, Drew Schmidt and Everett Robinson. Row five, from the left, Devon Workman, Miles Marlette, Braedon Scowden, Josh Ahern, Austin Schindewolf, Max Ruhl, Carson Duncan, Gavin Craft, Henry Hayward and Tyler Kebehenne. Row six, from the left, coach Mike Adams, coach Josh Sowder, coach Christian Koch, head coach Nick Hajjar, coach Andy Owens, manager Bray Wenger and coach Jeff Yates. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
The North Union Wildcat football team will be looking to some new names to help them advance through the 2021 season.
The Wildcats lost a large group of three-year starters to graduation, but head coach Nick Hajjar said this new group of up-and-comers has been laying in wait for this opportunity.
“We’ve got new guys who have to step up,” he said. “They have been waiting their turn to fill those roles and have been working hard.”
The vacant roles have created some internal battles for finals spots on the field.
“Anytime you are waiting to fill roles and prove your worth, the attention to detail is at a high level,” said Hajjar. “We have some battles at certain positions to see who is going to win those jobs and we have been developing some depth throughout our camp.”
The Wildcats are still hashing out the quarterback position.
Cayden Lassiter is a transfer to the program from Worthington Christian and is vying for the QB job.
However, he is going up against Ricky Weigand, who has been developing his arm through Hajjar’s program as the JV gunslinger.
Weigand is also the Cats’ kicker and plays defensive back.
Regardless who is under center, Hajjar said the team’s identity isn’t changing.
“We want to run the football,” he said. “We are a physical team and we are going to use play action passing to our advantage.”
North Union has the legs to run the ball with a solid stable of backs.
Owen Davis will be leading the charge for the Cats, but Hajjar has Evan Hoffer, Lincoln Harrah and Ethan Young all ready to stretch their legs under the Friday night lights.
The real change for the Wildcats will come on the defensive side of the ball.
North Union has traditionally lined up in a 3-4 base defense, but Hajjar said he really wants to take advantage of his defensive weapons this season.
In that regard, he wants the unit to mold into a multiple front defense. The change comes due to a large group of the 19 returning letter winners coming on the defensive side of the ball.
With the new offensive manpower and a veteran defense, Hajjar said the goals are still the same.
The Wildcats are coming off one of their best seasons as they advanced to the Division V regional semifinals.
After getting a taste of that success, Hajjar said the team wants more.
“When you get a taste of something like last year, you want more of it and we’ve got guys who are hungry,” Hajjar said. “They understand what is in front of them.
“However, it won’t be easy, so we are getting ourselves ready for that demand.”
Although the demand is still there for the Wildcats to perform, getting into the post season got a little easier with an expanded playoff starting this year.
In previous seasons, teams needed to finish the regular season in the top eight spots of its region based off of computer points.
Now the playoffs have doubled, taking in the top 16 teams from each region. Regardless of the number of playoff spots, Hajjar said his team is focusing on the week in front of them.
“We know the playoffs are there and that they are expanded,” he said. “However, at the end of the day if we don’t do what we need to do week-to-week, then they mean nothing,” Hajjar said. “We are focusing on the task at hand.”
North Union’s week-to-week schedule will leave the Cats wondering what they will be facing.
The majority of the teams the Wildcats will play this year have new coaches or they have never played.
In the CBC, the Wildcats will face new coaches in Jonathan Alder, Indian Lake, Northwestern and Graham. The Cats will also play against Kenton ridge, a team they have never before faced.
Regardless, Hajjar believes his team controls its own destiny.
“I think we can be as good as we want to be,” he said. “I think we learned last year we are going to get everyone’s best shot and we can’t hide from that.
“We’ve got to accept it and we will find out if we are ready for it.”
The Wildcats will open the season at Pleasant Aug. 20 at 7 p.m.
The returning letter winners to the North Union football team are as follows: row one, from the left, Cayden Lassiter, Spencer Parish, Liam Adams, Lincoln Harrah, Josston Broderick, Tucker Wedding, Evan Hoffer, Brody Wilson and Ricky Weigand. Row tow, from the left: Gavin Miller, Trevor Gilbert, Trey Bossaller, Corbin Stanley, Brian Norman, Owen Davis, Drue Duncan, Ethan Young, Dalton Wilson and Perry Thompson. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
The senior class on the North Union football team are as follows: row one, from the left, Brennan Burke, Ricky Weigand, Evan Hoffer, Ethan Young, Gavin Miller and manager Bray Wenger. Row two, from the left: Brandon West, Brody Wilson, Spencer Parish, Perry Thompson, Josston Borderick, Trevor Gilbert and Corbin Stanley. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
The North Union cheerleading squad is as follows, row one, from the left, Emma Cremeans, Mikayla Rersinger and Preslee Titus. Row two, from the left, Maddi Wallace, Linzie Diehl, Haley Julian and Mikah Cole. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)