Fairbanks quarterback Braxton Wilhelm goes through a passing drill earlier this week at the Panther gridiron camp. The camp began on Monday and concluded on Wednesday.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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A Fairbanks High School football team that earned a spot in the Division VI state playoffs a year ago conducted a three-day camp this week.
Panther gridders took to the Phelps practice field at the school on Monday for three days worth of drills.
“We have people who need to earn (starting) jobs,” said FHS head coach Patrick Cotter. “This camp is to see who may earn those spots.”
The camp was part of the coaching staff’s 10 off-season days of instruction as are permitted by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
Fairbanks lost 14 seniors from a 2018 squad that posted a 7-3 regular-season record and fell to Beverly Fort Frye during the opening round of the state playoffs.
“Those seniors enabled us to have 41 on last year’s roster,” said Cotter. “We’ve got 35 guys in camp this year, including our kicker (soccer player), Cade Ziegler.
“We’ve generally carried eight-to-10 guys per class since I’ve been the coach,” said Cotter, who is beginning his fifth season at the FHS helm.
Cotter said several players will have to man different or multiple positions this fall.
“Braeden Fairchild (a running back) will have to play some defense this year,” he said. “Mason Cushman played on defense as a freshman and on offense as a sophomore.
“He’s going to play both this year as a junior.”
A lot of eyes may be especially focused on the all-important quarterback position.
Jacob Nicol, who was the Panthers’ starting signal-caller the past few years, was among last year’s seniors.
Junior Braxton Wilhelm, however, got in a number of reps during the first couple weeks of the 2018 campaign as Nicol was out after suffering a preseason injury.
“Braxton is our veteran/not veteran quarterback,” said Cotter. “He played last year while Jacob was injured and now it’s his job to take and run with it.”
Wilhelm will have the advantage of being protected by a veteran offensive line that includes 6-7, 305-pound senior Sam Rengert.
Rengert has already committed to continue his gridiron career at the next level with Iowa State of the Big 12 Conference.
Additional veteran linemen for the Panthers include Dakota Key, Ethan Chippas and Billy Reed-Bodey.
The Panthers, who will continue their tradition of taking off next week for the Union County Fair, are scheduled to conclude the week this evening.
Fairbanks is slated to host a 7-on-7 passing scrimmage from 6-8 p.m.
Teams that are set to compete include Jonathan Alder, Urbana, Columbus Northland and Columbus Briggs.
“This is the third year we’ve hosted a scrimmage of this nature,” said Cotter. “It’s not a high-pressure situation and because of that, coaches can do a lot of teaching.
“Brett (JA head coach Glass) and Carlton (current Urbana coach and former Fairbanks boss Cotner) like coming to our scrimmage.”
Preseason practice for high school football teams in Ohio will begin on Thursday, Aug. 1.