Ground zero.
That’s where the Northwest football program finds itself after an 0-10 campaign in 2022, led by one-year head coach Pete Eberhardt.
Former assistant Scott Gerling is in charge now, hoping to reclaim some respectability for a team not that far removed from its last winning record – 6-4 in 2020 under former head man Corey Toenjes.
Easier said than done, but Gerling is optimistic.
“It’s been really good,” he said about the attitudes of his players as they prepare to host a rugged Sullivan team in the season-opener Friday night. “The kids have had great attitudes and have had longer practices, doing some old-school conditioning drills, and they’ve been receptive. As important, we’ve been injury-free.
“Being around the school and assistants last year, I knew what we had in terms of athletes. We have done everything we can to install and do things that play to their strengths and buy-in. Once they had success in summer scrimmages, they saw the big picture.”
The first change the new coach made was to restyle a more balanced offense around a new quarterback, senior Nick Younkins, who moves over from running back. He did see brief action at QB last year, completing 12 of 32 passes for 140 yards and one touchdown.
“We’re going to try to play more modern football,” Gerling said. “We’ll be in the shotgun a lot. We want to mix it up and make people spend time preparing for us and make the defense work.
“When we sat down as a staff to put an offense together, I asked what makes modern defensive coordinators nervous. It was always like working backward.”
“(Younkins) is a smart kid who makes good decisions,” Gerling said. “He hasn’t had a ton of varsity reps, but looks like a two-year starter. He can sling it. He’s a dual-threat kid, depending on game plan and opponent.”
Senior running back Devin Vandiver, a track athlete in the spring, will be a top receiving option. He’s returning after missing most of 2022 with a back injury.
“He had a fantastic offseason,” the coach said. “He’s probably the fastest, strongest kid and best all-around athlete we have.”
Another primary target will be junior Wes Knuckles, the Lions’ leading receiver a year ago with 45 catches for 564 yards and three TDs. Knuckles’ best game was against Seckman, when he caught six passes for 113 yards and a score.
A starting forward on the basketball team, senior Stefan Higgins brings his 6-7 frame to the receiver corps. Senior Tristan O’Toole and brothers Adam Banks (sophomore) and Erik Banks (senior) also will line up wide.
The lead running back will be senior Brendan Kelley, who saw spot action last year as a between-the-tackles ball carrier.
Seniors Ethan Swarthout, Ryan Pigg and Rocko Rawley are the returners on the offensive line, leaving two openings for new faces.
“We’re going to have two or three spots (on the line) to see where everybody fits in,” Gerling said.
Northwest has experience and skill on all three levels on defense with senior lineman A.J. Pacino, Kelley at linebacker and Vandiver at safety.
“(Pacino) came on strong at the end of the year,” Gerling said. “(Vandiver) is new at safety, but he’s a pure football player. We’re looking for him to step up statistically and know what’s going on in the secondary.”
Senior Landon Richard returns to handle all of the kicking and punting duties.
As a Class 6 team competing against Suburban Conference (Orange pool) teams, Gerling understands there’s no breaks on the schedule.
“We’d love to win every game, but it’s about understanding we need to get better each week,” he said. “Complaining won’t make it any easier.”
“We’re going to get back to that Northwest mentality of the last six, seven years. We’re going to be better. We’re more disciplined and we have a bunch of kids who played a lot who are healthy.”
Fox still feeling COVID's effects
Few prep football programs in the St. Louis area got more blindsided by the COVID-19 pandemic than Fox.
The numbers tell the tale. From 2018 through 2020, the Warriors were 27-7, advanced to two district championship games (losing to Jackson in 2018 and 2019) and winning the Class 6 District 1 title in 2020 when Lindbergh, slammed by COVID, had to forfeit the final.
Then came the delayed impact of the virus on Fox, which sank to 3-7 in 2021 and 2-8 last fall. Reversing that trend is job No. 1 for head coach Brent Tinker, the longest-tenured head coach in Jefferson County, embarking on his 13th campaign.
“COVID has affected us,” Tinker said as he prepared his squad for its preseason jamboree at Windsor. “A lot of folks struggled to come back and we have had two small senior classes.
“To be honest, I feel like in our industry (coaching and teaching) we’re missing some pieces to help kids who might not have a strong support system. In order to come through a COVID-style situation, we could have had more built-in resources.
“When it comes down to it, most people are trying hard at these jobs, mentoring and counseling more than coaching, and to be blunt, that’s probably how it’s always been.”
Tinker said the Warriors haven’t changed their run-first, option-style offense in 10 years. It relies on an athletic quarterback operating behind a powerful offensive line and fooling defenses with sleight-of-hand skills.
This year that leader is 5-10, 180-pound senior Cameron Underwood, who has three years of varsity experience and averaged 7.4 yards per carry in 2022 (377 yards on 51 attempts, with four touchdowns). His passing stats were more pedestrian (18 completions in 37 tries for 236 yards and two scores), not unusual for an option QB.
For the Warriors to return to their previous winning ways, they need Underwood to work more option magic. Tinker said he likes what he’s seen.
“He’s put weight and strength on,” he said. “We need him to be a stud this year.”
When Fox has to keep defenses honest, Underwood will throw to fellow senior Kyle Gast, last year’s top Warrior receiver with 11 catches for 154 yards. Gast was the Fox basketball team’s leading scorer last year with 16.6 points per game. On the gridiron, the Warriors scored only one touchdown by air last season, so look for Gast and fellow wideout Orlando Taylor, a junior, to diversify the offensive threat.
“Kyle comes from a basketball culture,” Tinker said. “Sometimes that culture doesn’t get them ready for the sport and he’s overcome all of that and is a dynamic weapon in every sport he plays.”
Senior running back Ayden Smith will give Underwood a ready run option; Smith averaged 8.5 yards on 36 carries a year ago, with two touchdowns.
“Ayden’s always been one of our favorite kids,” Tinker said. “He’s played a ton since he was a sophomore. When we run the I-formation, he’ll get the most touches there.”
Complementing Smith will be the team’s top returning ballcarrier, senior Kevin Nguyen, who pierced the end zone six times last year and ran 56 times for 419 yards (7.5 average). Tinker said he’s respected in both the coaches’ office and the locker room.
If defenses ignore Warrior fullbacks Tristan Hanks, a senior, and junior J.J. Westerhold, they could carve out crucial yards in their first significant varsity action. They’re not there just to block.
“We are still running option football and the defense says who gets the ball, and we’re fine with that,” Tinker said. “l see more pro-style and two-back and multiple I-formations this year. The I-formation is easier to learn for kids who play both sides of the ball.”
Tinker also plans to deploy sophomores Chandler Price and D. J. Cox in the slot and occasionally spell Smith and Nguyen in the backfield.
Junior Brayden Griffith and freshman Jude Pribish are the tight ends.
“We have plans for double ‘tights’ as the season goes on,” Tinker said. “It could happen as early as Week 1.”
Junior guards Payton Younger, a three-year starter, and Geno Woelfel are the experienced backbone of an offensive line that includes junior Jackson Schroeder at center and sophomore Zach Weiner and senior Sawyer Petty at the tackles. Petty was a tight end last year. Backups on the line include sophomore Draven Faulkner and junior Keifer Cook.
The defensive line is Fox’s most battle-tested unit with seniors Tommy George and Hunter Naylor and juniors Preston Fore, a transfer from Arizona, and Chris Shetley.
Senior Landon Ellis will line up at inside and outside linebacker as that unit’s most experienced player. The coach said juniors Kelan Kirkpatrick, Bennett Langmade and Leyland Strange, sophomore Charlie Chapman and freshman Corbin Fullerton also will cycle in at linebacker.
“We believe they’ll get better every day,” Tinker said.
The secondary will feature new faces all around: Nguyen, senior Mason Nance, juniors Conner Blasi, Jace Koester and Mason Evans and sophomore Zach Pisoni.
Senior Cayden Keisker replaces the graduated Diego Lorenzo (18 extra points) as the kicker.
The Warriors visit Mehlville (one of the two teams they beat last year) Aug. 25 to kick off the season in the Huddle For Heroes game, which honors the military and first responders. Fox is back in Arnold for its home opener against Lafayette on Sept. 1.
Tinker was still tinkering with his roster and depth charts last week, leading up to the jamboree. When you’re coming off a 2-7 season, there are many questions to answer. One decision already made is to go to a full platoon system after years of attempting it. Tinker said 95 percent of the players will take snaps on only one side of the ball.
“We’ll trade film (with Mehlville) after the jamboree and go from there,” Tinker said. “We’re very familiar with them because we play them every year.”
Jags move on without star QB
Seckman is out to prove one simple premise as it plunges into the 2023 football season.
There is life after Cole Ruble.
The 2023 graduate, unquestionably the finest all-around athlete in school history, is now on scholarship at Southeast Missouri State University after rewriting the Seckman record books. At quarterback, he led the St. Louis area last year in rushing yards (2,524) and touchdowns (45), 20 of which came on runs of 40 yards or more. He also passed for 782 yards on 44 completions, with nine TDs.
The result for his team was a 9-2 season, a victory in district play and the third straight winning campaign after many forgettable, frustrating autumns bouncing around the basement of the Suburban Conference.
How the Jaguars respond to losing such a phenomenal leader will test the attitude and aptitude of the players, now numbering 160 freshmen through seniors.
“They’re a hard-working group,” said head coach Nick Baer, starting his fifth year of a remarkable program renaissance. “We know we’re replacing eight three-year starters, but we have a standard of how we go about our business. We know last year’s senior group moved the program forward more than any other. Now it’s up to this group to help keep Seckman football established in what we do.”
Key to that effort will be avoiding the temptation to rely on one standout player on either side of the ball.
“You’re not replacing Cole with one player,” Baer said. “So we’re looking for a handful of guys to do that.”
After leading Ruble through holes last year as a running back, senior Tommy Gibbar takes over at QB. He rushed for 612 yards and scored seven TDs and completed all five of his pass attempts last season.
“He can put the ball in the air when we need to,” Baer said. “Our mentality on offense won’t be changing. He has the ability to get his shoulders square and make a cut. He’s tough to take down by one tackler.”
Senior Billy Hart returns at fullback, where he didn’t have a single carry last year; his entire job was blasting holes for his backfield mates to scamper through.
“He’s your dad’s fullback, a throwback to 1970s kids,” Baer said. “A mean, big dude. He’s not a guy you want to get in his way.”
Seckman is deep at halfback with seniors Kade Heinemeier and Ian Coe, whose only carry last year was a 17-yard touchdown, and juniors Brady Ambrose and Ben Lewis.
The receiver corps needs a rebuild after the graduation of Anthony Westervelt (21 catches for 426 yards and seven TDs in an injury-shortened season) along with No. 2 Eli Wingbermuehle (11 for 161 yards, one score). The leading candidate to pair up with Gibbar is junior Devin Gosser.
“(Gosser) can go up and get the ball with the best of them,” Baer said.
The offensive line was hit hard by graduation, losing Zach Hudson, Matthew Zeller and Noah Hardin. Hudson is a walk-on at SEMO.
Seniors Trent Enloe (guard) and Max Sell (tackle) are three-year starters with 23 games of varsity experience. Senior Charlie Butler is at center, senior Owen Kellick at tackle and junior Isaac Perry at tight end.
“As a unit we’re not going to wow anybody with our size,” Baer said. “I truly believe we can be one of the most powerful, athletic lines we’ve had.”
Playing linebacker last year, senior Dean Moeckel suffered a concussion against Parkway South in Week 6. At the time, he was one of the Jags’ leading tacklers, to go with two sacks and an interception.
Moeckel said he doesn’t remember anything that happened the day of his injury. He said he was blindsided on a block and has seen video of the play.
“My body hit and then the back of my head hit the ground,” Moeckel said.
He’s back to full health, charged with helping spearhead the defense.
“We’re looking for Dean to be the guy in the middle making the tackles and getting everyone in the right spot,” Baer said.
The Jaguars defense held opponents to seven or fewer points five times last year. But they also allowed 40 or more in four games, including their 42-14 loss to Marquette in the district semifinals.
Joining Moeckel in the linebacking corps are junior Dominic Lograsso and sophomore Dylan Lappe, whose senior brother, Caden, returns to the defensive line. That group also includes seniors Daniel Lauter and Evan Behnke and juniors Lukaus Steinnerd and Law Newman.
Senior Trayton Clariday is back to lead the secondary with juniors Jackson Compton and Joseph Bierach. Clariday had 36 tackles a year ago, including 26 solos, and his one interception went for an 86-yard TD in a rout of Northwest.
“Our main thing in stopping the run is reading the guards,” Moeckel said. “You can tell what the play is because the guards will take you right to the play.”
For the second year in a row, Seckman plays Valle Catholic in the season-opener Friday, at Seckman. Last year’s thrilling contest in Ste. Genevieve was a 61-36 comeback victory for the Warriors, who went 10-0 before losing to Park Hills Central in the Class 3 District 1 final.
“We know what we’re up against,” Baer said. “We know they’re very well coached and if we have any weaknesses in Week 1, they’ll be able to expose them. That’s why we simulate Friday nights in practice as close as we can, so they perform under pressure when the lights are on.
“I look forward to these seniors showcasing the work they’ve put in the last four years. This group has been overshadowed by (2023 graduates) who were looked at as heavy contributors, but they’ve been busting their butts in the weight room.”