The southeast Missouri haven of Jackson has been the last stop for the Fox football team the past two seasons.
The Indians handled the Warriors in consecutive Class 5 District 1 championship games by a combined score of 91-43. In 2019, Indian quarterback Cael Welker was a first-team all-state selection by the Missouri Football Coaches Association and led Jackson to the state championship game, a 27-21 overtime loss to Carthage.
Welker returns for his senior year. Fox, 17-5 the past two seasons, has lost dozens of starters from those teams, but the Warriors believe they have a potential solution for Welker and the Indians: senior quarterback Brock Inman.
Fox head coach Brent Tinker wouldn’t put undue pressure on Inman; he just thinks his quarterback is on the same level as Welker.
“He’s already there. He doesn’t need to keep up with (Welker),” Tinker said. “I need to catch up with their head coach (Brent Eckley). Brock has all of those tools. I respect (Eckley) and all the work he’s done. Brock’s on par with any of those (Jackson) kids.”
Playing sparingly at running back as a sophomore, Inman took over at quarterback last season after stalwart Gavin McGinness graduated. Last year Inman threw only 50 passes, but nine were for touchdowns and he led the Warriors with 915 rushing yards and 13 TDs. Tinker said Inman has weighed as much as 200 pounds but should check in around 190 this year.
“He’s big, strong and smart. Brock has bought into the weight room, diet and hydration,” Tinker said. “From a physical standpoint, he was impressive last year but now I expect him to be a good decision-maker. He understands what he needs to do in the option game.”
McGinness, Cole Elwood and Jake Pisoni all topped 1,000 yards rushing for Fox in 2018. Although no Warriors reached that threshhold last season, Inman had plenty of help in the ground game. Senior running back Chase Maxey, a bruising 220-pounder, rushed for 560 yards (8.6 yards per carry) and nine TDs. He’s joined this year by junior Jake Waters and senior Luke Pisoni, who had 326 yards on the ground last fall.
“They’re all big kids. They aren’t the fastest kids in the St. Louis area, but they all move well,” Tinker said. “They all catch the ball well too.”
No Fox wide receiver caught more than eight passes last year, but Tinker said he thinks he’s got two good ones coming back in seniors Ethan Phillips and Juhaud Thompson. Backup quarterback Bryce Latimer, a junior, also lines up wide. Senior tight end Luke Allen is sized right at 6-4, 270 and is a converted tackle.
“(Phillips and Thompson) are fast and have great hands,” Tinker said. “We’ve been fairly simple in the passing game, but with them we have more talent out there.”
A rebuilt offensive line, with the hope it’s not ravaged by injuries or the coronavirus, will rotate as many as nine players early in the season. Seniors Josiah Sansone (center), Mason Petty (tackle), Carson Reese (tackle), Noah Spicer (tackle) and Eli Owens (tackle) and juniors Dalton Tracy (guard) and Garrett Hulsey (tackle) are all ready to go up front.
Fox is rare among Jefferson County football teams in not having to play its linemen both ways.
Defensively in the trenches for the Warriors are Julian Rivera, Noah Malear, Jaden Green and Zach Masters, who was a two-way starter last year. Junior Anthony Bluemel will play both sides of the line.
Luke Pisoni led Fox with 122 tackles last year from his inside linebacker position. “He is so instinctual. He’s a throwback,” Tinker said. “He’s so active and so refreshing. He doesn’t sit around.”
Seniors Sylas Stranger and Michael Merlenbach and junior Sam Street join Pisoni at inside linebacker.
“We think (Street’s) going to be spectacular,” Tinker said.
At outside linebacker are Maxey along with seniors Evan Birschbach, Connor Sparks and Ian Pederson. Patrolling the defensive backfield are Phillips, Thompson, Reese and Inman as well as juniors Chris Lowery, Chase Price and Anthony Aldridge.
“I think you will see a lot of rotation from our defensive backfield,” Tinker said. “We have a strong group.”
Inman and sophomore Diego Lorenzo will share the kicking duties. Inman booted 29 PATs and Lorenzo 10 last season.
The Warriors were supposed to host Rockwood Summit on Friday, but since the Rockwood School District hasn’t begun football practice for its four high schools (Summit, Marquette, Lafayette and Eureka), Fox will travel to Wentzville to play Timberland of the Gateway Athletic Conference. The Warriors are scheduled to kick off at home in Week 2 against Seckman.
Fox is in the Suburban Conference Red pool this year.
The only people who can attend the games at Fox, because of concerns about COVID-19, are the immediate family members of the players, two tickets per family.
“We have a good group of kids who are mature and they understand the world and life right now,” Tinker said.
Lee Freeman has joined the Warriors’ coaching staff as an assistant. He was the head coach at Hillsboro from 2014-2019 and led the Hawks to the Class 4 quarterfinals in 2017. Freeman and Tinker have been close friends for decades.
“We always wanted to work together,” Tinker said. “Our needs were the same and I’m excited about it and it will be very beneficial for us. Our assistant coaches are spectacular. We have one of the best coaching staffs, (with) great people, and Lee fits like a glove.”
TOMORROW: Seckman