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| MCHS defensive unit must improve in 2015 |
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7/31/2015
By Dan Manley
Advocate Sports Editor
Cautiously optimistic.
Those two words have become mainstays for many high school football programs as they enter into new campaigns.
Ditto Montgomery County.
Coach Dan Gooch has reasons to be optimistic about the 2015 campaign with the return of senior quarterback Art Walker, receiver Cody Parsley, linemen Chase Parker and Kevin Payton among others.
But then there’s the cautious part of the equation.
For openers, after last year’s run of serious injuries, the MCHS coach has to be a little unnerved as he gets set for the 2015 season.
Then there’s the schedule, which is challenging to say the least.
One thing that has changed this year is that the Indians know they’ll be in the playoffs this time around.
Montgomery County is in a new district (Class 5A, Region III, District Two) where they’ll compete with old regulars Anderson County and Woodford County along with newcomer Madison Southern as they lose East Jessamine and West Jessamine.
With just four teams in the district, all are assured of a playoff spot, which is a good thing only if you stay away from the bottom spot and probably end up playing Ft. Thomas Highlands in the opening round of the playoffs.
The non-district portion of the schedule with the likes of Collins (state champions two years ago), Clark County, North Laurel, Perry Central, Southwestern and Harrison County will also provide plenty of challenges.
The Tribe has had plenty of success moving the football and putting points on the scoreboard the last couple of years but stopping the opposition has been a different story.
Gooch, an All-Ohio Valley Conference linebacker at Morehead State during his playing days and a guy who was able to take his game to the professional ranks for a couple of years, sort of scratches his head when he looks at the Indians’ defensive numbers.
The Indians, after losing a number of starters to season-ending injuries, gave up a whopping 176 points over the final three games last year, ending with a 60-54 loss to Rowan County.
“There’s no question we’ve got to get a lot better on defense,” Gooch said. “We’re going to change our scheme and try and get more movement out of our players and we’ve got to become a group that likes to hit and tackle people.”
That defense will start with the likes of senior Michael Grapner at nose guard along with junior Kevin Payton and sophomore Chris Moore at tackles and a group of ends that will include Parker, Trevor St. John and Tanner Baker.
The linebacker positions have been a problem in recent seasons, in part because of a lack of size at the position.
Senior J.P. Johnson and junior Alex Stepanchuk are the leading candidates on the inside with seniors Mason Gooch, Colton Miller and James Fletcher on the outside.
The secondary will include Austin Sutphin, Dillon Akers, Zach Centers, Matt Purvis and Luke Dragoo all in a mix that will include Art Walker and Cody Parsley in some situations.
On offense, Walker will direct an offense that lost some key parts but returns an outstanding veteran receiver in Parsley and another pass catcher that came on strong near the end of the year in Dillon Akers.
Mason Gooch, Dalton Stevens, Matt Purvis and Zach Centers along with Austin Sutphin all figure to get involved in the passing game but Gooch Sutphin, Jake Harvey, Stepanchuk and Miller should all get a chance to run the football, too.
Harvey, at 5-9, 230 pounds with some quickness, has the potential to be a real force in the offense and take some of the pressure off the passing game if he develops.
In the line, 6-1, 305 pound junior Nathan Caldwell is the front-runner at the center position with junior Logan Johnson (5-9, 250) and senior J.P. Johnson (5-8, 220) likely to get starting nods at a couple of the other spots.
“We’ve got a lot of guys that are working hard and improving,” Gooch said. “There’s certainly an opportunity for any of our young players that haven’t seen a lot of action to jump up and get some playing time.”
The Indians were dealt one blow already with the loss of senior tackle Shelby Combs to a knee injury.
“We’ve got guys like Chase Parker (6-0, 250) and Jordan Fletcher (6-1, 280) that can play a number of different positions and that gives us some flexibility to work different guys into the mix,” Gooch added.
As for the kicking game, senior Spencer Holder looks like he could be a real weapon for the Indians.
“That’s been a problem for us in the past but Spencer’s a guy who can put the ball in the end zone on kickoffs and he’s coming on as a place kicker,” noted Gooch.
Holder is a standout on the MCHS soccer team who’ll double up with the football squad this year.
Senior Zach Mays and Dalton Stevens are battling for the punter’s spot.
“We’re fortunate to have a very good long snapper in Purvis which will make the jobs a lot easier for our kickers,” added Gooch.
The Tribe has already participated in some seven-on-seven passing competitions and will have their only pre-season scrimmage Aug. 15 at Boyd County.
The Indians open the season Aug. 22 in the Recreation Bowl against Collins High School.
Harris is gone
Montgomery County won’t have to deal with Damien Harris when they face Madison Southern this year since he’s now at the University of Alabama.
But they will have to deal with a new coach when they face Woodford County.
Former UK and NFL star Dennis Johnson is the new head coach at Woodford County. Johnson takes over for Steve Stonebreaker who is the new coach at Jeffersontown.
Johnson inherits a couple of outstanding linemen so expect the Yellowjackets to be improved in 2015.
Harrison County also has a new head football coach in Neil Furnish, who played for the Thorobreds. Furnish succeeds Jim Carr who resigned.
The other eight schools on the Montgomery County scheduled have their coaches returning for the upcoming season.
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