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What does the Dayton City League look like this season?

Ponitz introduces new foe on the football field

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Dayton Daily News Updated 9:10 PM Sunday, August 23, 2009

Belmont Bison

2008 record: 0-9, 0-3

Coach: John Derr, ninth season

Key Returners: C/ILB Houstan Howard, sr.; FB/LB Reggie Smith, sr.; OL Keenan Woods, sr.; QB/WR/SS Nate Henderson, jr.; WR/CB William Parks, jr.

Chalk Talk: Return of seven starters on offense and six on defense — and improved team speed — could get Bison off to fast start. ... Depth is a concern with 41 on the roster, including freshmen. ... In third-and-short it’s a good bet the Bison will run behind the 6-5, 360-pound Woods who dominates in practice. ... With just eight seniors last season Derr had to play a host of underclassmen. They grew up in a hurry. . ... Offense is a must this season. Bison scored just 50 points in 2008.

Quote: “I like to tell my boys I kind of hand picked this crew. I look for a special type of guy at Belmont. I look for a guy that’s first of all an outstanding student and an outstanding gentleman. I figure I can coach the rest. I went and found guys who we think are Belmont Bison guys. Our kids work together. It’s a fun group to coach right now. They’re just hard working guys. There aren’t really an ‘I’ type guys out there.”

Dunbar Wolverines

2008 record: 8-3, 3-0

Coach: James Lacking, fifth season

Key Returners: OL Robert Biery, sr.; OL Blaine Bonner, sr.; DL Shannon Lattimore, sr.; WR/DB R.J. (Roger) Williamson, jr.; RB/LB Darold Kelly, jr.

Chalk Talk: The 55-player strong Wolverines are the pick to repeat in the City League. ... Lacking said skill positions were still up for grabs but speed wasn’t a concern. ... Dunbar moves from D-II to D-III and gets a pair of tough nonconference challenges right away with Valley View and Trotwood-Madison. ... Dunbar is ready to put a rough offseason behind it. Transfers hurt Dunbar’s depth, especially in the backfield, and Lacking was suspended five days after a physical altercation with a student.

Quote: “Right now our guys remain optimistic. We keep all those off the field matters off the field. We concern ourselves with getting better. We want to keep moving forward. ... There’s no hard feeling with (the transfers). I have much respect for those guys and I wish them much success in the future.”

Meadowdale Lions

2008 record: 4-6, 1-2

Coach: Bosie Miliner Jr., 17th season

Key Returners: WR Elijah Douglas, sr.; OT/DT Richard Carruth, sr.; WR/DB Andre Bumpus, sr.; DE Quincy Newson, sr.; LB Brandon Bohannon, sr.

Chalk Talk: Depth takes a hit with no freshman team. Only 30 kids are out, including freshmen. ... Eight starters are back on offense and seven return on defense. ... Fatigue is a concern with a handful of players going both ways. Penalties hurt in 2008 — “We had like 800 yards of penalties,” Miliner said — so that could also be a concern late in games.

Quote: “Our only concern is backups. ... We’re going to be hurting. Right now we only have three freshmen who even came out. We only have like five sophomores now. We’re top heavy this year and we’re going to be hurting next year.”

Ponitz Technology Center Panthers

2008 record: First season

Coach: John Wortham, first season

Key Players: WR Josiah Lynn, sr.; DE/LB Devantae Walker, sr.; DB C.J. Minnifield, sr.; TE/MLB William Dawson, jr.; QB/DE Craig Wallace, jr.

Chalk Talk: Wortham, a 1989 Meadowdale grad, plans to run a spread offense with “above-average speed” at the skill positions, with some West Coast offense thrown in. Expect a 4-3 on defense. ... 37 players were on the early roster, but 20 more showed interest after an orientation. ... Ponitz might play one of the tougher schedules in the state for a D-VI team. Only two teams are D-VI and the rest are D-IV or higher. The nonconference includes Piqua, Chaminade Julienne, North College Hill, Jonathan Alder, Troy Christian.

Quote: “There’s enough pressure on these young men just growing up. This should be fun. This should be exciting. This should be a release. We’re stressing to have fun out here. Yes, they’re going to keep score but I want you to win the game of life. I want you to get that education and walk across that stage and get that diploma. This is fun.”

Thurgood  Marshall Cougars

2008 record: 2-8, 2-1

Coach: Earl White, ninth season

Key Returners: OL Jaime Robinson, sr.; QB Avontae Penn, jr.; DE Adrian Quinn, sr.; OL Quintae Kelly, sr.; RB Tavion Wright, sr.

Chalk Talk: Marshall had four RBs rush for 1,000 yards each in the playoff season of 2006. White thinks he might have four better in transfers Wright, Dionte Oliver, Davonte McClesky, Brandon Walker and Quincy Surles. Oh, and the OL returns all but one starter. ... Five of the first six games are on the road. ... Eight starters return on offense (some from other programs) and the majority of the defense also returns. ... Marshall drops from D-II to D-IV.

Quote: “We don’t really have an excuse this year. We came down on our schedule a lot this year. We came down and got more of a D-IV, D-V, D-VI schedule. Last year we hit rock bottom as a program, especially after making the playoffs in 2006.”

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