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Football preview: Northmont
This is another in a series of capsules previewing area high school football for the 2010 season:
NORTHMONT (D-I, Region 4)
League: GWOC Central
Coach: Lance Schneider (12 years)
2009 record: 3-2, 6-4
Key returners:
Cameron Belton, so., QB
Jeremy Campbell, jr., DT
Eric Downing, sr., OL
Chavez Leath, sr., DL
Josh McClain, sr., WR
Brandon Reaman, sr., WR/RET
Kaleb Ringer, jr., LB
Jordan Taylor, sr., WR
Paul Winkler, sr., RB
Extra points:
The Thunderbolts will quickly find out if they’ve dug themselves a deep playoff hole or secured a spot in Week 11 after the first three games vs. Colerain at UC’s Nippert Stadium (in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown), then hosting Princeton and Moeller. That’s easily the toughest opening weeks of a season Northmont has ever put together.
“A part of it is out of necessity because it’s hard to find people to play,” said Schneider, whose Bolts played perennial D-I state title contender Cleveland St. Ignatius the last two seasons.
“We go 0-3 and people will line up to play us.”
Schneider committed Northmont to be a state contender midway through his tenure, and lining up a formidable non-league schedule was only part of the master plan. The other part was ratcheting up the defense and essentially grounding the Air-Schneider offense. And for the most part that has worked, until missing the playoffs for only the second time in nine years last season.
“People think of us as offensive guys, but the last 8-9 years we’ve stacked our guys on defense instead of offense,” Schneider said. “Really, when Elder beat us (33-7) in 2003 in the playoffs, I figured out football then. How are we ever going to get out of Region 4? We needed multiple personnel groupings and formations and playing GCL football, basically.
“That was the epiphany that I got and I’ve stayed true to it since then. Those are the teams that you have to beat. Two years ago we lost 13-10 to Elder and should have won the game. We’ve made great strides.”
If Northmont is to return to the postseason, it’ll have to get big-time play from Ringer, the third of four brothers and a nephew of former CJ standout and current Titans RB Javon Ringer. An outstanding LB prospect, he’s destined to be Northmont’s next national recruit.
Besides Ringer, the defense is loaded with proven returnees, including the entire front seven. The down side is the entire secondary is new.
The offense has been turned over to sophomore QB Cameron Belton, the youngest brother of former Northmont standouts and DDN D-I players of the year Clay and Chase Belton. Schneider likens Cameron to the best of both, inheriting Clay’s ability to pass and Chase’s off-tackle presence and running back speed.
The Bolts are solidly entrenched - with Centerville and Wayne - among the area’s best three D-I programs and there’s no reason - after the first three weeks - that the Bolts should deviate. In the past 12 years more than 100 former Bolts have played college ball, including 25 at the D-I level. Defensive back CJ Barnett is a redshirt freshman at OSU, the most high profile of 23 former Bolts playing at the next level this fall.
“If you want to count (rookie) Kurt Coleman with the (Philadelphia) Eagles, that’s 24,” said Schneider.
It was just two seasons ago that Northmont was 10-2 and lost only to D-I state winner St. Ignatius and D-I state runner-up Elder.
“Football is a big deal here, as it should be,” Schneider said.
“We’re not just playing football at a high level locally, we’re playing on a national scale when we play these kinds of teams like St. Ignatius and our first three games this year.”
NORTHMONT
Sat., Aug. 28 vs. Colerain at UC’s Nippert Stadium, 8:15 p.m., Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown
Fri., Sept. 3 Princeton
Fri., Sept. 10 Cin. Moeller
Fri., Sept. 17 at Sidney
Fri., Sept. 24 at Lebanon
Fri., Oct. 1 Beavercreek
Fri., Oct. 8 at Centerville
Fri., Oct. 15 at Fairmont
Fri., Oct. 22 Wayne
Fri., Oct. 29 Springfield
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