LAKOTA EAST
Coach: Rick Haynes, seventh season (32-32)
OHSAA designation: Division I, Region 4
Playoff history: 2-2 in two appearances (2012, 2014)
2015 record: 3-7 overall, 1-6 in the Greater Miami Conference (eighth, tied)
Schedule: Aug. 26 — Loveland, 7 p.m.; Sept. 2 — Pickerington North, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 9 — at Northmont, 7 p.m.; Sept. 16 — Oak Hills, 7 p.m.; Sept. 23 — at Middletown, 7 p.m.; Sept. 30 — Hamilton, 7 p.m.; Oct. 7 — at Sycamore, 7 p.m.; Oct. 14 — Mason, 7 p.m.; Oct. 21 — at Fairfield, 7 p.m.; Oct. 28 — at Lakota West, 7 p.m.
One of the first things the Lakota East High School football team addressed as it began preparation for this season was how to prevent injuries.
It’s unlikely any team can evade injury all together, but the Thunderhawks are at least hoping to avoid last year’s fate.
“We saw last year how injuries affect the team,” senior defensive lineman Xavier Martin said before practice Thursday. “One injury can mess up a season.”
A season that started off strong, at 3-1, quickly unraveled as key players spent more time in the trainer’s room or doctor’s office than on the field. The Hawks lost their last six games, scoring 14 points combined over four of those.
Among the most notable injuries was the torn ACL that ended running back Tyler Glenn’s All-Greater Miami Conference season after four games when he was averaging 176.3 yards rushing. According to East coach Rick Haynes, Glenn is still working back from the injury but progressing well.
“We’ve talked a lot about how to stay healthy and stay active and make sure our bodies are OK in practice and rehabilitation,” Martin said. “It makes everyone smart about the way we play. Instead of a defensive player just running in with their head down, we’re focusing on the correct techniques so hopefully we can keep those injuries to a minimum.”
If there was anything positive to come from the injuries last year, it was the experience several young players received while trying to fill holes.
Now, many of those guys will be counted on to lead the way in 2016, and this time, they are better prepared.
Dylan Fry takes over at quarterback full-time after stepping in for T.J. Jemison at the end of last season, and Tyler VanFossen, who took many of the handoffs in the second half of last season, and second-year starting split end Andrew Jaeger also will play big roles in the offense.
“A lot of younger guys got a lot of opportunities last year, and that will play a big role this year because we’ll have experience,” Jaeger said. “We just need to get the right people in the right places (on the offensive line), and we’ll be good.”
The offense will be a work in progress early on as the line continues to develop behind lone returning starter Nick Finley, but Haynes said, “It’s coming along.”
In the meantime, the defense is ready to carry the team.
Among the top returners are senior linebackers Jake Neltner, Santino LaRubbio and Mike Nelson. Senior defensive back Allen Jantausch led the team with three interceptions last year, and Martin helps anchor the defensive line.
“Our defense is pretty much back,” Haynes said. “We’ve got three linebackers, two of our starting defensive linemen, a few in our secondary. Defensively, I think we have a chance to be pretty good.”
East finished ninth of 10 teams in the GMC in scoring offense last year with 19.9 points per game, and the Hawks were eighth in scoring defense with 27.0 points allowed.
Jaeger said the team’s confidence remains high despite the disappointing finish last year, but another strong start would go a long way in helping erase any bad taste left behind.
The Hawks open with the same nonconference schedule as last year when they sandwiched wins against Loveland and Northmont around a 14-point loss to Pickerington North.
They also get a break in GMC play with perennial champion Colerain off the schedule, but finishing up with Sycamore, Mason, Fairfield and Lakota West won’t leave much room for error.
“It definitely sticks with us how last year ended,” Jaeger said. “We’ve got a lot of seniors playing, and we want to have a good last season. It would be big to get off to a good start and get a lot of momentum going and a lot of confidence.”
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