CEDARVILLE — It has been a quick turn around of a summer for Cedarville, but it doesn’t leave much room for nervousness to creep in either.
New head coach Brian Bogenschutz was hired in May and needed to step right in and get things moving to prepare for the season.
“What has made the transition easy is just the group of players I have,” Bogenschutz said. “They’re eager to lean, eager to compete.”
The group he inherits is young. Only one senior is on the 28-player roster, with 25 of the listed either being a freshman or junior.
Young usually means moldable and that’s the case for the Indians. New offensive and defensive schemes will give Cedarville a fresh look and while Bogenschutz said it was initially daunting for his team to learn, they did not take long to adapt in practice.
“It’s different terminology, and they had to learn a whole new game,” he said. “It’s not what they’re used to and once they’re getting it, you let everything come to them and you’re good.”
Being young can also bring ignorance and that’s not a bad thing to have when getting ready for a season. There’s an upbeat demeanor surrounding the team despite a lack of success in recent years, and recent practices were able to show off how teammates are willing to help one another with a resoluteness to improve.
Bogenschutz said it’s simple to stay happy when you believe you’ll be good and can win. Time will tell if those come, but in the meantime it’s just been fun for the Indians to be part of something new.
“They believe,” he said. “They’re excited to play and they’re excited to win. I think good things are going to happen and they do too.”
Cedarville Indians
Coach: Brian Bogenschutz (1st year, 0-0)
2021 Record: 2-8; Points Per Game: 12.3 (Off.) 34.4 (Def.)
What to expect: A third coach in three seasons will look to provide stability for the Indians. The team won its final two games to end 2021 on a positive note.
Key Players: Jake Winter, Jr., RB (2021 stats: 54 carries, 150 yards, 4 TD); Jackson Pyles, Jr., QB (41 car., 113 yds, TD; 4-10 passing, 26 yds, 2 INT; 54 tackles, 25 solo, 3 sacks, FR, TD); Jackson Miller, Jr., DB (73 tkls, 44 solo, 3 INT, TD, FR); Jackson Howdyshell, Jr., DB (42 tkls, 23 solo, INT; 6 rec., 69 yds, TD; 16 car., 130 yds, 2 TD; 24 kick returns, 465 yds); Chase Baldwin, Jr., OL/DL (38 tkls, 12 solo, 2 sacks); Jacob Adams, Sr., OL/DL; Josh Flora, Jr. WR (3 rec., 63 yds, TD; 12 car., 7 yds)
Schedule
Aug. 19 — MIDDLETOWN CHRISTIAN — 7 p.m.
Aug, 26 — EAST CLINTON — 7 p.m.
Sept. 2 — at Triad — 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 — WEST JEFFERSON — 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 — at West Liberty Salem — 7 p.m.
Sept. 23 — at Greenon — 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 — CATHOLIC CENTRAL — 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 — at Greeneview — 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 — SOUTHEASTERN — 7 p.m.
Oct. 21 — MADISON PLAINS — 7 p.m.
