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Region 12 Football Preview: Alter joins the Party
MVP’s Region 12 Previews and Predictions
TEAMS TO WATCH
Carroll (7-4, D-II R8 Quarterfinalist)
* Players to Watch – OL Ray Marlow (6-6, 315, sr.), LB Jamison Espino (6-0, 230, sr.)
* Outlook – Longtime assistant Bob Levy takes over for former head coach Steve Bartlett and has a bit of a rebuilding project on his hands. The Patriots numbers aren’t down, but experience will be key as they try to replace 19 two-year starters. Marlow holds offers from Memphis, and several MAC schools.
Dunbar (7-4, D-III R12 Quarterfinalist)
* Players to Watch – RB/LB D’Gary Wallace (5-11″, 180, sr.), DL/TE Jarrod Clements (6-3, 225, jr.), DL/TE Gary Akbar (6-4, 215, sr.), OL/DL Timauri Freeman (6-3, 230, sr.), RB/DB Leo Montgomery (5-10″, 210, jr.), QB/DB Kris Hall (6-1, 180, sr.), OL/DL Charles Armstrong (5-11″, sr.), OL/DL DeShawn Dunston (5-10″, jr.), OL/DL Dorian Harden (6-3, sr.)
* Outlook – The Wolverines have been to the postseason two of the last three years and head coach James Lacking (35-27 in six years) has the horses to do it again. Hall is a dynamic player who threw for 1,981 yards, 21 TDs and just three INTs last season. He holds an offer from Eastern Illinois. Wallace returns after scoring seven TDs and logging 58 tackles and six sacks. Clements already holds an offer from Toledo.
Alter (11-3, D-IV State Semifinalist)
* Players to Watch – LB Danny Thimons (6-2, 195, sr.), QB Malik Zaire (6-1, 185, jr.), OL Cody Collins (6-3, 270, jr.), RB Jackson Vandergriff (5-10, 215, sr.), RB Joe Penno (6-0, 180, sr.), K Andrew DiMario (n/a, sr.)
* Outlook – The Knights have won more games (64) than any program in Ohio over the last five years. They’ve also won two state titles and four regional championships over that span. A usual Alter has holes to fill but capable replacements. Zaire is one of Ohio’s top junior prospects and already owns an offer from Cincinnati. DiMario has scored 119 points the last two years (98 Pats, seven FGs).
Springfield Shawnee (10-2, D-III R12 Semifinalist)
* Players to Watch – QB Brad Jarzab (6-0, 195, sr.), RB Alex McCrory (6-1, 215, jr.), LB Ryan Mayfield (n/a, sr.), OL Joel Schilke (n/a, sr.), DL Lucas Sparks (6-1, 215, sr.), DB Jordan Huggins (n/a, jr.), DB James Williams (n/a, jr.)
* Outlook – The Braves have been to the playoffs two years in a row and should make it three. Jarzab, the reigning CBC Kenton Division Player of the Year, returns after throwing for 928 yards and seven TDs and rushing for 1,094 yards and 17 TDs. McCrory is one of Ohio’s top juniors after rushing for 704 yards and 11 TDs as a sophomore. Defensively, Mayfield (110 tackles), Sparks (71 tackles), McCrory (55 tackles), Huggins (54 tackles) and Williams (46 tackles) return.
Eaton (12-1, D-III R12 Finalist)
* Players to Watch – QB/DB Cole French (6-5, 195, sr.), RB Nathan Clark (5-11, 170, sr.), WR/DB Joe McCafferty (5-11, 168, sr.), OL/DL Andrew McKee (6-3, 270, sr.)
* Outlook – The Eagles had a historic season last year, making it to the regional final for the first time ever. Another lengthy postseason run could be in the cards. French (Toledo offer) is one of the state’s most versatile players. Last season he completed 63-percent of his passes for 2,780 yards and 27 TDs; ran for five TDs; picked off four passes as a DB; kicked 54 PATs and two FGs; and averaged 36 yards per punt. Clark returns after rushing for 1,366 yards and 21 TDs. McCafferty is a standout too.
* Oakwood (5-5) – The Paul Stone era is over at Oakwood after six playoff trips. Enter veteran head coach Rick Robertson, who led Springfield to the DI R3 Semifinals last year and also coached previously at Kettering Fairmont and Springfield North.
* Thurgood Marshall (8-2) – The Cougars are 18-2 on the field the last two years but still have yet to make the postseason. An ineligible player kept them out in 2009 and last year they scored 17.8899 computer points, which was only good enough for 11th place in D-IV R16. That tally, however, would have been enough for the final playoff spot in R12.
* Washington Court House (8-3, D-III R12 Quarterfinalist) – The Blue Lions had a great season last year (made playoffs and beat county rival Miami Trace for first time in 21 years). This season head coach Corey Dye and Court House must replace 14 seniors. Two key returners are senior FB/LB Riley Shaw (6-3, 230) and senior DE/RB Jerome Pettiford (6-3, 240). Shaw has led the team in tackles the last three years, while Pettiford set the school’s single-season sack record last year with 12.5.
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
Alter
Dayton Dunbar
Wyoming
Jonathan Alder
Cincinnati Taft
Springfield Shawnee
Eaton
Logan Elm
Dark Horses: New Richmond, Thurgood Marshall
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