For the last three seasons, the Allen County Athletic Conference has sent a team to the state finals. But so far it has come up with no titles.
Could that change in 2023? Adams Central is expected to be a contender in Class 1A again, but how does the rest of the league stack up this fall?
THE FAVORITE: ADAMS CENTRAL FLYING JETS
To no surprise, the Flying Jets are back at the head of the table after two straight trips to the Class 1A state title game. And even with a lot of big pieces from those trips gone, the well is far from dry.
Nine of the seniors in the Class of 2024 started last season and four of them have two years starting experience under their belts. Senior Jack Hamilton, who started on both sides of the ball last fall, will take the lead at the quarterback position with the graduation of Ryan Black; Hamilton threw just one pass in 2022. Trevor Currie (398 receiving yards) could be a primary target for Hamilton, with Max Hamilton and Cam Smith back and sophomore Braylend Reber competing for a spot at receiver. Reber could see more time if Max Hamilton comes out of the backfield where he and Aaron Hirschy (266 rushing yards) will look to see who can fill the void at wingback. It also helps significantly that do-everything Keegan Bluhm (1,645 rushing yards) returns at fullback and Ryan Tester (174 receiving yards, 589 rushing yards) can come out of the backfield as well.
Zac Wurm, Lane Lengerich, Braydon Moon and Cam Fravel all return along the offensive line for Adams Central.
On the defensive side of the ball, Tester (45 tackles) could be a needle mover again at linebacker where he will be joined by the power of Bluhm (107 tackles); Max Kaehr (78 tackles) will look to help shore up the linebacker group, as will Hirschy and Max Hamilton (67 tackles). Drew Kaehr will step into the defensive backfield to join Jack Hamilton (96 tackles, 4 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles) and Cam Smith (7 interceptions). The defensive line looks stout again too with Wurm (4.5 sacks), Currie (5.5 sacks), Lengerich, Moon and Fravel all back.
“If we are going to be successful this season we must continue to build off of what we have accomplished over the last two seasons,” said Adams Central coach Michael Mosser. “We have the potential to being very good again, however, it will take a lot of leadership and determination on behalf of the upcoming seniors.”
THE CONTENDER: HERITAGE PATRIOTS
The resurgence of the Patriots continues this fall with eight offensive starters and 10 defensive starters back. It is safe to say the Patriots are still pretty flushed with talent.
Kobe Meyer retains the lead at quarterback where he threw for 1,097 yards and ran for another 841 yards with 20 combined touchdowns that helped him second a spot on the All-ACAC Second Team as one of the area’s breakout players last fall. He will have three senior targets back, headed up by Ibrahim Williams (354 receiving yards). Preston Fields and Eli Pilon are also back in the starting lineup with Eli Tigulis and Cayden Woodward joining in with D’vontaye Washington (136 yards) back at tight end. The real question will be who takes over in the backfield with Nolan Hoskins the lead option; Woodward, Lucas Weber and Braden Walter could also take some of the hand-offs.
Kemper Forrer, Brandon Burnham and Chase Cashdollar return along the offensive line.
The defense is stacked with experience, including lineman Carson Loe (20 tackles, 1 interception), who will be joined again on the defensive line with Charlie Riddle (57 tackles, 2.5 sacks) and Logan Teichman (47 tackles), with Brandon Boyle and Parker Hennessey also back with experience. Caleb Abbott (35 tackles) and Kyle Heintzelman (19 tackles) will return as inside linebackers with Maddox Warren (21 tackles) shifting to linebacker from cornerback.; Greyson Mullins and Culvin Gilbert are back as outside linebackers.
The secondary is led by 1st Team All-ACAC safety Landon Hicks (56 tackles) with Braden Walter (52 tackles) and Eli Pilon back as well.
THE REST:
South Adams Starfires
Two-year all-conference quarterback Owen Wanner is back to run the show. He passed for 2,320 yards last season and is also their top returning rusher with 385 yards. Wanner has been a staple of the Starfire squad for multiple seasons. Colton Bollenbacher (112 yards rushing) and Conner Fear will take over the running back slots with a big void left due to graduation. Wanner will have little experience back at receiver with only Isaac Dee (430 yards) back as a receiver who started last fall. Junior Caiden Neuenschwander, sophomores Derek Mckean and Ty Lehman and freshman Wes Summersett will all be looked at to be pass catchers. South Adams will return four across the line with Clayton Trausch back as an All-ACAC guard and Luke Bauman, Grant O’Dell and Noah Hunley back as starters as well.
Bauman, Hunley, Trausch and Diesel Ziegler will be the guys along the defensive line as South Adams returns six total defensive starters from 2022. Dillion Ramirez and Conner Fear (All-ACAC, 106 tackles, 2 forced fumbles) are back at linebacker. Two-year starter Burton LeFever (56 tackles) leads the secondary with Isaac Dee and Colton Bollenbacher (76 tackles) back as well.
“We lose some very big playmakers but return a lot of our line and one of the best QBs in all of northeast Indiana,” said South Adams coach Grant Moser. “We have put a large focus on the basic fundamentals of blocking and tackling.”
Some added excitement for South Adams is the addition of a turf field at home, though due to the field not being ready when the season begins, it will only play two regular-season games on in it this year.
Bluffton Tigers
As much as Bluffton has found success in recent years on the ground, it has a lot back in the passing game. Led by Second Team All-ACAC sophomore AJ Streveler (560 receiving yards), the Tigers return four receivers who started last season. Seniors Andrew Hunt, Tucker Jenkins and Brody Lewis are all back as is quarterback Braxton Betancourt (1,323 yards/17 touchdowns). In the backfield, it will be sophomore Khamel Moore‘s turn to take the lead, but he’s no stranger either, running for 612 yards as a freshman.
The line will be a good place for Bluffton as well. Five offensive linemen return, as do four across the defensive line. IFCA Junior All-State offensive tackle/defensive lineman Johnny Cruz (47 tackles) leads the returners on the lines. Christian Castanada, Sam Mechling, Lukas Gehrett and Deontae Eskridge all return on the offensive line while Cruz, Eskridge and Gehrett (2 sacks) will join Alex West as returners along the defensive front. Fletcher Wenger (63 tackles) and Jenkins (2 sacks) return at linebacker while four seniors are back to start in the secondary. That group is led by Ben Ramseyer (First Team All-ACAC, 36 tackles, 3 INT) and Andrew Hunt (Second Team All-ACAC, 42 tackles) and includes Brody Lewis (4 INT) and Hutch Craighead.
All in all, the Tigers return 20 of a possible 22 starters from a sectional championship squad.
“For us to be successful this season we will need to focus on THIS season and not the one that we just finished,” said Bluffton coach Brent Kunkel. “We are coming off of the first sectional title at Bluffton since 1988, and with 20 returning starters, expectations are really high.
“If we allow ourselves to believe the hype and think that we have anything guaranteed to us this year because of what happened to end the season last year we will be in trouble. We want to continue to focus on improving day by day so that by the end of the season we are playing some of our best football.”
Woodlan Warriors
One of the biggest hurdles in Woodburn will be replacing a quarterback who was in the Top 10 all-time in ACAC passing yards in Jacob Snyder. That is a big ask that junior Ty Loudon will step into. Loudon stepped in as the starting QB for Woodlan’s sectional game after Snyder went down injured. Carter Fleek, Braden Smith and Jayse Kuntz will be Woodlan’s receivers while Hunter Bennett will be the tight end. It will be Drew Fleek that continues the run game for the Warriors after rushing for 1,034 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022.
Jack Culler and Gavin Vachon are both multi-year starters that will be back on both sides of the line. Bennett and Drew Fleek lead the linebacker corps while Carter Fleek, Kuntz (28 tackles) and Smith will lead the secondary this season.
Two newcomers to the starting lineup could help make an impact on both sides of the ball according to Coach Mike Smith. Senior Nick Piedra played quite a bit last year but did not start. Riley VanCamp is a senior who did not play last year but Smith says could start both ways.
“I believe we are the best we have been since I have been here,” Coach Smith said. “Our attitudes are better, kids are more coachable and we have talent. Assuming we can put it all together I believe we will be a very competitive team this year. I am excited for what we have coming back and our young players coming up.”
Jay County Patriots
Jay County has some replacements to make in in its core, but Sean Bailey is back at quarterback after throwing for 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns. In the backfield, AJ Myers and Bryce Wenk will help fill in with openings in the backfield and at receiver. Lead guard Ryne Goldsworthy returns to help open holes for the offense.
Wenk (59 tackles) will again be a key cog on the defensive line. Austin Schoenlein and Isaac Dues return with Wenk along the defensive front. Carter Barton and Lucas Strait (72 tackles) are both back at linebacker with Justin Dehoff back in the secondary.
Southern Wells Raiders
Without a winning record since 2015, the Raiders are now focused on continuing a rebuild under Coach Jeff Sprunger from a team that couldn’t even field a varsity program a few years ago. Bryar Gearhart (273 rushing yards) returns to help give Southern Wells some stability. Devin Tarr is back on the offensive line at center where he will get the ball to sophomore quarterback Trey Slusher.
Brayden Jackson was an All-ACAC linebacker last year and will return with Owen King joining him at linebacker with Slusher also contributing at safety.
ACAC PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1. Adams Central
2. Heritage
3. South Adams
4. Bluffton
5. Woodlan
6. Jay County
7. Southern Wells
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