Oh the Northeast 8 is always a tricky one, isn’t it?
Last season set an enormous tone to follow in the conference, but there are so many fun pieces back that things are going to stay interesting.
So who exactly is the favorite? Despite last year’s results, Blitz has a feeling that the more things change, the more they may stay the same.
THE FAVORITE
LEO LIONS
Surprise, surprise, the Lions are right back at the top again. Seven starters return on offense, including a somewhat underrated quarterback in Kylar Decker, who threw for 1,302 yards although his TD/INT ratio was just 17:12. Decker still had some big moments last season, which was his first under center, and he has more weapons entering 2023. Those weapons are fronted by major D1 recruit Brock Schott (34 receptions/468 yards) and North Side transfer and Ohio University commit Kaden Hurst. But that’s not all as three other receivers return in Kamden Zeisloft (385 yards), Jaxon Keller (193 yards) and Landin Hoeppner. There is no lack of options for the Leo offense, but it also brings back Brett Fuller (548 rushing yards) in the backfield as well as Aidan Monds.
Second team All-NE8 center Riley Stewart leads the offensive line returners, alongside guard Jacob Oltman and tackle Elijah Jacobs.
Defensively, with Schott (52.5 tackles, 12 sacks), Tristan Roberts (17.5 tackles) and Lucas Sheron back on the line and returning linebackers Aiden Furnish (42 tackles, 7.5 sacks) and Monds, this team is stout. Seven total players return to the starting defense, but sophomore Isaiah Coolman could help a lot along the line despite not starting last season. Zeisloft (51 tackles, 6 interceptions) and Hoeppner (31.5 tackles) return as starters in the secondary. Elijah Reynolds and Alijeh Lindsey will hope shore up the secondary.
“We feel good about what we have returning at key positions in terms of talent and leadership,” said Leo coach Jason Doerffler. “Our senior class will need to lead and set the tone in all areas of our program.”
THE CONTENDERS
EAST NOBLE KNIGHTS
East Noble is right back in the contender role where it has spent so much time in the past decade and it helps to have back third-year QB Zander Brazel, who threw for 1,168 yards in 2022. Brazel can be a significant cornerstone for this team with a several two-year starters back in Keegin Corbin (285 receiving yards), Logan Hatton and Landon Swogger back. Mason Treesh and Jordan Borders will both join the receiving corps for the Knights while Alex Brennan (204 receiving yards) is back at tight end. An intriguing piece of the offense is highly touted sophomore Rylee Biddle and where he will be utilized.
The offensive line has three starters back, including a four-year starter at guard with Zack Leighty (IFCA All-State); guard James Miller and center Grant Pattee are also back.
The starters back along the defensive side of the ball is what helps make this East Noble team so tough. Hatton leads three two-year starters in the secondary after securing 98 tackles and two interceptions last fall; Anthony Mitchener and Ben Barker return alongside him. Third-year starter Dylan Krehl (90 tackles) is back to lead the linebacker group, bolstered by Conner Liens and Jacob Ramey. Michael Mosley and Tyrin Parks (47 tackles) return along the defensive front.
NEW HAVEN BULLDOGS
The obvious centerpiece is Ohio State commit Mylan Graham (1,140 receiving yards), who enters his senior campaign fresh off a 14-touchdown effort at wideout a season ago. Add the likes of Concordia Lutheran transfer Ajani Washington to the equation, as well as James Hardy IV (160 receiving yards) at tight end and Donovan Williams (1,701 passing yards) behind center and you can see that New Haven’s offense is capable of being high powered. Washington brings big-play ability of his own, hauling in 39 receptions for 759 yards and nine scores last year with the Cadets. The running back corps is in solid hands with the senior Tre Bates (765 rushing yards), junior Audreon Anderson and sophomore break-out candidate DJ Simpson.
The Bulldogs return multi-year starter Mason Knoch at guard, with junior Charles Mcgrant atop the depth chart at tackle. But more bigs will need to step up for the New Haven offense. Five starters return on the defensive side of the ball, with linebacker aiming to be a strength with a trio of returning starters – seniors Korin Harris (team-high 105 tackles in 2022) and Chris Stewart (47 tackles) and junior Jesus Diaz (65 tackles). Bates and junior Jamarcus Turner will headline the secondary and Colin Wickliffe is a three-year starter up front at D-tackle. Fellow senior Konner Clark will also be in the mix up front and/or at linebacker.
Depth is a concern, as the Bulldogs will begin the season without a junior varsity team.
THE REST
COLUMBIA CITY EAGLES
There were a lot of pieces that made 2022 NE8 champion Columbia City the talk of northeast Indiana last fall, many of whom were part of a massive 22-player senior class. The Eagles’ vaunted four-headed running back monster is down to just one returnee, but James Getts (732 rushing yards, 199 receiving yards) is a solid place to start. Landon Fazio (190 rushing yards) and Noah Pletcher (110 rushing yards) are both back after seeing some time. IFCA All-State offensive lineman Joel Yager will be tasked with opening up holes for the run game alongside Landon Timm, Caleb Hershman, Sam Bean, Noah McDevitt and Gavin Pequignot.
The major focus offensively though is IFCA Junior All-State receiver Stratton Fuller (860 yards receiving, 12 touchdowns). Fuller will have a new quarterback throwing to him this time around, with junior Grayson Bradberry taking the lead in that spot.
Timm (54 tackles) will help lead the defensive line with several newcomers, including Hershman and Pequignot. The secondary will see returns of Fuller (32 tackles, 6 INT), Cohen Payne (60 tackles) and Ian Stahl (41 tackles) with Fazio back at linebacker, joined by Cayden Sroufe, Ethan McIntosh, Bean and McDevitt.
Landon Urban is back at kicker after hitting 43/44 extra points and 3.5 field goals last season.
“Replacing 22 seniors is going to be extremely hard. We need players to step up all over the field in order to have a good season,” Columbia City coach Brett Fox said.
NORWELL KNIGHTS
The Knights have already taken a bit of a hit with the loss of Cade Shelton to injury. Add that to the departure of their big class of 2023 that enjoyed success and played in a majority of the key spots on both sides of the ball. Still, Norwell does return some key players, headed by running back Trey Bodenheimer (115 rushing yards, 226 receiving yards) and Timothy Bonjour (438 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns). Both guys will need to put in a lot of work as Drew Graft takes over the quarterback position and Cohen Bailey (157 yards reaching ) and Trace Moser return as receivers.
Ayden Billiard is the big returner along both the offensive and defensive lines, but Bodenheimer (22 tackles, 3 sacks) will join him as a defensive end. The biggest strength of Norwell’s defense will be in the secondary with Bailey and Moser back and with junior Garry Riley now joining them. Bonjour will return at linebacker where he will be joined by Collin Burns, Alex Fojtik and Jacob Bischoff.
“We will be an inexperienced team, and we will need to some inexperienced players to grow up quickly,” said Norwell coach Josh Gerber. “We bring back some firepower on offense but will need replace 9 starters defensively. We will need to throw the football a little more to fit the skill set of the young men in our program.”
DEKALB BARONS
Part of what made DeKalb tick so well last fall was one of the area’s best quarterbacks in Tegan Irk. He is gone to graduation, so senior Aaden Lytle, who transferred into DeKalb last fall, will be given the reins. Lytle threw for 1,275 yards in 2021 as a sophomore QB for Garrett. He has a solid lineup of guys to get the ball to with Caden Pettis (429 receiving yards) and Xavier Bell (200 receiving yards) back and AJ Ross there to help fill in the gaps. Caiden Hinkle (1,008 rushing yards) is back too with an experienced line of Wyatt Birch, Nick Ley, Braxton Hayes and Ethan Storey to run behind.
The defense returns many pieces as well with Birch and Ley (60 tackles) ready to go both ways on the line. Hinkle will join the heavy-handed Blayde King (65 tackles, 6 sacks) at linebacker, with Cam Stout joining the party. The secondary is where DeKalb can really shine with returners Pettis (4 INT), Graham Blythe (93 tackles, 2 INT), Brady Culler (85 tackles), Ross (2 INT) and all back. Even kicker Carter Neumann is back for the Barons.
“We are very excited about the team we have this yea,” said DeKalb coach Seth Wilcox. “We lost some key players from last season, but we are returning the bulk of the guys who played last season. Our defense is returning almost everyone from last season’s team, and that has led to a quick learning curve this summer. I think the defense has been revamped and ready to roll.”
HUNTINGTON NORTH VIKINGS
Change is abound at Huntington North, which welcomes in Mike Eshbach at coach. The former Concordia, Wawasee and Eastside front man will bring back three of the program’s top offensive players from a year ago. Ian Wiley returns at quarterback as well as receiver Noah Wagner, while Luke Teusch is back at running back. Tight end Asher Chipchosky will also return. One of the biggest changes for the offense is the switch to a spread offense under Eshbach’s leadership; Aden Kalhoefer and Bradley Rentschler will be leaders along the offensive line.
Teusch is also a big returning pieces for the secondary, where he will again team up with Wagner. Expect Bradley Rentschler to run the defensive line with Jason Teusch back at linebacker. Tatum Brooks and Tony Decker return to the secondary for the Vikings.
BELLMONT BRAVES
The road hasn’t been easy at Bellmont for Coach Nick Hall since he took over a program in severe flux, but with eight offensive and 10 defensive starters back, could this be the year where there is finally some traction in Decatur on the football field?
That could start on the defensive end, because Dylan Velez can be a terror and is coming off a season where he totaled 73 tackles on his way to All-NE8 First Team honors. Braylon Braun (35 tackles) and Peyton Lengerich join him back on the line while four linebackers return, headed by Cole Mendez (62 tackles). Aiden Miller, Aidan Wemhoff and Mike Hayduk are also back. Finally, four secondary players return with Job Hoffman coming back after leading the team in tackles last season with 115, over 40 more than the next Braves player had. Ethan Miller, Cristian Hatch and Aidan Faurote will join him in the DB slots.
Faurote will take the snaps at quarterback, but there is a solid depth chart in place for Hall to make moves if needed. Faurote split snaps last year for a team that only threw the ball 55 times. As they look to continue their run=heavy game game, it helps that four of the top six rushers from last year are back, with Aiden Miller (238 yards) and Ethan Miller (208 yards) leading the way. Cristian Hatch and Trenton Jackson also return to the backfield. At receiver, Hoffman is the big returning threat after hauling in five catches for 104 yards in 2022.
“We need to have leaders. We have a lot of guys returning with varsity experience. They need to lead,” said Bellmont coach Nick Hall.
NE8 PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
1.Leo
2. East Noble
3. New Haven
4. Columbia City
5. Norwell
6. DeKalb
7. Huntington North
8. Bellmont
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