We are now a week away from the start of the 2024 high school football season.
Today, we profile six area sophomores that people will soon be getting to know a lot more of. These could be breakout stars from the jump, or players who find their way in the 10th grade year to make a big impact down the stretch of the season.
QB Axton Beste, Bluffton
A big-time athlete for the Tigers, Beste was a stud for the baseball team in the spring, hitting .295 with 22 runs scored and 17 RBI. Not bad for a true freshman.
Now a sophomore and embedded as the starting quarterback, Beste has earned the confidence of Coach Brent Kunkel to be the guy that can keep the good times rolling in Bluffton coming off back-to-back sectional titles.
Beste’s arm strength and footwork are exceptional, particularly considering his age. Like any young signal caller, success or failure is going to be determined by his decision making, but confidence is high with Beste in Bluffton.
RB/WR Caleb Kiengele, North Side
Kiengele was a human highlight reel at Northwood Middle School, a man amongst boys as he ran roughshod over poor 7th and 8th graders. He saw spot action for the Legends as a freshman, hauling in 27 receptions for 260 yards and a pair of scores.
Now a year older, bigger and stronger, Kiengele is going to be a prime offensive weapon for Coach Ben Johnson’s team. Running back is his natural position, but he is versatile enough to line up in the slot for short to medium routes. He is only 5-foot-9, but his strength is simply unnatural.
QB/DB Jamison Roach, Adams Central
Roach saw some key playing time as a freshman in the Flying Jets’ run to a third-consecutive Class 1A state championship game a year ago, although it came mostly on the defensive and special teams units.
Now QB1, Roach brings a significant boost in throwing ability to the position that Adams Central has not had in recent years. That’s not a knock on the quarterbacks of the last few years, but credit to Roach, who is a pure quarterback in every sense.
It’s easy to get caught up in the hype, and Roach will inevitably have some growing pains, but he brings an element to the AC offense that gives them another way to attack defenses.
WR Harry Scheele, Carroll
Brother of the late Owen Scheele, Harry could be an X factor for a laden Chargers pass-catching unit.
Last year, Jaidon VanPelt established himself as a big-play threat for Carroll down the field as a sophomore. Scheele could be that guy in 2024. Small at 5-foot-9 but considerable speed and a penchant for getting open, the sophomore could be “that guy” that gets lost by defenses when accounting for the likes of VanPelt, Brady Rhoad and a host of others.
If anything, Scheele is in line to make some plays when he earns the opportunity. How often those opportunities come remains to be seen.
S Alex Scott, East Noble
Teammate Rylee Biddle found other ways to contribute for East Noble while he waited on his team to ascend to QB1. That’s the same situation that Scott finds himself in.
A dual-threat quarterback of the future for the Knights, Scott will significant time on the back end of the Knights’ defense this season. At a rangy 6-foot-1, Scott’s size, wingspan and quickness make him an ideal safety. But it’s the faith he has earned in the offseason in terms of his football smarts that has earned him the confidence from coaches to put a sophomore in a huge role on defense.
LB Ethan Yates, West Noble
An underappreciated aspect of West Noble’s 10-win campaign in 2023 was the fact that the defense had a freshman manning the middle.
Yates was the starter from the jump at middle linebacker, finishing second on the team with 59 tackles as well as 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and the only Charger to finish with more than one interception (two).
Back as a “seasoned” sophomore, Yates is ready to pick up where he left off for a defense that may have to carry a bit more of the load early on as the Chargers break in a new quarterback.
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