By Faith Mwalwa
<[email protected]>

The football team closed its 2008 season with a 36-33 State championship loss to Center Grove at Lucas Oil Stadium. Despite the outcome, it was the third year in a row that the team made an appearance at the championship game. However, now with  seniors such as University of Kentucky recruit Morgan Newton, Joseph “Joe” Rippe, Joseph “Joey” Barnes and  Thomas “Scott” Dehnke all going to college, the responsibility of leading the team to another State championship game in 2009 rests on the able shoulders of the underclassman.

Junior Eric Courter, who started as a tight end this season, looks to bear even more responsibility after the departure of Zachary “Zach” Broadbent, tight end and senior.

“(I know) Courter can handle it. He got better and better (this season),” Broadbent said. Both Courter and Broadbent played for the first time this season as tight ends; Broadbent played outside linebacker and Courter played offensive tackle last season. Courter said he did not play often in games and was a  “seventh-string player,” as he called it.

Courter said, “I guess (Head) Coach Mo (Moriarity) saw potential in me (to be a tight end).”

For this past season, Courter and Broadbent played with the addition of Billy Davis, tight end and sophomore. Broadbent described Courter’s tight end role as the receiving tight end, while he and Davis mainly play the role of blocking tight ends. For next year, Courter said that he and Walker Chance, tight end and junior, will be the starting senior tight ends, along with Davis.

Davis said, “I’m (almost fairly) sure that I will remain a tight end for next year.”

Barnes, who played center this season, is another key player who will be moving onto college. Center and junior Richard Velde is an up-and-coming player who may play in Barnes’s place. This season, Velde said that he felt excited about starting, and stepped in for Barnes during an injury that prevented Barnes from playing.

“Joey (Barnes) is a great player. It’ll be (difficult) to fill his place (when he’s gone),” Velde said.

When asked about Velde, Barnes said, “The experience he got (when he filled in for me) helps a lot.”  Barnes said that he believes that Velde is a capable player and most likely to take his place.

Rob Holman, special teams coordinator, tight ends coach and business teacher, said that the coaches have time for decisions for next year and the decision ultimately falls in the hands of Moriarity, but there is still a lot of time between this season and next.

“We have quite a ways away before making any (formal) decisions,” Holman said.

Players such as cornerback and junior Ronald “Ronnie” Fowlkes and outside linebacker and junior Brian East, who started regularly this season, will continue to develop their skills for the 2009 season. Fowlkes, who did not play in the first few regular season games, proved his playing ability and earned a chance to move up to the role of a permanent starter.

Conditioned players such as East, who has started since his sophomore year, will be key for leading the team to the Greyhounds’ fourth trip to the State championship. Senior Ty Stetson will leave his responsibilities to the junior linebackers like East.

“(East) knows what he’s doing,” Stetson said.

Courter said, “I think we have a good chance next year (of going to State). I’m nervous because there will only be a few seniors next year, but we’re confident.”

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THE DEPARTED

The Hound’s Graduating Seniors’ Season Stats:

OFFENSE

Quarterback Morgan Newton (1,673 rushing yards,  1,925 passing yards, 48 total TDs)

Running Back Kurt Freytag
(1,225 rushing yards, 15 total TDs)

DEFENSE

Outside Linebacker Ty Stetson
(76 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles)

Safety Joe Rippe
(57 tackles, eight interceptions)

IHSAA.ORG / SOURCE