Football players and coaches across northwest Ohio greeted the first day of official practice with energy and excitement.
All around the state, prep teams took to the field in full pads for the first time on Thursday with the start of the 2024 season less than a month away.
Blade sports writers visited five intriguing Toledo-area schools to check in on the first day of football’s preseason.
31 victories and counting at Central Catholic
Although the football CEO was away with an illness, it was business as usual with some “vice presidents” taking the lead for the official first day of practice at perennial Ohio power Central Catholic High School on Thursday.
Greg Dempsey, who enters his 25th season as Fighting Irish head coach this year (252-53 record, five state titles), was unable to attend the initial 2024 two-a-day practice session as he recovers from his health issue.
In his stead, defensive coordinator Ryan Brown, in his 15th season as an assistant at his alma mater, ran things on that side of the ball, and offensive line coach Chad Huntebrinker (17th year) called the shots on the other side.
They oversaw the nearly five-hour double session with ease as Central Catholic began its work toward a three-peat of state championships this fall. The Irish won the Division II state title in 2022 (15-1 record) and took the D-III crown (16-0) last year.
“We all love coach Dempsey,” Brown said. “We want him here and we miss him, but he'll be back in a few days. He's fine. He'll be all right. Honestly, we just pick up the slack and do whatever we have to do to get better. The first day of two-a-days we're ready and we're roaring, so let's get it going.”
The Irish, who have won 31 straight games entering the season, will look to reload as opposed to having to rebuild. However, there is a huge graduation void to fill that includes four players that earned first team All-Ohio honors in 2023, when Central outscored its opposition 634-166 (40.7 to 10.7 per game), plus seven other seniors who received honorable-mention All-Ohio recognition.
“It's a great program and the coaches are all on board, whether you're a coordinator or a position coach,” Huntebrinker said. “Anybody at any time can run the team, and we've got very coachable young men. The players are just awesome no matter who's around, and it's great to be a part of.”
Gone are All-Ohio first team stars Marquan Braswell (running back), Jaylen Watson (receiver), Marc Nave (offensive line), and Mike Cannings (defensive line).
Expected to lead the way this year are senior running back Tyler Morgan and two juniors who are coveted Division I college recruiting targets — receiver Preston Fryzel (12 D-I offers), and Victor Singleton (16 offers, including seven from the Big Ten).
“The bar is always [set] high at Central Catholic,” Morgan said. “We know we have a target on our back every season, and we have to improve no matter what. We lose seniors every year and we have to rebuild and regenerate every time.”
That regenerating began Thursday.
“We're excited to get out here,” said Fryzel, who includes Toledo, Kentucky, and Minnesota among his offers. “We've been doing seven-on-seven, and that's fun, and we've had a practice a week. But we're really excited to get going. It's getting close to the season.”
Added Singleton: “We've got to stay focused and keep working hard. I can't let that [recruiting interest] get into my head.”
Singleton, who like Fryzel had a busy summer with camps and recruiting visits, includes Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin on his list of offers.
— Steve Junga
Up front and center at Oak Harbor
OAK HARBOR, Ohio — If the biggest unanswered question for Oak Harbor for the 2024 season is how the Rockets replace a majority of a senior-heavy offensive line from last year's Northern Buckeye Conference championship team, senior quarterback and safety Michael Lalonde believes the unit protecting him will have an emphatic answer.
“Some people say our offensive line is younger so they are inexperienced, but I think they are the most hard-working group on the offensive line we've had in the years that I've played,” Lalonde said. “And they're big. Those are some big boys. They all work hard. I just think this a great offensive line with how they hit and how they block.”
Rockets head coach Mike May knows each season brings its own unique challenges, and he believes developing depth on both fronts will be the key to the team's quest for a third straight league title and second straight since joining (and winning) the NBC last season.
“Our kids are really excited,” May said, “We have quite a few starters back from last year. We have to replace some people up front — we had some big losses up there. But we've been fortunate to win a league title two years in a row and it has never been done to win three league titles in a row. So that's a big goal for these seniors. We've had a great summer and it's because of those seniors. They want to do some big things this year... The number one thing we need to do is build some depth up front. We have quite a few of our skill position guys back, and we feel like we have some decent depth there. Then, as with any other team, it's staying healthy. If we can do that and build some depth up front I think we'll be OK.”
Like Lalonde, May is confident in the new group of offensive linemen, led by the one returner in tackle Isaac Schulte.
“Last year, we felt like we had quite a bit of depth,” May said. “It was probably the most we've had in a long time. So it's time for those guys who were backups last year to step up into those roles. So far they've been jelling together pretty well. We just have to build some depth behind those guys.”
While Lalonde makes the offense go, the leader of the defense is senior defensive end Jacob Ridener, a two-time first-team all-Ohio selection on the defensive line.
“Everyone here gets excited for defense — that's like our thing,” Ridener said. “We all just want to hit someone.”
For Lalonde and Ridener, the first practice of the new season offers hope for a strong senior send-off. But the pair of talented two-way players, knows they have to savor each and every opportunity to be on a football field whether it's a practice field or under the Friday night lights.
“It's always fun,” Ridener said. “You know you are working for something big and you have to come out and attack every day like that.”
Said Lalonde: “It's great, it's football season and everybody knows that now. Senior year, you have to go out there and leave everything out there.”
— Brian Buckey
Backs are back for Bowling Green
BOWLING GREEN — At Bowling Green, first-year coach Shawn Kiss put his Bobcats through their paces during an afternoon practice, the second of the day after a morning session.
“I was up pretty late last night, just trying to make sure we had everything ready to roll,” Kiss said. “I'm excited. The kids have been fantastic this summer, and we just roll right into practice.”
Senior running backs Jackson Shafer and Ja'ceous Shannon are back after combining for 1,769 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns.
The Bobcats went 5-6 overall and qualified for the Division III playoffs, where they lost to powerhouse Central Catholic. BG went 0-4 in the first year playing in the Northern Lakes League Cardinal Division.
“We're playing in a division where all five of us went to the playoffs,” Kiss said. “It's tough, top to bottom.”
Shafer, who rushed for 635 yards and scored 11 touchdowns last season, said he expects the Bobcats to be physical.
“We're definitely excited. We're having some fun out here,” Shafer said. “We're a good team, and I think that we can contend for that top NLL spot.”
Shannon, who rushed for 1,134 yards, and 14 TDs, said he was geared up for the hitting on day one.
“This is my last ride, so it's really exciting to be out here with my boys,” Shannon said. “I've been playing with some of these guys since I was in middle school. We're all really connected. We're looking forward to our first game against Otsego.”
The players were thrown right in the fire — figuratively and literally — with a blazing sun accompanied by high temps and humidity on the field turf at BG's stadium.
“August is always rough around here for two-a-days,” Kiss said. “It's going to be a 90-degree heat index, and they're gonna bake. But it teaches them how to take care of their bodies in the heat and understand the importance of hydration. It gets them ready for Friday nights.”
— Mark Monroe
Hopes run wild at Patrick Henry
HAMLER, Ohio — Longtime Patrick Henry coach Bill Inselmann says he has come to recognize that there are a few tried and true signs that high school football season is approaching.
“Any time the locusts are singing in the trees and the humidity returns, it's football and let me tell you, both of those things are happening,” Inselmann said. “It's hot and humid, and the locusts are signing. So yeah, it's time for football.”
Inselmann and the Patriots returned to the practice field Thursday after a memorable run to the Division VII state semifinals last year.
Led by returning quarterback Lincoln Creager, Patrick Henry featured a pass-heavy spread attack last season, but Inselmann said the Patriots should shift to a more run-heavy scheme this year to take advantage of Creager's dual-threat ability, as well as a talented, athletic offensive line.
“You want to tweak your offensive philosophy and your offensive scheme to your talent and we are going to be more of a run team this year and not be as reliant on the pass as we have been,” Inselmann said. “That will be the key — how well we establish the run game on a game-in and game-out basis and in those big games. That will be a pivotal part of our team this year. We want to get [Creager] running, and we feel that his running capability along with our running back threat is something we are hoping will be difficult for teams to defend.”
With all the playoff success last year, Inselmann and Creager still mentioned the fact that Liberty Center is still the standard to meet in the loaded Northwest Ohio Athletic League, and Archbold should continue to be a strong contender.
“We just need to come into practice every day, and we really need to focus on the little things especially,” Creager said. “It's the little things that help you win those really big games. We especially need to take every day seriously and not take a day off because to beat those really good teams you have to do everything right the whole game.”
On defense, Inselmann said there is talent that needs to be replaced from last season, but he is confident in the experience that returns at each level of the defense.
“We have a nice nucleus back everywhere,” Inselmann said. “The graduation bug hit us a little bit all around. In other words, we didn't lose both linebackers or all of our interior. So we have good experience back in the line, at the linebacker position, and in the secondary. We have good kids to replace. We feel our numbers are better with more competition and better depth. So we are hoping our defense should be a strength as well.”
— Brian Buckey
Pieces in place at Napoleon
NAPOLEON — “Time to loosen up those pads!” an assistant coach shouted to a group of Napoleon Wildcats preparing for a blocking drill at Buckenmeyer Stadium on Thursday.
With 18 seniors back, Napoleon looks to build on a strong finish to the 2023 campaign as the Wildcats won six of their final seven games, including a D-IV playoff game over Bellevue. Napoleon finished 6-6 overall and was runner-up to Southview in the first year of the NLL Cardinal Division.
Third-year coach Tyler Swary said his team got its “homework days” in last week with systems and schemes, and were ready to go on Thursday with helmets and shoulder pads.
“It's beneficial to have already put in all that stuff, and now we can go full go,” Swary said.
Swary was an assistant under former longtime Napoleon coach Tory Strock.
“We've been together now for three years, and we all understand what we bring to the table and our culture,” he said.
Senior quarterback Owen Espinoza returns after throwing for 1,633 yards and 21 TDs.
“It's super exciting. You put in all that work in the summer and now you finally get to hit people,” Espinoza said. “I think we have explosive weapons on offense.”
Senior defensive back/wide receiver Trey Rubinstein, who had five interceptions and 587 receiving yards, earned first-team D-IV All-Ohio honors last season. He has committed to play at Kent State.
“We're gonna get after it,” Rubinstein said. “We have a lot of athletes back and we're going to make some plays.”
Napoleon plays a tough non-conference schedule against Defiance, Liberty Center, and Anthony Wayne.
“Our schedule is going to test us. We finished the year strong, and I liked our grit,” Swary said. “I think we've got some pieces.”
— Mark Monroe
First Published August 1, 2024, 11:56 p.m.
