SAINT MARYS – It appears the three-year plan for St. Marys head coach Doug Frye is right on track.
After the Roughriders posted back to back winless seasons in 2012 and 2013, St. Marys recorded five overall wins in 2014 and six last year.
And with 20 starting returners, St. Marys is poised to win more than six games and possibly compete for the Western Buckeye League title and a playoff spot.
“When I took the job I really thought that it would three years for us to have an opportunity for us to get back to a competitive level. We got to the competitive level a little quicker than I thought.”
Frye said being a little ahead of schedule was helped by having a dedicated coaching staff being members of the the teaching staff.
The high expectations are there this year but Frye added that this has been the case for years at Memorial High School, which has won 22 WBL titles, has 15 playoff appearances (the last being in 2008) and four state titles.
“Obviously this is St. Marys and we have had a lot of success in past years,” Frye said. “I think every coach will tell you your No. 1 goal is to have a winning season and compete for a league championship and every year when we sit down as coaches that is our No. 1 goal.”
Led by senior quarterback Dustin Howell (6-2, 170), a three-year starter, and senior running back Eric Spicer (5-10, 175), who rushed for 1,214 yards and 10 touchdowns and a first-team all-league selection, the offense should be even better than last year.
Running the Roughrider wing-t offense, Howell was 70 for 124 with 829 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. On the ground the Rider signal caller rushed for seven touchdowns.
“Those will be the two young men, from a skills standpoint, that jump out,” Frye said.
Senior fullback Bo Kuenning (6-1, 215), who was injured on the first play of the season last year, should provide additional punch from the backfield.
The Roughriders’ ground game accounted for 2,438 yards last season.
Also returning on the offensive side are senior center Jonathon Peterson (5-10, 210), guard Joey Morlino 6-2, 220), junior tackle Garrett Lauth (6-2, 285) , and tight end Seth Vorhees (6-2, 210).
Three-year senior starter Julius Fisher, who led the team with 102 tackles, is one of four returning linebackers on defense. Also back are senior T.J. Mele (37 tackles), junior Austin Giesige (87 tackles) and senior Grant Keith (82 tackles).
Returning linemen are senior Matt Patten (6-2, 235), 63 tackles, junior Reed Aller (6-2, 235), 23 tackles, and senior William Bayham (6-3, 215), 56 tackles.
Along with Spicer and Howell, the lone two Riders two-way players, senior Drew Jacobs (5-10, 150), 19 tackles, will be back in the secondary,
“We do have some experience,” Frye said. “First of all, just being together for three years and implementing a system and having a coaching staff that has been together for three years and having players in our program for that period of time and understanding our schemes allows us to move at a little quicker pace in the preseason.”
Frye is a firm believer that in order for this team to succeed on both sides of the ball the Riders must be successful in the trenches and he says it is dependent on how his players mature and for some of the new players learning on the job at the varsity level.
The Riders will be tested right off the bat when they face Sidney in their season opener. The Yellow Jackets, under the direction of Adam Dunges who is a former Rider and played under Frye, boast three Division I bound players including quarterback Andre Gordon, who is going to Iowa State.
“Before we talk about the nine-game league schedule that opener won’t be an easy opener and obviously you have to look at Wapakoneta that has won two straight years and gone undefeated two straight years in the league as the favorite,” Frye said. “Ottawa-Glandorf, under Coach (Al) Schriner has had a lot of success. Those are the two teams among others that have jumped right out at you. I think Kenton and Bath return a ton of good. I think the entire league will be tough and balanced this year.”
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