St.Marys’ Aiden Hinkle returns as a starter in the potent Rider running game.
ST. MARYS – Bo Frye admits his first season as the St. Marys head coach seemed to go by fast with all the on and off the field daily decisions that he faced as the main Roughrider. As he prepares for his second year, he wants to build on the success he had last year.
The Roughriders went 10-3 in 2021 and made its sixth straight trip to the playoffs. However, St. Marys failed to capture the Western Buckeye League after winning it in three consecutive years.
“It happened so fast,” Frye said. “It moved really, really fast. You couldn’t see certain things happening before they happened. In the second year, you can kind of see the storm coming but the storm is still coming. It doesn’t get any easier but you have an idea of what is coming.”
With the wins and the playoff push, it appeared to be a smooth transition taking over for his father Doug Frye, who was recently inducted into the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame.
“I thought our kids, for having a change in leadership, played extremely hard and kept the tradition going the St. Marys way and our coaches coached so hard. I am very fortunate I have my brother (Koby Frye) calling our offense and my best friend (Nick Yahl) calling our defense and my dad is still hanging around practice so I have a staff that has been together for a long period of time and are really friends. I have good people working for me.”
The coaching staff will have a solid core to work with this year with 11 returning starters and 20 seniors on the roster.
A strong stable of running backs return to produce in the Riders’ traditional Wing-T offense to go along with starters back up on the offensive line,
The Riders averaged 258.2 yards on the ground in the WBL that was tops in the league.
Quarterback Cody Wallace, who broke his collarbone during the scrimmage against Findlay last year, will be under center.
Back is Aiden Hinkle, a four-year letterwinner, at the fullback position and is joined by sophomore Colton Mabry, Brayden Sullivan and Keegan Sharpe.
Frye describes this year’s offensive lines as one of the biggest and most physical that he has seen in a while.
Seniors Caleb Miller (center), Braden Saelor (tackle), Greg Felver (guard) and tight end Jace Schaefer are back on the offensive line. Expected to join them is junior Zavier LeClair (tackle), who saw time at the junior varsity level. There is a three-way battle for the other guard spot.
“With the Wing-T, you have to do things right,” Frye said. “We teach fundamental, fundamental, fundamental. You have to step correctly. You have to be at the right angle. It’s all about angle walking. It is not just putting hands on people but you have to stay on track and you have rules to follow. All 11 have to be fundamentally sound if it is going to run right.”
Defensively, the Riders were the best in the WBL, giving up an average of 72.9 yards overall against WBL opponents and limiting them to 8.3 points a game.
Back on defense is Sullivan who rotated between safety and linebacker last year, along with Keegan Sharpe, who started at cornerback.
Anchoring the linebackers is Kevin Perry, brother of standout Sean Perry, and Frye said has the same strong football genes as his brother.
Frye said there is depth on the defensive line that will be headlined by Jace Schaefer, who played outside linebacker last year. Also on the line will be Jacob Kessler, Logan Compton and Frye adds there is a number of younger players vying for playing time.
“Defensively, we are making sure guys are in the right position and flying around,” Frye said. “Coach Yahl is working with those guys every day. We are trying to find guys that are going to fill roles and work hard every day. We can play 20 different guys on our defense. None of them are superstars and they are kind of a no-name defense but there are a lot of kids that can play.”
On special teams, Schaefer is going to handle the kicking duties, along with Logan Rush, who is coming over from soccer.
The Roughriders enter the fire early this season when they open with perennial playoff contender London followed by Defiance in week one then Wapakoneta, Ottawa-Glandorf, Van Wert and Shawnee.
Senior leadership has always been a key to the Roughriders’ success and Frye said this year is no different.
“We have 20 seniors and they’ve been a group that has won the whole way through,” Frye said. “The 20 guys are here every day working hard so as long as our seniors continue to have a great attitude and want to get better and better every day.
“This is a very physical, tough group and I have to blow the whistle during seven on seven sometimes. They are chippy and hopefully they can maintain that throughout the season. We don’t have a lot of vocal leaders but guys who hear our words and take it to heart.
“I think we need to continue to be physical. That is the name of the game here at St. Marys. We need to outwork people and fly around. We need to be a true team.”
ST. MARYS
Coach: Bo Frye
Years at School, record: 2nd (10-3)
Last year’s record: 10-3
Division: IV
Returning Letterwinners: Aiden Hinkle (Sr.), Caleb Miller (Sr.), Braden Saelor (Sr.), Jace Schaefer (Sr.), Keegan Sharpe (Sr.), Greg Felver (Sr.), Brayden Sullivan (Sr.), Cody Wallace (Jr.), Logan Compton (Jr.), Kevin Perry (Jr.), Colton Mabry (Soph.)
Promising Newcomers: Eli Rickard (Sr.), Jamal Kessler (Sr.), Tristan Gardner (Sr.), Heath Dilsaver (Sr.), Kayden Sharpe (Sr.), Trent Wycuff (Sr.), Deshaun Vernon (Sr.), Zavier LeClair (Jr.), Carson Sturwold (Jr.), Jacob Kessler (Soph.), Keaton Fishbach (Soph.), Dominik Osborne (Soph.), Terry Amborski (Soph.)
Season Outlook: We’re once again excited and optimistic for the 2022 season. Although we graduated a plethora of great players from a 10-3 2021 season, we have several veterans returning. We have twenty seniors that have worked very hard throughout the offseason and summer that are ready to lead our football team. Our offensive and defensive lines look to be a strength, as we are deep in these areas. We also return several experienced running backs. We have a group that shows up to work every day and are ready to add to our strong tradition at St. Marys.
SCHEDULE
August 19 – at London
August 26 – at Defiance
September 2 –Wapakoneta
September 9 – Ottawa-Glandorf
September 16 – Van Wert
September 23 – at Shawnee
September 30 – Kenton
October 7 – at Elida
October 14 –at Bath
October 21 – Celina
All games start at 7 p.m.
