Shawnee’s Christian Jones and the now-graduated Carter Fay (right) combine to bring down Lima Central Catholic’s now-graduated Gabe Cira during a 2022 game at Spartan Stadium. Shawnee opens its season at home Aug. 17 against LCC.
Don Speck | The Lima News
A new season has brought a new coach and a new offense to Shawnee’s football team.
After five years as Shawnee’s head coach Jerry Cooper announced in late April he was making a surprising move from Division III Shawnee to Division VII Hardin Northern. Shawnee was 23-28 with Cooper as its coach, with a 7-5 record in 2021 being its only winning season in that time span.
Longtime assistant coach Mike Lewis, who had no previous experience as a head football coach, was hired in late June to lead Shawnee’s football program.
Maybe the biggest change in terms of game planning and schemes is that the heavy emphasis on the run game that Cooper favored will be toned down and the ball will be in the air much more often in the passing game.
“We’re not going to be the same offense we were in the past. Jerry was a lot of inside runs and trying to power it in there. We’re spreading it out, we’re going to try to use our speed to get some yardage,” Lewis said.
“A lot of teams are like that now – Van Wert, Defiance. Get people out of the box and run it, get people back in the box and throw it. That’s the type of thing we’re going to do.
“We have a decent number of returners with experience. We’re going to be a whole lot faster than we’ve been in the past. We don’t have a whole lot of size. We have some decently sized kids but not huge. Overall we’re faster,” he said.
While the passing game might take on a more prominent role, the goal is to have a balanced offense, Lewis said.
“We will work hard to develop a physical football team that is dominant on both lines of scrimmages and has a dynamic balanced offense and a stout, aggressive defense,” he said.
Junior Caleb Bacome and sophomore J.J. Spyker went into preseason practice competing for the starting quarterback job.
“They’re both pretty decent athletes, J.J. Is more of a runner and Caleb is more of your typical pocket passer. It doesn’t mean J.J. can’t throw it and Caleb is a pretty decent runner,” Lewis said.
Last year seniors Jordan Banks (731 yards) and Chase Beery (684 yards) ranked No. 4 and No. 5 in rushing in the Western Buckeye League.
This year, Derek Lyons and Christian Jones could get the majority of the carries. But Lewis said, “Other guys will see some time.”
“Dominic Lynch is probably the best receiver we have. He will probably end up being our leading receiver. And we have several juniors. We’ll be throwing the ball a lot more than last year. Those two quarterbacks can sling it around and we have a lot of receivers.”
Preston Coppler, Akyus Richardson and Reese Peterson give Shawnee three experienced offensive linemen.
Lewis expects to rotate defensive linemen. “Up front we’re going to have a lot of rotation, there are going to be a lot of guys going in and out. You’ve got returners like Richardson, Peterson, Coppler, Isiaha Meeks and Hunter Rapp.”
Drew Eisele and Garrett Looney are returning starters at linebacker. Joey Spyker and Lyons are also in the linebacker picture and freshman Isaac Meeks has caught the coaches’ attention in practice.
The starting cornerbacks will probably be Lynch and either sophomore Chase DePalma or sophomore Colton Hopson. Joel Stirn is the leader for one safety spot. The other safety position won’t be decided until after a starting quarterback is selected.
“The strength of the team is our team speed. What I’m most worried about is it’s a new offense so everybody is having to learn everything new. Obviously, you have people back in positions they’re used to but the verbiage, what you call things, the different formations – everything is new. And there are only four coaches who were here last year,” Lewis said.
Shawnee will open its season on Aug. 17 at home against Lima Central Catholic.
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TEAM PROFILE
Coach: Mike Lewis (first season)
Division: III
Last year’s record: 4-6 (4-5 WBL)
Ticket information: limashawnee.com/o/shawnee-local/page/athletic-tickets
Returning 2022 varsity letter winners: Preston Coppler (Sr., OL/DL), Drew Eisele (Sr., OL/LB), Christian Jones (Sr., RB/DB), Tyler Kimmet (Sr., K), Garrett Looney (Sr., LB/RB), Dominic Lynch (Sr., WR/DB), Derek Lyons (Sr., RB/DB), Isiaha Meeks (Sr., OL/DL), Reese Peterson (Sr., OL/DL), Hunter Rapp (Sr., TE/DL), Joey Spyker (Sr., LB/WR)
Promising Newcomers: Caleb Bacome (Jr., QB/DB), Ben Caprilla (Jr., LB), Michael Garlock (Jr., WR/DB), Aykus Richardson (Jr., OL/DL), Joel Stirn (Jr., WR/DB), Kobe Bentz (Soph., OL/DB), Chase DePalma (Soph., WR/DB), Dalton Hopson (Soph., WR/DB), Colton Hopson (Soph., WR/DB), Gabe Rapp (Soph., OL, DL), JJ Spyker (Soph., QB, DB), Isaac Meeks (Fr., LB)
2023 schedule
(Kickoffs scheduled for 7 p.m.; subject to change)
Aug. 17 — Lima Central Catholic
Aug. 25 — Elida
Sept. 1 — at Bath
Sept. 8 — Celina
Sept. 15 — at Defiance
Sept. 22 — Wapakoneta
Sept. 29 — at St. Marys
Oct. 6 — Van Wert
Oct. 13 — at Ottawa-Glandorf
Oct. 20 — at Kenton
