Post 75 – HS Football – Preview: Blair Academy

August 30, 2018

2017 In Review:  The Bucs were 6-2 and participate in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League.  They scored 225 points for a 28.13 average, while allowing 123 for a 15.23 average.  Wins included Lawrenceville School, Wyoming Seminary (Pa.), and Episcopal Academy (Pa.), while their losses were to Hun School and Peddie.

Graduation Losses:  DE Jayson Oweh – Penn State, C/DT Kraig Cottrell – Michigan, DB Cody Romano – Penn State as a walk-on, WR/CB Dy-Jae Pearson – Bryant, G/MLB Jack Six – Bentley (Mass.), QB Thomas Jenkins – Oberlin (Oh.), RB/SS Willie Kaiser – Penn for wrestling

Offense:  Blair Academy runs a triple option flexbone and returns four starters.  The leading candidate at quarterback is senior Re’Mahn Davis (5-10, 220) and the other candidates will play running back or receiver.  Returning as a running back is senior Tiheem Crocker (6-0, 215) and other playing will be seniors Ian Crosland (6-1, 220), Owen Trephan (6-2, 230), and Nolan Hogue (5-9, 180), with Trephan starting at guard last year.

At the receivers, junior Sanoussi Kane (6-0, 185) and the tight end is junior James Hinsperger (6-3, 225), with senior Ryan Pasquali (6-5, 210) also in the mix.

Two starters are back on the line, with junior Preston Krivulka (5-9, 170) at center and Eli Anthony (6-0, 200) at tackle.  The guards will be post-grad Henry Somerville (6-3, 285) and junior Sam Bond (6-3, 220), with the opposite tackle being a race among sophomore Aaron Armitage (6-5, 240), junior Jai Bakshi (5-10, 175), and junior Dylan Benson (5-11, 190).

Defense:  The Bucs run a 4-2-5 and return three starters.  Returning at tackle is senior David Ojabo (6-6, 255).  Also playing will be Crosland, Armitage, Somerville, and Bond.  The positions will be settled in camp.

Inside linebackers will has Trephan returning and Hinsperger will line up next to him.

In the secondary, Crocker is back at strong safety.  Hogue will be the weak safety and Davis will be the free safety.  Kane will be one corner and the opposite side has sophomore Hunter Sloan (6-0, 195) and junior Bryce Kopcak (5-10, 190) competing.

Special Teams:  Senior Jun Park is the incumbent kicker and punter is open.  Davis will be a return man, along with others.

Schedule:

Saturday, 9/15, at Capital Prep harbor (Ct.), 2 PM
Saturday, 9/22, Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) at home, 2 PM
Saturday, 9/29, at William Penn Charter (Pa.), 2 PM
Saturday, 10/6, at Hun School, 4:15 PM
Saturday, 10/13, Mercersburg Academy (Pa.), 3:30 PM
Saturday, 9/20, Hill School (Pa.) at home, 4:30 PM
Saturday, 10/27, at Lawrenceville School, 2:30 PM
Saturday, 11/3, Peddie at home, 2 PM

Recruits:  Ojabo verballed to Michigan and Davis to Temple.  Trephan verballed to North Carolina State and he was a national champ at the 220 weight class.  Somerfield is a post-grad who has interest from the Ivy League and the service academies.  Hogue has Ivy interest, Crocker 1-AA interest, and Crosland 1-AA to D3 looks.

Hinsperger is a junior who drawing 1-A interest and Armitage is a sophomore receiving the same looks.

Concerns:  There are a lot of new players and they need to come together as a unit.

Coach’s Comments:  “We have a lot of talented coming in.  We have high expectations and if we gel, we can be a very good team.  We’re deeper on the line, but younger; big, talented backs; and two top linebackers.  We don’t have numbers, but we have a lot of talent.” – Head Coach Jim Saylor

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