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Bridgeport High School

Excitement Is In The Air

BRIDGEPORT — As Fred Ray enters his sixth year as head coach at Bridgeport, there is excitement in the air as the Bulldogs are coming off a playoff campaign that saw them finish at 5-6.

Bridgeport has 34 kids out this season, which is up from years past.

“I look forward to each year like it’s by first. I enjoy it and am ready to get to work,” Ray said. “The numbers have steadily increased each year. We had some success last year and we are playing games at home for the third straight year.”

The Bulldogs went a stretch of four years where they split their home games between Martins Ferry and St. Clairsville because flooding rendered their facility in Brookside unplayable.

“It was tough not being able to play games at home,” Ray added. “In the 1980s and 1990s Bridgeport and Martins Ferry played a lot. The ‘old-school’ people really didn’t like playing in Martins Ferry. It really helps being back at home.”

Of the 34 players, only six are seniors and five are juniors. There are 11 sophomores and a dozen freshmen.

Coach Fred Ray on the upcoming season

“We’re still inexperienced at certain positions,” Ray noted. “There are some positions that are still up for grabs.”

The Bulldogs return six starters on defense and seven on offense.

“The big key is we return nearly all of our offensive line,” the coach said. “A big key for us is our offensive line where we return four starters. You’re only as good as your guys up front.”

Returning for another season in Black-and-Blue are seniors Law Chambers (6-0, 195) and Nate Galownia (5-10, 210); juniors Logan Baker (6-1, 240) and Kaleb McCamick (5-9, 175); and sophomores Will Hunt (5-8, 240), Justin Eckert (6-2, 315), Chad Coulson (6-0, 245) and Matthew Kuzmicki (6-0, 270); and freshman Gage Drummond (5-8, 190).

According to Ray, Hunt will play center with Eckert and Galownia at the guards. The tackles are Chambers and Baker. Coulson, Kuzmicki and Drummond will provide depth.

Other offensive line candidates are senior Shawn Lovell (5-9, 210); sophomores Easton Varner (5-9, 175) and Jay Weekley (5-8, 225); and freshmen Jeremy Lovell (5-8, 185), Rey Ochoa (5-7, 155) and Colton Puskas (6-1, 210).

“We’ve got some decent size up front for a school of our size,” Ray said. “The kids have gotten a lot stronger with their hard work in the weight room.”

One of those positions still up for grabs is quarterback where C.J. Jackson picked up his diploma last May after starting for four years.

According to Ray, sophomore Dylan Charlton (5-9, 140) and freshman Aiden Kinsey (5-8, 145) are locked in a battle.

“We’ve got two young kids still battling. We’ve got packages in different formations and sets. I think the scrimmages will determine who wins the battle.”

Senior Michael Marshall (5-10, 160) returns at tailback. He is a four-year letterman.

“Michael is our most experienced skill player,” Ray said. “He has great speed and good hands.”

Also returning to the backfield are junior Lyrik Brown (5-11, 170) and sophomores Jaki Threet (6-0, 170) and A.J. Bishop (5-8, 150). Sophomore Owenn Clark (5-8, 140) and freshman Austin Dojack (5-8, 160).

“Jaki has gotten more physical and more mature,” Ray said. “We’re looking for big things from him this season.”

The tight ends are freshmen Kadence Luckett (5-8, 160) and Dakota Lashhorn (5-9, 140).

Manning the wide receiver spots are junior Avery Jackson (6-1, 175) and sophomore Braylon Lewis (5-11, 155). They will be joined by Threet and either Kinsey or Charlton.

Also listed are senior Justin Myers (5-8, 145) and freshmen Cole Weekley (5-7, 130), Coen Brinker (5-9, 155), Brode Brown (5-8, 135), Evan Clark (6-1, 145) and Daniel Goff (5-9, 165).

Defensively, the Bulldogs will utilize the 3-4 alignment.

“That will give us more depth to rotate guys in and out. Hopefully, we can provide them some break here and there.”

Baker is penciled in at nose guard with Galownia and Law at the tackles. Other down linemen are McCamick, Eckert, Hunt, Coulson, Kuzmicki, Varner, Ochoa, Puskas, Shawn Lovell, Jeremy Lovell and Evan Clark.

The linebackers will be Lyrik Brown, Marshall, Bishop, Jackson, Luckett, Owenn Clark, Lashhorn, Dojack, McCamick and Drummond.

Defensive backs include Threet, Lewis, Kinsey, Myers, Charlton, Cole Weekley, Brinker, Brode Brown and Goff.

Bridgeport will also have a full-time placekicker in senior foreign exchange student Andres Alvarez.

“We are very fortunate to have Andres on the team,” Ray said. “He came into our district and wanted to play football. He is pretty accurate on PATs, but needs to get more consistent. He can be a weapon for us.”

There are two new teams on the schedule in East Palestine and Atwater Waterloo. They replace Madonna and Paden City.

“We feel our schedule is one that we can play with,” Ray said. “Most of the teams are our size, so that will help.”

The Bridgeport coaching staff also has a pair of new members in Curt Smelley and Billy Timko. They join Cole Smelley, Justin Hill, Larry Deem, Greg Honacker and Dylan Nowakowski.