×

BACK TO FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Wheeling Central Catholic High School

Wheeling Central Experiencing Youth Movement

WHEELING — Youth is being served at Wheeling Central.

The perennial power Maroon Knights feature a roster with only eight seniors and five juniors. However, those low numbers are buttressed by 32 players in the freshman and sophomore classes. Such numbers paint a bright Maroon grid future.

Ultra-successful mentor Mike Young returns for his 19th year at the helm of his alma mater, fresh off a 10-2 mark and another OVAC championship. He has guided the Maroon Knights to eight state titles and a handful of OVAC crowns.

Young’s most recent triumph came last month when he directed the West Virginia squad to a 13-9 nod over their Ohio counterparts in the OVAC Rudy Mumley Charity Football Game. All told, Young has amassed more than 200 career football wins, including his tenure at St. Clairsville.

An injury-riddled Central squad bowed out in the state semifinals to top-seeded James Monroe last November. As fate would have it, the two teams meet in the season opener Aug. 25 at Wheeling University.

While the Central squad is saturated with youth, it is also accompanied by inexperience. Young will reload with 13 lettermen but none of whom were full-time starters.

Coach Mike Young on the upcoming season

“We lost a super senior class. They meant a great deal to this program,” Young said. “They were not just talented players, they were also great leaders and great ambassadors for the school.

“We realize the task at hand. But it is one we embrace,” the West Liberty University Hall of Famer noted. “We are not void of talent and we have some size. What is really nice is that this group is very coachable. They have been very focused and getting better every day.”

The all-important quarterback spot is currently a three-headed battle, featuring three young but promising signal-callers.

Junior Seth Cover (5-11, 180) heads the trio. He is being challenged by freshmen Nico Kusic (6-1, 170) and Brady Ernest (5-10, 170).

Central does have a horse at running back in Isaac Martin (6-0, 215). The letter-winning sophomore flashed big-play capability in reserve duty last fall. He also was a state wrestling champion as a freshman.

Braden McWreath (6-2, 180) will also see his share of carries. The speedy sophomore is coming off a solid track season.

Quality seniors Noah Loy (6-0, 180) and J.J. White (6-1, 175) along with junior Ty Wheeler (5-7, 175) and sophomore Wyatt Brady (5-8, 175) are also ticketed for backfield time.

Other backfield aspirants are sophomore Kade Koroneos (5-9, 160), and frosh Dustin Sanner (6-0, 180), Marshall Crow (5-7, 155) and Mike Wheeler (5-7, 155).

Young has the services of two capable tight ends. Sophomores Troy Mortakis (6-1, 175) and Maddox Stillion (6-0,175) will both see time. Eli Tedrow (5-8, 155) is a frosh tight end.

Two seniors are leading the wide receiver corps in Jayden Redmen (6-0, 165) and Lucan Galbraith (6-0, 180). Sophomores Caleb Golden (6-0, 165), Joey Hall (5-10, 150) and Paul Stecker ((5-5, 120), also bring talented tools to the pass-catching group.

The freshman class offers several promising receivers, including Levi Rine (5-2, 110) and Luke Sancomb (5-5, 115), who has also caught Young’s attention with his secondary play. Two other frosh wideouts are Joey Jerome (5-8, 135) and Eli Czapp (5-0, 105).

Lucca Ferrera (5-10, 240) returns to starting duty after seeing last season cut short due to injury. The tough-minded senior will be one of the anchors on the offensive line.

Another solid blocking piece is senior Grant McCabe (6-1, 215). Seth George (6-1, 230) is a rugged senior being counted on upfront.

Also bidding for starting duty are juniors Zeke Burkle (5-8, 210) and Hunter Kerr (6-0, 235), sophomores Carver Bolon (5-6, 195) and Luke Wear (6-5, 280).

Additional sophomore linemen are Ryel Swan (6-0, 220), Nino Jerrome (5-9, 150), Brennan Maloney (5-9, 205), Owen Rohrig (5-9, 160) and Isaac Lucious (6-0, 200).

Freshmen linemen Olin Ames (5-11, 195) and Dominic Asbury (5-8, 250) are already making their presence felt in August practices. They are joined by a trio of line classmates in Trent Lander (6-1, 230), Seth Wodusky (6-0,165) and Carson Ryder (6-0, 150).

Young says the Maroon Knights will utilize multiple defensive looks, depending on the matchup.

Mortakis and McCabe will be the likely starters at defensive end.

The Knights will rotate a host of defensive tackles. They include junior Michael McDade (6-1,290), Ferrera, Kerr, Burkle and George.

Martin will be a force at linebacker. He will be joined by Stillion, Loy, White and Brady.

The secondary, at times, will feature Mcwreath, Golden, Galbraith and Hall.

A big key to the Knights’ success this year is Eli Tucker (6-0,185). The talented senior is big plus in several areas for the Knights. He is a quality running back, disruptive linebacker and one of the premier kickers in the Ohio Valley. However, Tucker is still rehabbing from an injury last fall and is currently not cleared for participation.

“We will be tested early with our schedule. James Monroe and St. Clairsville will be major challenges in two of the first three weeks,” Young said. “Our young kids will have to grow up quickly.

“We hope we can get to six or seven wins and gain a berth in the playoffs,” he added. “Once we get into the playoffs we know we can make some noise. That is our goal.”

Young’s coaching staff features Jason Rine, Shannon Kuchinski, Mario DiBias, Jim Wolfe, Phil Pest, John Tankovits and Dylan Baker.

“I have a great coaching staff. We have been together for several years now,” Young added. “They really have the ability to coach our kids up and get the most out of them. I am blessed to have them.

“We know we are going to have some growing pains. That is expected with a group so young,” added the coaching icon. “But it has been enjoyable so far.

“The kids are working extremely hard and are buying into what we are teaching them.”