Chambers all about football this fall for Kings
Aug. 5—WALTON — Luke Chambers made a name for himself on the basketball court last season for the Lewis Cass Kings.
Chambers was a first-team All-Loganland selection his junior season in basketball. While he will be a crucial player for coach Kyle Johnson and the Kings this upcoming season, Chambers' best sport is probably football.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound senior is a tight end and defensive tackle for the Cass football team. He's getting some looks from Division II and Division III football programs at tight end.
He played center on the offensive line last season but Cass football coach Clayton Mannering has moved Chambers to tight end.
The Kings will run their traditional wing-T offense and tight end is a key blocking position in the offense. But the Kings also plan to spread things out and run some shotgun offense this year and Chambers will be one of the top targets for quarterback LJ Hillis.
Mannering talked about Chambers' move to tight end.
"When I look at film from the last two years, we've had kids that really fought hard at that position but it's hard to run our offense when you can't really set and edge all the time. And Chambers can do that for sure," he said. "I knew he could do that. Then watching him on the basketball court last year, I finally had to say, 'OK, we've got to put the ball in his hands a little bit.' So that'll be exciting."
Tight end is also where Chambers projects to play at the next level.
"He's been talking to the University of Indianapolis a little bit," Mannering said. "I can see his skill set translating at that level of football. I think it's going to be really key to see him get some tight end film because he's not played that position yet."
Chambers is looking forward to the switch.
"It's been a big adjustment for me. I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I've talked to Coach recently and we haven't been able to fill all the spots so I've been filling all those other spots. Being able to come here and play tight end is going to be a big adjustment and hopefully I'll be an asset out on the field."
Chambers will be blocking for veteran backs Haden McClain, Cooper Frey, Cayde Ingram and quarterback Hillis.
Chambers will also be one of Hillis' top targets. Keaton Lewellen also returns at wide receiver and basketball standout Tyson Good is also out for the football team this year.
"LJ's going to be a second-year starter now," Chambers said, "so he has more experience under his belt and he's a very good quarterback."
The Kings went 3-6 last year, a one-win improvement from Mannering's first season at the helm. But they finished strong with a win over Twin Lakes in a Hoosier Conference crossover game and they lost 28-20 to a seven-win Delphi team in a sectional game.
"Right now we're just trying to build what we have so far," Chambers said. "Build on what we had last year, continue to bring people along and grow with us. We're looking forward to a good year."
Cass hosts Pioneer on Aug. 19 to open the season. Last year's game was canceled due to the Cass team being in quarantine. Pioneer leads the all-time series 8-7.
"That game is one of the best games we have all year," Chambers said. "It's a county rivalry, you see the guys all the time. It's a game you look forward to. We're looking forward to having a good four-quarter game for the Pioneer game."
Chambers will be one of the Kings' key players this season.
"He's a classic example of he's a three-year starter and he started as a sophomore before he was ready. Last year he was ready but didn't have enough around him," Mannering said. "This year he's grown physically, he's become a leader. When we show up to weights in the morning he's got 10 guys hop out of his pickup truck. So he's making the team go. He wants to win and he's become a very good one for us."
