Highland Football: Scots set for MOAC return

Rob McCurdy, Marion Star
·4 min read
Highland running back Dane Nauman runs for a touchdown against River Valley last football season.
Highland running back Dane Nauman runs for a touchdown against River Valley last football season.

SPARTA — Originally a charter member of the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference dating back to 1990, the Scots are back again for football in 2022.

Highland left the MOAC for the start-up Knox Morrow Athletic Conference in 2017, but the Scots returned to their home league in 2021-22 for all other sports. Football joins the rest this fall.

The Scots are coming off a 8-4 season that saw them share their final KMAC championship with East Knox, but they lost a lot of contributors to that playoff squad. Gone are Jay Melchiori, Cooper Merckling, Eli Grandstaff, Cody Matthews, Kadin Murta, Kyle Anderson, Caden Holtrey, Jon Jensen, Mason Duncan and Turner Harmon.

That's why second-year head coach Ty Stover is concerned, citing "quality depth and incorporating young players into varsity competition."

However, he's seen a lot of unity, effort and positive attitudes in the preseason. He also likes the team's speed.

It also helps to have an All-Ohio running back and the area's top rusher in Dane Nauman (6-foot, 215 pounds). All he did last year was run 262 times for 2,532 yards and 24 touchdowns, averaging 9.7 yards per carry and 211 yards a game as a sophomore.

That's a nice place to start, but the passing game will offer a new look as Merckling graduated at quarterback and Melchiori and Duncan were his top two targets.

Last year, Highland averaged 28.3 points and only committed 12 turnovers. The Scots posted 63 plays of 20-or-more yards.

Highland's sideline watches as the Scots knock off Linden McKinley 41-6 in a Division IV Region 15 high school football playoff opener last season in Sparta.
Highland's sideline watches as the Scots knock off Linden McKinley 41-6 in a Division IV Region 15 high school football playoff opener last season in Sparta.

"We have had a good summer preparing for our upcoming season," Stover said.

While the Scots will use the spread on offense, the base defense is a 3-4 alignment. A year ago, they gave up 19.2 points per game and 292.3 yards a night. The defense doubled up the turnovers, forcing 24 and limited the big plays of 20-plus yards to 41, but the Scots need to do a better job of getting off the field on third and fourth downs with opponent conversion rates of 39 and 36 percent.

Still, Highland was good at getting to the quarterback, recording 31 sacks. They also broke up 80 pass attempts and intercepted 12 balls, while forcing 20 fumbles, recovering 12.

Like on offense, Nauman was a big factor on defense as was All-Ohio defensive lineman Chandler Stevens (5-10, 195). Stevens recorded 67 tackles, eight sacks and 13 tackles for loss, while Nauman had 59 tackles and four tackles for loss at linebacker.

Other returnees who made impacts on the defense were senior Gavin Hankins (5-10, 170), senior Layton Shaffer (5-11, 220), junior Aron West (6-2, 160) and junior Ladon Hayes (6-1, 200). Hankins produced 43 tackles, Shaffer 39, West 26 and Hayes 28.

All-Ohio senior kicker Caleb Hunter (5-5, 150) is a returning weapon who made 43 of 45 extra points and was 5 of 9 on field goals, knocking two longer than 30 yards.

"We will play hard, play smart, play together and have fun competing and representing the community in a manner that is deserving of their respect," Stover said.

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Highland head football coach Ty Stover watches has his team plays at Northmor last season.
Highland head football coach Ty Stover watches has his team plays at Northmor last season.

Highland Scots Football Bullet Points

  • Conference: Mid Ohio Athletic.

  • Coach: Ty Stover (second season, 8-4).

  • Assistants: Mike Adams (H-backs/outside linebackers), Travis Church (defensive line/offensive line), Todd Dawson (offensive line), Matt Downing (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks), Joseph Longhino (wide receivers/cornerbacks), Scott Wetzel (inside linebackers/offensive line), Chad Williams (freshman/JV), Demetrius Totton (player relations), Brian Ballard (team photographer), Brett Briegle (team stats), Patrick Hunter (trainer).

  • Postseason: Division V, Region 18.

  • Playoff Appearances: 10 (1999, 2006, 07, 08, 09, 10, 17, 18, 20, 21)

  • Playoff Record All-Time: 4-10.

  • Last Year: 8-4, 6-1, Knox Morrow Athletic Conference champion.

  • Letter Winners Returning: 14.

  • Seniors Returning: 8.

  • Base Offense: Spread, multi-formation.

  • Base Defense: 3-4.

Highland 2022 Football Schedule

  • Aug. 19: Fredericktown at Highland

  • Aug. 26: Highland at Triway

  • Sept. 2: Highland at Crestview

  • Sept. 9: Highland at Ontario

  • Sept. 16: Pleasant at Highland

  • Sept. 23: Highland at Marion Harding

  • Sept. 30: Shelby at Highland

  • Oct. 7: Galion at Highland

  • Oct. 14: Highland at River Valley

  • Oct. 21: Clear Fork at Highland

Highland 2021 Football Results

  • Bloom-Carroll, L 17-49

  • Ontario, W 21-9

  • River Valley, L 21-35

  • Mount Gilead, W, 41-0

  • Centerburg, W, 17-7

  • Danville, W, 35-13

  • Fredericktown, W 41-20

  • Cardington, W 45-26

  • East Knox, L 20-27

  • Northmor, W 38-7

  • Playoff: Linden McKinley, W 41-6

  • Playoff: Bloom-Carroll, L 3-31

Highland makes a gang tackle on defense as the Scots beat Linden McKinley 41-6 in a Division IV Region 15 high school football playoff opener last season in Sparta.
Highland makes a gang tackle on defense as the Scots beat Linden McKinley 41-6 in a Division IV Region 15 high school football playoff opener last season in Sparta.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Highland Football: Scots set for MOAC return