'LIVE LIKE LACI': Stone dedicates junior season in memory of late sister
Johnathan Stone couldn’t wait for the start of Nocona’s August football practices.
It’s an important year for the junior, who led the Indians in rushing last fall and is moving to middle linebacker as the Indians prepare for their introduction to Class 2A.
But it’ll continue being a difficult year for Stone and his family after his older sister Laci passed away on March 15 from a two-automobile accident in West Texas that killed nine people.
There’s no question Laci serves as an inspiration every time Johnathan steps on the football field. Or any field for that matter as both Laci – a 2021 Nocona graduate – and Johnathan are multi-sport standouts.
“She’ll definitely be a motivation for me to put more work in and do great things for her,” Stone said. “I’ll be playing for Laci. We’re keeping her name alive through me, my sister (Kaygan) and my family.”
Second-year Nocona football coach Blake Crutsinger has been blown away with how resilient the Stone family has been during the past five months.
“It’s a testament to the parents and those children,” Crutsinger said. “The day after Laci’s funeral, Johnathan had a golf tournament in Pottsboro and Kaygan had a tennis tournament in Wichita Falls. Their coaches told them they didn’t have to go, but they wanted to. For those kids, they needed that. Athletics has been their escape.”
Johnathan said the level of support the family received after the tragedy was incredible. The Montague County town and surrounding area rallied around them and has embraced the “Love Like Laci” movement.
“So many people were with us for the hard times. Some days, we’d have like 50-something people in our house,” Johnathan said. “We couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
“Better” is an apt description for how Nocona expects to be on the football field after Crutsinger’s debut with a young team ended with a 2-8 record.
Not only will the Indians benefit from leaving the 3A ranks, but they’ll return junior Brady McCasland, who enters his third year as the starting quarterback.
Stone, who led the Indians in rushing (680 yards) and tackles (64) as a sophomore, is also ready to take the next step as Crutsinger has been impressed with the way he leads by example.
“If the weight room is open, then he’s going to be up here,” Crutsinger said. “He works his butt off, he’s the kind of kid you want your son to be. The kids respect him and his work ethic.”
Stone said the Indians feel more ahead of the curve with a second year in Crutsinger’s systems. He also anticipates Nocona surprising some people. Texas Football’s magazine has them picked to finish fifth in District 6-2A Division I.
“I feel like if we go out there and put in the work, we’ll go far,” Stone said. “Farther than most people are expecting. I think we’re underestimated, we’re more than what they can see. I’m ready for it.”
But a magazine’s prediction only scratches the motivational surface. Stone is also ready to make Laci proud, and that unquestionably is his biggest motivator of all.
OFFENSE
McCasland should be more comfortable running the offense as Crutsinger and his staff tailored it around his strengths, which now includes running some speed option out of the gun.
Charlie Fuller is looking to build off a sophomore season in which he caught five touchdowns. Fuller and senior Bodie Davis will be top options in the receiving game along with Caden Gaston, Cooper Waldrip and Luke Fuller.
Dayson Elliott and Matthew Page return to the lead the offensive line, which will need multiple sophomores to step up. The coaching staff has high expectations for senior tailback Michael Wetmore, who came back out for football this year and will also play outside linebacker.
“We’re looking at some guys with speed, and he’s one of them,” Crutsinger said. “It’s tough when you have to defend three parts of the field. We’ll move him around, use him for some two-back stuff.”
DEFENSE
The Indians surrendered 48.5 points per game last year, so there’s obvious room for improvement. Moving Stone to middle linebacker and sliding McCasland from the secondary to outside linebacker should bolster the unit.
“It’s new to me – I’m excited for it,” Stone said. “You can see more of the field where I’m at and tell people where to line up. I’m definitely taking that leadership to heart.”
Defensive lineman Miguel Olivares’ six sacks from 2021 are a good indication he plays bigger than his 5-foot-6 frame. Elliott’s athleticism will also help the defensive line, while Gaston, Waldrip, Davis, both Fullers and Arturo Garcia will spearhead the secondary.
EXTRA POINT
Nocona added two area teams to its non-district schedule it hasn’t played in a while. The Indians last faced Electra in 2005, and the only two-year period they have taken on Quanah since the 1960s was when they were in a district in 2002-03.
Nocona Indians
Head Coach: Blake Crutsinger (second year)
Last year’s record: 2-8
Returning starters: 7 offense, 7 defense
Base offense/defense: Multiple/4-3
Last playoff appearance: 2018 (Lost to Comanche in bi-district)
Last district title: 2012
SCHEDULE
Aug. 26 vs. Era 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 vs. Quanah 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 9 at Electra 7 p.m.
Sept. 16 at Chico 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs. Valley View 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 at Whitewright* 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 14 at Trenton* 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 vs. Tioga* 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 28 at Tom Bean* 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 4 vs. Alvord* 7:30 p.m.
PLAYER TO WATCH: RB/LB Johnathan Stone (Jr.) – There are high expectations surrounding Stone after he led the Indians in rushing and tackles last year as a sophomore.
GAME TO WATCH: Oct. 21 vs. Tioga – The Indians get the top two projected 6-2A teams at home so they’ll need to take advantage of both Bulldog contests.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Nocona Indians 2022 high school football preview
