Preview: Meadowbrook looks for new weapons to replace graduation losses
BYESVILLE – Year two of the Steve Norman era at Meadowbrook High begins as the programs continued upswing enters its eighth season.
Meadowbrook has made the playoffs in five of the last eight seasons, including 2021's 10-3 record that saw the Colts fall to St. Clairsville in the third round of the Ohio Division IV postseason.
The last seven years, the Colts have compiled a 51-26 record, including an 18-4 mark the previous two. Thanks to a large and talented senior class for that success.
Led by rifle-armed quarterback Josh Hupp, who threw for 3,224 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior, Meadowbrook's offense featured a number of weapons.
With the season opener against Maysville rapidly approaching, Norman's offense still has weapons. It's just now, many of those weapons are untested.
“It's been a little different. We have a lot of kids that haven't had a chance to play on that Friday night stage,” Norman said. “We have a lot of new faces and some young guys trying to fill in for a pretty decorated senior group that we lost last year. There's been some growing pains, but not for a lack of enthusiasm or effort.”
In addition to Hupp, the Colts must replace 14 seniors including the likes of Kahle Flowers, Romeo Dorsey, Hayden Loy and Brady McManaway.
That's no easy feat, but these youthful Colts are more than willing to put in the work. There's not a lot of them, given the size of the school and its recent success. But Norman likes the ones he does have.
“We have a few kids that will play both ways, some more than others, and unfortunately, that's just the reality when you have 40 kids on the roster,” Norman admitted. “Every year, it seems like we fight a numbers battle. But we've come to grips as a program that you really just need 11 at a time, and if you only have 20 kids that want to get after it, we'll do it.”
As previously mentioned, the program has experienced success the last half decade which, generally, breeds more interest and numbers. But football is not the only successful sport at MHS and Norman noted some Colts' athletes opt to focus on just one sport, or other sports.
“Some kids have started to choose to just play one sport and, let's be honest, football is not easy and takes a lot of time. It's not for everybody,” Norman admitted. “We appreciate the kids we do have as they are ready to go to battle.”
One good thing for the mass of inexperience entering the starting lineup, at least offensively, is there are three returners up front along the interior, led by senior center Bailey Khune.
“Bailey Khune had a fantastic (junior) year and having him back and right in the middle helps,” Norman said. “Not just for protection either. He's been a presence when we get together and talk and he's been our leader basically all off-season and preseason.”
Senior Chucky Dyer returns at left tackle and will be paired with fellow senior Austin Steele at left guard. Flanking Khune on the right will be junior guard Zayden Yeagle and senior newcomer Isaac Pekari.
Pekari played two seasons at Buckeye Trail before not playing his junior year. Norman is looking to have an eight-man rotation up front, so look for fellow linemen sophomores Mitchell George and Talan Cannon along with freshman Casey Clendeninng to see significant time.
George's older brother A.J. Previosuly starred at MHS and is currently playing for Cincinnati. The younger George is still coming along, but Clendeninng is also one to watch for according to Norman.
“For a freshman, he's looked the part so far and is one of our stronger kids,” Norman said. “He's made an impression.”
As far as returners in the skill position department, the Colts will rely on senior Sam Bopp at running back to lead a talented group of ball carriers. Bopp really came on toward the latter parts of 2021 and will be counted on to help alleviate the pressure of Hupp's replacement in Meadowbrook's spread offense. Joining Bopp in the backfield will be juniors Daylin Rivera and Kam Morrison.
“Our running back room is pretty elusive,” Norman said. “Bopp had a real nice run last year and all three are pretty good. Daylin and Sam are kind of like flash and dash, while Kam is a little bigger but still pretty elusive.”
There's another McManaway in the mix as well—freshman Cooper McManaway—who shares a lot of similar traits with his departed older brother. But Norman was quick to dispel placing any lofty expectations on the younger brother just yet. But he knows it's coming.
Quarterbacking duties is a three man race between a sophomore and a pair of freshman, with likely either 10th grader Justice Huey or frosh Braylon Lowery set to take over with freshman Cohen Miles also in the mix.
The two leading candidates have similar skill sets, with Huey boasting a slighter bigger arm and benefiting from a toughness factor borne from playing inside linebacker from middle school on up.
“He's a tough kid, while Braylon is a little more elusive,” Norman said. “But as far as running our spread offense, they both bring something a little different and we'll start to get some answers here (soon).”
Whomever the starter is will have senior Tye Griffith and sophomore Nick Norman out on the perimeter to throw to, with senior Evan Dyer, Mason Blankenship, and sophomore Landon Khune working in at the slot on the inside.
Defensively, look for Chucky Dyer, Steele and Clendenning to man the three down-linemen positions up front, with Yeagle and sophomore Ethan Heady looking to rotate in.
Inside linebacker will see a combination of Cannon, Pekari, and Morrison, with Morrison also playing some on the outside, along with Rivera. Junior Noah Farley is also receiving looks at OLB.
Griffith, who is a returning starter at corner, will be joined by Norman, with Evan Dyer and Blankenship at safety.
The Colts do return all-MVL kicker Garrett Milam to handle special teams duties, along with Morrison stepping in at punter, giving Norman yet again another left-footed punter.
“We have some talented kids that just haven't had their chance yet because the last couple of years, you see the same names and numbers on the field,” Norman said. “We have some juniors looking to crack that spotlight. But we took a big hit graduation wise and we're looking for some of these young pups to step in and play on Friday nights.”
Meadowbrook travels to Maysville on Friday at 7 p.m. to open the new season.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Meadowbrook looks for new weapons to replace graduation losses
