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Northern Team's Preview with Ryan Gineo · Cover IV Podcast

• 0:08
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to Cover Four.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_01: If you're a Section 4 football fan, you're in the right place.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_01: This is your podcast.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Coach Smith, and I'll be your host.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_01: Buckle up.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: Let's go.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_01: Joining us today in the Cover Four podcast studio is Ryan Ginio, play-by-play analyst for ESPN Ithaca.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_01: Ryan is one of our football analysts, covering the Northern Section 4 teams.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_01: Today, Ryan will share his insight and preview the Northern teams for the upcoming season.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome, Ryan.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, coach.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I remember being on the podcast last year for my previews, and the big word I talked about was change, because so many of our teams either change head coaches or moving up from eight-man to eleven man or vice versa.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: It really is the opposite this year, where for the seven teams I'm gonna talk about today, our northern teams, that being the six Tompkins County teams, Ithaca, Dryden, Groton, Lansing, Shermitsburg, and Newfield, alongside the northernmost Section 4 football team in Moravia, none of those seven teams change head coaches, and they've all stayed in the same class as last year.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: So I guess the theme is continuity.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: I guess that's the word of the year here for our local Section 4 football team.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: So that's really exciting stuff to see that.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: And obviously, can't wait to catch all the action here.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: So I'll uh I'll give you a little preview here on these these seven teams, and we'll start with our biggest team uh in terms of size of the Ithaca Little Red, of course, play in class AA alongside Elmira and Corning.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Last season for them, they were one of those teams that change head coaches.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: Johnny Akins took over the program.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: He was defensive coordinator for a few years before, so it was always going to be a year of transition.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think many people expected them to all of a sudden turn into a team with a winning round.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: They happen last year.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: They got wins over Shenango Valley and Binghamton, and I think that was as expected.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: There were, of course, going to be some growing pains alongside a coaching change, and uh there were some positive moments from from last season, but I think the biggest takeaway from when I talked with Coach Aikens at practice uh a couple weeks ago is that the senior class from last year, and it was a pretty big one, there were 13 seniors that have now graduated, they laid a foundation for what Coach Aikens envisions this program to be.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: So now it's up to these seniors, along with the juniors as well, to build upon that foundation and keep establishing the Ithaca identity.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: And this year, what's really interesting about the Little Red is that this is actually one of the smaller renditions of the Little Red.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: There's only 20 players on the roster, and that is pretty surprising giving that this is one of the biggest schools in Section 4.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I I think of a Class D team like Watkins Glon and Us Montor.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: I think they have like 33 players, so it's crazy to think you know, a Class D team has a bigger team than a Class A team, but it is what it is, and I think the the benefit of that for the Little Red is that they only have upperclassmen through these 20 players, and that their JV numbers are really, really healthy.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you go back to a few years ago, they didn't even have a JV team for a few years.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: So the fact that that program is now really back up and running is a really encouraging sign for the future.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: And in terms of personnel, um for the quarterback, Jack Barton graduated.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: He's now at Udica, by the way, is not only gonna be playing football for them, we'll be also playing lacrosse, so he's kind of that rare two-sport athlete LEC in college.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: So the quarterback battle, if you will, is shaping up to be either Chivon Williams or Leo Fiorello under center.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: And whoever is not under center is gonna be used as a weapon.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: And this team, kind of like last year, is loaded with weapons.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: You'll hear those same names I'm talking about with uh Fiorello and Williams, uh Jasmine Robbins, uh, phenomenal athlete, Nasir Hakim El Cardona, and then Eddie Peck, he's gonna be the workhorse at running back.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: But as you know, coach, and this is with literally every football team, no matter the level, you need a strong line in order for your weapons and your quarterback to actually produce.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: And for the little red, I think that's the biggest question mark for them this season because they just lost so many players from their line, whether through graduation or through transferring.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: Alberto Ventura is really the only experienced lineman for the little red.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: So uh, of course, some younger players are gonna have to step up in that role.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that's gonna be the biggest key for the little red.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: They need to really have a fortified line if they want to have a more successful season and build upon uh last season, a year one under Coach Aiggins.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: I will move to Class D then for two of our local teams in Groton and Shermansburg.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna start with Groton because of these seven teams, I'm I think I'm the most optimistic about Groton in terms of how promising their season really could be.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: They moved back up from eight-man to eleven man last season, and it was kind of up and down.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: They did finish with a winning record at five and four.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: They did miss out on the playoffs, but they you know, they alternated between losing and winning, losing and winning.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: Then they strung together a couple wins to end the season.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: So something to build upon.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: But the reason I'm so optimistic about them is because the work they put in during the offseason.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: They had an excellent off-season when it comes to seven-on-seven tournaments.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: They took part in a handful of those.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: The one that stands out though is the one that was hosted at SUNY Cortland, where they made it all the way to the championship game before they lost to Monroe, who of course are the Class B state champions, reigning Class B state champions.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: So I know 11-on-11 is an entirely different animal than 7-on seven, but I think that gives a bit of insight into how great this season could be for Grant, and where they could say to themselves, hey, I know we're in a loaded division here, the Western division in Class D with the likes of Tyoga and Shermansburg and what have you, but they could really make some noise.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: I think a big part of that is because they return so many key players.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: And you'll notice a theme across a lot of these teams I'm talking about.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: They lost a significant senior class, lost so many pieces.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: You can't really say that about Rotten.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: I'd say the most significant loss is Town O'Connor, alignment.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: He's now playing very close by at SUNY Cortland.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: But besides that, I mean, they they've got the whole band back together essentially.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: It starts under center with Cam McLean.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, this is a team that is very run heavy, so you're not going to see him pass the ball too too much.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: But when he does, I mean, I was really impressed with him last season in his debut under center.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: He's got a candid on him, the juniors.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm really excited to see his development.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: He feels more confident uh under center in talking with him.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll see how that goes.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, since I mentioned their run heavy team, got to talk about their lead running back.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: That's Lane Darling.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: Posted another thousand-yard season on the ground last year.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: He was an all-state selection in 2024, their last year in eight-man football, and he's more than motivated to end his Gronton career on a high note, out of all-gas, no breaks in a sense, excuse the cliche.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: And then Colson Slade.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: I mentioned that Talon O'Connor graduated, so Gronton needed somebody to step up in that role on the line to really fill in that gap.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: And Colson Slade, he was a tight end.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: So the fact that he goes from a tight end to a lineman just shows the level of selflessness.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: As Coach Dyson put it, uh head coach Nick Dyson put it, he's going from a number in the 80s to a number in the 60s.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: You don't find many football players at any level doing that and showing that sort of sacrifice to move from a skill position player to being really in the thick of it in the trenches.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: So again, that sort of selflessness as a team captain is great to see.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm I'm really high on Gronton this year and what they can they can put together.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: And then the other uh local team in Class D is Trumansburg.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: And if you recall, last year, they made it to the Class D, uh, Section 4 Class D championship game, lost to Tyoga, but they gave a good account of themselves against, we know, the dynastic uh Tyoga Tigers, the eventual state champions.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: And it's funny, uh, Chad Doolittle, their head coach, was telling me that I think the first time they played Tyoga last season, their head coach, Tyoga's Nick Iowel, told them, like, hey, you're like one of the most physical teams we've we've played, really.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: So, I mean, that is just an incredible compliment for what Shermansburg football put together last year.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: And as a reminder, last year was their first year back in 11-man football for the first time since 2013.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: They had a really great run in eight-man football where you know they made a final in 2024 or 2023, excuse me.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_00: They won the sectional title in 2024 for the first time ever.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_00: And then to be back up in 11-man, make it back to another championship game, that has not been done at all in New York State history, where a team makes back-to-back championships, first an eight-man, then an 11-man.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: So it was a historic season in that regard, even if it didn't have the the outcome they desired.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: Now, looking ahead to this season, I think it is going to be much more of a challenge for them to make what would be a fourth straight championship, and that's solely because they lost so many, so, so many key players from last year's team.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: You know, Aiden Clark Cabezas, their jack of all trades, their all-state selection.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: He's graduated.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: Vinny King, their sophomore quarterback, really good debut season, but he's transferred out, I think, to a uh a prep school New Jersey.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um uh Connor Sherwood, another all-state selection, Trayvon Forrest as well, Eamon Herman.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, the list goes on and on and on about how many pieces they have to fill in.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: Numbers are healthy though for the Blue Raiders.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: They have 25 on the roster, but there are a lot of sophomores on this team.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: I think I count 11 uh for the Blue Raiders.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_00: So we're gonna they're gonna have some more inexperience in that regard.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: There's still some familiar names on this team.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: You know, Garrett Biesmer, uh, Caden Doolittle, Logan Hare, in terms of more on the line.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: Chris Clark Abezas, really great defensive player last year, uh, was one of their top sackers.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: I think he will be a player that will step up offensively for the Blue Raiders.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: But there are uh, I think more question marks for the Blue Raiders this year in order to make it back to the championship game.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: And another reason why it's going to be more difficult is the most significant change in Class D this season is the playoffs expanding.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, for the past few years, it's been the top two teams in each division, the East Division and the West Division making it.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: But this year, those four teams will still make it, but then the four remaining best teams, I think it's according to the Bradley Terry model.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: I'll have to look into how that works uh as the postseason comes along.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but the remaining best four teams, regardless of division, will also make it into the playoffs.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: So that means they'll start a week earlier.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's October 30th that weekend uh will be the quarterfinals.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: And I know that Class D has had quarterfinals before.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_00: I want to say, oh, it's what is it, 2017, 2018?
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_00: I think the last time they had it.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: So it's been a few years, but I I'm totally for it.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, the the more playoff football, the merrier.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: But that also means that teams like Tyoga and Shermansburg, the finals from last year, they're gonna have to make an extra step this year because they're gonna have to win a quarterfinal matchup.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: They're gonna uh to that one extra game in order to make it.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_00: So that's just that extra challenge, but I think it is a welcome one for all teams involved.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: So then we'll move to the eight-man division where uh the remaining four of our local teams or northern teams reside.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm gonna start with the northernmost Section 4 football team in the Moravia Blue Devils.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: They have been, in terms of our local area, the standard of excellence ever since I've been here and now entering my fifth year here with ESPN Ethica, in that they have made a Section 4 championship game every single year I've been here.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: 2022, they lose to the powerhouse Groton.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: 2023, they beat Sherman'sburg for their first ever uh Section 4 title.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: 2025, they lost to Sherman'sburg, but they got an at-large bid into the eight-man regional tournament, made uh a second straight eight-man championship game.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_00: And then last year, they made it back to the championship game where they ended up losing to Unity Go Franklin.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: And that was a good game for three quarters, but then the Spartan Devils just pulled away and uh you know, hats off to Unitigo Franklin.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: They they fully deserved that championship victory.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: But that certainly acts as a bit of motivation for the Blue Devils for this season to get back to another championship game, and as they said, maintain that standard of excellence that Fred Ott and his coaching staff have put together over the past few years.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: And it's always funny.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like every year you always say, Oh, you know, they lost so many key pieces.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_00: How are they gonna put together a strong season?
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: So it's kind of the same question this year.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_00: All right, Eli Landis, their multi-talented all-state quarterback, also a jack of all trades in a sense as well.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: How are they going to replace him?
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Noah Corbett, their all-state running back and also one of the top tacklers in New York State.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: How are they going to replace him?
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_00: All these question marks, but again, they just have such a strong program, whether it's through JV or modified, that they can, you know, really replace that that sort of talent.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: And you have to look to really two players in mind in Dylan Palmer and uh Carson Andrews that are really gonna step up.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: Dylan Palmer, you know, we know he's gonna be a real spark offensively.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_00: Whether he is under center, I think it's gonna be Brendan Car, though, who's the backup to Eli Landis.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_00: So Palmer will be used more so as a you know a weapon in the backfield or as a wide receiver.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: Same thing with Carson Andrews.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_00: We'll see him as a running back and a wide out for this Blue Devils team.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: So with that, I'm curious to see how Brendan Carr develops under center because actually, you know, Dylan Palmer, I think, had the second most snaps under center last year, or at least the second most passing attempts.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_00: Then it was Brendan Carr.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll see how more reps for for Brennan Carr, if he is the uh the player under center for for Moravia to get the job done there.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: In terms of the line, uh they returned two of their three starting offensive linemen uh in Trevor Wells and Levi McDonald.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: So there'll just be one more piece to fit in there.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_00: So they still have you know a few really, really key pieces remaining from last year's team.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: So I think they will make the playoffs once again.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_00: They'll be one of those four teams, but it's just a matter of fact of hey, can they keep this train going?
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: Can they make it five championship appearances in a row?
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: And can they make it back over the hump and get the job done should they get there?
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: And in terms of the playoff, I guess, predictions, if you will.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think Moravia will get in.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um, Unitigo Franklin should get in as well.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_00: Thomas A.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_00: Edison, they still got Jace Schiller under center, and Paxson Huber is a big Tariq.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_00: I think those three will return to the playoffs.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: So it's really a matter of which of the remaining four teams are gonna take that fourth and final playoff spot.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: Because in my mind, I think it's anyone's guess as to who's gonna take that.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: It is wide open in that regard.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you have Elmira Notre Dame, who really struggled last season, their first year back in in uh in football, varnt sea football, really, but they have a new head coach, so you can't count them out.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: And then you have the remaining three teams that I'm gonna be talking about here.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_00: One of those is Dryden, who of course had that last playoff spot last year, and obviously uh very tough loss to Unitigo Franklin to end the season, and that was their first season ever in eight-man football.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, you say, well, three and five record, that's not all that impressive.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_00: But the fact that they actually earned the right to play some playoff football is is, I think, a successful first season for them.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: Also, their first season with uh with Chris Nightingale under center, the uh who was their former defensive coordinator, so he took over.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: But it is kind of a new era of sorts this year, not in the fact that, hey, they're an eight-man footballer, hey, they have a new head coach.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_00: It's more from the perspective of player personnel.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: Because for the last few years, this team has been defined by two sets of brothers, the Scots and the Miles.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_00: They had Xavier and Xander Scott.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Xavier graduated in 2023, Xander Scott graduated in uh in 2025, where those two are just absolute behemoths.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_00: I think they're at least 6'5 or 6'6.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_00: So they really defined the program.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_00: And then the Miles brothers as well.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_00: CJ, great defensive player, he was class of 2023.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_00: And then this past year, Mello and Jay Miles graduating.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: Jay, of course, the all-time leading rusher in program history and one of the best running backs in Section 4 football over the last few years.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: And then Melo Miles, who filled in for Jay in the backfield when he had a hamstring injury last year, and he did excellent there.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_00: And he's also a defensive menace as well.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_00: So for the first time since 2019, what Coach Chris Nightingale said to me is that they will not have a Scott or a Miles on the sideline.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: So it really is kind of a new era and a new identity in a sense.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: And he's challenged his players during the offseason.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, let's try and find what our identity is heading into this season without the talents of the Scots or the Miles.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: And there are still very talented players on this roster.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_00: I think it starts in the backfield with Wyatt Minarski.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: He was the third leading rusher on the team, so I think he'll step it up.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_00: He was also the top tackler on the team.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_00: So he'll just kind of stay the course defensively.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: He stepped up as a leader.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_00: Coach Nightingale has told me, so that's always a valuable asset to have.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_00: Wyatt Minarski will return under center.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think they're going to see too many of too much of him in terms of passing.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, they are certainly a run-heavy team, so I'll see his development under center as well, his command of the offense.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, also some other key players.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_00: Andrew French is going to be their main linebacker.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, Liam Claiborne, Isa Perry all got bigger and stronger throughout the offseason.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_00: And then their line is uh pretty strong as well, Tys Kaikendall, Mason Ellis, Lucas Fance like.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_00: So uh I I think Dryden is I don't want to say it's gonna be a year of transition for them without the Miles brothers and their talents, but uh I I think they'll still be fine and well within their right to compete for a playoff spot.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: Then you have Newfield, who went two and four last season, and uh kind of the latest chapter in the progress they've shown under Ian Valentine.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_00: So Ian Valentine, their head coach, he enters uh this year in his fourth season on the team.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_00: And the you can see throughout the last three years, the word progress, I think, is the best way to describe things.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_00: When he took over in 2023, his first season was uh really, really tough.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: They went winless, they actually had to forfeit the last few games of the season because they simply did not have enough players.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_00: Then two years ago, he gets his first career win.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: I believe it was against I Unity Go Franklin, I'm pretty sure.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, and then this past season, they go two and four.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_00: So zero wins to one win to two wins.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_00: I know it's not, you know, transforming into a winning record, but you can clearly see the progress from a records perspective.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_00: And even outside of the records, you can you can really sense that level of progression for this Newfield team.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the thing is about last year, they had a really, really strong senior class with Warrior Minor under center and Lamar Spears and Malcolm Jenkins, two tremendously talented athletes on both sides of the ball.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Jesse Ayres, Pierce Brockner, Jackson Chafee, all those guys were multi-year starters for the Newfield Trojans.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_00: So there is really a new cast of characters, if you will, that are now into the fold and also only a few returning players.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, looking at the roster from last year, they had 19 players, 11 graduated.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_00: So there's really only a handful of returning players for this Trojans team.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_00: Gavin Jenny is one of them, and he will certainly be looked at uh whether he's the quarterback or the running back.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_00: Uh he'll split time with Freddie Rivera.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_00: Whoever's not under center between the two of them is going to be in the backfield.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: Also, you know, in terms of a few new players, Brogan Clark is one of them.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: They got Brooks Rainbow to convert from a soccer player uh to the football gridiron, which uh certainly helps the Dumbers there.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_00: Jacoby McCullough is going to be uh one of their returning linemen, so he'll step it up as well.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: So uh Newfield, again, you can't count them out as well from making uh and getting a playoff spot, but I expect that progression to continue, and I think they could get to you know three wins this season to keep that linear progression record-wise.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_00: And then the last team I'll talk about are the Lansing Bobcats.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, last season for them, also a year of transition.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_00: It was their first year back down in eight-man football.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_00: You also had Ralph Becker as their head coach, of course, a longtime coach in section four, uh, was at Dryden, of course, most recently, but uh went over to their rivals Lansing, which was of course a very, very interesting storyline.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: And uh they, of course, lost a lot of players moving down to eight man football and With that, they really, really struggled last year.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_00: They their first five games, they lost by at least 35 points in every single one of them.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_00: But they ended the season on a very high note because who do you know?
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_00: They play their rivals Dryden to end the season.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_00: And what do you know?
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_00: They win the game in an absolute thriller.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_00: 37 to 34.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that gives them a bit of positive momentum entering this season where they have a few more numbers.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_00: They're up to 19 players this year.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of new faces.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_00: They even have a transfer as well, I think, from Southern Cuga and Brody David.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_00: And reminder, Southern Cuba doesn't have a football team, but they have a really strong soccer program.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_00: Brody David, you know, transferring over from uh Southern Cuga there.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_00: But I think the biggest player back for Lansing is undoubtedly Logan Mayo.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, this was uh uh now a senior.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_00: He was backing up his older brother Jackson two years ago when he was last on the team, elected not to play football last season, but now here he is on back on the gridiron for his senior season, and I'm sure he's not gonna have any regrets whatsoever about doing that.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_00: He's been handed the keys to this offense, he'll likely be the starter.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_00: I gave Hollister will be his backup.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_00: Hollister, of course, a sophomore, so that makes sense.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_00: So that is a huge get for the Bobcats to retain his services in a sense.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, they've got a lot of weapons at as well at his disposal, some new players like Parker Bowman and Zayden Davis and some others as well.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_00: So again, really, really exciting stuff uh for Lansing football kind of here.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_00: Emerson Rose, I should mention as well, another another one of those weapons.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_00: Uh defensively, a lot of key players there.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_00: Jared Hall, Brendan Williams, Jacob Bowen, Tyler Page.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_00: Similar to Ithaca, though, I think the biggest question mark is on their line because it is a young and relatively inexperienced line.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_00: There's only one senior lineman on this team in Jackson Battous.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone else are sophomores.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_00: I think they have some freshmen on the team as well.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, ever everybody else is are underclassmen.
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_00: So that's going to be a big question mark.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_00: And as I said earlier, hey, it's nice you have all these weapons and these skill position players, but you got to be able to have a strong line in order to make them very, very productive.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_00: So uh Lansing, I think, should have a much improved season uh from last year, which was a very tough transition back down to eight-man football.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_00: So there you have it.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: Those are the northern teams here in section four football.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_00: It's crazy to think that we kick things off.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_00: Well, no, technically tomorrow as of this recording with some Thursday night action.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_00: But uh I can't wait to be back on the call here in year five for some more gridiron action.
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_01: Wow, Ryan, uh, excellent job.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_01: You you uh you get me mesmerized each time you do that because you're so thorough, and I know that you know not only the you know the coaches and obviously the student athletes appreciate this, but you know, the parents and the whole support uh community uh really appreciates that and the key role that you play as one of our uh football analysts here with the cover four podcast coverage.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_01: So again, thank you for what you do.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_01: Keep doing what you do, and uh maybe I'll catch some of your games on the air this season.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_01: I'm uh I'm a junkie with that kind of stuff.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_01: So again, appreciate it and take care of best wishes to you.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_01: All right, thanks for having me on, appreciate it.
• 25:24
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• 25:27
  SPEAKER_01: Tell your friends to visit cover4.com and be the next fan up.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_01: Your inputs are never out of bounds.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_01: In football and life, it's not where we line up, it's where we wind up.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for listening to the Cover Four podcast.