(New Buffalo, MI) - The Red Arrow Raiders are hoping to win more games than last year’s high school varsity football team, which finished very strong after a slow start.
Head Coach Matt Johnson said the team with nine returning starters should be very competitive despite losing key performers like Eli Thomas, Josh Seifert, David Fairchild and Cadden Krieger to graduation.
He believes returning young players like M’Nason Smothers and newcomer Owen Slavens, who both have speed, can help fill gaps on the team consisting of students from New Buffalo and River Valley high schools.
“We have some holes to fill but we have some guys that I think if they do what they’re supposed to do they’ll be able to fill those holes,” he said.
Slavens is a star athlete in track getting accustomed to playing football after not playing since middle school. Johnson said he expects Slavens to be his starting halfback and possibly play in the backfield on defense.
“He’ll be able to fill some shoes as well,” he said.
Returning impact players include strong arm quarterback Ethan Lijewski and full back Ryder Wolnik, who’s also a very strong performer on defense. Johnson said other keys to the season will be the play of starting linebackers Peyton Lijewski and Quan Pierce.
He said they were just learning the position last season when the team lost its first two games but improved enough to become major contributors to a streak of six victories in last seven games.
“That’s when we turned around our season,” he said.
Johnson said another ingredient for a strong season will be keeping starting members of his offensive line and defensive line healthy. He said each side of the line has four very strong players but lack of depth at those positions could hurt if any of them have to be replaced because of injury.
The first game of the season for the Raiders is August 24th against Bloomingdale at New Buffalo High School.
“I always tell the kids start fast and finish strong. That’s the goal here,” he said.
