Triton To Build On Lessons Learned
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
“Last year was a great learning experience for us,” Triton coach Rodney Younis said. “We felt like we improved every week. That had to be our mindset, because we were so young. Then, losing your starting quarterback in the first game of the year, we knew it was going to be a building season. It turned out to be a successful season. In the wins and losses it wasn’t, but by the end of the season we were playing our best ball.”
Then-senior Zak Shively entered last season as the team’s signal caller, but injured his ankle in the opening-game loss against Caston.
With Bryson Mosier at quarterback, the Triton Trojans went 0-6, although he completed 31 of 67 attempts for 350 yards and four scores, before getting back-to-back wins over LaVille and Knox.
Mosier returns as a senior this season, but the quarterback position still remains up in the air.
Younis plans to use today’s scrimmage at Manchester as an indicator as to whether Mosier or junior Cole Creighbaum gets the nod at quarterback.
“This scrimmage will tell us,” Younis said. “(Creighbaum’s) gotten some reps. He’s one of those kids that’s a great weapon. He’s a pitcher on the baseball team, so he has a live arm, but he’s also a good athlete, so he can run the ball real well for us. He’s someone we want to utilize.”
In the past, Triton has been known as a run-first offense, but after moving to the spread last season, the Trojans are looking to air it out a little more now.
“We’re continuing with the spread,” he said. “We’re going to try to be as balanced as possible.”
Junior Cain Thorn, who attended Argos last season after being a Triton student, will be in his first year at receiver for the Trojans. Other receivers include sophomore Cordale Keyser, senior Sebastian Bautista, sophomore Charlie Steinman, sophomore Skyler Reichert and sophomore Gavin Scheffer.
Junior Cody Shively returns as the team’s starting fullback, while Creighbaum will be in the slot if he’s not the quarterback, along with senior D.J. Riffle.
Up front are three returning starters, including senior Drew Fleagle, senior Joe West and sophomore Zac Edmonds.
Junior Jayden Mosier was also slotted as a returning starter on the line, but suffered a broken arm at practice, which will keep him sidelined for a large portion of the season.
Senior Daniel Tucker is also slated as a starter on the line, but will have to wait a while until he gets enough practices in after spending the summer at basic training for the military.
With Jayden Mosier and Tucker out, the Triton coaches will be looking for someone to step up, while sophomore Trevor Kanarr fills the fifth spot.
Last season, Tanner Shepherd was a big threat at tight end, but he will not be playing this season.
With Shepherd gone, sophomore Tristen Hunsberger and sophomore Justin Martin are penciled in at the tight end position.
Many of the same guys on the offensive line will be on the defensive line as well, which is a common practice at a school the size of Triton.
“Our goal is always 40,” Younis said about the 41 players on the roster. “In 1A football, if you can get 40 players, that is a good number. Typically, at your traditional 1A schools, you’re going to be in the 30s. If you can hit 40, that’s a good number. We’re happy with our numbers.”
Triton’s top defensive player may be middle linebacker Cody Shively, who led the team with 133 tackles as a sophomore.
“Cody Shively is the big key, coming back on defense,” Younis said. “He was our leading tackler last year. Cordale Keyser is back as our second-leading tackler at free safety. So, we do have kids at each level with experience — with Drew Fleagle on the defensive line. We do have some key starters at each level.”
Those players will be the keys, but it will take more than them to be successful, and Younis believes he has that.
“We have a number of kids that are ready to step up,” he said. “We played several freshmen and sophomores last year, so we’re still going to be young, but they do have some experience.”
Triton opens the season Aug. 17 at Caston, and the Trojans are ready to see where they measure up.
“We had a good offseason,” Younis said. “We’re just anxious to see where we’re going to stack. We know (the Northern State Conference) is very strong. We want to compete and our goal is to finish in the top half and get ourselves prepared for the tournament.”[[In-content Ad]]
“Last year was a great learning experience for us,” Triton coach Rodney Younis said. “We felt like we improved every week. That had to be our mindset, because we were so young. Then, losing your starting quarterback in the first game of the year, we knew it was going to be a building season. It turned out to be a successful season. In the wins and losses it wasn’t, but by the end of the season we were playing our best ball.”
Then-senior Zak Shively entered last season as the team’s signal caller, but injured his ankle in the opening-game loss against Caston.
With Bryson Mosier at quarterback, the Triton Trojans went 0-6, although he completed 31 of 67 attempts for 350 yards and four scores, before getting back-to-back wins over LaVille and Knox.
Mosier returns as a senior this season, but the quarterback position still remains up in the air.
Younis plans to use today’s scrimmage at Manchester as an indicator as to whether Mosier or junior Cole Creighbaum gets the nod at quarterback.
“This scrimmage will tell us,” Younis said. “(Creighbaum’s) gotten some reps. He’s one of those kids that’s a great weapon. He’s a pitcher on the baseball team, so he has a live arm, but he’s also a good athlete, so he can run the ball real well for us. He’s someone we want to utilize.”
In the past, Triton has been known as a run-first offense, but after moving to the spread last season, the Trojans are looking to air it out a little more now.
“We’re continuing with the spread,” he said. “We’re going to try to be as balanced as possible.”
Junior Cain Thorn, who attended Argos last season after being a Triton student, will be in his first year at receiver for the Trojans. Other receivers include sophomore Cordale Keyser, senior Sebastian Bautista, sophomore Charlie Steinman, sophomore Skyler Reichert and sophomore Gavin Scheffer.
Junior Cody Shively returns as the team’s starting fullback, while Creighbaum will be in the slot if he’s not the quarterback, along with senior D.J. Riffle.
Up front are three returning starters, including senior Drew Fleagle, senior Joe West and sophomore Zac Edmonds.
Junior Jayden Mosier was also slotted as a returning starter on the line, but suffered a broken arm at practice, which will keep him sidelined for a large portion of the season.
Senior Daniel Tucker is also slated as a starter on the line, but will have to wait a while until he gets enough practices in after spending the summer at basic training for the military.
With Jayden Mosier and Tucker out, the Triton coaches will be looking for someone to step up, while sophomore Trevor Kanarr fills the fifth spot.
Last season, Tanner Shepherd was a big threat at tight end, but he will not be playing this season.
With Shepherd gone, sophomore Tristen Hunsberger and sophomore Justin Martin are penciled in at the tight end position.
Many of the same guys on the offensive line will be on the defensive line as well, which is a common practice at a school the size of Triton.
“Our goal is always 40,” Younis said about the 41 players on the roster. “In 1A football, if you can get 40 players, that is a good number. Typically, at your traditional 1A schools, you’re going to be in the 30s. If you can hit 40, that’s a good number. We’re happy with our numbers.”
Triton’s top defensive player may be middle linebacker Cody Shively, who led the team with 133 tackles as a sophomore.
“Cody Shively is the big key, coming back on defense,” Younis said. “He was our leading tackler last year. Cordale Keyser is back as our second-leading tackler at free safety. So, we do have kids at each level with experience — with Drew Fleagle on the defensive line. We do have some key starters at each level.”
Those players will be the keys, but it will take more than them to be successful, and Younis believes he has that.
“We have a number of kids that are ready to step up,” he said. “We played several freshmen and sophomores last year, so we’re still going to be young, but they do have some experience.”
Triton opens the season Aug. 17 at Caston, and the Trojans are ready to see where they measure up.
“We had a good offseason,” Younis said. “We’re just anxious to see where we’re going to stack. We know (the Northern State Conference) is very strong. We want to compete and our goal is to finish in the top half and get ourselves prepared for the tournament.”[[In-content Ad]]
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