Squires Aim For Next Step Forward In 2022 Season
August 16, 2022 at 10:48 p.m.
Squires Aim For Next Step Forward In 2022 Season
By Anthony Anderson-
Fittingly, it may be an exciting and transitional time for the third-year Squire coach’s team as well.
Manchester took a step in that direction last fall by going 4-5, nothing earth-shattering without context, but it was the program’s best record in 12 years and second-best in 19.
Now, as the club focuses on 2022, it does so with eight full- or part-time starters back on offense and six on defense.
There’s “cautious optimism,” Brandewie said this week.
“I’m not going to quantify what a step forward looks like as far as a (won-loss) record, because I’m sure there are some schools in (the Three Rivers Conference) that got better, and some that graduated people,” Brandewie continued, “but we definitely have expectations. We’re preparing as if we’re going to take another step forward.”
Part of that expectation is rooted in senior Brock Casper beginning his third year at starting quarterback.
“It’s year three for me and year three for him,” Brandewie said. “I remember telling him when he was a sophomore, ‘Listen, buddy, there’s going to be some growing pains for both of us, but let’s figure it out together.’ We wanted to get to a good place by year three, and that’s the way it’s going. He’s been incredible all offseason. He’s hard-working, a great teammate and leads like crazy. I’m really grateful to have him.”
Casper completed 110-of-207 passes last season for 1,440 yards and 18 touchdowns against five interceptions.
Admittedly, a bunch of Casper’s aerials went to since-graduated All-TRC receiver Seth Gaerte (50 catches, 745 yards, 11 TDs). Further, he enjoyed the benefit of slick, since-graduated 1,037-yard running back Braxton Ream, and Manchester graduated five of its six all-league picks overall — offensive guard Zavier Sell the exception — but even with those factors, plenty of talent remains.
At receiver, senior Memphis Wood, “one of our biggest bright spots of the offseason,” according to Brandewie, is set to step in as the top target after making 14 catches for 172 yards last fall. Sophomore Logan Eastgate and freshman Reiss Gaerte, Seth’s little brother, are options, too.
At running back, junior Garrett Sites is poised for the lead role after gaining 213 yards, averaging 6.3 per carry and tallying three TDs in 2021 — his first season of football.
The offensive line, “kind of the heart of this whole thing,” per Brandewie, has “a ton of experience” and will potentially consist of five seniors.
Sell’s joined by Jordan Ayres at guard, with unit leader Harrison Sturtsman at tackle and Bryce Mugford at center. Mavern Smith and sophomore Nick Cave are jockeying for the other tackle spot.
Caden Miller, an honorable mention All-TRC pick on both sides of the ball, begins his third season as starting tight end, while fellow senior Jackson Felgar will be “a jack of all trades,” per the coach, as a fullback and wingback.
On defense, Sell and junior Trace Murphy are penciled in at end with Smith at nose.
Linebackers are projected to be Ayres and junior Preston Duffy on the inside, spelled by sophomore Mason Rooney, with Miller and sophomore Kaleb Kline outside.
Wood will start at one cornerback with sophomore Ben Brown among the candidates on the other side and Casper filling in as necessary. Sites, Eastgate and Gaerte are in contention for the two safety spots.
The Squires graduated their three leading tacklers of a year ago, but Duffy was fourth as a sophomore with 56 and Miller right behind at 52. Ayres added 33 and Sites 26.
Senior Kolby Haecker returns at punter, while fellow soccer player Wyatt Young, a sophomore who never played football before this summer, is likely to do the place kicking.
Manchester opens Aug. 19 with a conference home game against North Miami.
After the IHSAA overhauled sectional assignments in the offseason, the Squires will be in an eight-team Class 2A bracket that is almost entirely new for them.
It features recent power Eastside (13-1 last year with a regional title; 33-6 over the last three years) and ever-dangerous Fort Wayne Luers (10-2 in 2021), along with Central Noble, Churubusco, Prairie Heights, Wabash and Whitko.
Only Wabash is a holdover from Manchester’s previous grouping, which included Bremen, Delphi, LaVille, Lewis Cass, Pioneer and Rochester.
Fittingly, it may be an exciting and transitional time for the third-year Squire coach’s team as well.
Manchester took a step in that direction last fall by going 4-5, nothing earth-shattering without context, but it was the program’s best record in 12 years and second-best in 19.
Now, as the club focuses on 2022, it does so with eight full- or part-time starters back on offense and six on defense.
There’s “cautious optimism,” Brandewie said this week.
“I’m not going to quantify what a step forward looks like as far as a (won-loss) record, because I’m sure there are some schools in (the Three Rivers Conference) that got better, and some that graduated people,” Brandewie continued, “but we definitely have expectations. We’re preparing as if we’re going to take another step forward.”
Part of that expectation is rooted in senior Brock Casper beginning his third year at starting quarterback.
“It’s year three for me and year three for him,” Brandewie said. “I remember telling him when he was a sophomore, ‘Listen, buddy, there’s going to be some growing pains for both of us, but let’s figure it out together.’ We wanted to get to a good place by year three, and that’s the way it’s going. He’s been incredible all offseason. He’s hard-working, a great teammate and leads like crazy. I’m really grateful to have him.”
Casper completed 110-of-207 passes last season for 1,440 yards and 18 touchdowns against five interceptions.
Admittedly, a bunch of Casper’s aerials went to since-graduated All-TRC receiver Seth Gaerte (50 catches, 745 yards, 11 TDs). Further, he enjoyed the benefit of slick, since-graduated 1,037-yard running back Braxton Ream, and Manchester graduated five of its six all-league picks overall — offensive guard Zavier Sell the exception — but even with those factors, plenty of talent remains.
At receiver, senior Memphis Wood, “one of our biggest bright spots of the offseason,” according to Brandewie, is set to step in as the top target after making 14 catches for 172 yards last fall. Sophomore Logan Eastgate and freshman Reiss Gaerte, Seth’s little brother, are options, too.
At running back, junior Garrett Sites is poised for the lead role after gaining 213 yards, averaging 6.3 per carry and tallying three TDs in 2021 — his first season of football.
The offensive line, “kind of the heart of this whole thing,” per Brandewie, has “a ton of experience” and will potentially consist of five seniors.
Sell’s joined by Jordan Ayres at guard, with unit leader Harrison Sturtsman at tackle and Bryce Mugford at center. Mavern Smith and sophomore Nick Cave are jockeying for the other tackle spot.
Caden Miller, an honorable mention All-TRC pick on both sides of the ball, begins his third season as starting tight end, while fellow senior Jackson Felgar will be “a jack of all trades,” per the coach, as a fullback and wingback.
On defense, Sell and junior Trace Murphy are penciled in at end with Smith at nose.
Linebackers are projected to be Ayres and junior Preston Duffy on the inside, spelled by sophomore Mason Rooney, with Miller and sophomore Kaleb Kline outside.
Wood will start at one cornerback with sophomore Ben Brown among the candidates on the other side and Casper filling in as necessary. Sites, Eastgate and Gaerte are in contention for the two safety spots.
The Squires graduated their three leading tacklers of a year ago, but Duffy was fourth as a sophomore with 56 and Miller right behind at 52. Ayres added 33 and Sites 26.
Senior Kolby Haecker returns at punter, while fellow soccer player Wyatt Young, a sophomore who never played football before this summer, is likely to do the place kicking.
Manchester opens Aug. 19 with a conference home game against North Miami.
After the IHSAA overhauled sectional assignments in the offseason, the Squires will be in an eight-team Class 2A bracket that is almost entirely new for them.
It features recent power Eastside (13-1 last year with a regional title; 33-6 over the last three years) and ever-dangerous Fort Wayne Luers (10-2 in 2021), along with Central Noble, Churubusco, Prairie Heights, Wabash and Whitko.
Only Wabash is a holdover from Manchester’s previous grouping, which included Bremen, Delphi, LaVille, Lewis Cass, Pioneer and Rochester.
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