Concordia Lutheran's Lou Lamar & Tanner Huckfelt
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THE CHALLENGERS (No. 6-10)
No. 10--Concordia Lutheran Crusaders
Doug Brown (VYPE)
‘Sader Nation is entering 2023 with another playoff appearance under their belts. The offensive line was a point of emphasis over the course of the offseason as second-year coach Willie Amendola addressed his confidence in the group after the improved numbers they’ve shown in the weight room.
Lou Lamar (Sr. DB/RB) will be the workhorse for Concordia Lutheran on both offense and defense after an all-state performance in 2022. He will be joined by game-wrecker Luken Koehn (Jr. LB) on defense. The connection between up-and-comer Tanner Huckfelt (Jr. QB) and senior WR Reece Cutrer will be a sight worth seeing on the offensive side of the ball as well.
The Crusaders might just surprise everyone this Fall, so stay tuned.
No. 9--Bay Area Christian Broncos
The Broncos had a stellar season a year ago, finishing second in district (8-2), before advancing to the TAPPS-III Regional round where they fell to Holy Cross.
Coach Carey Sink will look to his stars in order for BACS to take the next step forward against tough district opponents – Cypress Christian and Legacy Prep. Look for district first-teamers Scott Farine (Jr. RB) and Landon Hall (Jr. DL) to make impacts on their respective sides of the ball, while second-teamers Austin Ariens (Jr. QB) and Noah Pike (Jr. LB/RB) continue to progress on the gridiron.
No. 8--St. John's Mavericks
The Mavericks are faced with the tall task of facing off against SPC-4A titans Episcopal and Kinkaid on a yearly basis. But, don’t let that fool you. This team will always put up a good fight.
St. John’s will bring back a slew of starters on both sides of the ball, which is more than most teams can say. All-SPC selection Stephen Gill (Sr. QB) is back to usher the offense, while fellow All-SPC honoree Cole Allen (Jr. WR/DB) will be the versatile weapon for the Mavericks this Fall.
Other names to watch are Sam Griggs (Jr. OL/DL), Wyatt Childers (Jr. OL) and senior WR/DB Will Haufrect.
No. 7--John Cooper School Dragons
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
The Dragons enter this Fall fresh off the heels of their second consecutive SPC 3A Championship. All signs point towards a likely three-peat. Fortunately, several of last year’s starters return to power coach Erik DeHaven’s squad.
The John Cooper offense should once again be ignited by junior RB Dean Calhoun, who rushed for over 1,000 yards with nearly 20 scores in 2022. In the passing game, look for senior WRs Kaden Davis and Gus Feinberg to have a big year. Cole Sheppard (Sr. LB) will pace the defense for the Dragons, as he is coming off a spectacular junior campaign.
It wouldn’t be a shock if there’s another ring in John Cooper School’s near future.
No. 6--Kinkaid Falcons
Four SPC-4A Championships in five years speaks for itself. Kinkaid is the team to beat in the 4A division, no doubt about it.
Episcopal may give the Falcons a run for their money now that several starters have graduated, but if coach Nathan Larned’s track record with the program is any indication – Kinkaid will be just fine. Both sides of the ball will be dictated by seniors Miles Roeder (RB/DB) and Nico Gomez (WR/DB), who are both coming off All-SPC performances in 2022.
The race for the title will be more exciting than ever this Fall, so don’t miss it.
