Adrian College, Siena Heights football filling voids in 2023 seasons

ADRIAN — Siena Heights University’s football team will have to run the gauntlet this season.

Due to Trinity International disbanding its athletic program, the Saints shuffled their schedule around so they will play 10 consecutive weeks starting Sept. 9.

“We had to even scramble to find that 10th game,” said Saints coach Matt Kohn. “Week one is essentially our bye week. It’s fine. We’ll deal with it. That’s football.”

The Saints have somewhat of a veteran team that will be put to the test in its opener against Roosevelt, which is the former Robert Morris University.

“Same head coach, same staff,” Kohn said. “They are just operating now as Roosevelt. They are moving to the GLIAC (Division 2) next season, so their roster has gone through an overhaul in anticipation of that. They’ve hit the transfer portal hard.”

Kohn is starting his eighth season as coach at Siena Heights. His best seasons were back-to-back 7-3 records in 2018 and 2019. Last season SHU went 5-5, which included a pair of two-game losing streaks.

Several returning starters and fifth-year program guys are expected to be impact players for the Saints. That kind of experience means strong leadership.

“I’m so impressed with the leadership of this team,” Kohn said. “We have so many really good leaders that do the right things on and off the field.”

Kohn hopes that leadership translates onto the football field, where he welcomes back a lot of returning players and will mix in some new ones.

In the offensive backfield, Ethan LoPresto (Reading) returns to the team after sitting out last season.

“We are really excited to have him back,” Kohn said. “He still has that speed. He can take it the distance any time he touches the ball.”

Also in the backfield are Sand Creek graduates Will Alexander and John Alexander.

“You can tell the Alexander boys were in the weight room during the off-season,” Kohn said. “Will has that speed and he’s smart. He knows everything about the position, the playbook and John is filled out and is looking good.”

Also in the backfield mix is Central Michigan University transfer Jordan Ramsey, who played his high school football at Sterling Heights Stevenson, where he was a four-year starter.

Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central graduate Sam Cousino is a three-year returning starter at tight end and is being pushed by Toledo Whitmer graduate Aaron Bellamy.

“Sam has really improved his blocking,” Kohn said. “He’s in great shape and has had a great camp.”

In addition to being head coach, Kohn also coaches the Saints quarterbacks. He has three fifth-year seniors on the depth chart – all of whom have made multiple starts for SHU in the past.

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Hayden Lehmann emerged from camp as the starter. He appeared in seven games last season, throwing for 669 yards and five touchdowns.

“He’s really emerged,” Kohn said. “He’s put it on film in practice and he’s going to be our starter week one.”

Justin McCowan and Ryan Minor are backups. Minor actually led SHU in passing yards (699) and completion percentage (54.5 percent) last year.

“All three are great friends,” Kohn said. “They compete with each other, but they get along so well. They are all on the same page. They come off the field and the other guys are telling them what they see out there. I’m spoiled to have that type of experience in the quarterback room.”

Eric Williams II is back at wide receiver after leading the team in receptions (36) and receiving yards (462). Bobby Opalewski (18-223) was the position MVP last year at receiver, Jalen Garrett, a redshirt sophomore, has greatly improved his game and Chris Coleman, a Flint product, has come on strong.

The Saints might have to move some players around on the offensive line as Jayden Semak, a returning starter at center, recently went down with a foot injury. Right tackle Walter Baughman (6-3, 265); left guard David Robinson (6-4, 300), and left tackle Jack Majewski (6-3, 290) seem to have settled into starting roles. Zach Mullins (6-2, 305) might figure into plans as well.

On the defensive side of the ball, Antonio Simley (5-11, 295), Joe Wharton (6-2, 245) and George Talley (6-4, 285) return up front. Simley and Wharton (8 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss) were all conference a year ago.

Zach Keyser was a starting outside linebacker last year but moves to the inside this year, replacing All-American Kole Murlin. Clarke Hamilton, a Florida native who moved to Michigan and finished his high school career at Davison, has been impressive at linebacker.

“I think he flew under the radar a little bit recruiting-wise, especially since his family moved from Florida for his senior year,” Kohn said. “He’s a good football player.”

In the defensive backfield, Kohn has some playmakers in free safety Cocy Goff and cornerbacks Amir Stewart and Shamar Asksin. Stewart started every game last season while Goff was second on the team with 34 solo tackles last season.

“We have some experience in our secondary,” Kohn said.

SHU plays four of its first five games on the road and also must make road trips to Concordia in Ann Arbor and Marian, Indiana. The Saints have just four home games this season. The home opener is against St. Ambrose on Sept. 16 while homecoming is Oct. 14 against Taylor.

ADRIAN COLLEGE

The Bulldogs begin the 2023 slate this week with a 2 p.m. kickoff in Elmhurst, Illinois at Elmhurst University.

They'll do so with a new quarterback as all the signal callers from last season, including Noah Heide, Jack Kujawa and Taj Williams who all saw some playing time last season, are no longer on the roster.

There are five quarterbacks on the roster, all of which are true freshmen. Brady Raymond of Pinckney, Xenico Evans of Taylor and Brady Bovenkerk of Milan are local products while Mark Lopez of Orange Grove High School in Corpus Christi, Texas and Troyante McConico of Pinole Valley High School in Richmond, California are also in the mix.

The running back group is also thin with experience as the leading returning rusher is Pinckney senior Salvatore Patierno who rushed for 191 yards and one touchdown last season.

While the backfield is inexperienced, Adrian has a lot of experience in the receiver group. The team's leading pass catcher from a season ago, Keontae Townsend is back for a graduate student season as is tight end Tyler Poirier along with senior Cole Seslar and Milford junior Ben Coloske.

The offensive line will help with experience as well as Grass Lake junior Isaiah Simon, Detroit Catholic Central senior Jonathan Sasiela, Calhoun Christian senior Nathan Bennett and senior Jarin Dunn all played in the majority of games last season.

Townsend, Poirier and Sasiela were all Second Team All-MIAA honorees a season ago.

There will be a number of changes on the defensive side of the ball as well, but Southfield A&T senior Donovan McCray will be back to lead the secondary after being second on the team in tackles (48) a season ago and Troy Athens linebacker Waides Ashmon, who had 30 tackles, six for loss and three interceptions.

Adrian is also hoping to get senior defensive lineman Tche Leroux back at some point after his season was cut short halfway through the year with 16 tackles, eight for loss including four sacks.

On special teams, West Bloomfield junior Sammy Lafata is back to punt, while the rest of the kicking duties is to be determined with Walker Evans and Onsted's Alexander Ouellette have both departed from the program.

With many new names all over the field, the Bulldogs looked to have landed a good program to face to open the season as Elmhurst is currently on a 15-game losing streak. The Blue Jays haven't had a winning season since 2012 and haven't won multiple games in a season since 2017.

Adrian was picked fifth in the MIAA coaches poll behind defending champions Alma, Hope, Trine and Albion.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Siena Heights brings experience into 2023 football season, Adrian revamps roster