Falcons return experience, talent
Aug. 21—The 2023 Minford Falcons football team
Paul Boggs — Daily Times
MINFORD — Basically, an entire flock of Minford Falcons is returning.
Whether that translates into a Southern Ohio Conference Division II football championship, or even an Ohio High School Athletic Association Division V Region 19 playoff push, remains to be seen.
That's because the 40-man Falcons for eighth-year head coach Jesse Ruby sport 13 seniors —as only three players graduated from last season's club, but one of them was the two-way standout which graduated as the program's all-time leading tackler.
Still, with that many seniors — and even experienced juniors and sophomores against an overall younger SOC II — expectations are high for these Falcons in 2023.
"I think we have some really good things coming, but it's about keeping improving each and every week. These seniors have quite a bit of experience, they are a good group that has played well together. Hopefully, they can show that in their senior year," said Ruby, a member of the Falcon football varsity staff for 18 years now. "I think the conference is going to be really tough. From everything teams have coming back and knowing their coaching staffs, they do a really good job getting their teams ready too. It's going to be a challenge."
Perhaps the biggest challenge: replacing four-year starter and three-year all-district honoree Hunter Pendleton.
Pendleton, with officially 356 total tackles for his Falcon four-year career, set the new Minford High School record — for career tackles made.
Those include assists and solos, as the six-foot and four-inch and 230-pound Pendleton — a two-time first-team all-Southeast District Division V linebacker — also amounted nine tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and five sacks.
He was selected as an all-Ohio third-teamer as a junior, before moving up to the second-team level as a senior —with 121 total tackles in 2021, before 153 more last season.
Pendleton played offensive line as well, and was the only starter to graduate — as Ruby explained other Falcons are ready for their shining moments.
"We've got some guys who are ready to step in and take over those roles, including leadership. We have a lot of returners who played a lot last year," he said.
One of those was an all-district first team running back —five-foot nine-inch and 210-pound senior Jeffrey Pica.
Pica, for his career, already has 2,812 yards on 414 carries —an average of 6.8 yards per rush.
He also has 38 total touchdowns, needing 19 more to set the school record for most in a career —while also needing 1,278 yards to become Minford's all-time leading rusher.
While Pica gets plenty of accolades and attention, Ruby said, and deservedly so, the offensive line features three experienced seniors and a pair of juniors.
Owen Blaine (6-4, 290) and Blake Skeens (6-0, 210) return as senior anchor tackles, 5-6 and 200-pound fellow senior Tyler Henthorn is back at guard, and juniors Seth Smith (5-7, 225) and Noah Pennington (6-0, 235) are the other guard and center respectively.
"I think our lines can be our biggest strength, at times. That remains to be seen, but with the experience we have coming back, it can be. We feel pretty good about our line, a lot of those guys have experience from playing a lot last year. We had four or five returning starters and one of those guys rotated in quite a bit," said the coach. "Hopefully, they can continue to gel and open up some lanes for us."
Returning at quarterback is six-foot tall and 175-pound sophomore Peyton Caudill, a Special Mention all-district choice last season —along with junior J.D. Matiz.
Caudill has completely recovered from a broken collarbone, suffered in the Falcons' final regular-season game against archrival Valley.
The speedy signal-caller is also coming off an outstanding track and field campaign —in which he qualified for the Division II state championship meet in the 200-meter dash.
"Peyton is fully healed and has improved greatly from that year of experience. He is almost to the level of being a senior when it comes to knowledge of the offense. He is in complete control of what we're trying to do," said Ruby. "Not only is he a threat throwing the ball, he is a threat running the ball."
Threats catching the football include Matiz, seniors Mason Book (5-9, 170), Collin Rice (6-0, 190) and Troy Rhodes (6-1, 175), junior Gavin Downey, and sophomore Brysen McQuate.
"Our receiving corps is pretty this good year. From the passing camps, things like that, it seems like our passing attack is further along this year than it was last year," said Ruby. "We have some speed on the outside too."
But can they maintain depth?
The Falcons' defense includes tackles Blaine and Skeens, and senior ends Wesley Zimmerman (6-0, 200) and Logan Twinam (5-11, 215).
The linebacking corps consists of Pica, fellow senior Randall Schreick (5-9, 200), sophomore Marty Sparks, and Matiz on the outside.
Rice and Book are the safeties, with Downey and McQuate the cornerbacks.
Notable opt-outs from the Falcons include wide receiver Bennett Kayser and all-purpose player Tysen Kingery.
"Depth and staying healthy is going to be our biggest thing. Hopefully, we can avoid the injury bug," said Ruby.
The Falcons do feature a "definitely very good" placekicker —5-9 and 165-pound junior Myles Montgomery.
Montgomery, a standout soccer forward and especially a basketball scoring machine, makes multiple extra points and field goals.
The Falcons opened the season by hosting Rock Hill, before traveling to Chesapeake — and then hosting Wellston.
Around the SOC II slate — which will include challenging games against Waverly, Wheelersburg and defending champion West — is a trek to Division II Logan on Oct. 6.
The Falcons fell in a shootout to the Chieftains —back in 2017.
But basically, Minford has its entire flock of Falcons returning.
How that results in success, and even victories, bears worth watching.
Reach Paul Boggs at (740) 353-3101 ext. 1926, by email at pboggs@aimmediamidwest.com, or on Twitter @paulboggssports © 2023 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved
