Grove City returns talented team looking to defend District 10 Class 3A football title
The start of the 2023 District 10 football season is right around the corner. Visit GoErie.com throughout August for updated videos and photos from team camps. Here is one in a series of previews for all 39 D-10 teams:
Grove City Eagles
Coach: Sam Mowrey (10th season, 67-34)
2022 record: 9-4 (5-2 Region 3)
2022 playoff results: Defeated Fairview 35-21, Sharon 22-21 and Slippery Rock 42-23 to win the District 10 Class 3A championship. Grove City then lost to Martinsburg Central 35-7 in the PIAA Class 3A quarterfinals.
Assistant coaches: Brad Trezona, Dwayne Lettie, Todd Warner, Jason Hohman, Judd Allan, Wesley Phipps, Jordan Patterson, Lance Craig, Adam Jury, Joey Kosick, Zack Martin
Preseason prep: Everything you need to know for the 2023 District 10 football season
Defending champs are back for more
Not only is Grove City the defending District 10 Class 3A champion, but the Eagles also have one of the more experienced teams back in District 10 this season. Grove City will have some work to do rebuilding the run game and replacing a few offensive linemen, but the Eagles are loaded with athletes this year. It starts with quarterback Hunter Hohman, who threw for 2,087 yards and 18 touchdowns last fall, along with his weapons on the outside with wide receivers Gavin Lutz, Nathan Greer and Joey Hathaway, who missed most of last season with an injury. Greer had a breakout sophomore year with 61 catches for 939 yards and eight touchdowns, while Lutz caught 54 passes for 797 yards and eight touchdowns. Also back for the Eagles is tight end Clayton Martin and offensive linemen Jack Wolfe, Marcello Trezona and Adan Navarro. Hohman ran for 571 yards and 14 touchdowns last fall and is still a reliable rushing weapon, but Grove City will need several running backs to step up. Seniors Dom Garzarelli and Bode Stevenson are candidates to fill the hole left by Anthony Nemec. Stevenson ran for 84 yards on 22 carries and Garzarelli had 10 carries for 45 yards as juniors. Delathian Boanes and Kyle Enscoe are back as offensive linemen that could earn starting jobs as well.
Dominant defense
In addition to the offense being loaded with athletes, the defense will once again be formidable for the Eagles. Grove City returns Boanes, Trezona, Wolfe and Navarro on the defensive line along with Hohman and Garzarelli at linebacker and Lutz, Hathaway and Greer in the secondary. Hohman was second on the team with 98 tackles last year followed by Garzarelli with 85, Greer with 82 and Boanes with 67. The Eagles will have to replace Nathan Boyd, who graduated after leading the team with 104 tackles. Jacob Arnold is also gone after leading the team with 6½ sacks and Alex Hackwelder, who was second with 2½ sacks. Hackwelder transferred to Hubbard (Ohio) in the offseason. Boanes had two sacks last year and Trezona had 1½. Greer led the secondary with three interceptions and Hohman pulled down two. Grove City has the talent to outscore teams each week and the defense will play a big role in bigger games for the Eagles to make a run.
Schedule
Aug. 25 vs. Avonworth 7 p.m.
Sept. 1 at Northwestern 7 p.m.
Sept. 8 at Farrell* 7 p.m.
Sept. 15 vs. Sharon* 7 p.m.
Sept. 22 at Slippery Rock* 7 p.m.
Sept. 29 vs. Greenville* 7 p.m.
Oct. 6 at Hickory* 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 vs. Sharpsville* 1 p.m.
Oct. 20 vs. Wilmington* 7 p.m.
Oct. 27 Bye
*Region 3 game
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Grove City has plenty of starters back from District 10 title team
