Lakewood’s football senior class locks in as end comes into view
HEBRON — The calendar recently flipped to August, and a reality began sinking in.
Adam Crawford now is being referred to as a senior. The Lakewood football team’s quarterback and his classmates are familiar faces in the building, but time is running out on the field.
“I go about it with a different mind-set now,” Crawford said. “Over the years, it’s been more that I have to go to practice. Now it’s more that I get to come to practice. It’s my last year. I have to make the best of it.”
That sense of urgency is ringing even louder for Keegan Jacks. The standout senior lineman tore his meniscus early last winter during wrestling. He worked throughout the spring to be back to full strength for the offseason.
With an experienced senior class but a small roster, Lakewood needs all hands on deck. The Lancers again will have all of their key players spending the entire 48 minutes on the field.
“I should be all good now. I am praying that it will be. I am excited to play football,” Jacks said. “It’s a little different to say it now that I am a senior. … I personally believe we need to step it up more because if we want to turn this program around, we have to do more as players. The coaches can only do so much.”
Lakewood had a different air around its offseason. The Lancers edged Utica 20-14 in the season finale last October, snapping a 21-game losing streak.
It was a reward for the work put in last season. It was a carrot in front of them during the offseason.
“It created a sense of motivation to get in the weight room and get other guys on the same page with us,” Crawford said. “Wins taste a lot better than losses.”
The combination of Crawford and senior Isaiah Mitchell has been an offensive bright spot the last two seasons with Mitchell catching 59 passes for 734 yards in 2022 and scoring seven total touchdowns.
Mitchell, who can be dangerous from the slot or backfield, will have help on the outside from classmate Randall Adkins and juniors Ethan Romine and Hunter Crawford and senior tight end Nate Lee across the middle.
“We definitely have some skill guys that are rising up in the chain,” said Adam Crawford, who could have junior Logan Bush, an explosive runner at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, beside him in the backfield.
Jacks, at 6-1, 280, is a stalwart on the offensive and defensive lines, but it is a rare spot where Lakewood has some depth.
“We actually have more linemen available this year than we have had in past years, so it’s going to be nice on Fridays to have rotations to keep everybody fresh,” Jacks said. “(Senior Jonah Hunt and junior Lane Allen) are a good combo at center and guard. Those two can definitely do something for us. (Junior Brayden Shull) gets back there on the defensive line. He flies around to the ball and plays 110%.”
All of Lakewood’s key skill players also will serve important roles on defense. Senior Tyler Christman will be an option at linebacker after recovering from a summer injury, and classmate Xander Angle is an undersized but quick edge player.
Adding to the experience of the senior class, optimism comes from the potential of the Lakewood underclassmen. Many of the youngest Lancers were on the field in Week 10 last season, a victory highlighted by a blocked punt from now-sophomore Garrett Hardway.
“Especially the guys on the field making those things happen that we didn’t expect to be there, we had a lot of freshmen now sophomores that were thrown to the wolves so to speak on that Friday night, and they came through in a big way and created some momentum for us,” coach John Poulnott said. “Those guys in particular that we called on against Utica have been hungry and very present in the weight room all offseason.”
740-973-4541
Twitter: @newark_sports
At a Glance
Coach: John Poulnott
State Classification: Division IV, Region 15
In 2022: 1-9, 1-4
Key players: Adam Crawford, Sr., QB/DB; Keegan Jacks, Sr., OL/DL; Isaiah Mitchell, Sr., WR/DB. Nate Lee, Sr., TE/DL. Randall Adkins, Sr., WR/DB. Jonah Hunt, Sr., OL/DL. Tyler Christman, Sr., QB/LB. Hunter Crawford, Jr., WR/LB.
What to expect: Lakewood snapped a 21-game losing streak in Week 10 last season, and it sent the Lancers into the offseason on a high. Led by a senior class with several multi-year starters, including Crawford at quarterback, Mitchell on the outside and Jacks up front, they hope to capitalize on the momentum.
Game to watch: Week 7 at Northridge — Coming off emotional games against Licking Valley and Heath, the Lancers will have to be wary of a letdown when they visit the Vikings. A victory in late September could provide quite a finishing kick heading into October.
Postseason outlook: An opening trip to West Muskingum will be challenging, but the Lancers will have an opportunity to rise to the occasion on a rare Thursday night kickoff. A three-game stretch to follow against Liberty Union, Bexley and Zanesville could give the Lancers a chance to jump into the mix in Division IV, Region 15.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Lakewood Lancers football seniors lock in as end comes into view
