NLC football 2023 preview: NorthWood looks to defend crown against strong competition
NorthWood football won the Northern Lakes Conference with a 7-0 conference record last year. The Panthers did not win a sectional championship, however, as fellow conference foe Northridge upended them in a Class 4A title game.
The NLC produced another sectional champion last year in Mishawaka, which beat conference counterpart, Concord, in a 5A tilt.
Those four teams, along with Warsaw, figure to jockey for the NLC championship this fall, while Goshen, Plymouth and Wawasee continue to build their programs back up into contenders. Here’s some more info on each team.
More: Here are 2023 high school football schedules and links to previews
Concord Minutemen
∎ Head coach: Craig Koehler (56-29 in eight seasons)
∎ 2022 record: 5-6 (3-4 NLC); lost to Mishawaka in 5A, Sectional 11 championship game
∎ Key returnees: Hudson Glantz, junior, quarterback; Joseph Moon, senior, running back/linebacker; Jaron Thomas, junior, running back/linebacker; Cody Byler, senior, offensive line/defensive line; Kamrin Lewis, senior, offensive line; Chris Adams, senior, offensive line; Donovan Arnold, sophomore, offensive line.
∎ Key losses: Armen Koltookian, tight end/linebacker; Titus Hackworth, running back; Juan Ross, wide receiver; Lance Army, offensive line/defensive line, Miguel Aguilar, kicker/punter.
∎ Analysis: The Minutemen will have to replace virtually all of its rushing and receiving production from last season. While Moon and Thomas are the primary running backs this year, they didn’t play the position a season ago. Replacing a leader like Koltookian will also be a challenge.
Goshen RedHawks
∎ Head coach: Tom Wogomon (2-8 at the school; 79-79 in 15 seasons overall)
∎ 2022 record: 2-8 (2-5 NLC); lost to Concord in 5A, Sectional 11 semifinals
∎ Key returnees: Drew Elliott, senior, running back/linebacker; Elliot Frey, sophomore, quarterback/linebacker; Ryan Eldridge, senior, offensive line; Jace Hershberger, senior, defensive back.
∎ Key losses: Quinn Bechtel, quarterback/defensive back; Noah Alford, wide receiver/safety/punter; Adam Ellison, running back/linebacker; Blake Wyman, linebacker.
∎ Analysis: Numbers are low for Goshen with 52 players on the roster. The lack of depth could be a major concern should injuries occur. Players like Elliott and Frey will have to have sensational years if Goshen wants to have its first winning season since 2016.
Mishawaka Cavemen
∎ Head coach: Keith Kinder (45-15 in five seasons)
∎ 2022 record: 10-2 (6-1 NLC); lost to Fort Wayne Snider in 5A regional championship
∎ Key returnees: Brady Fisher, senior, quarterback; Norvell Miller, junior, fullback; Matt Willis, senior, offensive line; Trey Thomas, senior, wide receiver/defensive back; Justin Snyder, junior, linebacker; Carmine Orozco, junior, defensive line.
∎ Key losses: Isaac Valdez, linebacker; Dawson Nowacki, offensive line; Baelin Eby, defensive line; Chase Gooden, fullback.
More: Mishawaka poised to be good once again in 2023
∎ Analysis: The Cavemen have to replace four of its five starting offensive linemen from a season ago. A lot of talent returns around that, though, setting up Mishawaka to be in contention for the conference title. They also have two marquee non-conference games in the first two weeks against Mishawaka Marian and Penn.
Northridge Raiders
∎ Head coach: Chad Eppley (18-10 in two seasons)
∎ 2022 record: 8-5 (4-3 NLC); lost to New Prairie in 4A regional championship game
∎ Key returnees: McClain Miller, senior, running back; Derek Sherwood, junior, running back; Wyatt Boals, senior, offensive line/defensive line; Chase Clark, senior, wide receiver; Beau Bojanich, senior, linebacker; Brock Thompson, senior, linebacker; Conner Roth, senior, linebacker; Dylan Ritchie, senior, kicker.
∎ Key losses: Qade Carrington, quarterback; Jethro Hochstetler, wide receiver/defensive back; Kade Sainz, wide receiver/defensive back; Alex Eby, tight end; Harrison Kauffman, linebacker; Max Petersheim, linebacker; Jaiden Medina, defensive back.
∎ Analysis: No matter how the regular season goes, the Raiders seem to find that magic formula in the playoffs under Eppley. After two-straight 5-4 regular seasons, Northridge has made lengthy postseason runs, reaching the 4A state championship game in 2021 and winning a sectional title last fall. Quarterback play will be huge for the Raiders, as senior Brayden Clark (1-for-3 passing, eight yards in 2022) is expected to be the starter this fall.
NorthWood Panthers
∎ Head coach: Nate Andrews (73-29 in nine seasons at the school; 113-68 in 16 seasons overall)
∎ 2022 record: 11-1 (7-0 NLC); lost to Northridge in 4A, Sectional 18 championship game
∎ Key returnees: NiTareon Tuggle, senior, wide receiver/defensive back; Owen Roeder, senior, quarterback; Trey Woods, senior, wide receiver; Seth Russell, senior, tight end; Keith Miller, senior, linebacker; Max Parciak, junior, offensive line/defensive line; Brady King, junior, linebacker; Dominic De Freitas, kicker.
∎ Key losses: Ethan Evers, linebacker; Kaden Lone, utility player; JJ Payne, wide receiver/linebacker; Kanye King, defensive line; Ben Fattorusso, linebacker.
More: NorthWood hoping trust can lead to deep 4A postseason run in 2023
∎ Analysis: NorthWood should have plenty of firepower on offense, with Roeder having two Division-I targets to throw to in Tuggle (Georgia commit) and newcomer Jo’Ziah Edmond (Michigan commit). Who steps up in the running game, as well as on the defensive side of the ball, will be key for the Panthers.
Plymouth Rockies
∎ Head coach: Adam Handley (0-10 at the school; 14-36 overall in five seasons)
∎ 2022 record: 0-10 (0-7 NLC); lost to South Bend St. Joseph in 4A, Sectional 18 quarterfinals
∎ Key returnees: Exzander Ramirez, junior, quarterback; Michael Gibbons, junior, running back; Kaden Millisner, wide receiver; Max Lewandowski, senior, wide receiver; Aiden Blalock, junior, wide receiver; Blake Mackey, junior, defensive back/kickoff returner; Carter Bush, junior, linebacker.
∎ Key losses: Alan Barrera, linebacker; Justin Garrett, linebacker; Michael Sheely, linebacker.
∎ Analysis: The Rockies are desperate for a win, having lost 21 overall dating back to the 2020 season. Plymouth has plenty of experience back this season, given the majority of the key players were sophomores last year. They will be tested early with non-conference games against Calumet (9-2 in 2022) and Columbia City (11-2 in 2022) before jumping into the NLC portion of its schedule.
Team-by-team previews: Your complete guide to South Bend-area high school football teams heading into 2023 season
Warsaw Tigers
∎ Head coach: Bart Curtis (39-15 in five seasons at the school; 240-117 in 32 seasons overall)
∎ 2022 record: 8-3 (5-2 NLC); lost to Fort Wayne Carroll in 6A, Sectional 2 championship game
∎ Key returnees: Drew Sullivan, junior, quarterback; Reed Zollinger, senior, fullback; Grady Nolin, senior, running back; Harrison Stofer, senior, offensive line; Isaac Beam, senior, defensive line; Jett Woodward, senior, linebacker.
∎ Key losses: German Flores-Ortega, fullback; Bryson Brown, running back; Haydin Rodriguez, running back; Nicholas Katris, linebacker; Theodore Katris, safety.
Analysis: Like Mishawaka, the Tigers utilize a triple-threat rushing attack on offense. Curtis has coached the best stretch in program history, leading Warsaw to its lone sectional championship in 2019. They’ll have to rely on “Bart Ball” again this year if they want to make a run at NLC and sectional championship hardware.
Wawasee Warriors
∎ Head coach: Jon Reutebuch (7-33 in four seasons)
∎ 2022 record: 1-9 (1-6 NLC); lost to Logansport in 4A, Sectional 18 quarterfinals
∎ Key returnees: Mason Shoemaker, senior, quarterback; Brandon Kelly, senior, running back; Hunter Tinkey, senior, running back/wide receiver/defensive back; Donovan Blair, senior, wide receiver; Derek Bontrager, senior, wide receiver/linebacker; Brandon Kelly, senior, wide receiver/linebacker;
∎ Key losses: Cameron Zimmerman, running back/linebacker; Brady Russell, safety; David Anderson, linebacker.
∎ Analysis: The Warriors are in search of its first winning season since 2014 and first postseason victory since 2012. They have the majority of their skill position players back on both sides of the ball, which should help them in their goals of turning around the program.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: NorthWood looks to defend NLC football crown against strong teams
