Rebuilding Conneaut football program targets turnaround in District 10
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:
Conneaut Eagles
Coach: Josh Blood (2nd season, 1-8)
2022 record: 1-8 (1-4 Region 4)
2022 playoff results: Did not qualify for the District 10 playoffs.
Assistant coaches: Bill Stevenson, Ben Fenell, Ted Jastromb, Steve Vennare, Ken Parise, Mike Donghia, Brett Askey, Evan Kardosh
Preseason prep: Everything you need to know for the 2023 District 10 football season
Looking for a turnaround
Josh Blood took over the Conneaut football program in 2022 with one goal in mind: turn Conneaut back into a winning program. The Eagles haven't won a home game since October of 2020 and they haven't had a winning record since 2017. After the roster dropped to a dangerous level of 15 players in 2021, Blood got the roster back to 40 last fall. Conneaut has six home games this fall with some brutal road trips to Harbor Creek, Warren, rival Meadville and Oil City. If the Eagles can take advantage of their home games, they could gather some wins. Conneaut will have to slow down some solid rushing attacks early on before a three-game stretch on the road. The Eagles have had a full offseason with Blood, and if they continue to buy into a new system, they could find some success this fall.
Returning experience
Conneaut had a young team last year and has an experienced team back this fall. Junior Ben Easler returns at quarterback with senior Logan Groover at running back. Max Getz and Joe Furgiuele are back on the wings with Colton Ellis, Nate Green, Drew Dygert and Christian Gillette on the offensive line. The defensive starters back include Ellis, Green and Dygert on the line, Griffin Braden, Groover and Furgiuele at linebacker and Getz and Easler in the secondary. Scotty Wheeler is another returning offensive and defensive lineman that could earn playing time along with juniors Mitchell Blood (tight end/fullback/linebacker) and Michael Singley (offensive line/defensive line), sophomores Alex Paskorz (tight end/linebacker) and Johnny Sandau (running back/defensive back) and freshmen Wyatt Luke (quarterback/wide receiver/defensive back), Aiden Ford (running back/defensive back) and Brayden Feeney (running back/defensive back). Conneaut will need some help in the backfield, but the Eagles have most of their starters back on both sides of the ball.
Schedule
Aug. 25 vs. Fort LeBoeuf 7 p.m.
Sept. 1 vs. Seneca 7 p.m.
Sept. 7 at Harbor Creek 7
Sept. 15 at Warren* 7
Sept. 22 at Meadville* 7
Sept. 29 vs. Titusville* 7
Oct. 6 vs. Northwestern 7
Oct. 13 at Oil City* 7
Oct. 20 vs. Franklin* 7
Oct. 26 vs. Kennedy Catholic 7
*Region 4 game
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Conneaut football is looking to improve on its one-win season
