River Valley football guide: New coaches, players looking to leave marks in 2023

CALEDONIA — New is the operative word at River Valley.

The Vikings have a new head football coach, a new staff and a largely new roster for 2023.

"We learned that we have a lot of young guys who are inexperienced, but they are guys that are hungry to learn, get coaching, compete and play hard," RV head coach Matt Waddle said.

He takes over for the area's dean of high school football coaches, Doug Green, who retired following last season, compiling more than 140 wins over 23 seasons as a head coach. Waddle was on Green's staff at two junctures, including the last three years where he served as co-offensive coordinator.

He brings over Dan Arndt, last year's interim head coach at Marion Harding to coordinate the defense with Ramie Large, and he's turned the offense over to former Harding standout and recent assistant L.J. Scott.

"Our team had a good offseason with our weight training and conditioning program," Waddle said. "We competed at five different 7-on-7s and played against some very good teams — Findlay, Mansfield Senior, Marysville — that we felt we competed and played well against."

New players

Multi-time All-Ohioan Cayden Shidone graduated after setting nearly every passing record at River Valley. Fellow first-team All-Ohioan Grant Butler at receiver graduated, too. Others who moved on are All-Ohio linebacker Will Garrison, Blake and Brock Mosher, Austin Whitley, Colt Weaver, Eli Axline, Mason Miracle, Ben Luchene, Dylan Barr, Cayden Rowe and Jack Castle among others.

That's a lot of bodies to cover for and a lot of production to make up.

"We bring back four of five offensive linemen," Waddle said. "Our skill positions provide a lot of speed and athleticism. We are two-deep across the board at receiver, and we bring in a running back from Bishop Watterson. Concern is the depth at the line position as we lack experience with our backups."

More: River Valley hires Matt Waddle as its next head football coach

Junior Chase Ebert (6-foot-1, 195 pounds), a standout point guard on the boys basketball team who missed last football season with a shoulder injury, returns to replace Shidone at quarterback. Keyan Shidone (5-9, 160, senior) was honorable mention All-Ohio in Division IV at receiver despite playing just six games where he made 53 catches for 860 yards and four touchdowns.

Ayden Kenney (6-4, 205, senior) will try to replicate Butler's production, while Luke Axline (6-1, 160, junior) and Carter Park (5-9, 150, junior) will also line up at receiver in the spread offense. Treyton Mercer (6-0, 200, senior) is the transfer running back from Watterson. Soccer standout Hudson Pollock (6-0, 150, junior) will serve as the team's kicker and punter.

The line will be anchored by All-Ohio weight thrower Ethan Lyon (6-0, 230, senior) who has served as a three-year starter and will play center. The tackles are Carter Logan (6-5, 260, senior) and Jackson Kloha (6-3, 224, sophomore), and the guards are Jared Slone (5-10, 280, senior), another three-year starter, and Brady Cookson (5-11, 245, senior) who is a two-year starter.

Others to watch on offense are Jaxon Caudill (6-2, 170, junior), Eli Snyder (5-9, 140, sophomore), Kolton Lang (6-0, 140, sophomore), Logan Creps (6-5, 175, sophomore) and Caleb Rawlison (5-10, 140, senior) at receiver, Carter Creeden (5-11, 185, senior) at running back), Eyan Axline (6-1, 185, junior) at tight end, and Cohan Cellar (6-2, 230, sophomore) and Rage Colegrove (5-9, 200, junior) on the line.

Like the offense, the defense will see lots of new performers on Friday nights.

"We feel our strength is our front seven," Waddle said. "We feel we are big, physical and athletic up front and have good speed at the back end."

More: A look back at last year's River Valley football prospectus

Creeden is a three-year starter at linebacker, while Tyson Waddle (5-10, 200, junior) is a two-year starter at linebacker. Caudill is a two-year starter making the move from cornerback to free safety.

The line will be manned by Kolton Millisor (6-2, 225, senior), Jake Coyan (5-10, 230, senior), Diego Sanchez (5-8, 195, junior) and Harrison Bradley (6-4, 210, sophomore). Mercer will be a linebacker, while Adison Babb (5-8, 155, junior), Luke Axline and Hayden Kanagy (5-10, 180, junior) will join Caudill in the defensive backfield.

Ryan Green (6-0, 195, senior), Slone, Logan and Colegrove will play on the line, too, while Keyton Morzchek (5-8, 180, junior), Honour Jennings (5-9, 170, junior) and Troy Arnett (5-9, 170, junior) give depth at linebacker as does Snyder, Lang and Rawlison in the secondary.

"(The) concern is not much varsity experience and lack of depth up front and at linebacker," Waddle said.

Outlook

Despite the extreme makeover for the Vikings, the goals are ambitious, according to Waddle.

He wants the squad to improve every day, post a winning season, win the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference, make the playoffs, win two or more postseason games (which hasn't been done at RV) and ultimately challenge for a state championship.

Shelby, Highland, Clear Fork and Galion will be strong in the MOAC, but Waddle expects his team to be among those heavyweights as the season goes.

To get there, the new coach plans to lean heavily on his seniors, plus Ebert at QB and Waddle at linebacker.

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River Valley Vikings Football Bullet Points

• Conference: Mid Ohio Athletic.

• Coach: Matt Waddle (first season).

• Assistants: L.J. Scott (offensive coordinator, running backs), Rick Jenkins (offensive line), Chris Grunden (offensive line), Ethan Bell (slot receivers), Tyler Granlee (split receivers), Dan Arndt (co-defensive coordinator, defensive line), Ramie Large (co-defensive coordinator, defensive line), Kade Lang (defensive backs), Aaron Blackledge (inside linebackers), Cooper Graham (outside linebackers).

• Postseason: Division IV, Region 14.

• Playoff Appearances: 9 (2001, 02, 11, 12, 13, 16, 20, 21, 22).

• Playoff Record All-Time: 2-9.

• Last Year: 5-6, 3-4.

• Letter Winners Returning: 8 offense, 9 defense.

• Starters Returning: 7 offense, 4 defense.

• Base Offense: Spread.

• Base Defense: Stunt 4-3.

2023 River Valley Schedule

• Aug. 18: at Ashland

• Aug. 25: Madison Comprehensive

• Sept. 1: Tiffin Columbian

• Sept. 8: at Ontario

• Sept. 15: Pleasant

• Sept. 22: at Marion Harding

• Sept. 29: Shelby

• Oct. 6: at Highland

• Oct. 13: at Galion

• Oct. 20: Clear Fork

2022 River Valley Results

• Upper Sandusky, W 31-20

• Madison Comprehensive, W 44-28

• Tiffin Columbian, L 28-64

• Clear Fork, L 42-44

• Ontario, W 48-34

• Pleasant, W 64-7

• Marion Harding, W 48-11

• Shelby, L 20-37

• Highland, L 21-42

• Galion, L 49-56

• *Perkins, L 14-65

• * denotes playoff game

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: River Valley football guide: New coaches, players look to make marks