Week 4 Preview: John Glenn looks to stay perfect

COSHOCTON − John Glenn’s defense was staunch in a narrow 14-13 win against New Lexington last Friday in New Concord.

The defense will need to be so again this week. While on paper the opponent isn’t quite as formidable — Coshocton is 0-3 and coming off a 48-13 hammering by Maysville — this game constitutes the perfect trap game for the Little Muskies.

John Glenn is 3-0. Coshocton is winless at 0-3. Should the Muskies and Sheridan both win this week, it’ll set up a battle of unbeatens in Week 5 at Thornville.

Don’t look for these Muskies to get caught looking ahead. Head coach Matt Edwards and staff won’t let it happen. They have more pressing issues to focus on much closer to home.

“Our focus is on us,” Edwards said. “We’re still not completely happy with where we are at in all three phases.

“We’ve really hammered home this week to focus on ourselves and continue to get better execution-wise. Defensively, we played well, but we’ve played three mobile QBs who has given us fits a bit.

“Special teams used to be a strength, but this year it’s kind of inconsistent so we’re still in that phase that no matter where we’re playing, our biggest opponent is ourselves and in trying to get better each and every week.”

This week’s opponent — other than the team in the mirror — is an old throwback in Coshocton, a team that’s still lining up and seeking to pound the football via the Wing-T.

Once a staple of many offenses, facing a Wing-T-style attack now requires extra preparation as it’s not a scheme one normally faces in 2023.

“They are completely different than the last two teams we’ve played, so that’s a concern for us, being able to give our defense a good look in practice,” Edwards said. “You normally don’t face a Wing-T, and the timing and schemes are different, and it’s a challenge. Offensively, New Lex gave us fits, and I’m sure (Coshocton) will see the game film, and they run a similar defense.”

The Muskies offense is still evolving from the more aerial approach of recent years to one that, while still utilizing the passing game, is relying more on the ground game via both its hard-charging junior running back Lincoln Gilcher and quarterback Noah Winland.

Gilcher leads the way with 272 yards and four TDs in three games, while Winland has rushed for 151 and 3. Through the air, Winland is an efficient 40-of-55 for 320.

“The biggest difference now is our quarterback’s legs are a little bit better,” Edwards said. “Noah is second on the team in rushing attempts and yards and the threat of his legs helps keep the defense honest from cramming the box.

“We’re trying to figure out ways to get out on the edge with our receivers and give guys room to operate.”

The Panthers certainly stacked the box, and if Edwards and company want to avoid seeing something similar from Coshocton, they will need to stretch the field both horizontally and vertically a bit, keeping the defense from overloading the box.

’Cats looking to rebound

Cambridge’s season started with a narrow to defeat to Indian Creek in a game that saw the Bobcats’ run defense surrender yardage in large chunks. It hasn’t gotten better, nor easier, since.

CHS played Meadowbrook even for around 24 minutes Friday before the homestanding Colts started taking it to their northern rivals.

The road doesn’t get any easier as CHS gets to face an angry Indian Valley team, one week removed from losing to previously winless Dover at home, 27-14.

The Braves feature the passing of quarterback Sam Carter and running of backs Grady Kinsey and Kolton Thomas. Two weeks prior, the tandem accounted for four touchdowns against Meadowbrook in a lopsided win.

The Colts did have some success passing against the IV secondary, so that gives Cambridge a fighting chance as the Bobcats’ passing attack, fueled by QB Garrett Carpenter, averages nearly 240 yards per game.

Devin Ogle has become Carpenter’s favorite target, hauling in 23 passes for 306 yards and two scores. Ogle is tied with Warren’s Tanner Pepper for the most receptions in the OVAC through three weeks.

Warriors looking for first win

Week 3’s lopsided loss to Barnesville notwithstanding, Buckeye Trail has been on the cusp of victory in nearly all of its games.

There’s one key aspect that head coach Donnie Kerns knows his team needs to rectify if it wants to get over that hump. Surprisingly enough, it’s one BTHS teams have not really struggled with during Kerns’ tenure.

Safe to say, Kerns is left scratching his head as to the cause of the problem. That problem? Turnovers. Lots of them.

“I don’t know, I’m trying to pinpoint it,” Kerns admitted when asked of the cause. “We’re not taking care of the ball. We’re fumbling the center-quarterback exchange, we’re throwing interceptions, we’re fumbling the ball—it’s just really uncharacteristic things we have not done during the last eight years I’ve been here.

“I don’t know, but ball security has been a major point of emphasis and the kids know there are others breathing down their necks for playing time and I think that’ll add a little more motivation not to turn the ball over.”

Kerns plans to utilize junior Blake Wayble and sophomore Mason Todd more in the offense. They are talented, but not bigger backs in stature and Kerns wanted to bring them along slowly. But he feels it’s time to make them more prominent fixtures in the offense.

Overall, Trail has a nice assortment of skill players, led by back/receiver Koen Eagon and receiver Brady Hastings. The two pull double duty as defensive stalwarts. BT will need all its skill players this week as it takes on Shenandoah and talented sophomore quarterback Roman Barnett.

Barnett is sixth in the OVAC in yards per game passing with 215.3 and adds an additional 62.3 each time out with his feet. His top target, Hunter Yates, averages nearly 80 yards per game.

“I think our skill guys are pretty good,” Kerns said. “I think Hastings and Eagon for us are two of the better out there. I think we match up skill-wise pretty well with Shenandoah.

“Barnett is a really nice player and a lot of what Shenandoah runs, runs through him.”

Colts face big test

Leading rival Cambridge by a narrow margin at halftime last Friday, Meadowbrook set out to impose its will upon the visitors in the second half.

A resounding win followed as Meadowbrook imposed to the tune of a 30-7 second-half score in improving to 2-1. If Steve Norman and company hope to keep the momentum going, they will need to travel to and best a Crooksville team that has outscored opponents 137-33 in three games, including a 47-14 hammering of Berne Union.

The Ceramics are off to their best start since 2010, and the BU win gave the program its 500th win. Running back Daniel Chapman is an imposing figure, rumbling for 379 yards and six TDs on 70 carries.

Far from a one-dimensional offense, the Ceramics also feature freshman QB Brayson Hill, who’s thrown for 577 and seven touchdowns, completing an astounding 70 percent of his passes. Quite the debut, indeed.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Cambridge, Buckeye Trail each look for first win in Week 4