Northridge Johnstown-Monroe

Visit ThisWeekNews.com for Live Friday Night Football Coverage

At a glance
Vikings NORTHRIDGE VIKINGS
Colors: Green and white
Coach: Tim Priest, second season
Key players: Matt Boudinot, Sean Haines, Nathan
Hume, Colin Ralph, Justin Shaw and Palmer Smith
Johnnies expect to
prepared On the Web: northridge.k12.oh.us/nhs.html
2007 SCHEDULE
Aug. 24..............Coshocton .........................Away
Aug. 31..............Hamilton Township..............Away
play tough, have fun
to take By ANDERS LARSON
Sept. 7...............Lakewood...........................Away
Sept. 14 ............Utica ................................Home
Sept. 21 ............Fredericktown .....................Away
Independent Staff Writer At a glance
Sept. 28 ............East Knox.........................Home
Oct. 5 ................Loudonville .......................Home Coach Mike Carter said that in his six years JOHNSTOWN-MONROE JOHNNIES
Colors: Red and gray

next step as coach of Johnstown-Monroe High School

By ANDERS LARSON
ThisWeek Staff Writer
Coaches and players with the Northridge
High School football team agree that last sea-
son’s record fell short of their own expectations.
There doesn’t seem to be much debate about
that.
“Last year was obviously disappointing
because we had some pretty decent playmak-
ers and we were big everywhere,” senior quar-
terback Justin Shaw said. “We ended up going
4-6, had a lot of injuries, and we were losing
games we should have won.”
The Vikings aren’t looking for any excuses.
Shaw and fellow senior Colin Ralph said the
disappointment of last season kept the team
motivated throughout offseason workouts. Coach
Tim Priest said the team’s attitude and work
ethic has been good during the preseason.
But looking back, last year’s 4-6 record was
understandable. Priest, who had been with the
program as an assistant, took over for Ed Dani-
her, the coach since 2003. Priest implemented
speed training last summer, but it hardly had
time to show significant results. Priest also intro-
duced the wing-T offense to a group of players
that had been used to a power running game for
as long as they had been playing.
Midway through the year, with the offense
struggling, Priest resorted back to the team’s
previous offensive system.
This season, with a full year of work, the
changes Priest made to the program are more
likely to elicit the results he wants.
“Last year’s group wasn’t comfortable with
the wing-T because it was new,” Priest said.
“This year, we’ve had a lot more time to rep it,
understand it. We’ve had more classroom time,
coaches have had more time to get accustomed.”
Attendance was up in the weight room all
Oct. 12 ..............Centerburg........................Home
Oct. 19 ..............Danville..............................Away
Oct. 26 ..............Johnstown..........................Away
2006 RESULTS
(4-6 overall, 3-4 MBC)
Licking Heights..........................................L, 13-3
Licking Valley ............................................L, 30-0
Hartley.....................................................W, 17-7
Utica........................................................W, 17-7
Fredericktown..........................................L, 16-10
East Knox ................................................W, 14-8
Loudonville...............................................W, 13-0
Centerburg................................................L, 16-8
Danville ....................................................L, 14-0
Johnstown ..............................................L, 16-12
BE THE ONE to
champion
life for patients in need.
1-800-GIVE-LIFE
BloodSavesLives.org
ball through the air could be the offensive line,
which lost four starters. Senior tackle Nathan
Hume (6-0, 221), the only returning starter, will
start at tackle.
Ralph (6-2, 195) will be back at tight end,
where he caught six passes for 74 yards last
year, and Priest said that he expects speedy junior
Sean Haines (5-11, 185) to make an impact in
his first season starting at wingback.
The Vikings will also need to cut down on
turnovers after committing 37 a season ago.
Defensively, Priest said the Vikings’ added
speed could pay even more dividends. Shaw
and Ralph return in the defensive backfield, and
Haines and Boudinot both started a year ago at
linebacker. Smith will be starting at defensive
end for the third consecutive season.
After going 3-4 and tying Centerburg for
fourth in the MBC a year ago, the Vikings have
their minds set on getting back in the race for a
league title. The Vikings won the league title
outright in 2004 and shared the title in 2002 and
2003.
football team, he hasn’t set any specific goals
as far as wins and losses.
He believes that if his team accomplishes
three things, the rest ought to fall into place.
“Did the kids play tough? Did the kids try
their hardest? Did the kids play with enthusi-
asm and have fun?”
Last season, the Johnnies did all three and
picked up plenty of wins along the way. They
finished 9-3 overall, won their first playoff game
and finished second in the MBC at 6-1 behind
Danville (7-0). Carter is sticking with his same
three goals for this year’s group, but that has-
n’t stopped his players from setting some of
their own aspirations.
“Our overall goal is to go undefeated,” senior
lineman Kenny Kuskowski said as his fellow
seniors nodded in agreement. “And then every-
thing else will fall into place.”
The players believe that’s realistic, and it
appears the program is headed in the right direc-
tion to make that happen. The Johnnies were
just 5-5 in 2003, but in the past three seasons
they have gone a combined 24-8 and not lost
more than 3 games in a season.
Last season was certainly one of the pro-
gram’s best seasons, and Carter attributed the
success to the Johnnies playing team football.
There’s no reason to expect that to change this
year, as this team again has shown tremendous
work ethic and has gotten solid leadership from
its seniors.
“The seniors last year were like brothers,”
wide receiver Shane Sheppard said. “They did
everything outside of football together. Inside
of football, they hung out all the time. I think
that’s what we’re building right now, more of
like a brotherhood.”
The Johnnies have plenty of experience back,
particularly on defense, but there are still major
holes to fill. The biggest vacancy is at tailback
after the graduation of Marcus Hendren, the dis-
Coach: Mike Carter, sixth season
Key players: Will Carter, Mitchell Dawson, Jake Hol-
lis, Jake Julian, Kenny Kuskowski, Todd McKnight,
Colton Rosshirt and Shane Sheppard
On the Web: johnstown.k12.oh.us
2007 SCHEDULE
Aug. 24..............Granville.............................Away
Aug. 31..............Heath...............................Home
Sept. 7...............Licking Heights...................Away
Sept. 14 ............Loudonville .......................Home
Sept. 21 ............Centerburg .........................Away
Sept. 28 ............Fredericktown ...................Home
Oct. 5 ................East Knox ..........................Away
Oct. 12 ..............Danville ............................Home
Oct. 19 ..............Utica..................................Away
Oct. 26 ..............Northridge ........................Home
2006 RESULTS
(9-3 overall, 6-1 MBC)
Granville ..................................................W, 45-6
Heath .....................................................L, 34-28
Licking Heights.........................................W, 24-6
Loudonville.............................................W, 48-24
Centerburg...............................................W, 27-0
Fredericktown.........................................W, 35-32
East Knox ..............................................W, 35-14
Danville ....................................................L, 27-6
Utica......................................................W, 49-14
Northridge..............................................W, 16-12
PLAYOFFS
Stewart Federal Hocking ...........................W, 30-0
West Jefferson ........................................L, 40-14
BE THE ONE to
champion
life for patients in need.
1-800-GIVE-LIFE
BloodSavesLives.org
trict’s leader in rushing last season with 2,900
yards. Hendren, who is on the team at Cornell
this fall, ran for 8.4 yards per carry and broke
Mick Reilly’s school record of 2,045 yards rush-
ing, set in 2002.
Carter said Sheppard, senior Todd McK-
night and juniors Colton Rosshirt and Josh
See JOHNSTOWN, page 75

August 22, 2007 • Central Ohio High School Football Preview ’07
offseason, according to Shaw and Ralph, and
they believe the focus on speed training has paid
off. Priest said because of that emphasis on
speed, this year’s squad will be better equipped
to run this system. The offensive linemen,
although inexperienced, are smaller and faster
Good Luck
Northridge
cs 082207 B79768-1

across the board, and the Vikings return talent

and experience in the backfield.
“It’s a better system for us this year because
of our speed,” Priest said. “Last year, maybe we
didn’t have quite the speed we needed to be suc-
cessful with the wing-T. This year we do.”
Pick Your Own or
Johnstown Make a Skilled care in a
Ready Picked
Along with Shaw, who started at quarterback
and defensive back last season, running back Peaches Feed Mill Inc. Winning Impression • Diverse Selection Cement Statuary
family like atmosphere
• Homeward Bound
Palmer Smith (6-0, 211 pounds) and fullback
cs 082207 B88410-1

(Red Haven, Belaire, White Peaches) Personalized, • Custom Furniture

Rehabilitation Therapy
Matt Boudinot (5-11, 175) are returning starters Hometown Customer Service • Folkart by local artisans

in the backfield. Smith had 384 yards rushing Apples Custom Orders • Unique Handcrafted musical Angels,
Snowmen, Chefs, Santas & more
(Therapy Services Designed to
Help You Return Home After
Injury or Illness)
at 6.5 yards per carry last year and caught 11 Horse Feed • Livestock Feed • In the Barn, at the Farm
Amish & other varieties of cheese. Good • Medicare, Medicaid Licensed
passes for 145 yards, and Boudinot finished Cat & Dog Food • Wormers • Assisted Living Available
with 175 yards rushing on 28 attempts. selection of sugar free candy, regular candy, Fly & Rodent Control • Respite Care (short-term stays) www.zandex.com
Shaw (6-3, 195) ran for 167 yards and threw homemade jams & jelly’s & much more! • Private Rooms
Farm, Livestock, Pet, • Pets Welcome to Visit Residents
for only 287, but he said he expects this year’s
team to be more balanced. TheVikings attended
Legend Hill Lawn & Garden Supplies Gifts & Antiques for the
Home & Garden Northview Senior
7-on-7 tournaments at Otterbein and Newark
and were involved in 7-on-7 competitions at
Orchards We’ve Got You Covered 9862 Johnstown-Utica Rd.
(Rt 62) Johnstown Living Center
cs 082207 B88408-1

cs 082207 B88409-1

cs 082207 B88411-1

team camp, and Priest said the passing game 11335 Reynolds Rd. Utica May-Sept Sat. 10-5, Sun. 1-5
(1 mile off US 62 East)
200 Track Street Oct-Dec Thurs, Fri, Sat 10-5; Sun 1-5
267 North Main Street, Johnstown

has been point of emphasis throughout the off- Johnstown (740) 967-7896
season.
740-892-2498
967-4000 740-967-0421 Kristi Derflinger

The key to how well the Vikings move the

www.legendhillorchards.com Sat by appointment or chance Social Service/Admissions Director
73