State Trooper Tony Slocum is looking forward to his first season as the Caston head football coach.

Hes got a small but mighty group to work with in Year 1.

A small group of kids, smaller than what were used to, about 18 kids as of right now and hopefully well pick up some when school starts which we usually pick up one or two. But well play a game before then so were going to go with what we got, Slocum said. Nobodys going to feel sorry for us so were going to practice as hard as we can in preparation to win football games. When the parents and community members pay their $6 to watch the Comets theyre going to see a hard-nosed football team that at least plays hard. We hope that translates into wins. Were preparing to win games, thats why we play them.

With a lack of numbers, the Comet players will have to be prepared to play both ways. Slocum noted that is usually the case every year, although this is a smaller group than usual.

But he said the players who are on the team can play.

This is a good group of kids. Theyve been together for obviously four years but most of them have played together since third or fourth grade. So they know each other, theyre a tight group, and when you have a small group youve got to have the right kids in the right positions. You have to have linemen, you have to have running backs and receivers and we have enough at the various positions to compete with anybody in our conference, Slocum said.

I equate us to being a MAC school, like a MAC school playing a Big Ten school, our top 11 is as good as anybody and as long as we avoid the injury bug, well compete very well, and thats our goal.

Slocum, who is running a double wing offense and is calling the plays, is moving his returning talent around. Hes moved senior Tayt Cowell (5-11, 177) to quarterback.

He was just voted as one of the captains of the team, Slocum said. This is his first year as a starting quarterback, he has played the backup role before. Hes one of those versatile kids who can play anywhere on the football field.

Senior Kasey Ault (5-11, 182), last years leading rusher and tackler, is moving from fullback to wingback this season.

Senior Brady Hartman (5-11, 186) is moving from quarterback to fullback. The other wingbacks are senior Colton Welker (6-0, 188) and junior Blake Albright (5-10, 171).

Brady Hartman, who was our starting quarterback the last couple years, a big kid who runs very hard, hes going to start at the fullback position, Slocum said. Colton Welker, whos a senior, pretty fast kid coming back from a couple knee injuries, two years in a row hes pulled on an ACL on the different knees, but hes been working hard and hes looking good and hes got some of his speed back so were counting on him to help spread that load out this year with Kasey Ault. Then we have another wing, Blake Albright, and those three hopefully we can share the load with four different backs and not have to rely so heavily on Kasey Ault as we did last year. But obviously when you have a dynamic player such as Kasey, you still want to get the ball in his hands as much as you can.

When the Comets do spread out and utilize wide receivers, it will be the halfbacks who split out.

The starting tight ends are sophomore Gavin Hickle (5-11, 183) and junior Chris Smith (6-0, 192), a veteran starter on the offensive line who is moving to tight end for this season.

The offensive line consists of senior Payton Hedrick (6-2, 309), who is moving from tackle to center, seniors Brandon Kinser (6-0, 194) and Dillion Tabler (6-0, 204) at guards and senior Seth Johnson (6-2, 253) and sophomore Hunter Schanlaub (6-4, 220) at tackle.

Hedrick and Tabler are veteran starters.

Seth Johnson missed out on football the last couple years but hes come back. Hes a pretty big kid and hes doing well for us, Slocum said. Brandon Kinser had an accident last summer, didnt get to play football, were obviously very happy to have him back.

Hunter Schanlaub, hes a versatile kid, a tight end in past, hes doing a good job also.

The Comets are going to a 4-2-5 look on defense.

Our base defense is going to be a 4-2-5 to utilize the limited linemen we have and use the speed that we do have in the backfield with those backs, Slocum said.

Hedrick and Johnson will start at defensive tackle and Smith and Schanlaub will start at defensive end. Ault and Kinser are the inside linebackers and Hickle and Hartman are the outside linebackers. Welker will start at safety with Cowell and Albright as the cornerbacks.

The Comets are coming off a 2-8 season where their two wins were against Triton and West Central. Theyre hosting West Central to open the season on Friday night. West Central left the Hoosier North Athletic Conference for the newly reformed Midwest Conference starting this school year, leaving the HNAC with eight schools. The other MWC schools are Frontier, North Newton, North White and Tri-County.

Theyre probably going to be a little upset because we beat them last year but were going to try our best to be ready for them, Slocum said. I welcome them to the Comet Crater and I hope people come out to watch these new Comets and see what we can do.

Im excited about what weve got and these kids play hard. Obviously we have to do our best to put them in a position to win and try to keep them away from injury. If we do that I think well be successful this year.

CASTON FOOTBALL

COACH: Tony Slocum (0-0 in 1st season)

CONFERENCE: Hoosier North.

SECTIONAL: Class A, Sectional 41.

SECTIONAL OPPONENTS: Culver, LaVille, North Judson, South Central (Union Mills), Triton, West Central, Winamac.

COMETS SCHEDULE

All games start at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Friday West Central

Aug. 25 at North Judson, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 1 at Triton

Sept. 8 Pioneer

Sept. 15 LaVille

Sept. 22 at North Miami

Sept. 29 Culver

Oct. 6 at Winamac

Oct. 13 Knox, 7:30 p.m.

Link:

FOOTBALL: Caston Comets preview - pharostribune.com