Junction City counting on Hanry to lead special teams

Junction City is accustomed to having a wealth of weapons on special teams, but that has mainly been on punt and kick returns.

But that trend has an addition to that for the 2023 season.

Cole Hanry, a junior, emerged as a steady presence on extra points and kicked field goals in wins over Horatio and Gurdon.

Now he is poised to make a bigger contribution.

“He is an excellent kicker,” Junction City special teams coordinator Jack Smith said. “We are expecting bigger things from him this year. He works on his craft every single day. He has gotten bigger and stronger over the offseason, and from that he has improved his distance by about 15, 20 yards. Cole will also handle the kickoff duties for us this year.”

Hanry is also in the mix to handle the punting duties.

“We have a couple of different guys who are battling to take that job over,” Smith said. “Lamontra Hankton, Dalton Baker and Cole Hanry are all guys that we are trying out in that spot. We are looking for the most consistent of the bunch.

“We think all three guys can be able to excel in that spot, but we are looking for the one who can help us the most in terms of distance, hang time and being able to do the job at that moment.”

The Dragons have several candidates who can handle the punt and kick return duties.

“At both of the return spots, we have numerous options that we can use,” Smith said. “I expect Dominique Grimes and Jordavion Williams to really spearhead these positions for us. They are shifty guys who both can either run past you, or if need be, they can lower their shoulder and get two or three extra yards for us. Dovonte' Grimes is also one that we will be keeping our eye on to fill in for either one of these spots.”

Smith said he is excited to see what the Dragons can accomplish on special teams.

“Special teams is a massive part of the game, and that is what we preach to our kids,” Smith said. “It is not a play that can be taken off. These are plays where you can take control over a game and get the momentum of the game back on our side.

“With the abundance of skill players that we have on our roster, I am very excited to see us on special teams. The firepower that we will possess on special teams is something that we will definitely be able to use to separate ourselves.”