Marshall County Football Preview
Returning cast makes Lancer season look bright
LAKEVILLE —With just one player lost to graduation, LaVille head football coach Will Hostrawser and his Lancer team have high expectations heading into the 2022 season.
“With all starters returning on both sides of the ball, expectations are elevated heading into the 2022 season,” explained Hostrawser. “Offensively, we have the ability to diversify our scheme week to week. Defensively we are working on developing our communication, team speed and physicality. As a whole, developing depth will be priority #1.”
The Lancers started off the 2021 season by winning five of their first six games. It was a week three regular season loss to Hoosier North Athletic Conference foe Pioneer that kept the Lancers from early-season perfection.
Hostrawser’s team has been known for its stingy defense and proved vital again in 2021 by allowing 14 points or less, including seven games with one score or less. The LaVille defense finished the season as the seventh best in the state of Indiana, allowing 9.58 points per game.
Hostrawser is hoping that LaVille’s defense will be the calling card again in 2022.
With 11 starters back on both defense and offense, Hostrawser has a fine place to start.
The ‘3-4’ defense starts with seniors Garrett Wagoner, A.J. Bedock, and Mason Stepp up front. That trio combined for over 100 tackles.
The linebackers include seniors Noah Richhart, Collin Allen, Ross Wagoner, and
Levi Stafford. Richhart led the defense with 116 tackles, while Ross Wagoner added 73 tackles, and Levi Stafford 47 tackles, including 4.5 sacks. Allen added 54 tackles while roaming around on defense.
In the secondary, senior Owen Smith, junior Lucas Plummer, sophomores Cody Allen, Xzavian LaFace, and Collin Czarnecki will be relied on to provide coverage.
Plummer is set to handle punting and kicking chores for LaVille. He had nearly 34 yards per punt a year ago.
Not to be outdone, the LaVille ‘multiple’ offense also returns 11 starters from 2021.
Plummer returns as the Lancer quarterback. He was 46-of-110 for 624 yards and seven touchdowns.
Set to hit the gaps and create havoc for the opposing defense are senior backfield mates Paul DeWitt and Noah Richhart. DeWitt collected 888 rushing yards and four TDs, while Richhart rushed for 409 yards and four TDs.
Plummer’s targets upfield will be Smith, Czarnecki, and Ross Wagoner. Smith led the receiving corps with 13 receptions for 207 yards and four TDs, Wagoner nine catches, 174 yards and two TDs, and Czarnecki seven for 59 yards.
Along the front line are seniors A.J. Bedock, Garrett Wagoner, and Collin Allen to go with juniors Hudson Doyle and Erik Bedock.
The lone graduation for LaVille includes Austin Belknap (WR/DB), who contributed six tackles.
The Lancers, who were beaten by HNAC rival Pioneer eight straight times over the