Cavs to learn on the fly with some talented newcomers
CULVER — A one-point loss in the sectional final game a year ago to North Judson left a bad taste in the mouth of Culver’s football team. The loss of a very talented offensive line and some skilled players that were instrumental to a 7-5 year would give any coach pause, but Culver’s Mike Zehner is confident in his guys.
“We lost four of those guys up front and Hunter Lautt was an all-state player for us a year ago,” said Zehner. “But I really like what we have coming back.”
“Austin Zehner was a starter for us at center and he’s back. Alex Zehner will be back,” said the coach. “Alex hasn’t played in two years because of a knee injury. He tore an ACL two years ago and the surgery really didn’t take and he had to have it redone last year so he’s eager to get back on the field.”
“Hunter Evans will be back and able to take one of the guard positions and could even split some time at halfback,” said Zehner. “Hunter Taylor should take one of those spots and Dalton Binkley will be there too.”
“Marquez Anderson will step in there at that tight end spot,” said Zehner. “He played there some a year ago. He put on some weight and spent a lot of time working out with his brother (Culver all-state lineman and current Saginaw Valley College starter Marcellus Anderson) during the shutdown and it shows.”
“I really like our o-line again,” said Zehner. “I hope we don’t miss a beat. We run a double tight end set and A.J. Cooper should step in and lock down the other side.”
Anderson is one of a trio of returning Cavs that has great football DNA. Jalen King, the younger brother of Culver standout Kia Riale, is back after a great year at running back and is joined in the backfield by Tucker Fisher at quarterback, who’s older brother Jake was one starting tight end a year ago and a baseball standout at Culver.
“That’s the great thing about a school like Culver is you get to know guys’ families really well,” said Zehner. “Really that’s what a football program is, all about family.”
“We scored more points last year than any other Culver team and I feel pretty good about what we have back,” said Zehner. “Zac
(Ditmire) had a great year for us a year ago, but Jalen is back and he had a great year. We just hope he picks up where he left off. Shane Schuman can do some really good things and Blake Thompson looks like the other guy back there. We actually may be better athletically than we were a year ago.”
“Tucker (Fisher) got hurt a year ago and was doing a great job when he went down,” said Zehner. “He’s recovered well and he will be our quarterback.”
The good news - nearly every player for the Cavs will be a junior this year. The other side of that coin is in spite of great talent, there is some inexperience.
“Nearly every guy I’ve mentioned so far is a junior. A.J. Cooper is our only senior so when we sit down as a coaching staff we feel that we could be pretty set for two years,” said Zehner. “I’m just hoping that we get better each week.”
Defensively for Culver, it will be a lot of the same names getting the lions share of the time. As a Class 1A school, two-way players are the lifeblood of most programs. There will still be some opportunities for others.
“There are some guys that are going to have to step up,” said Zehner. “They may have to play a different position than a year ago, but we feel very good about the guys we have and what they can do.”
As a part of one of the best small-school football conferences in the state, the task will be a big one and depend on growth from some inexperience.
“This conference (Hoosier North Athletic Conference) has to be one of the best 1A conferences in Indiana,” said Zehner. “You have Pioneer and LaVille who are now 2A and Knox at 3A, but it’s a great conference to learn from for a 1A team that heads into the playoffs. It will let you know where you are each week.”
“We still feel our sectional is pretty wide open,” he said. “Triton had a sort of rebuilding year a year ago, but they will be back as good as before. West Central should be solid. Caston is excited to get going with a new coach. Winamac will be solid and North Judson got us twice last year - opening night by two points and then in the sectional by one.”
“We just have to get better every week,” he said. “We can’t be making the same mistakes week after week. We have to get to the film and learn from the week before and not make those mistakes a second time.”