2023 Preseason NECC Big School Division Power Rankings

SuperSam is back for Year 2 of talking High School Sports, and especially breaking down power rankings leading up to the start of the 2023 regular season for football. In the NECC, there are two divisions, so today we will look at the Big School Division, where on paper, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Last season, Angola was pretty strong in their division going 4-0 in division. But this year has the makings to being a very competitive race. Week 1 analysis will be brief since we don’t know a lot about this year’s teams other than what we know coming in and what they did the previous season.

I will be providing power rankings and coverage for the NECC this fall. So, without further ado, let’s begin!

West Noble Chargers (1st Big, 1st Overall)

• 56th Season in Football (1968); NECC since 1968
• Monte Mawhorter (1983 Central Noble Grad) 25th Season 107-135 (Longest Tenured Head Football Coach in NECC History)
• Monte’s 107 Wins is 3rd Most in NECC History behind former West Noble Coach Harold “Dutch” Raether (118) and former Central Noble Coach Trevor Tipton (121).
• 2022 Record: 8-3 (3-1 Big Div.)
• Series Record vs Central Noble (1974): 25-24
• West Noble has claimed ‘The Bell’ in six of the bell’s nine years.
• Since 2018, West Noble has posted three winning seasons when winning Week 1.
• Last NECC Title: 2019
• Key Returnees: Drew Yates Sr. QB, Seth Pruitt Jr. RB, Xavier Yates So. WR/DB, McKale Bottles So. TE/LB, Keegan Clark Sr. OL/DL
• Key Losses: Zach Beers RB/LB, Andrew Saggers OL/DL, Wes Hilbish WR/LB

As Monte alluded to me on media day, West Noble has the talent, experience, and depth in many positions to make a run at another division title. While the Chargers were a younger group in 2022, the freshmen and sophomores contributed in a huge way. The Pistol Attack will utilize the strength, athleticism, and speed Seth Pruitt will bring. Seth ran for 1,209 yards on 176 carries and 16 TDs. Pruitt much like Brandon Pruitt was, he is the straw that stirs the drink on this West Noble offense. That talent allows their offense to establish a tempo they want to play in, and that’s where Drew Yates can utilize his deception and his strong arm.

The receivers are deep in talent with Bottles and Xavier Yates expected to contribute both ways this fall. But let’s not forget about Bradyn Barth adding into the fold as a wide receiver with his 6-foot-5 frame. Fernando Macias will add some depth to the backfield as a junior. The x-factor is going to come with their frontline as they lost some very good players to graduation. Especially someone like Zach Beers that brought size and a physical presence to that front seven. Keegan Clark is one guy expected to make huge contributions as a guard and defensive tackle. Jordan Eash will play outside linebacker on defense for West Noble. You could see a few more underclassmen in the fold to add some youth and athleticism to that defense that allowed less than 18 points a game in 2022.

The Battle for the Bell game will see an interesting matchup between the physical and stingy defense and Central Noble’s newly formed spread offense under Zach Baber. This is a very different kind of matchup compared to what we’re accustomed to between these two schools. Central Noble might still need to be able to establish some kind of running game, in spite of the physical nature of this West Noble defensive unit. But clearly Central Noble wants to utilize more of their athletic talents to full use, which means a lot more opportunities to throw the football than this area has seen in the last 30 years combined.

However, while I won’t spoil too much before the ANEC’s NECC Game of the Week Preview, I will tell you right up front that the battle in the trenches always wins these games, especially when we know injuries, cramps, and fatigue are going to be more common right now because it’s everyone’s first actual game.

Lakeland Lakers (2nd Big, 2nd Overall)

• 59th Season in Football (1965); NECC since 1974
• Ryan O’Shea (2008 Attica Grad, 2012 Ball State Grad) 4th Season 8-22
• 2022 Record: 3-7 (1-3 Big Div.)
• Series Record vs South Bend St. Joseph (1993): 2-18
• Lakeland has lost their last 4 Week 1’s.
• Last Winning Season: 2018 (6-4)
• Last NECC Title: 2013
• Key Returnees: Brayden Holbrook So. QB, Carson Mickem Jr. RB/TE/LB/K/P, Levi Cook So. WR/LB, Keyan Arroyo So. WR/DB, Keegan Merrifield So. TE/DL, Payton Cowley Sr. OL/DL, Chuck Schackow Jr. OL, Bo Kerns Sr. OL/LB, Cam Riegling Sr. OL/LB, Cole Frost Sr. WR/LB, Drannon Miller Jr. RB/LB
• Key Losses: Owen Troyer WR/DB, Kham Malaivanh RB/DL, Mark Wells WR/DB

Lakeland showed flashes of brilliance early last season, but as stated by Coach O’Shea, the Lakers were not ready for the big-time games when the stakes were high, and adversity was more prominent. They see this year as a window of opportunity to surprise a lot of people this fall, and that means we could see an explosive Lakeland offense that can make plays throughout the lineup. Holbrook had a season no Lakeland QB had in a quarter of century with a school record 17 TDs, and he is ONLY a sophomore. He might be the best quarterback in the NECC, and it’s not like the quarterback talent pool in this conference is a slouch. Holbrook is that good. Those type of players you don’t underestimate…..and maybe this is the year Lakeland puts the pieces together to make a run at not just the NECC but maybe sectionals (that might be a stretch because of the sectional they play in).

Losing Owen and Kham is a blow on paper, but me and Coach O’Shea feel that the maturation and experience this team has brings excitement and motivation to do something Lakeland hasn’t done since the kids in the sophomore class were three-to-four years old. But I love Riegling in the trenches, he is a bull when he gets after it. Coach O’Shea is very high on his frontline with Kerns, Schackow, and Kerns. He loves the depth at linebacker, defensive back, and in the skills position. He told me to mark down Cole Frost, Keyan Arroyo, Levi Cook, Drannon Miller, Keegan Merrifield and certainly Carson Mickem as players you better get to know right now.

The talents of Mickem are fascinating. He’s a dynamic athlete that plays multiple sports throughout the year, he plays many positions with little sweat, and he is a straight up competitor. Plus, Mickem has “gained 15lbs and has gotten a lot faster”, on top of the fact he’s becoming one of Lakeland’s emotional/vocal leaders in that program. We are going to see more of what makes Carson one of the best in the NECC. This is his time to shine. Levi is going to let it cook in the pass routes, and especially on defense. Merrifield will not only showcase his ability to make catches with his good hands but also, he’s a tremendous run blocker.

Now, I don’t know how well they’ll do this week against St. Joseph on the road, because they have always been a thorn to Lakeland in past meetings. But if the Lakers can show fight for all four quarters and be able to stay positive when adversity gets tough, I think you’re going to see a team that will transfigure their abilities and embracing a new attitude for the team.

Angola Hornets (3rd Big, 3rd Overall)

• 65th Season in Football (1959); NEIAC 1959-88, NECC since 1989
• Andy Thomas (1989 Mishawaka Grad, 1993 Manchester Grad) 24th Overall Season (145-106), 10th Season at Angola (55-41)
• Andy’s 96 Wins as a NECC Coach is 4th Most All-Time
• 2022 Record: 6-4 (4-0 Big Div.)
• Series Record vs DeKalb (1967): 19-20-1
• 5 of the Last 6 Meetings were Decided by 14 points or Fewer.
• Since 2015, Angola is 2-3 at DeKalb.
• NEIAC Rivals (1967-1988)
• Last NECC Repeat: 2017-2018
• Key Returnees: Micah Steury Sr. QB, Hawk Hasselman So. QB/DB/K, Gavin Willis Sr. RB, Braden Toigo Sr. RB/LB, Lane King Sr. TE/LB/LS, Coby Trick Sr. OL/DL/P, Logan Brisentine Sr. OL/DL, Carter Shull Sr. OL/DL
• Key Losses: Tyler Call QB/DB, Andre Tagliaferri RB/DB (Saint Francis), Jack Archbold OL/DL, Rylan Gebhart OL/DL, Ethan Miller RB/DB, Jake Land DL (Hillsdale (MI)), Josh Kunkle RB/LB

This is a tough place to rank Angola because, on one hand, the Hornets dealt a big blow to graduation losing big-time players in Tyler, Tags, Archbold, Miller, Jake Land, etc. The Hornets lost major contributors on both sides of the ball. On the other hand, the Hornets still have a good number of athletes, pieces on that frontline, and the attitude at Angola remains very positive. The seniors still have a great presence on and off the field teaching the underclassmen what it means to play at Angola, thus keeping the expectations high at Angola.

Right away, you look at the return of Lane King as the main fixture to what makes Angola such a tough team to beat each year. King has the obvious athletic talents to becoming a future player at the next level, but he also balances it with a strong drive to succeed. I know this area has been spoiled with talented receivers and tight ends, but Lane King is certainly up there as one of the more gifted tight ends in the 260. I am very intrigued by the quarterbacks with Micah and Hawk because they’re both different type of quarterbacks, but they complement nicely to Andy’s Pistol scheme that emphasizes a lot of speed and being able to power through people. Micah is a kid that can throw the ball at ease and has the footwork to split through defenses. Hawk is the Mr. Versatility of this team with him being able to use his quickness and his athletic abilities to excel on three different areas of the field, which includes being a kicker.

This offense from time to time will see the passing game put into motion, but their bread and butter is their O-Line, thus Andy’s emphasis on senior leadership. The defense loses big studs, but they bring back a few others that I felt were overlooked in some shape or form. I think Braden Toigo is going to be the next defensive standout in pass coverage that should be able to fill some of the playing abilities Miller and Land had. Brisentine and Trick are expected to be workhorses on that front unit.

The question I have is the depth of Angola because it took a hit from graduation, and I do wonder what happens if injuries become a thing. Plus, the loss of Andre lessens Angola’s versatility on offense. So, that means, they will need to rely on a little more from other guys to carry some of the load this fall. This Friday, they are going to DeKalb, which means they will have to be able to tackle against a senior-latent offensive line. While the Barons lost Tegan Irk, Derek OverBay, and Donnie Wiley to graduation, they still have big time athletes in Kaiden Hinkle in the backfield, Caden Pettis at wide receiver, and Aaden Lytle at quarterback. Can Angola limit the spread and put more pressure on an experienced but slightly unproven defense?

Garrett Railroaders (4th Big, 4th Overall)

• 108th Season in Football (1916); NEIAC 1927-35, 1941-81. NECC 1981-2004, since 2014, ACAC 2005-2013
• Chris DePew (1986 Garrett Grad, 1991 IPFW Grad) 23rd Overall Season 138-99, 12th Season at Garrett 61-57
• 2022 Record: 3-8 (1-3 Big Div.)
• Series Record vs Adams Central (1997): 10-8
• First Road Trip to Minnich Field since Sep. 8, 2012
• Last Winning Season: 2017 (6-4)
• Last NECC Title: 2016
• Key Returnees: Calder Hefty Jr. QB/DB/KR, Xavier Nussbaum Jr. RB/DB/KR, Kaiden Colburn Sr. RB/DB/KR, Blake Lewis So. RB/DB, Luke Holcomb Sr. WR, Parker Skelly Jr. WR/DB, Jackson Ice So. WR/DL, Aiden Hunt So. OL/DL, Nate Wells Jr. OL/LB, Brandon Burger Sr. OL/DL, Levi Chaney Jr. TE/LB
• Key Losses: Kyle Smith LB, Cody Bickley LB/RB, Robert Koskie RB, Jack O’Connor OL/DL, Konner DeWitt OL/DL, Sam Ross OL

The start to last season did not go as expected for Chris DePew’s Railroaders, but the way they finished this season gives hope that an experienced youth will lead to a different outcome this fall. As DePew had informed me about last season, this team went through a lot at the start of last season, and it was clear inexperience played a huge role in their slow start. The junior class is probably the best in the NECC in terms of depth for the class of 2025. Hefty, Hefty, Hefty potential is on the horizon for the Big Train this fall.

On top of Calder, you have depth in the passing game with Smooth Chaney, Luke, and Skelly. You had three sophomores that started the Yorktown game as freshmen, and they grew up fast in Jackson Ice, Aiden Hunt, and Blake Lewis. All three are expected to have huge roles this fall in one way or another. I am big fan of Hunt’s potential in that frontline. DePew points to last year’s seniors as a key point in their midseason turnaround (Robert Koskie, Jack O’Connor, and Kyle Smith).

Koskie is hard to replace with the workload he had, and so there will be a running back by committee with Colburn, Xavier, Lewis, Braden, and freshman Alex Guzman all getting some reps. That will be a key position to watch for this season. O’Connor was one of the most underrated in the area up front, and now others will get a chance to fill that spot with guys like Brandon Burger. But the one I am excited about is what happens at the linebacker slot. DePew said Kyle Smith moved “as well as any LB we’ve had” and was a game changer on defense recording over 100 tackles.

Garrett’s schedule is going to challenge their intestinal fortitude, and with Garrett football, there is always the expectation of playing with emotion and lunch pail football. Football is so important to how the community shapes its individuals, the life lessons it brings, and the type of character that Garrett represents: Blue-Collar workers. Fans have always supported the team; the community takes good care of Garrett. At some point, their hard work will translate into wins. They’ve waited six years to see a team being rewarded for hard work. This could be the year Garrett puts it altogether, and it’s a very tough division to do it. There won’t be any weeks off with any of these teams.

Fairfield Falcons (5th Big, 6th Overall)

• 55th Season in Football (1969); NSC 1969-79, NECC since 1980
• Matt Thacker (1995 Warsaw Grad, 1999 Manchester Grad) 6th Season 24-27
• 2022 Record: 5-5 (1-3 Big Div.)
• Series Record vs Goshen (2015): 2-5
• Never Beaten Goshen in Consecutive Meetings
• Last Winning Season: 2020 (9-1)
• Last NECC Title: 2021
• Key Returnees: Brooks Custer Jr. QB/DB, Brecken Maran Jr. RB/LB, Ethan Schmucker Sr. RB/DL, Sawyer Ernsberger Sr. RB/DB, Alex Hofer Sr. WR/DB/KR, Marco Garcia Sr. WR/DB/P/KR, Brock Dunlap Jr. TE/DL, Ethan Hochstetler Sr. OL/DL, Nick Hofer Jr. OL/DL
• Key Losses: Dayton Lockwood, Brock Berkey, Cohen Custer, Wyatt Ernsberger, Carter Kitson

Last year, Fairfield set the bar high and came up short. This year, experience and depth are plentiful this fall, now it’s about reflecting that with better execution. Coach Thacker envisions a deeper roster and a retooled offensive line. Those things are so crucial when we talk about this program that runs the wishbone triple-option. It’s such a rare offense to see in this day of age of football, yet it is such a difficult offense to prepare for. They alluded to depth being a big part of Fairfield being a tale of two teams in 2022.

It is a motivated and hard-working group of kids that want to maintain a championship attitude at Fairfield as the team rallies around the idea of believing in each other to do great things. It is a program desired to do great things; it’s just about taking care of the little things. A healthy line will go the distance this fall for Fairfield. Guys like Schmucker, Dunlap, and Hochstetler will bring senior leadership and a vocal presence to this Falcons’ roster. But the guy I am excited about this year is Nick Hofer. We’re talking 6-foot-7 300lbs as a lineman that can flat out pancake opposing tackles. I know we talk about the greatness of Eastside’s Dane Sebert in football, as well as discus and shot put. But Hofer was showing off some big-time numbers for Fairfield in track. I think we’re going to hear a lot more about Hofer this fall.

Brecken Maran had a strong first half last year and then never found the same momentum once injuries became an issue. I don’t know if the numbers will be as eye popping as other backs we will see, but I think he is an interesting guy to watch. And of course, the pass coverage will be enticing to see, especially with seniors Alex Hofer at defensive back and Marco Garcia at corner. We will be seeing a lot from those two this fall, especially on offense with Garcia at QB and Hofer at wide receiver.

The key question is going to be belief and executing the fundamentals because they have enough guys that can create problems for opposing teams. That Goshen game Friday is going to be a game filled with hard-hitting and a lot of emotion.

Liked it? Take a second to support SummitCitySports on Patreon!