Hungry Panthers restoring the roar behind excellent depth
HANOVER — It's seldom that a loss can be considered a win, but that's exactly what happened in 2021 as undermanned, 15th-seeded Licking Valley staged a stirring comeback, albeit in a loss at 2nd-seeded St. Clairsville in their playoff game.
"A lot of confidence came out of that game," said junior Trevor Croak, one of the leaders on what is expected to be a strong Panthers' offensive line.
"Adversity always comes, and you fight through your battles. It's one of the life lessons you take from football," said talented senior receiver Ayden Stalnaker. "We've matured and have become a lot closer. It's a new family. The underclassmen have a lot of respect for the upperclassmen, and we have a lot of respect for them. It's a different vibe."
"It springboarded us into winter lifting, and we had one of our better winter turnouts, with players from other sports taking time to come in," Hall of Fame coach Randy Baughman said. "We got bigger and stronger, and we have Larry Miller, one of the best strength coaches around. Most importantly, he's a motivator."
Coming off a rare 2-8 season, Licking Valley is highly motivated and much improved as it tries to get back to the top of the Licking County League-Buckeye Division and Division IV, Region 15. "We are platooning, so basically, no one is going both ways, which is a luxury," Baughman said. The Panthers are also bigger than they've been in a long time up front, and experienced.
Croak (6-2, 255) and senior Seth Phelps (6-5, 245) are at tackles, with senior twins Evan Fee (5-10, 230) and Connor Fee (5-11, 245) at center and guard, respectively. Senior Gaige Brahler (6-0, 250) is at the other guard, with junior Matthew Lehman (6-3, 270) ready to step in at any point.
"We have three starters back and a fourth guy who played a lot," Croak said. "Offensive line is the toughest place to play, and that's where we have the most experience," Baughman said. "We're still getting there."
Junior quarterback Hayden Rodgers is able to operate behind them with confidence. "Our offensive line has changed a lot since last year, and I'm able to stay in the pocket more since I feel safe," said Rodgers (6-1, 175). "Our receivers make plays and our backs run hard."
"Hayden and I have been together for a long time, and we're used to winning," Connor Fee said. "We know he's going to make the plays we need behind us."
Stalnaker (6-1, 170) has been dominant in the pre-season, catching four touchdowns in the 7-on-7 at Columbus Academy and three more in the Utica scrimmage. "But Trent (Clark), Drew (Hampton), Gavin (Bragg) and Alex (Phelps) are also big keys, and the offensive line is key to all of this. We're lifelong friends," Stalnaker said.
Stalnaker is faster and stronger and playing with much more confidence, Baughman said. Clark plays with intelligence and has also gotten stronger, while Phelps, a 6-foot-5 junior, provides a big target at tight end. Hampton will be effective in the slot, and Bragg will play both at tight end and wideout.
"This year, Ayden and I have connected, not just on the field, but off it, since I also play baseball with him. I love watching him run, and I love the intensity," Rodgers said.
Senior running backs Colton Carr (5-9, 170) and Theo Walsh (5-10, 200), a baseball standout who hasn't played football in years, and Rodgers will team up to keep the Panthers balanced. Walsh, who will also play defensive tackle, is one of the strongest players on the team. "We talked him into coming out, and he benches like 315 and deadlifts over 500. He totaled 1,290, which just missed (Jarrod) Hufford's record," Rodgers said. "A lot us are closer to Hufford's record, because of Larry Miller," said Croak.
"Our running backs are really aggressive," Connor Fee said. "Colton puts his shoulder down, and Theo is real tough. We trust any running back who is back there."
Valley will put a totally different lineup on the other side of the ball, at least at the start. "Defensively, we're a pretty good team, with quickness and depth," Baughman said.
Defensive ends will come from Addison Ross (6-0, 200), Lain Copper (6-3, 205) and Titan Priest (6-0, 175), with Tom Schneider (6-0, 225) and Walsh at the tackles. Croak and Brailer will fill in as needed. Senior Bryce Justice (5-10, 195), a returning starter, Caden Rhodes (5-11, 175) and sophomores Trent Markus (5-9, 170) and Luke Conaway (5-10, 155) are in the linebacker mix. Junior Cooper Hornfeck (6-1, 160) returns to lead the secondary at cornerback, but the Panthers are young back there with junior Logan Workman and sophomores Alek Diller and Kam Walker. Clark, Hampton and Stalnaker can all play if called upon.
Junior Jacob Wheeler (6-0, 140) should be a much-improved kicker after attending several camps, and has a 40-45 yard field goal range.
Valley is counting on intangibles, combined with talent, to lead it back to familiar territory.
"There's a lot more togetherness, and we're tightly packed," Croak said. "We're all friends, and there's a lot of bonding. We're a band of brothers."
"We have to take practices slow, week by week," Rodgers said. "Last year, we were not always focused. We need to come in every day and do the work.
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At a Glance
Coach: Randy Baughman
State Classification: Division IV, Region 15
In 2021: 2-8, 0-4
Key players: Ayden Stalnaker, Sr., WR-DB; Drew Hampton, Sr., WR-DB; Colton Carr, Sr., RB-DB; Theo Walsh, Sr., RB-DL; Seth Phelps, Sr., OL-DL Hayden Rodgers, Jr., QB; Trevor Croak, Jr., OL-DL; Trent Clark, Jr., WR-DB.
What to expect: A wounded Panther is also a dangerous one, and Valley should fit the bill after an uncharacteristic 2-8 season. Rodgers is a real weapon, as both a passer and runner, and Stalnaker, Clark and Hampton lead a deep receiving corps. Walsh is a key addition as both a running back and defensive lineman. The line should be the Panthers' biggest in years and has good experience. Valley also has enough overall depth where most Panthers are only going one way. Look for a hungry group to again be near the top of the LCL-Buckeye heap and be able to make a playoff run.
Game to watch: . Week 2, Heath. Although it doesn't count in the league standings, the LCL crossover clash against the two-time defending Cardinal Division champions could provide a glimpse of whether Valley can contend for the title in Buckeye Division. And it will provide valuable playoff points.
Postseason outlook: The Panthers appear to have what it takes to get a decent playoff seeding, although Bishop Hartley entering Division IV (Bloom-Carroll is moving up to Division III) alters the Region 15 picture quite a bit. To get to that point, Valley must navigate another challenging non-league schedule, now including Division III state semifinalist West Holmes with stud running back Sam Williams-Dixon, and still including Sheridan and Lima Central Catholic.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Lickng Valley eager to flip the script from rare 2-8 season
