Early challenge for Panthers

There’s no easing into the season for the Creston/O-M football team this week.

The Panthers open with a big road challenge at one of the state’s top projected Class 2A teams coming off an 8-2 playoff season, with most of Chariton’s primary playmakers back for the 2019 campaign.

The Chargers host Creston/O-M in a 7:30 p.m. kickoff after the two freshman teams square off at 5 p.m.

Chariton is ninth in this year’s Class 2A preseason rankings by the Des Moines Register. Last year the Chargers opened with a 35-34 overtime victory at Creston on the way to an unblemished regular season except for a midseason loss to state champion PCM, Monroe. West Liberty topped Chariton 30-10 in the playoff opener.

“They were a junior-led football team last year, so they have a really strong senior class this season and I imagine they are expecting to make a big run in 2A,” said Creston/O-M coach Brian Morrison.

The leader of that senior group is running back and inside linebacker Dylan Kane, a 6-1, 190-pounder who churned up 1,371 yards rushing and 42 touchdowns last year. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry.

On defense, Kane was the clear team leader in tackles (89.5) including seven stops for losses.

“The Kane kid (No. 7) is just a really good football player,”

Also returning in the backfield is senior quarterback Graden Arnold (No. 1), who was 48-of-107 passing last year for 722 yards and nine touchdowns with five interceptions. He does not carry the ball often, finishing with negative yards on sacks in 15 attempts.

The Chargers did lose four of their top receivers, including primary receiver Jackson Fisher, but Kane was used often out of the backfield with 16 receptions for 263 yards and five TDs, including a 75-yarder.

“They are physical up front and they will be one of the better teams we play this year,” Morrison said. “To mix it up with the run they love to send (Arnold) on bootlegs or naked reverses to get him in space and look for something downfield.”

Chariton’s defense lost five of its top eight tacklers from 2018, but Morrison said any defense anchored by Kane in the middle will be formidable.

“We have some new guys up front and we have to keep improving to be successful against a physical defense like Chariton’s,” Morrison said.

On the bright side, many sophomore Panthers were getting their first varsity test a year ago and yet it shaped up early like a possible victory.

“We were up 7-0 and went for it on fourth-and-2, but we had a hitch route called and had a mixup there and got picked,” Morrison said. “Then we got up 28-14 in the third quarter but they got it to overtime and beat us on the two-point conversion. We were young then, but we knew were were a good young, and those kids continued to grow during the season. We’re anxious to start this season.”

There have been some injury setbacks to the potential lineup Morrison could put on the field. During the winter, the team’s top tackler as a sophomore last year, Kolby Hulett, was sidelined from any further contact sports because of a diagnosed spinal cord condition. He remains with the team assisting coaches during practices and games.

Two-way player and kicker Cael Kralik has been nursing a turf toe injury on his left (non-kicking) foot, but was able to return to practice Tuesday and Wednesday and is slated for wide receiver duties and kicking on Friday.

Kaden Bolton, a junior outside linebacker, is out at least one week with a knee strain. Senior two-way player Rylan Luther, who received an offer this week from Iowa Wesleyan University, is slated to move to outside linebacker as junior Evan Bruce steps in at strong safety.

Two other key Panther returnees are out four to six weeks. Center Logan Shady, replaced by Gavin Gillam and Ayden Filer, suffered a dislocated knee early in preseason camp. Receiver and cornerback Camden Peterson could miss half of his senior season after two ACL surgeries in the past 11 months.

But the depth is improved this year on the 74-man roster, Morrison said, and he’s comfortable with Friday’s starting lineup (see related story). The deep receiver corps starts with Kralik, Brance Backer and Luke Latham, along with returning letterman Brayton Chesnut. Quarterback Eli Loudon and running back Rylan Luther return in the backfield.

Senior Sam Chapman figures to be the only two-way lineman as Morrison tries to keep fresh players up front on both units. Guards Chris Wilson and Keagan Smith return with some varsity experience, while senior Eli Hartman steps in at the tackle position after the graduation of Kendall Crawford and James McDonald last year.

The Panther defense seems poised to match up against Chariton’s power game with a defensive line that includes Chapman and Jackson Kinsella on the ends and Andy Weis at noseguard. All three are physical players and successful members of coach Cody Downing’s Panther wrestling team.

It’s the linebacker corps that has to be rebuilt with the loss of 2018 senior Beau Barncastle and Hulett. Gillam and Andy Mills get the call at inside backer Friday, with Luther and Garon Wurster, two more solid wrestlers in the winter, holding down the outside positions.

Morrison thinks Baker could become an elite-level free safety this year, after gaining experience at cornerback as a sophomore last year.

It shapes up as an interesting season opener.

“Everybody on our schedule this year is a good football team and this one is certainly near the top,” Morrison said. “Last year we went into this game with a lot of unknowns. They progressed as the season went along and now they know what it takes. I feel really good about the kids we have on the team. We’ve had great attitude and effort.”

Lineup

OFFENSE

T Sam Chapman 6-2 220 Sr.

G Keagan Smith 6-0 270 Jr.

C Gavin Gillam 6-0 200 Sr.

G Chris Wilson 6-1 285 So.

T Eli Hartman 6-2 215 Sr.

WR Luke Latham 5-10 150 Sr.

WR Brance Baker 6-0 160 Jr.

WR Cael Kralik 6-3 165 Jr.

QB Eli Loudon 5-11 185 Sr.

RB Rylan Luther 6-0 190 Sr.

FB Garon Wurster 5-5 150 Jr.

K Cael Kralik 6-3 165 Jr.

DEFENSE

DE Sam Chapman 6-2 220 Sr.

DT Andy Weis5-9 220 Jr.

DE Jackson Kinsella 6-1 200 Jr.

OLB Garon Wurster 5-5 150 Jr.

ILB Gavin Gillam 6-0 200 Sr.

ILB Andy Mills 6-2 175 Sr.

OLB Rylan Luther 6-0 190 Sr.

CB Brayton Chesnut 5-11 145 Sr.

CB Luke Latham 5-10 150 Sr.

SS Evan Bruce 5-8 135 Jr.

FS Brance Baker 6-0 160 Jr.

P Rylan Luther 6-0 190 Sr.