Replacing key players on both sides of the ball is an annual ritual in high school football. Newman has a history of succeeding in that effort, and the Comets believe this year will be no exception.

Despite losing standouts on both offense and defense from last year’s 8-3 squad, Newman expects to hit the ground running in alum Mike LeMay’s fourth year as head coach.

“We’re losing a lot of guys, but we’ve got a lot of hard-working new guys coming in. They’re learning their stuff, learning new positions,” senior linebacker George Jungerman said. “Once we get them all going and working together, I think we’ll be great out there.”

Despite having a younger group than last year, a lot of the new starters still got varsity experience as backups a year ago. That should breed familiarity with the speed and physicality of varsity football.

As for familiarity with the system, that’s never an issue for the Comets.

“We lost a good number of players last year, and we’re young this year, but all of our young guys – with limited numbers like this – have varsity experience. This isn’t everybody’s first show,” senior quarterback Evan Bushman said. “I’m pretty confident with our younger guys all stepping up to the plate; they’ve all been here, they’ve been through the playoffs with us, they know the playbook – we’ve all been running basically the same thing our whole lives – and I’m really confident in our younger guys this year, and I think they’ll step up and do fine.”

Offensively, Newman will run the ball and maybe mix in some passing with Bushman returning as the starting quarterback; the backfield behind him will look a bit different, with new faces starting after losing Daniel Kelly, Cody McBride and Briar Ivey. Morrison transfer Rylan Alvarado also joins the backfield this season.

Defensively, the loss of three-year varsity anchor Kelly at middle linebacker will sting. But Jungerman and junior Matt Blackert will lead the way there, while senior Jacob Payne and junior John Rowzee return up front.

Payne also returns to the offensive line, as do seniors Cooper Spears and Ben Geske and junior Matthew Murray. Junior Renner Rosengren comes back at wide receiver and safety.

LeMay is counting on those experienced veterans to help the learning curve for the new starters.

“It’s next man up, that’s really what it’s been,” he said. “It’s reload and keep going. Honestly, we’ve changed a little bit of the schematic, but clearly the culture of the Blue Machine is still there. The Machine keeps rolling, so the next guys are up.”

LeMay credits the summer contact days with getting his players on the same page and in the flow at the varsity level.

“This summer’s been valuable just getting everybody here and understanding stuff. We’re doing a lot of teaching this summer so when we get to those two weeks prior to the season, they’re meaningful reps, we’re going to refine our abilities and our skill, and really get up to full speed,” he said. “If they can process it now where it’s not game speed, then hopefully by August they retain that and it’s just go and get after it.”

Newman spent some of its summer camp in joint practices, which helps get the players in a more competitive environment. The Comets worked out with Geneseo, Lena-Winslow and Oregon, and both coaches and players see how valuable those reps can be.

It also helps get the juices flowing as the season approaches.

“It’s been fun. You really see some good competition,” Bushman said. “It’s good to be out here again. You have such a long wait; when the last season’s done, you think, ‘Gosh, when’s the next one going to get here?’ When it does come, you’re just so excited. The season is here then it’s gone. So you’ve just got to take your time out here, have fun and enjoy it.”

As usual at Newman, the goal will be a playoff run. The Comets went 5-0 in the Three Rivers Rock last season and got their first playoff win in LeMay’s tenure. It was the 23rd straight year they’ve made it to the playoffs, but they haven’t been past the second round since their sixth state championship in 2019.

That’s something this team hopes to rectify.

“We want to make the playoffs, that’s our first goal,” Jungerman said. “Then we want to get to state and win state this season. I think if we work hard and play as a team really hard together, we can be great this year.”