Now experienced, Seneca plans to challenge for postseason spot

Seneca coach Terry Maxwell suspected in his first season last fall that his young squad would struggle a bit early on. After all, it had to rely on a passel of untested sophomores operating in a new power-T scheme they knew only in passing.

He was right. The result was a predictable a 1-4 start.

But the Irish learned on the job so well they won three of their last four, including an upset win at 2A playoff-bound Clifton Central. In fact, the five losses were all to playoff teams, two decided by a single TD and with the Irish putting up 28, 26 and 20 points in the others.

Now the Irish are a year older, a year wiser and — thanks to dedication in the weight room led by the now junior class — a year stronger and ready to make the school first postseason since 2019 and just the third since 2001, this time beginning in Week 1 at downstate Westville.

“Last year, we were kind of feeling things out as we went on the fly, learning how to play varsity ball, and by the end of the season I felt like we had a good pulse on things,” Maxwell said. “Our biggest improvement from Week 1 to Week 9 was just understanding the system. … We were playing teams close, and right now we’re picking right up where we left off.

“The guys are motivated to make something happen this year and come out on the other side of those close games from last year.”

One key will be the play of quarterback Nathan Grant, a junior back for his third year as the varsity starter. Grant may also take some snaps at tailback, with either sophomore Paxton Giertz or junior Nate Othon under center.

“Nathan runs this offense so well,” Maxwell said. “His footwork is so good after three years of this that he rushed for 11 touchdowns last season, and though we didn’t throw a lot, he had some key touchdown passes, too. … He’s a good athlete, and we want to get him the ball in different ways, so we’ll move him around a little bit.

“We have a couple guys like that, and we’ll move them around so opponents can’t key on them, and again that comes from a comfort level in the offense.”

Doing their share of the heavy lifting are three strong, athletic and experienced backs: seniors Collin Wright and Braden Ellis along with junior Asher Hamby.

Wright earned Times All-Area first-team honors with a team-best 737 yards with six TDs, while Ellis was a Times second-teamer with 556 yards and four scores. Hamby, also a Times first-team choice, added 174 rush yards, while his 77 total tackles at linebacker led the Irish. Wright was second with 55 total tackles.

Other backs along with Giertz will be seniors Dominick Griffin and Zach Sulzberger, juniors Sam Churchill, Sam Kleich and Nathan Neal.

A weights-dedicated line will be junior guard Matt Dillon (5-11, 255), senior center Brady Barla (5-7, 200), junior guard Chris Peura (6-0, 220), senior tackle Aiden Wood (6-2, 260) and junior tackle Josh Lucas (6-4, 275). In reserve are senior Gabe Hicks and juniors Alex Bogner-Kidwell and Casey Clennon.

The tight ends — used mostly as blockers, as Grant threw just 45 times in the 2021 season — will be senior Bryce Roe, back from injury, and junior Lane Provance (6-6, 200).

The Irish defense, which allowed an even 200 points a year ago, gave up 100 of those in winning four of the last six contests.

The D-line will see Peura and Provance at ends and Wood and Lucas at tackles, with Hicks, Dillon, Barla and senior Dave Bergeson in reserve. The linebackers will be manned by Roe and Wight inside, Hamby and Kysen Klinker outside. Filling in will be Clennon, Griffin and Kleich. The defensive backs will be Grant, Ellis and Giertz, with Neal, Othon, Churchill and junior Ricky McRaven battling for time.

“We came in last year with so many questions, but this year I look around and I see a lot of those questions answered,” Maxwell said. “We’re a lot stronger up front. They were boys last year. They’re men this year. At the same time, these guys know that no one is going to give us anything.

“We have a good group of seniors and juniors with good leadership qualities who are putting in the time, and when you put a little skin in the game, it means a lot more.”