John Raffel
Sports Scene
Winning one high school football state championship is extremely tough. Making it two straight is rather difficult. Taking three in a row is downright challenging.
Now that Ithaca has done something that’s extremely tough and rather difficult, coach Terry Hessbrook’s squad is ready to try doing something that’s downright challenging: win three Division 6 state titles in a row.
Of course, the Yellowjackets have gone 14-0 in each of the last two seasons, and there’s talk of going 14-0 again. Going 5-0 in the playoffs will again be a top priority along with doing well during the regular season.
But Hessbrook realizes how difficult winning a state title, let alone going 14-0 can be. There are always possible slips along the way. Still, the Yellowjackets have enough talented players returning that doing the downright challenging is certainly a reachable goal.
The Yellowjackets were in Rogers City for their camp to open the season.
“We’ve been going away to camp for 15 straight years,” Hessbrook said, noting that plenty was accomplished before the team put on the pads.
“We have a lot of experience back,” Hessbrook said. “Expectations are very, very high in the community of Ithaca. I think it’s good, I’d certainly rather have high expectations than not very good. You look in the huddle and there’s a lot of experience in the huddle and a lot of kids that have played in a lot of big games.”
Seven starters are back on offense including Travis Smith, who passed for more than 3,000 yards and 48 touchdowns and had only four interceptions.
“He really stepped in and played outstanding for us,” Hessbrook said. Last year, as a sophomore, Smith rushed for 48 yards and passed for 299 yards in the title game, a 42-14 victory Constantine.
Three offensive lineman are back, with 3-year starters Bradley Martin at guard and Josh Capen at tackle, plus two-year starter Mike Mallory.
Zach Allen, Jared Evers, and Markes Gadlen are returning as receivers.
“Those are seven kids that started last year on offense,” Hessbrook noted. “Evers had 40 plus catches for us. We have a lot of those kids back and we’re pretty excited about that. We added a transfer student, [wide receiver] Caden Kipp, who was all conference for Alma High School.”
Allen and Evers both caught four passes, while Gadlen had two, in the state title game.
Defensively, the Jackets return six players, with Smith at safety, Jordan Hessbrook at cornerback, Jacob Barnes and Tyler Gibson at outside linebacker, and Martin and Capen on the defensive line. Barnes, Capen, Gibson, and Martin are three-year starters.
But there are holes to fill.
“We have to replace two middle linebackers on defense,” Hessbrook said, referring to Garrett Miniard and Lucas Slater.
“Lucas made a lot of tackles last year,” Hessbrook said. “We have to replace Charles Schnetzler on offense, plus Garrett, our leading rusher, and David Brown, a three-year starter. We’ve got spots to fill.”
But Hessbrook likes the potential of the reinforcements moving up from last year’s junior varsity squad that tied Williamston in the first game of the season.
“We had an undefeated team and have those juniors coming up,” Hessbrook said. “They were 8-0-1.”
Williamston is the school the varsity Jackets open with again, and it’s not expected to be an easy first game.
“It’s a very tough opener,” Hessbrook said. “They’re a Division 4 school, with 650 students. We’re at 400. It’s a very difficult opener. That will give us a good indication of where we’re at.”
Carrollton, St. Charles, and Shepherd will also provide good competition.
“Our league is extremely challenging,” Hessbrook said. “Every year, we have four or five teams get into the playoffs. Those that make the playoffs usually fare very well.”