Lakewood
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The Bulldogs’ Nick Jones, a two-year starter at cornerback, also is expected to receive
playing time as a slot back.
Heath
Bulldogs
to feature
new look
on offense
By KURTIS ADAMS
ThisWeek Staff Writer
Once again, the Heath High School football
team will feature plenty of new faces on offense.
“We only have two starters back and both
of them are playing new positions,” said coach
Mark Collier, whose team will face a new open-
ing opponent with Friday’s home game against
Millersport, which replaced Delaware on the
schedule. “We’ve lost nine offensive starters
the past two years so it’s nothing new. It just
might take the offense a little while to get going
and really show what they’re capable of.”
Expect at least a few new wrinkles if the
offense does develop as expected.
“We tried to put in some changes early on
(in preseason camp), but as time went by we
started moving kids around and decided to let
them learn a little more about our old system
instead of a new one,” said Collier, whose team
finished 5-5 overall last year and shared fifth
place with Granville at 3-4 in the MSL-Ohio
Division won by Licking Valley (7-0), one of
three playoff teams from the league. “For now,
anyway, we’ve pared down what we do.”
Senior Nick Kelley (6-foot, 170 pounds)
looks to be the new quarterback now that Wes
Howell, who graduated from Licking Valley,
is gone. Howell made Division IV second-
team all-district last fall after completing 88
of 165 passes (53.3 percent) while leading
Licking County in yardage (1,474) and touch-
downs (17).
Also departing were wideout Josh Kraner
(358 receiving yards, four touchdowns), hon-
orable-mention all-district running back Josh
Eckard (783 rushing yards, three touchdowns)
By Chris Parker/ThisWeek
At a glance
HEATH BULLDOGS
Colors: Brown, white and orange
Coach: Mark Collier, third season
Key players: Nick Jones, Chuck LaRue, Cameron
Ross and Dylan Wethey
On the Web: heath.k12.oh.us
2007 SCHEDULE
Aug. 24..............Millersport........................Home
Aug. 31..............Johnstown..........................Away
Sept. 7...............Utica..................................Away
Sept. 14 ............Lakewood .........................Home
Sept. 21 ............Licking Valley......................Away
Sept. 28 ............Newark Catholic ................Home
Oct. 5 ................Whitehall............................Away
Oct. 12 ..............Columbus Academy...........Home
Oct. 19 ..............Granville.............................Away
Oct. 26 ..............Bexley ..............................Home
2006 RESULTS
(5-5 overall, 3-4 MSL-Ohio)
Delaware ................................................L, 36-31
Johnstown .............................................W, 34-28
Utica......................................................W, 35-20
Bexley ....................................................L, 56-35
Lakewood ................................................W, 27-0
Licking Valley ..........................................L, 38-14
Newark Catholic ......................................L, 21-14
Whitehall ...............................................W, 33-14
Columbus Academy .................................L, 41-23
Granville ................................................W, 16-14
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and all-purpose standout Aaron Roberts (786
receiving yards with nine touchdowns, 607
rushing yards with seven touchdowns). Roberts,
also one of the area’s most dangerous return
men, was an Ohio State track recruit.
First-team all-district lineman Chris Dun-
lap and second-team lineman Drew Wethey
also graduated, and Dunlap (honorable-men-
tion) and Roberts (second-team) earned all-
state honors for the Bulldogs, who went 8-2
in 2005 and are 30-30 under Collier entering
his seventh season.
Behind Kelley, who has taken no varsity
snaps and also might be the placekicker, a pair
of freshmen wait in the wings. One of them,
Cole Benner, is an option quarterback, possi-
bly hinting at forthcoming offensive changes
either later this year or next.
Senior Nick Jones (5-10, 150) is one of sev-
eral slot backs and also is a two-year starter
See HEATH, page 68
Spread offense
has given Lancers
shot of enthusiasm
By KURTIS ADAMS
ThisWeek Staff Writer
Coach Scott Elwer is finding it hard to con-
trol his enthusiasm for the Lakewood High
School football team.
Never mind those three combined wins enter-
ing his third season and last year’s 1-9 overall
finish included a seventh-place showing (1-6)
in the MSL-Ohio Division won by Licking Val-
ley (7-0).
“We are very excited,” he said. “We have
more guys out (50) than before, and we’ve never
had so many upperclassmen. Our players are
much more athletic, too.”
The Lancers have joined Utica in switching
to a spread offense this season. They managed
only 58 total points a year ago, 48 of which
came in the final three games, and were shut
out five times. The lone victory was 20-7 in the
finale at winless Whitehall.
“We’re really going to try and make teams
defend us sideline to sideline,” said Elwer, whose
team opens Friday at West Muskingum. Last
year, West Muskingum prevailed 30-7 in a game
that marked the last time the Lancers would
score a touchdown until a 49-21 loss at Bexley
in the eighth game.
That isn’t to say Elwer had no talent on that
team. There just wasn’t enough of it. Graduate
Josh Atkins, who made second-team all-district
in Division III, rushed for 1,073 yards and three
touchdowns and was one of just seven running
backs in Licking County to surpass the 1,000-
yard barrier.Among others, also departing were
Chris Riley (QB/DB) and Casey Robinson (OL),
who made special mention all-district.
Awards might be more plentiful in 2007.
Senior AndrewYakubesin (5-foot-9, 165 yards)
will be the quarterback and might see time as
well in the defensive secondary, where he started
last year. Michael Albaneese (5-10, 175) could
run some plays out of the shotgun, too, but he’ll
see more time at receiver and running back.
Other playmakers could include receivers Chase
Meldau (5-10, 170) and Jon Crane and tight
ends Nick Roelle (6-2, 195) and Clark Metheny
(5-11, 175), all seniors. Junior Cody Mentor (5-
10, 200), who played fullback previously, will
be the lone running back much of the time.
The key offensive and defensive linemen
include seniors Tony Baldazo (6-0, 265), Nick
cns 082207 B88086-1
At a glance
LAKEWOOD LANCERS
Colors: Red, white and blue
Coach: Scott Elwer, third season
Key players: Michael Albaneese, Tony Baldazo, Jared
Heck, Nick Klingerman, Chase Meldau, Cody Men-
tor, Nick Roelle and Andrew Yakubesin
On the Web: lakewoodlocal.k12.oh.us
2007 SCHEDULE
Aug. 24..............West Muskingum................Away
Aug. 31..............Canal Winchester..............Home
Sept. 7...............Northridge ........................Home
Sept. 14 ............Heath ................................Away
Sept. 22 ............Newark Catholic .................Away
Sept. 28 ............Columbus Academy...........Home
Oct. 5 ................Bexley................................Away
Oct. 12 ..............Licking Valley......................Away
Oct. 19 ..............Whitehall ..........................Home
Oct. 26 ..............Granville ...........................Home
2006 RESULTS
(1-9 overall, 1-6 MSL-Ohio)
West Muskingum.......................................L, 30-7
Hillsboro ...................................................L, 12-0
Watkins Memorial......................................L, 38-0
Granville ...................................................L, 45-3
Heath .......................................................L, 27-0
Newark Catholic ........................................L, 29-0
Columbus Academy ...................................L, 42-0
Bexley ....................................................L, 49-21
Licking Valley ............................................L, 50-7
Whitehall .................................................W, 20-7
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Klingerman (5-10, 220), Jared Heck (5-11, 230)
and Aaron Bickham (6-3, 240), junior Brad
Annett (5-11, 215) and sophomores Jacob Gray
(5-11, 185) and Chris Sarnes (6-0, 190).
“Our lines have more size and more strength,”
Elwer said. “If we stay healthy, we won’t have
a bunch of guys going both ways.At every posi-
tion we feel we have a good rotation.”
Look forAlbaneese, Mentor and junior Kyle
August 22, 2007 • Central Ohio High School Football Preview ’07
Weekly (5-10, 185) to be among the lineback-
ers in the new 3-5 alignment, but the Lancers
have to improve on last year’s points-allowed
average (32.9). In the secondary will be Meldau
and juniors Tim Dye (5-9, 150), Michael Ghiloni
(5-10, 160) and Christian Grosse (5-10, 155).
65