Prep Football Preview: Pennfield set to rebound

• 2015 Prep Football Special Section in Enquirer print editions on Thursday
• Season Opener%3A Pennfield at Parchment%2C Friday

After 16 straight seasons of making the playoffs, often with double-digit win totals, Pennfield struggled last season.

The Panthers didn't see the playoffs and went 2-7 during the first season of new head coach Mike McGuire.

McGuire, who was on the coaching staff during all of those playoff teams as well, is motivated to get Pennfield football back to its winning ways.

"Certainly there's a chip on our shoulder after what happened last year and we want to make sure that doesn't happen two years in a row. I certainly feel that way and I hope the kids feel that way and they are ready to go out there and compete," McGuire said. "We just know that we have to step it up a notch from what we did last year."

The win total last year was the fewest victories at Pennfield since 1972, so this year's senior class sees it as a challenge to leave the 2014 campaign behind them and make 2015 a success.

"We definitely want to bounce back. Pennfield is all about beating your opponent and last year was a little bit of a disappointment," said Pennfield senior Justin Lamb.

Panther senior Carter Needham added some urgency to that statement.

"This is the last year most of us seniors will ever play football. So it's important for us to give it our all and for us seniors to look to go out on top," Needham said.

To get that done, Pennfield will have a young football team on the field.

The Panthers have four starters returning on both sides of the ball, and with a small junior class, Pennfield has five sophomores up on varsity.

Those inexperienced players will be led along the way by McGuire, who learned a lot from his first season as a head coach last year and is looking to use that education.

"Hopefully we have got a little more experience for myself and rest of coaching staff, we learned a lot about ourselves last year," McGuire said. "As for the team, we don't return a lot of experience as far as starters, but we hope to make up for that in athleticism and a desire to succeed."

"It will be learn as you go for a lot of guys, especially the sophomores up on varsity, but they are good enough athletes that, once they figure it out, they will be pretty good. However, it might be bumpy at times until then."

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What Pennfield does have experience in, is running the wing-T offense. The Panthers run that offense at all levels throughout the program and once players get to the varsity, it gives the team an advantage in terms of scheme against other teams.

"We feel like we have to do what we do best and the wing-T offense is what we do best," McGuire said. "We are going to hopefully run it a little bit better than we did last year, plus we will add a few wrinkles in there as well."

Running the show in the backfield will be Needham, a senior quarterback, although he is being pushed by sophomore Kollin Kemerling in the preseason.

The Panthers do have some experienced runners with fullback Mike Davis and halfback Justin Lamb coming back, as well as Kaycee Orns, who saw playing time last year. Pennfield always uses a stable of backs in its run-oriented attack and new faces Troy Hinds, Grant Peterson, Dominic Gibson and Parris Bolden could all see time.

Generally, it is the offensive line that makes the wing-T offense go and Pennfield is excited about the experience at two key guard spots there with Colin Prideaux and Hayden Converse as well as Josh Cowham at center. Looking to battle for spots at the tackle position are Logan Reed, Blake Hinton and Aaron Arias.

There is competition at the end positions as well with Taylor Dean, Montell Wiggins and Dillon Striplin looking for time.

Pennfield is comfortable with its 52 defense, and will run that again. However, McGuire says the key to success will be for that defense to improve. The Panthers gave up 32 points per game last year, the most since 1969.

"We really need to improve some things defensively. We gave up a lot of years and points to teams last year. The focus this year has been defense, especially against the pass," McGuire said.

Pennfield's strength on defense will come from its linebacker group with returning all-league player Lamb leading the way and Needham, who plays a hybrid linebacker/safety position.

On the defensive line, the Panthers will look to two-way players Converse, Dean and Prideaux with Hinton and Hinds fighting for time at the end positions.

Passing teams will look to challenge a young Panther defensive backfield, which could include Peterson, Gibson, Bolden, Kemerling and Orns.

In the second year of the Interstate 8, Pennfield will look to get back to where it usually finds itself —competing in the top half of the league.

"Everybody in the conference will try to put us down this year after what happened last year. They don't think we are good enough. We want to prove them wrong," Davis said.

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