Fall sports: New look Fairfield hoping for traditional success

Gone is a three-year starting quarterback, gone is a two-year starting running back, gone are linemen and other skill position players across the board.

The question Fairfield will now answer is how well the newcomers step in to perform in those positions. Enter Dillon Fry at quarterback, Zach Vivier at running back and a deep group of wide receivers spread out wide. That bunch will be tasked with replacing the 30 touchdowns ? out of 38 total ? scored by seniors last fall.

Head coach Mike Schenck has already seen what he needs to and is banking on his crew being able to do that and more.

?I?m pretty excited about the talent, I?m ready to see where they?re at and we?ve had some great pre-season practices,? he said. ?But we?re a young team and have a lot of kids who have never been tested.?

Schenck makes his return to the head coaching post for his 22nd season following a one-year hiatus. While he wasn?t officially involved with the program in 2010, he still had the closest view of anybody looking in from the outside and feels he hasn?t missed a beat.

A strong-armed Fry is now at his disposal to run an offense that figures to use that talent for an increased emphasis on the passing game.

?Dillon is head and shoulders ahead of where he was last year, quite a bit stronger and more confident,? Schenck said. ?He will also use a wide variety of receivers and has a good head on his shoulders as far as reading coverages and finding open receivers.?

Fry, a junior who paid his dues on the freshman and JV teams the past two seasons, takes over for Jordan Leazer ? a three-year player who started 28 games in his career. Leazer was a bruising runner during his tenure, but now Schenck hopes the passing attack can pick up steam.

Behind Fry will by the senior Vivier and second-string tailback Kooper Dahlstrom, a sophomore. Junior Mason Carnahan was also deep in the mix to get carries ? as well as be a starter on defense ? but has already suffered an injury that ended his season.

Vivier saw plenty of action on defense and spelled Michael Hammes for 23 carries last year, but will now take the lion?s share of the rushes thanks to a solid combination of speed and strength.

Wide receivers Corbin Harwood, Max Johnson, Spencer Peterman and tight end Davis Lowenberg lead a talented group of pass catchers, and make for one of the bigger reasons Schenck is planning on having Fry operate primarily from the shotgun.

?As a group, I think it?s the best receiving corps we?ve had in a long time. There are five or six kids who can go out, catch the ball and do something with it,? said Schenck.

However, Harwood?s four grabs were the only catches of the group last year, and they will be joined by additional newcomers Brent Buch ? on the team for the first time as a senior ? Justin Hammes and Vincent Horras.

Cody Kool was arguably the team?s best all-around lineman last season and returns for what figures to be a strong senior campaign at center. He will be joined up front by junior Jacob Mineart ? a returning starter who also saw time on the line as a freshman ? and newcomers Nathan Maynard, Tyler Cooksey and Tanner Metcalf.

A big line has been the Trojans? calling card the past few seasons, and while the average weight dips to 233 this year, Schenck still isn?t expecting much of a drop off.

?I think we?ll be pretty strong up front again, and our kids were pretty dedicated to the lifting program in the summer,? he said. ?Some have dropped some of the bad weight and are bigger, strong and quicker.?

Maynard and Mineart will be playing tackle with Cooksey and Metcalf at guard to begin the season. Metcalf makes the move up from fullback, where he has been the last two seasons, and is now a senior leader looking to get on the field wherever possible.

That leadership spreads to the defensive side of the ball where Metcalf will take back his linebacker position and be counted on for racking up stops. Kool will also play a big role on the defensive line alongside plenty of familiar faces from the offensive side of the ball.

Mineart, Cooksey and Lowenberg will anchor the trenches and sometimes be joined by Seth Davisson and Josh Dimmitt to make a five-man front.

?The strength of the defense is, again, up front,? said Schenck. ?I?ve seen some good things in the preseason, and Tanner Metcalf coming back at linebacker is someone we expect big things from.?

Alec Stoner will also hope to be in the mix on both lines come the mid point of the season.

Vivier and Harwood will be the last line of defense at the two safety positions with Johnson and Gunnar Sloan starting the year on the outside at cornerback.

The Trojans face a stiff test in the season opener against a tough Class 2A opponent in Davis County, and it only sets the table for the rest of the year. Fairfield begins the season with two road games ? including a Week 2 trip to Central Clinton ? and a tough district slate looms.

?We would like to challenge for a district championship, and our kids think that?s something they can attain,? Schenck said. ?Our preseason games are going to be tough, but if we can survive those, we should be looking good heading into the district.?

Pella enters the year ranked No. 8 in Class 3A, Mount Pleasant will be stingy once again and Keokuk and Fort Madison figure to be on the rise. Fairfield will be at home in four games compared to on the road in five, but at this point, Schenck is just ready to get on the sideline for the first time since 2009.

?I enjoy being back. I?m excited about getting this season started and evaluating our kids to see where we?re at,? he said. ?The kids have also had a good attitude and seem to be excited about playing.?

Friday?s season opener will kickoff at 7 p.m. in Bloomfield.