Coach Diener's Pre-season Report
Posted on Aug. 19th, 2010
Gardner Edgerton Football Coach Marvin Diener (Angie Plank photo)
The Blazers return 6 starters on Offense and 6 on Defense from a team that finished League, Regional, Sectional and Sub State Champions last season. The Blazers averaged 460 yards of total offense a game last season ranking them as one of the best in all classes last season.
The Blazers are expected to once again have a very balanced rushing and passing attack with 1,500 yard rushing returning starter Senior Full back Brett Jensen expected to carry the major rushing load along the Senior Ryan Weber at Tailback who rushed over 800 yards in 2009. Jensen and Weber combined for 39 TD’s last season.
Duel threat Senior Bubba Starling returns for his third season as starting QB for the Blazers. Bubba looks to better his 2009 numbers which saw him rush for over 1,300 yards and 19 TD’s and pass for more than 1,400 yards with 18 TD’s.
Starling will be throwing to returning Senior starters Alex Knorr and Tyler Stubler. Both Blazer receivers went over the 200 yard mark in receptions and caught a combined 10 TD passes.
The Blazers also return All-State Linemen Lucas Powell at center and will look for him to lead what is expected to be a very good and athletic offensive line.
Defensively the Blazers also return 6 Starters with 3 returning along the “Defensive” Front, 1 at Linebacker, and 2 in the “Defensive” backfield. Last season’s defense allowed an average of only 12 points a game. The defense was considered to be a big factor in the success of the Blazers last season and will still be expected to be a big strength again during the 2010 campaign.
The Blazers expect to be both fast and physical on “D” with 3 year returning All State player and returning Team Captain, Kyle Pacheco leading the charge on the “D” Line. Along with Pacheco will be All League players Daniel Mauszycki at “D” End, Brent Bovitz at Linebacker, and Ryan Newhouse in the “D” Backfield.
There are very high expectations on both sides of the football for the 2010 Blazers football squad.
The Blazers realized that the 4 new faces across the Offensive front line must become good fast if they expect to be as good offensively as last season. The Blazers also lose their leading receiver Justice Berry from last season and will need additional newcomers to step up and take up the slack in the receiving core.
The Blazers will also have new faces at each level on the Defensive side of the football. Only Brent Bovitz returns as a starting Linebacker and newcomers will need to step up at the Linebacker position if the Blazer “D” tradition of good defense is to continue.
Enrollment continues to increase at GEHS and so does the number of boys out for Blazer football. This will mark the third year that the high school will receive players from two middle schools and the Blazers expect over 150 boys out for the 2010 season.
This will also be the Blazers first season as the newest member of the Eastern Kansas League. The Blazers will be fielding 5 schedules with an A and B Freshmen, Sophomore, JV and Varsity games slated to play.
The Blazers have very high expectations for the oncoming season. With the large number of returning starters they expect to be even better on both sides of the football. It would be a very disappointing season if the Blazers do not go deep into the play-offs.
In the east the pre-season favorite would have to be Gardner Edgerton, with Bishop Miege, St Thomas Aquinas, Blue Valley, and Topeka Seaman looking to push the Blazers in the eastern half of the state. In the West Hutchinson once again looks to be top team in 5A with Bishop Carroll, and McPherson looking to upset the top ranked Salt Hawks.
Gardner Edgerton Football Coach Marvin Diener (Angie Plank photo) 
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