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Tigers tie for second in SEK coaches vote
PITTSBURG — Defending champion Labette County was picked to repeat while Fort Scott High was picked to tie for second in a Southeast Kansas League coaches pre-season poll released by KSHQ Radio here Wednesday.
With coaches unable to vote for their own teams, LCHS head coach gave Chanute his first-place vote while his team received each of the other four. The Grizzlies scored 16 points in the voting while Fort Scott and Chanute each had 11. Coffeyville was unanimously voted fourth with 8 points while Independence received all four votes for fifth.
With Parsons and Pittsburg electing to compete as independents this season and next, Indy had the worst record last season of the teams that chose to continue competing for the SEK championship but that was still 4-5 and Bulldogs head coach Carl Boldra is a league veteran, going into his 14th season at the helm.
Pittsburg continues competing as an independent for the third consecutive season even though it will be a Class 4A program this season. Parsons made the decision at the end of last season to play entirely outside the league after becoming a Class 3A school under the KSHSAA’s new classification system that comes into effect this season.
Fort Scott head coach Bob Campbell, who will begin his 23rd season in charge, lost several key players from last season’s team but has 17 returning seniors. He says that the Tigers will show more balance this year after being a predominantly-running team last season.
“I realized that when you have four senior linemen and a 2,000-yard running back (Zarek Fewell, now at Garden City Community College), you should go ahead and hand if off,” Campbell said.
Senior Matt Campbell, Bob’s son, will take over as quarterback this season. He began transitioning to the position last season but has been a receiver most of his football-playing days. Among others returning are receiver/defensive back Nick Lawrence, who had six interceptions last season, R/DB Ty Gorman, and linemen Mason Couch and Nick Krebs.
In addition to returning assistant coaches Bo Graham, Josh Regan, Adam Clements and Alvin Metcalf, Jr., former Fort Scott Community College head coach Curtis Horton joins the staff this season. He will coach the offensive line.
Labette County has 55 players out including senior quarterback Easton Dean, who committed to Iowa State earlier this year. Head coach Sean Price will continue to implement a two-platoon system. He expects 55 players to report to the first day of practice on Monday.
Chanute’s Chris Shields also returns a quarterback with experience in junior Ty Bowman. He started as a freshmen before missing much of last season with a broken arm. Senior Corbett Kimberlin, who filled in as quarterback last season, also returns as a receiver.
Coffeyville head coach Darin Wegner said he was trying a new approach with his program. Seventh through 12th graders will practice together with the hope that the younger kids find it easier to acclimate when they reach high school. He returns Jaylen Logan at quarterback and C.J. Kelly at receiver.
Boldra didn’t really say anything at all about his team.
Pittsburg and Parsons’ coaches did speak. Purple Dragon head coach Tom Nickelson said he looks to have 21 seniors report. New Parsons coach Kurt Friese talked about the Vikings’ tough schedule in Class 3A, which will continue to use a district system to determine playoff qualifiers. Parsons is in a district with Frontenac, Columbus, Galena and Caney Valley, and Baxter Springs.
Fort Scott’s season begins Aug. 31 with a home league game against Coffeyville at Frary Field. The two schools have never met in a season opener before.