New coach Zachary Slates takes charge of Minerva football program

Zachary Slates knows excellence on the football field. As a standout lineman at Massillon Perry and member of the Stark County Hall of Fame, it’s in his blood.

That’s a good thing, because his new school, Minerva, is in need of a transfusion.

Slates, who spent the last four years coaching his alma mater, compiled an 18-24 record, including a 6-6 mark in 2024 which featured a playoff victory. 

Now, you may think 18-24 is not an impressive won-loss record, but long-suffering Minerva fans would die for that level of success because in the same time span, the Lions’ record was 1-38. In fact, a span of nearly four years separates the Lions’ September 2024 win over St. Thomas Aquinas from their last previous victory.

It’s not as if the Lions have never tasted success, it’s just been a while. Minerva has not posted a winning record since 2013. The Lions’ 2011 undefeated regular season that ended in the second round of the playoffs is a faded memory.

So it makes sense, following the departure of former coach Tim Speakman, that Minerva would hire someone with the knowledge of what it takes to win, both as a coach and player.

Speaking of players, the Lions lost five senior letter winners, most notably Julian Dunbar, Isaac Haas, and Jayden Yerger. However, 16 letter winners return: Kaden Almasy (DL), Enoch Brodzenski, Taivon Davis (OL), Garren Gordon (OL), Lane Hawk (RB/LB), Ben Herstine, Kendrick Keister (WR/S), Timothy Kirkpatrick (RB/LB), Zander Kirkpatrick, Nate Linkous(RB/CB), Ray Meadows (OL), Sean Scott (DL), Keegan Shingleton (TE), Nick Wandle(RB/LB), Ethan Weaver (RB/LB), and Isiah Willison (OL/DL).

New starters on offense include junior Landon Toot, who will take over for Dunbar under center. Toot will have senior Skyler Lab (RB) in the backfield as well as senior Owen Shick as a passing target.

Toot, Lab, and Shick will see double duty on defense in the secondary, as Toot and Lab will play safety and Shick will be a corner. Another newcomer on defense is Aiden Reagan, a lineman,

Last year, Minerva was shut out six times, including one three-game stretch where the Lions were outscored 167-0.A former lineman himself, Slates is counting on his offensive line to provide a spark that’s been sorely lacking the last several years for the Lions. 

“We have a senior heavy offensive line so we expect them to be a strong point of our offense,” said Slates of his philosophy, which features a Wing-T multiple formations run-first offense.

Line play will also be a focus on the opposite side of the ball as well, where Minerva will employ a base 4-2-5 that Slates describes as always keeping the pass in front of his players. To accomplish this, Slates says the Lions focus “is always stopping the run first so it is important to have a strong front seven.”

Naturally, there will be a learning curve as Slates introduces and installs his regimen, so expect some growing pains “with this being a new system for our program we need to make sure the kids understand in-game adjustments with blocking schemes.”

Wisely, Slates is loath to predict what the season holds, saying only that the Eastern Buckeye Conference is a “tough league.”

It may not pay dividends immediately in the win-loss column, but Slates’ means to change the culture at Minerva, saying only, “We preach toughness and effort every down.”