Explosive Freddies set to make run

The Fredericktown football team is bringing the firepower this fall.

The Freddies return several explosive players and hope that athleticism turns into success under new head coach Scott Spitler.

Dual-threat quarterback Blake Sipes returns after a year which saw him break the 1,000-yard mark in both passing (1,145) and rushing (1,346). The senior (6-foot-2, 180 pounds) will have his two favorite targets back as well – senior wideout Brode Davis (5-10, 155), who had 35 catches for 403 yards, and tight end senior Gavin Toombs (6-5, 230), who had 19 for 296.

The Freddies will have plenty of others with firepower, including senior running backs Cirk Parker (6-2, 185), Kooper Auker (5-11, 176) and Jordan Moore (5-9, 195), as well as junior running back Aidan Ebersole (6-0, 165) and sophomores Cash Parker (5-11, 166) and Isaiah Brake (5-7, 162).

Up front, the Freddies will be relatively young, with only senior Wyatt Todd (6-0, 204) returning. Spitler will look to juniors Kamdyn Clutter (6-0, 170), Karsyn Clutter (6-0, 190) and Mason Gearhart (6-5, 252), as well as sophomore Cole Burnside (6-0, 180), to open up holes for the backs.

“Our team strengths coming into the season are the experience and athleticism at the offensive and defensive skill positions,” Spitler said. “An area of concern will be the youth and inexperience in the trenches on both sides of the ball.”

Defensively, seniors Auker, Moore and Todd will anchor the line. Gearhart and Burnside will also man spots in the trenches.

Toombs and Cirk Parker are stalwarts from the linebacker positions. Senior Nick McFerren (6-0, 176), the Clutter brothers and Cash Parker will also be counted on.

Davis and Sipes return at defensive back and will be helped by Ebersole, Junior Butler (6-2, 179) and Kaiden Gibson (5-8, 150).

Brake will handle the kicking duties for Fredericktown.

The Freddies have some promising newcomers ready to help out this fall. Senior Wyatt Cole (6-5, 267) and sophomores Noah Shannon (6-0, 286) and Eric Shrock (5-9, 185) will pitch in on the offensive line, while junior Griffin Garver (6-2, 180) will back up Toombs at tight end. Sophomore running back Reese Hannan (6-1, 203) and sophomore defensive back Johnathan Ashcraft (6-0, 180) will be counted on as well.

Spitler takes over the program after several successful years at Lucas and has changed up a lot of things in the Freddies’ repertoire. But he feels like his squad had the talent to battle for a KMAC crown.

“I think the conference continues to run through returning champions Northmor until another team proves otherwise,” Spitler said. “I feel like we have the potential to compete with the top teams in the conference, but it will all be determined by whether or not our commitment, preparation and work ethic are all at a level to earn it.”

The Freddies open the season with rival Highland on Friday.