V4 Fayette County News
Wednesday, August 16,2023
MCINTOSH CHIEFS
McIntosh football
is on the move.
In their first year
under head coach
Derek Smith, the
Chiefs scored a lot of
points and enter
tained a lot of fans.
Their 5-6 record
wasn’t what they
wanted it to be, but
they held their own
in region play and
earned a state playoff
berth, something
that hasn’t happened
often for the green
and black.
The question now
is how to build on
success, and they
think they have the
pieces. With seven
returners on offense
and nine defense, the
Chiefs hope to take
that taste of the play
offs and go back for a
big bite this season.
OFFENSE
The biggest
change for the Chiefs
is at quarterback.
Gone is Tate Morris,
who torched the
school record books
last season. Next in
line is Elliott Stur-
baum, a more tradi
tional pocket QB
than Morris. He has
enough wiggle to
keep the defense
honest, but he does
his best work with
his arm. Behind him,
sophomore Elijah
Strader is a dual
threat type, with
freshman Will
Downing wowing
with a big arm.
Sophomore Bran-
dan Ridley is a bud
ding star who can do
it all, whether it’s as
the lead running
back, split out wide,
or even under center.
Mason Green, Aaron
Ajie, and Yuri Ajie
are lightning-fast op
tions. Freshman Col
lin Sellers is an old
school power change
of pace back.
At wide receiver
they have a lot of ex
perience with Lan-
don Dolhancyk, Cole
Landgaard, Nick
Glozier, and Hollis
Davidson. Dolhan
cyk, a Navy commit,
can burn past
corners or go up and
catch the ball over
them. Landgaard
and Glozier are
tough to contain un
derneath or on the
jet sweep. Davidson
is a big body
matchup nightmare
that they can line up
at out wide or at tight
end. Promising
freshmen Chris Kea
ton and Knox Lof-
stad will also see
action.
Lennon Liburd is
a stud capable of
playing anywhere on
the offensive line,
and he is joined by
returning starter
Matthew Woods.
Boris Zdravkov saw a
lot of action last year
and is expected to
step up. Jayden La-
mons, Jacob Lutz,
and Westen Homan
are battling for the
other two starting
spots, with freshmen
Nick Matthews and
Clark Anderson
flashing potential.
DEFENSE
The defensive line
returns intact to ter
rorize offenses. De
fensive end Uche
Iloh is a menace gar
nering a lot of big
time college interest.
He’ll be flanked by
the massive Maddox
Dykeman, who
flashed a lot of po
tential last year be
fore he got hurt.
Dean Gregory is un
dersized but relent
less, just like running
mate Ben Logan.
Sophomore Brian
Tatum and a host of
talented freshmen
could fit into the ro
tation.
Evan Lisitza is a
captain who will an
chor the defense
from middle line
backer. Fast-rising
Zach Profit, Soma
Hall, and Ford Lam
bert are in the mix.
RT Barber and
Chayse Wright are
fast on the outside
and strong in cover
age. David Kienast
figures into the mix,
along with freshman
Daynen Manley.
The secondary is
back. Montana Cody
is explosive with
great instincts and
can play corner or
linebacker. Shakur
Simpson has track
speed, and Santana
Cody is rising. RJ
Barber can start at
cornerback or safety.
Gehrig Rogers is new
to the team from
baseball, and he has
impressed with his
potential at safety.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The kicking game
is in great hands with
Arthur Richez.
Richez can do it all,
and colleges are tak
ing notice.
Jacob Lutz looks
great at long
snapper.
The return game
is looking for a spark,
with Aaron Ajie,
Simpson, and Land
gaard among the op
tions looking to
make an impact.
SEASON OUTLOOK
Getting back to
the playoffs is the
easy part. They want
to make sure it’s not
a short stay this time.
The Chiefs are
loaded with return
ing talent at most
spots, and they know
how to wear out the
opposition. If they
have found a steady
quarterback, they are
capable of making
noise in the postsea
son as they continue
to build the founda
tion for new McIn
tosh football.
#
NAME
Y
24
Isaiah Harbin
12
71
Jacob Heinecke
11
2023 SCHEDULE
0
Drew Meszar
10
25
Zach Proffitt
11
72
JJ Clonts
12
Aug. 18
Fayette County
1
Brandan Ridley
10
26
Yuri Ajie
10
73
Cole Campbell
11
2
Mason Green
12
27
RJ Barber
12
74
Westen Homan
10
Aug. 25
at Hampton
3
Cole Landgaard
12
28
Chayse Wright
11
75
Jake Lutz
11
4
Uche Iloh
12
29
JJ Willingham
11
76
Matthew Bailey
10
Sept. 1
Woodland
5
Shakur Simpson
11
30
Cole Herman
10
77
Boris Zdravkov
12
6
Evan Lisitza
12
31
Soma Hall
12
78
Lennon Liburd
12
Sept. 8
Central
7
Rahtrez Barber
12
37
John Mcmahan
9
79
Jayden Lamons
11
8
Hollis Davidson
11
39
Collin Sellers
9
80
Daynen Manley
9
Sept. 15
at Landmark
9
Elliott Sturbaum
11
46
Dean Gregory
12
82
Knox Lofstad
9
10
Aaron Ajie
12
51
Ben Logan
12
84
Landon Dolhancyk
12
Sept. 29
at Heard County
12
Elijah Strader
10
52
Hayden Mallard
11
88
Christopher Keaton
9
15
Nick Glozier
12
53
Landen Reeves
11
91
Maddox Dykeman
11
Oct. 6
Northgate
18
Arthur Richez
12
54
Soren Tharp
10
99
Chance Tyson
10
19
Will Downing
9
55
Chris Bennett
9
Oct. 13
at Drew
20
David Kienast
11
56
Matthew Woods
12
21
Santana Cody
11
57
Brian Tatum
10
Oct. 27
Northside
22
Gehrig Rogers
12
58
Ford Lambert
12
23
Montana Cody
12
59
Roth Bates
10
Nov. 3
at Harris County
