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Coming off their best season since 2015, the Cardinals are hoping to duplicate the success they saw last season.
The team finished last season with an 8-2 record after losing to Bishop Miege 33-26 in the second round of the playoffs.
Many of the team’s key contributors from last season graduated, but the Cardinals have a slew of players returning who now have much more experience under their belt, particularly with this year’s senior class.
Second year head coach Drew Steffen said he is excited from what he has seen from the team this summer.
“We had an unbelievable summer. We had multiple kids that did awesome things, not only on the field, but in the weight room,” Steffen said. “Seniors have stepped up. They’ve done everything we’ve asked not only these last few days, but all summer. There’s a lot of excitement.”
The team returns its starting quarterback from last season in senior Kole Manley. Manley is coming off a season in which he earned All-Frontier League Second Team honors with 739 passing yards and 20 total touchdowns.
Manley said it was important for him this summer to help the team learn the playbook so the offense doesn’t skip a beat this season.
“You got to make sure the young guys are in their playbook and getting all their plays down, so on the first day of practice we are not out here trying to relearn everything,” Manley said. “They already know it and have an understanding of the playbook, and so there’s no drawbacks from last year and we are picking up where we left off.”
Manley will have some of his top skill players returning on offense as well with Adrion Seals, Braylen Hoobler and Matthew Magette all heading into their senior seasons.
Magette said it is hard to believe he is getting ready for his final season with the Cardinals.
“It feels like just yesterday I was a freshman,” he said. “They say it flies and you don’t really believe it until you’re actually a senior. But, we got high expectations. It’s going to be fun.”
Junior Errol Siemon will also return to the team’s backfield this season after he had 795 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground last year.
Steffen said players to watch on the offensive line include seniors Will Gabel and Thomas Cromer at the guard positions. Steffen said Gabel has been one of the most vocal and excited players during the summer.
On the defensive side of the ball, the team hopes to continue its dominance from last season where they held opponents to seven points or less in five of 10 contests.
Hoobler, who led the team in tackles with 99 last season and was All-Frontier League First Team selection, said he thinks the defense has made a lot of progress this summer.
“I really like the coming up of our defensive line. We really got some key guys that have come to fill that spot from last year’s losses,” Hoobler said. “Then there are a lot returning for the defensive backs. I’m really proud of their work.”
Seals and junior Christian Jarrett are two key defensive back members returning for the Cardinals this season.
If nothing else, the defense will play fast this season, Magette said.
“We have a really fast defense, and I feel confident that our defense is going to be the fastest in the state,” he said.
With back-to-back seasons ending with losses at the hands of Bishop Miege, the team hopes to finally get over the Bishop Miege hump and make a deep playoff push this season.
Steffen said he enjoys the challenge of preparing the team in the summer to play a school like Bishop Miege.
“I think anytime you get the chance to play a Miege, a St. James (Academy) or (St. Thomas) Aquinas that means you’re doing something right in the playoffs,” Steffen said. “You know, they’re not in that conversation for best 4A teams. They’re in that conversation of the top 10, top five teams in all classes in the state of Kansas. We do a lot in the summer, we push our kids in the summer because that’s the teams that we have to beat.”
The Cardinals will take on Baldwin at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1 at home for the opening game of the season.
Watch the Barbwire Barbecue Sports Show featuring Magette, Hoobler, Manley and Steffen to hear their full thoughts on the upcoming season Monday night.
Reach reporter Jack Denebeim at [email protected]
