Piketon football prepared to defend Scioto Valley Conference title with young roster

PIKETON – It’s hard to be the champs.

For the Piketon Redstreaks, the 2022 season carries a mountain of expectations. They’re the reigning Scioto Valley Conference champions, and they are fresh off a historic season that was cut short after a loss in the regional quarterfinals to Columbus Academy.

Now, entering a new season, the Redstreaks are also entering new territory. The large senior class that carried much of Piketon’s depth in 2021 is gone. Although long-standing head coach Tyler Gullion returns an experienced squad, the fresh season comes with challenges. Younger players have taken the reins, and it feels as if the entire SVC is looking to snatch the conference title away.

Gullion is the longest-tenured current head coach in the SVC. As such, he’s accrued a long list of achievements, and the latest was a conference title. He and his staff have faced this problem time after time. Senior players graduate, and new starters must rise to meet the challenge.

This year is no different. While it may take a few games to find a rhythm, Gullion is confident his team will quickly find solid ground to stand on.

“It's going to get better as we go,” Gullion said. “The defense is going to get better as the year goes on, and our offense is going to get better as we go along. It's going to be a process to do what we did last year.”

The Redstreaks have plenty of fresh starters breaking into their new roles, but quarterback Alan Austin will be among the most prominent. Following the graduation of Levi Gullion, the Redstreaks promoted Austin as the new starting signal caller this season.

The senior quarterback is still getting used to the number of reps he is receiving this season, but he’ll provide an interesting shakeup this year. Austin previously played running back, and that has translated into his new style of play as a run-heavy quarterback.

“He's a runner,” Gullion said. “I'll say that, and everyone will know that. He can throw it around. He’s got a great arm. He just doesn't have a lot of experience. So, he'll carry the ball some.”

While Austin is getting used to the starting role, his receivers and running backs will back him up. The trio of Brent McGuire, Levi Stanley and Brayden Leeth will fill in receiving roles this season, while Caleb Osborne and third-year starter Jayden Thacker round out the running backs unit.

Plus, the offensive line is as sturdy as ever. Dawson Montgomery, Gabe Lamerson and Tre and Alex Jenkins all return this season, and each returning lineman brings plenty of experience with them. That bodes well for Austin when the Redstreaks open the season at home against Goshen on August 19.

Still, without a pass-heavy attack, the Redstreaks must work methodically on the ground. Gullion emphasized that the focus of the season will be on field position and defensive stands rather than an offensive flurry.

“It's going to be more ball possession, more field position this year,” Gullion said. “We’re going to have to rely on our defense and our run game. This year it's going to be more methodical, probably not as fast-paced offense. And that’s fine, you can win ballgames like that. It’s just I’m going to have to get used to it because I like the high-tempo throw-it-around.”

That’s not to count out the defense. While a greater emphasis on defensive stops has been brought up, the bulk of Piketon’s linebacking corps has returned. Austin and Osborne will take double duties as linebackers alongside junior Zane Brownfield.

Brownfield will perhaps be one the biggest contributors in the linebackers unit. The junior has posted 87 tackles and 17 sacks over two seasons. He and Osborne will be a force to be reckoned with on the defensive end.

Brownfield understands the importance his unit plays this season. Piketon’s offense was its greatest asset last season, and now he believes it’s the defense’s turn to take the wheel.

“Last year, it was more of an offensive firepower team,” Brownfield said. “This year I think it’s going to be the opposite. Defense is going to be getting a lot of stops and the offense is going to be taking a little bit more time to score. But the defense, we’re going to have to step up and we’re going to have to take control.”