The Carthage High School football team will have many new faces in key roles this fall, as the Tigers lost 17 starters to graduation.
Simply put, Carthage must replace one of the best senior classes in program history. It was a group that finished a combined 42-6 overall during their four years of high school.
Last year’s seniors won 39 of their final 43 games, and 12 of them earned postseason accolades at the conclusion of last fall, including four all-staters.
In the team’s stellar 2022 season, Carthage ended the season in the Class 5 semifinals, falling to eventual champion Francis Howell 35-13. Carthage finished with an impressive record of 11-2, with a 22-21 setback to Nixa the team’s lone regular season loss. Also in ’22, the Tigers captured a district championship for the seventh time in nine years and shared the conference title with Nixa.
Now, entering the 2023 campaign, Carthage has just five returning starters back this season, all on the offensive side of the ball.
“We will have a new look with several new faces,” Carthage coach Jon Guidie said. “We graduated all 11 starters on defense, so we’ll need some leadership to happen quickly on that side of the ball. We should have some good size and speed up front.
“Our O-line will need to carry us until we gain some experience with our skilled positions. I like that group with four returning starters.”
How the team’s new starters perform under the Friday night lights will obviously be the key to success this fall.
And as Guidie noted, ready or not, those new starters will get their chance to shine on Friday nights.
“We have some hard-working players,” Guidie said. “We’re excited to watch them develop throughout the season.”
Guidie, now in his 19th season at Carthage, noted size up front and overall team speed should be strengths of the Tigers.
Among the key players who graduated last year was outstanding two-way standout Luke Gall, who garnered the Central Ozark Conference’s Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Gall, a standout player both offensively at running back and defensively at linebacker during his prep career, rushed for 2,000 yards and 40 touchdowns on 246 carries and made 106 total tackles during his senior campaign.
OFFENSE
Four of the five returning starters are offensive linemen.
Seniors Malachi Housh (6-0, 290), Greyson Browning (6-1, 210) and Edward Carreto (6-3, 260) and junior Taylor Stevens-Diggs (6-1, 240) all return with starting experience on the O-line. Housh and Carreto earned all-conference recognition in 2022.
Housh will be a three-year starter.
“He’s one of the strongest players in program history,” Guidie commented.
Guidie expects big things from his other returning offensive linemen.
“He’s a very smart player,” Guidie said of Browning. “He directs our O-line from the center spot.
“He has a nice, big frame at 6-3, 260,” Guidie said of Carreto. “He had a really great junior season.
“I’m really excited to watch him (Stevens-Diggs) this year,” Guidie said. “He’s a big, strong, athletic player.”
As you’d expect with the four key performers back, Guidie expects the O-line to be a team strength.
The fifth returning starter on offense is junior Landyn Collins (5-11, 205), who is expected to be a featured running back for the Tigers.
Collins started all 13 games last year as a sophomore at H-back, primarily blocking for Gall.
“He’ll likely move to running back for us this year,” Guidie said. “He’s a nice downhill runner with great instincts.”
Carthage will have a new signal-caller after the graduation of dual-threat Cooper Jadwin, who ran for 1,279 yards and threw for 1,252 yards last fall.
Junior Brady Carlton (6-0, 180) is the likely starter at quarterback.
“He has a great understanding of our offense,” Guidie said.
Players who are competing for starting positions include senior running back Jonah Eby, junior tight end Karson Murray, junior wide receiver Langston Morgan, junior wide receiver Jackson Hettinger, senior wide receiver Darrin Witt and sophomore lineman Blayne Lilienkamp.
Guidie noted Murray (6-4, 215) is a physical blocker and a great route runner.
“I think Karson will have a big year,” Guidie said.
Carthage’s high-powered spread offense averaged 38.8 points per, with 323 rushing yards and 103 passing yards per game in ’22.
DEFENSE
Again, Carthage does not return a starter on defense, so the Tigers will have many new faces in big roles.
Guidie noted senior linebacker Ryan Phillips (6-0, 185) could be a leader of the defensive unit.
“Smart player…he’ll be our voice of the defense,” Guidie said.
Eby and sophomore Cooper Lilienkamp are other linebackers.
Senior Orey Bader and sophomore Landon Bland are defensive ends, while juniors Trevor Meadows and Nolan Brown are tackles. Meadows is 6-4 and 240 pounds.
Morgan is a possible two-way starter at WR/DB, while Hettinger and sophomore Braxton Ralston are defensive back candidates.
Carthage’s defense was stellar a year ago, as the Tigers gave up just 16.5 points per game.
WEEK 1 IS HERE
Carthage opens the season on Friday at Republic. The Tigers’ first home game will be against Branson in Week 2.
“Obviously, the COC is going to be loaded again,” said Guidie, now the COC’s longest-tenured football coach. “Every week will be a challenge for us.”
