Prepzone Pigskin Preview 2017

FILLMORE CENTRALPANTHERS
By: Megan McGill
A promising start to the 2016
season ended in disappointing
fashion for the Fillmore Central
Panthers. After winning their
first three games of the year,
the Panthers dropped their last
six games, ending the season
with a 3-6 record. It wasn’t the
ending they had hoped for, but
the Panthers expect 2017 will be
different.
Head Coach Mitchell Lockhart
enters his second season with
the team and hopes to build on
last year’s progress with a solid
group of returners.
“Our lack of depth hurt us last
year,” he said. “Our team is
actively recruiting our student
body. We established a positive
atmosphere last year and we look
to improve this year.”
Six starters on offense and six
on defense will be back this fall.
Heading the wing-spread offense
is senior Kole Karcher (5’8” 135
lbs). The quarterback is a twoyear
starter, who averaged 35.4
yards a game, throwing for five
touchdowns. Karcher will also
make an impact on defense.
TEAM FACTS
Team Name: Panthers
Class: C2
2016 Record: 3-6
Playoff Appearances: 8
Head Coach: Mitchell Lockhart
Career Record: 3-6
Assistant Coaches: Alex Moses,
Adam Verhage, Matt Tobias
He led the team last season in
interceptions and solo tackles
at 33. The versatile senior will
also play on special teams as
the Panthers’ punter, where he
averages 30 yards a punt.
Another consistent veteran
is three-year starter Parker
Trowbridge (5’5” 160 lbs). Like
Karcher, he’ll see time on both
sides of the ball at running back
and linebacker.
Trowbridge rushed for 324 yards
and five touchdowns. The senior
was also a big part of the team’s
3-5 defense. He led the 2016
squad with 75 total tackles his
junior year.
According to Lockhart, the
strongest athlete can be found
on the line. Junior Riley Moses
(6’3” 260 lbs) will anchor a line
that will enjoy some experience.
Senior Jordan Adams (6’0” 275
lbs) will join Moses on both sides
of the ball.
It’s not just the upperclassmen
Lockhart will be looking to. The
new roster brings fresh talent to
fill the gaps of recent graduates.
The biggest holes to fill are wide
receivers and ball carriers. A
newcomer expected to make an
immediate impact is freshman
Jake Stoner (5’9” 150 lbs).
Although Stoner hasn’t played
a down of football in a Panther
jersey, Lockhart said he’s “the
best overall athlete” on the team.
Stoner will see time at running
back and defensive back.
“He’s very fast,” Lockhart said.
“We will look to him to play a big
2017 SCHEDULE
8/25 @ Johnson County Central
9/1 Sandy Creek
9/8 @ Wood River
9/15 @ Freeman
9/22 Centennial
9/29 @ Shelby-Rising City
10/6 Cross County
10/13 @ Sutton
10/20 Arcadia-Loup City
role on both sides of the ball.”
Fillmore Central has enjoyed
eight playoff appearances, most
recently in 2014. After a season
with a new head coach and a new
system, the Panthers are hopeful
that 2017 will showcase a more
confident and experienced team.
The Panthers have the talent and
the tools to produce a winning
record, but as Lockhart knows,
the road to the playoffs won’t be
easy.
“We need to continue to get
our athletes to buy into our
system,” he said. “They need to
understand how much sacrifice it
takes to be competitive at the C2
level.”
The Panthers open their season
on the road against Johnson
County Central.
Key Players:
Kole Karcher (5’8” 135 lbs) Sr.
QB/DB
Parker Trowbridge (5’5” 160 lbs)
Sr. RB/LB
Riley Moses (6’3” 260 lbs) Jr. G/
DE
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