2004 Preview:  Lowell returns 16 starters to gridiron from regional 4A runner-up team

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith

8-11-2004

LOWELL (8-11-2004) - With Lowell under renovation this year, pre-season football practice was moved to Lowell's Middle School, just south of Route 2 on the near west side of town. In last week's relatively cool summer temperatures, afternoon workouts have been pleasant romps in the setting sun on the 'retro' gridiron that was Lowell's home turf in another era.

"I wouldn't mind having 2-a-days out here every year," said veteran coach Kirk Kennedy, who welcomed 45 boys onto the field for what will be the 2004 Lowell varsity. 

What is supposed to be a big season begins Saturday at 4 p.m. when the Devils host Clark in the annual scrimmage at the Middle

School. Lowell returns 16 starters off a team that lost 20-14 to East Noble (14-1) in the 4A regional championship game last November. The next two seasons are considered peak time for the Red Devils as a football class that went undefeated for a couple of years at lower levels reaches the varsity with high hopes of continuing the Devils' winning ways.

"I've been waiting for it. For a while," said senior Toby Goetz of the 2004 season. "The state championship is the ultimate goal. We all know that."

Goetz (6-2, 220) is moving from linebacker to defensive end this season partly because he keeps getting bigger and partly because Lowell has a lot of linebackers. 

"It's a lot different from linebacker. I'm just starting to learn it. I think I'm getting the hang of it."

Goetz, who gained 836 yards on 148 carries last season, doesn't need to do anything new to prepare for carrying the ball. Except maybe just get ready.

"Not really," Toby said. " I've always gone as hard as I could. I think the line will be okay. In our practice today (last Friday), on some of the

Coach Kirk Kennedy has more than one thought about running backs, another strong position for the 2004 Devils, who have 11 returning starters.

"I could see us going to a split back thing with him. Ethan (Winel) and Toby in the backfield. That's two fullbacks. We'd probably be in the I-formation. Ethan's pretty much a fullback. Toby looks like a fullback but he can do a lot of things a tailback does."

Ethan Winel (5-11, 185) is a varsity wrestler who appeared head for the semistate or the state finals at 171 if he had not suffered a season-ending leg injury. He will add physical strength on both sides of the ball but Kennedy says he doesn't want to throw his youngest starter in on both sides of the ball.

"Toby will play defensive end, (Randy) Lukasik and Winel will play inside linebacker. Toby played both ways as a sophomore but that's asking a lot. We're going to take it a little slower with Ethan."

If Winel can hold his own along side Lukasik (78 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 INTs), the top Red Devil tackler from 2003, in back of active tackle Larin

Childress (51 tackles, 10 sacks) and in front of big hitting junior safety Jeff Clemens (57 tackles, 3 INTs), only the elite offensive teams will move the ball on Lowell. The key thing to watch in Saturday's late afternoon scrimmage will be offensive and defensive line play. That was a strength in 2004 but many of those players graduated, especially pass rush stars Chris Marzotto and Jim Jeffries.

But with Goetz to anchor one end and possibly Clayton Miller (6-1, 180) on the other side, the defense should hit harder than Mike Tyson used to.

"Defensively, we should be very solid," said Devil defensive coordinator Brad Stewart. "Offensively, we're got some green horns out there in the line."

An eye-opener could be halfback Scott Gray, if he can play. Gray (5-9, 175) has not been involved in contact recently due to a hand injury suffered in June.

"We measured our 40s with a tape," said Kennedy, "and Scott Gray ran a 4.5. He's really fast. If he can get in the open, nobody's going to catch him. Schultz ran a 4.7."

"Gray started developing confidence late last year. His injury is just a finger tip (tendon problem). Allen Houchins had that. The doctor is just

being very conservative with him. He's running and conditioning so he's doing everything other than contact. He'll be fresh when he comes back. I just hope he's not too far behind."

"Where we're talented is in the skill positions: Running backs, wide receivers, linebackers, kickers, DBs. We've got maybe just enough in the lines. Larin Childress (5-10, 235), Jed Travis (5-11, 235), Randy Lukasik, and Randy Laymen (6-1, 240) are there. We might have to move Miller to right tackle."

"I like our attitude right now. They all seem to get along and enjoy being out here together. We've got 45 on the roster. That's about on par. I don't want to be a babysitter out here. "

2004 Football Schedules

CROWN POINT

Chip Pettit, 14-17 in 4th year at CP

19-24 in 6th year overall

LOWELL

Kirk Kennedy, 95-51 in 14th year at Lowell

For The Record

Lowell -Clark scrimmage Notes: Due to the construction at Lowell high school, the varsity football scrimmage against Clark on Saturday August 14 has been moved to Lowell Middle School.

The contest will begin at 4 p.m. and fans are asked to bring folding chairs because bleacher space at the middle school is limited. The annual hog roast fundraiser that takes place at the scrimmage will also take place at the

Lowell Middle School is at the corner of Oakley and Liberty. Liberty is just west of the central business district in Lowell which runs along Commercial Ave (Route 2). Oakley is one block south of Route 2. New fans should be reminded that a scrimmage is not a game and no score is kept. It is simply a chance to see this fall's squad in live action for the first time.

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Revised: August 12, 2005 .