|
|
Coach:
Jordan Horowitz
11-29,
4 years |
|
2003
Record: 3-7
|
|
| at EDISON |
LOST
27-48 |
| at
HURON |
LOST
9-35 |
|
PERKINS |
LOST
28-63 |
| UPPER SANDUSKY |
LOST
6-48 |
| TIFFIN |
LOST
6-53 |
| at FOSTORIA |
WON
37-36 |
|
WILLARD |
WON
21-19 |
|
GALION |
WON
51-14 |
| at SHELBY |
LOST
20-34 |
| at BELLEVUE |
LOST
22-41 |
|
|
|
 |
|
Headcoach Jordan Horowitz
|
|
2004
Outlook
|
|
Experience and confidence. Those are
going to be two of the strengths of this football team
this upcoming season. 17-of-22 starters are returning,
and the senior class is 16 total. The roster is at 56
players, which isn't a huge number, but that is well
ahead of the 40 kids from the past two year's roster.
If this team is to win games on a consistent basis,
they are going to have to win some games early in the
season. Norwalk is 1-11 over the past four seasons in
non-conference play, and the Truckers have started 0-5
the past two seasons, only to go on a 3-game winning
streak in league play and get back within the thick of
things. In order to be in position to have their first
winning season in 27 years, the Truckers are going to
have to win some games early, and there ARE some
winnable games in the early going. Position-wise, the
Truckers appear solid across the board, except for
maybe the interior lineman. They do have some good
experience on the line, but depth could be a potential
problem if anyone were to go down. There is plenty of
talent back on both sides of the ball, that isn't even
a question. The Truckers appear loaded with team speed
and "football athletes." The question has been the
same the past few years at Norwalk, if they can play
better run defense, which they have in the preseason,
and get good pass protection, along with a couple
early season wins, there is no reason to think the
Truckers can't break the .500 mark in 2004.
Media's 2003 Predicted League Finish :
5th
|
|
Sponsor
|
|
RETURNING
LEADERS
|
|
Passing:
Jeff James
63 comp., 32 att, 362 yds, 6 td's, 6 int's
Rushing: Kuhlman
69 att., 331 yds., 3 td's
Receiving: Corey Olanyian
60 rec.,
701 yds., 4 td's and Tyler Freriks, 48 rec., 468 yd's, 1 td's
Scoring: Corey Olanyian
6 td's,
36 pts.
Punting: NA
Kicking: Stephen Hunter
23 of 30 XPT and 6 FG's
Tackles: Dustin Kuhlman
67 tackles and Kevin Stoll,
68 tackles
Sacks: Jake Wasiniak
2 sacks
Interceptions: Kuhlman and Stoll
each with 3 int's
Kickoff returns: Olaynian
27
ret., 22.0 avg.
Punt returns: Brad Marcum
6 ret., 5.8 avg., and Olaynian, 5 ret., 9.8 avg.
|
|
|
|
|
Norwalk Truckers |
|
|
OFFENSE
- 8
|
----RETURNING
STARTERS----
|
DEFENSE
- 9
|
|
|
KEY
LOSSES
|
| OFFENSE:
Cornell Smith-QB, Mike Biller-WR, Ross Spino-OL, David Heidelberg-OL
|
| DEFENSE:
Mike Biller-DB, David Heidelberg-LB |
|
|
|
2004
OFFENSE
|
|
Written
by tdtruckers
Quarterback:
Jeff James will be the Norwalk
quarterback, as for the first time in three seasons,
Cornell Smith will not be taking the snaps. Smith has
graduated and is playing football on the college level
at Baldwin-Wallace. James, a 6-0, 180lbs junior, had
some good moments for the Truckers in the 2003 season.
With Norwalk trailing in the third quarter at
Fostoria, James was forced into action on a 4th-and-15
at the Redmen 33-yard line. In one single play he was
in, he threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Corey
Olanyian. In his only start in 2003, James was
15-of-22 for 210 yards and four touchdowns against
winless Galion. The four touchdown passes tied a
school record. For the season, James was 32-of-63 for
362 yards, while throwing six touchdowns and six
interceptions. Backing up James will be freshman Kyle
Kurtz (6-1, 155). Kurtz is a transfer student from St.
Paul.
Running backs:
As many as four players could get
carries throughout the course of the game this season
for the Truckers, and leading that pack will be senior
co-captain Dustin Kuhlman. Kuhlman ran for 331 yards
(4.8 yards per carry) and 3 touchdowns last season on
just 69 carries. That number will surely go up this
season, as the plan is to run the ball more this
upcoming season. Kevin Stoll will also get a good
number of carries, as he returns 37 carries for 161
yards (4.4 yards per carry) and 3 touchdowns. Last
year's starting fullback, Mario Ramos, will shift over
to tight end for the first 2-3 games while the regular
tight end, Tyler Freriks, recovers from a hand injury.
Ramos' replacement at fullback is junior Brandon
Kurtz, the elder brother of Kyle. The 6-0, 180lb
junior has looked good so far in Norwalk's two
scrimmages carrying the ball.
Receivers:
Once again, the strong point of the Norwalk
offense will be in the receiving corps. Headlining the
receivers returning is co-captain Corey Olanyian. The
6-1, 190lbs senior caught a school record 60
receptions in 2003, and his 703 yards receiving rank
2nd all-time, 19 yards shy of Chris Harkness' 722
yards in 1984. Olanyian also sports the career
receptions record at Norwalk High School after just
three seasons, as his 88 catches breaks the old mark
of Sean Oglesby's 78 career receptions from (85'-86').
Olanyian is also sure to have the career receiving
yardage record, as he is just 119 yards shy of
Oglesby's 1,232 yards. Olanyian was a 1st team All-NOL
selection last season. Tyler Freriks (6-3, 220lbs), also a 1st team
All-NOL pick, will return to his tight-end positions with 48 catches for 448
yards from 2003. Of course Freriks, also a co-captain,
may be out until the league portion of the season
starts with the hand injury. Until he gets back the
sophomore Ramos (5-9, 215lbs) will man the TE
position. James will have a third target returning to
throw to this upcoming season in senior Robert Osborn
(5-10, 170lbs). Osborn caught 27 passes for 383 yards
(14.2 average yards per catch) as a third option last
season, but look for this number to go up, especially
during the early portion of the season. With Olanyian
getting extra attention, Osborn and Freriks can make
defenses pay for overlooking them. Olanyian, Freriks,
and Osborn return 131 catches for 1,584 yards and 5
touchdowns combined from last season. The strength of
this team still is at the receiver's position.
Offensive line:
While there isn't an overabundance of
team depth at this position, the Truckers do appear to
have a solid offensive line returning. Senior
co-captain Jake Wasniak (6-2, 275lbs) will move from
Center to Right Guard, while incoming freshman Drew
Williams (6-1, 210lbs) will be the Right Tackle.
Seniors Andy Fries (6-4, 240lbs) and Jordan Vislay
(5-10, 211lbs) will anchor the left side of the line.
Fries is the Tackle and Vislay is the guard, while the
new Center will be senior Torey Stroud (6-0, 186lbs).
Stroud saw significant time last season, and is a
returning letter winner. Wasniak, Fries, and Vislay
all return from last year's line, while Williams has
been a surprise in camp with his strength for a
freshman.
|
|
2004
DEFENSE
|
|
Written
by tdtruckers
Defensive line:
The size will be on the outside at
this position, instead of in the middle. The defensive
ends will be Wasniak and Fries, while in the middle is
junior Travis Root (5-10, 160lbs) and senior Brenton
Parker (6-0, 175). Freriks was also a key starter on
the defensive line a year ago with 23 tackles and a
sack, and he will more than likely rotate in once he
is back to form from the hand injury. It's no secret
Norwalk hasn't been able to stop the run the past few
years, and if they are to have success, they MUST stop
the run, and it has to start with the four guys up
front. They must clog up the middle and make plays to
help put this team in position to win games.
|
|
Linebackers:
This year's linebackers are looking to be
strong physically, and will have some solid varsity
experience coming back in Kuhlman, Ramos, Stoll, and
senior Patrick Smith (6-1, 180lbs). When Norwalk runs
a 4-set linebacker situation, Kevin Stoll will shift
up from his usual safety spot and play some outside
linebacker. Ramos and Stoll will man the middle.
Kuhlman made 67 tackles last season while picking off
three passes, and Vislay, who will see action in the
middle as well, made 23 tackles while rotating in last
season, while Ramos also contributed 47 tackles.
Secondary:
Another spot that appears to be solid is
the defensive secondary. Some changes will be made
position-wise, but outside of one senior graduating,
this year's secondary will feature some familiar
names. Last year, the two cornerbacks were Mike Biller
and Olanyian. With Biller gone, Olanyian is moving out
to Safety, where he will be able to cover the most
ground on the field. He has responded, and looked very
good coming up making plays from the position during
the Wynford scrimmage. Osborn will fill his vacant
slot at defensive back. Osborn saw time at defensive
back and outside linebacker last season. The other
corner will be the elder Kurtz brother (Brandon).
Kurtz has been one of the pleasant surprises out of
camp so far, and there doesn't seem to be a big drop
off at the position. Stoll, when not playing LB, will
be back at his traditional Safety spot on the strong
side, where he made 68 tackles and three interceptions
in 2003.
|
|
|
| .. |
|
| 2004 Returning Lettermen |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
