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WELLSVILLE -- Fresh off what coach Eric Meek called "a great summer camp," Catholic Central will head north on Route 7 Friday to test Wellsville in its 2023 season opener.
Friday's meeting will be the 12th all-time between the schools. The Crusaders lead the series 6-5 but the Tigers have won two straight, rolling to a 30-9 victory in 2022 and collecting a 20-13 triumph in 2004. The opening kick is set for 7 p.m. inside Nicholson Stadium. Wellsville, under first-year coach Camden Douglas, will play its first five games on the home turf.
"Summer camp went very well," Meek said. "I think we had a much more physical August than we did a year ago. Practices went very well and I think the kids understood going into year two what the expectations are. We've had very good senior leadership and we finished camp with a pretty strong performance in our scrimmage.
"I think we played pretty well but as I reminded our kids -- it was just a scrimmage. So, it was a good August but right now we are 0-0. We need to have a good week of practice, get on the bus Friday and hopefully get out of Wellsville with a victory. It has been a few years since the Crusaders won on opening night and we hope to change that this year."
Central last won an opener in 2019 when the Crusaders clipped Columbus Africentric 28-24.
Douglas, a 2014 Wellsville graduate, inherits a program that went 4-6 a season ago. Nine years have passed since Wellsville finished with a winning record. In 2015, the Tigers posted a 7-4 mark.
"We're trying to change the culture here," Douglas said earlier this summer. "Not only to make these kids better athletes but help mold them into young men. We're going to work extremely hard, and I think our kids will definitely benefit from our workouts. My expectation is to compete every single week. We expect our kids to come out and play hard every down. We believe if we can do this, then that'll put us in a position to win some games."
Douglas' offense will be without quarterback Gavin Kountz, playmaker Isaiah Greathouse and all-league lineman Kolby Ramsey.
Greathouse put on a heck of a show inside Harding Stadium against the Crusaders in 2022.
He compiled 308 yards in total offense and scored four touchdowns. Greathouse rushed for 219 yards on 17 trips and caught three Kountz passes for 89 additional yards. His two rushing touchdowns came on runs of 5 and 55 yards. He and Kountz connected for scores of 20 and 59 yards.
He finished his senior season with 831 rushing yards (he averaged 6.5 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns.
Kountz also had a strong night for Wellsville against Central. He completed 11 of his 14 passes for 161 yards and the two scores. Offensively, the Tigers finished with 404 yards (243 on the ground and 161 via the air). In 2022, Kountz threw for 769 yards and seven scores.
"We want to play fast and to get our athletes into space," says Douglas. "We'll need all eleven guys to do their job in order for us to excel."
Wellsville's offensive unit will rely on such players as junior Tyrell Watkins, Justin McCauley, Clayten Kersey and Javon Santiago. Nate McGraw, Hadley Tice, Jaylen Boudreaux and Caleb Plumm will be looked at to anchor the offensive front for Wellsville this fall.
"I saw Wellsville in person two weeks ago in a scrimmage against Conotton Valley. My dad and son saw them Thursday and we do have some film. Defensively, they are very aggressive and they like to attack. That will present a bit of a challenge for us.
"Number 12 (Watkins) is their big gun on offense. He is a big kid and a gifted athlete. I have a long history with Wellsville -- having spent half my teaching career there and being the head football coach there for eight years. I have always said -- you never underestimate Wellsville.
"They always have tough kids, they are going to play hard and they are going to hit you. I reminded our kids of that. I also told them to come in Tuesday, be focused and have a great week of practice."
Defensively, Wellsville returns a pair of All-Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference contributors with Plumm (18 tackles) and Tice (34 tackles) along the line of scrimmage. Watkins is back in the secondary after pacing the team in tackles with 91 and 5 interceptions.
McCauley will also be counted on to lead the linebackers into the 2023 season.
"We feel as if we have strength in numbers along the defensive line with a group of guys that we plan to rotate in and out to spell each other on Friday Nights," Douglas said. "I hope to see us play fast and disciplined. I want us get pressure up front and win the turnover battle to help get us in a position to win and stressing winning big downs and understanding situational football to get our defense off of the field."
"What concerns me about Wellsville's defense is they like to get pressure," Meek said. "I told our kids they may stuff us early on some plays and if that happens --- we have to keep our poise, keep playing hard and hopefully we can bust a few.
"It will not be easy. Our goal is to get on the bus and go get a win. It will be quite a dogfight."
Central went 4-7 in Meek's first season and qualified for the Region 25 playoffs. The Crusaders went up against then unbeaten Lowellville and fell 54-14.
Just four players are gone from that squad -- quarterback Andrew Dorsey, a second team All-Eastern District selection; tight end Nico Petrella, lineman Willie Rao and running back Dashon Seditz, who saw limited playing time due to injuries.
Meek did welcome back 17 starters (many of which see playing time on both sides of the ball).
All 17 are either seniors or juniors. All told, Central had 29 players on its roster heading into summer camp.
"We have a few kids we are going to roll at certain positions," he said. "That will help our team as far as rest goes. Numbers are an issue -- like many small schools across the state. We have to stay healthy and have to be ready to go, it's just that simple.
"The good news for us is we have many kids with quite a bit of experience. We are going to put kids on the field Friday night who have been there before. Now, we just need to start tasting victory."
"We have to stop the big play and win the turnover margin," Meek said when discussing the keys to Friday's opener. "We have to move the ball consistently and play great special teams. If we can do those things then I think we have a shot.
"We had a lot of turnovers last year. We didn't have any in our scrimmage and that's something we need to build on. You have to win the turnover margin every week in order to win the game."
Following its road opener, Central will play three straight home games--entertaining Strasburg on Aug. 26, Bishop Rosecrans on Sept. 2 and Ashtabula St. John on Sept. 9. The Crusaders then will visit Fairport Harding on Sept. 15.
Strasburg, St. John and Fairport are all newcomers to the Central schedule. The games will represent the first ever meetings between the schools.