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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Panthers seek to improve after losing '07 campaign
Chesapeake Panthers football 2008
Purchase this photoCHESAPEAKE, Ohio -- Quarterback/linebacker Aaron Donahoe wasted little time in summing up what Chesapeake must do to avoid another losing season. The Panthers went 3-7 overall and 1-4 in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2007.
On offense. "Block better," he said.
On defense. "Tackle," he said.
"We need to work harder," Donahoe said at media day. "The coaches are pushing us to get better. When you go 3-7, that motivates you."
Phil Davis enters his 20th season with the Panthers and 41st overall as a head coach. When Davis scans the practice field, he sees just three starters back on offense. The defensive side is thin as well.
Donahoe, a senior and three-year starter, is one. The other two are running backs Drew Blake and Alex Wells. Both are seniors.
"A couple of places we're sure about," Davis said. "We'll have to see what the learning curve is, how fast the guys can adapt to the speed they'll see."
Chesapeake last won the OVC and made the Ohio playoffs in 2004.
On offense, the Panthers will feature a run-and-shoot style out of a spread set. Donahoe makes the system go. His backup is Colton Lindsey.
"Obviously we're counting on him to make a lot of real good decisions," Davis said. "We have no blazing speed, but we can run. We'll be able to throw and run a whole lot better."
Up front, senior Trevan Hannahs is the man at center for now as the backups are young. Guards are Brent Eldred, Drew Goodwin and Jake Lewis. Tackle candidates are James Smith, Ryan Schneider, Cody Mann, Brad Pike and Chris Hughes.
How fast must the line develop?
"Tomorrow," Davis said on media day.
At end are Kyle Webb, Trent Saunders, Zach Harris and Jon Pinson. Joining Wells and Blake in the backfield are Ryan Reynolds, Tyler Edwards, Jared Cornwell and Peter Hintz.
On defense, Chesapeake features a 4-3 look. "We'll make adjustments out of it," Davis said.
The ends are Saunders, Hannahs, Harris and Goodwin. Linemen are Smith, Schneider, Mann, Cornwell, Edwards and Pike.
"The front four's got to play way up," Davis said. "They need to get experience."
Linebackers are Wells, Reynolds, Donahoe, Trey West and Lewis. "They can be good," he said.
In the secondary are Webb, Hintz, Blake, Drew Brock, Lindsey and Pinson.
"We can be better," Davis said of defensive play. "We've got to stay healthy and we can't make mistakes."
Chesapeake's assistant coaches are Andy Clark, Bryan Wells, Kevin Hutchinson and Robbie Isaacs.
When sizing up the OVC, Davis said Coal Grove and Fairland start at the top.
"Coal Grove's got a lot of kids back," Davis said. "Fairland has a lot of skilled kids back."
Davis said graduation took a toll on South Point and Rock Hill. River Valley has a new coaching staff. "They were pretty good at the end of the year," Davis said.
The Panthers open at Oak Hill, the favorite to win the Southern Ohio Conference Division I crown.
