Bishop Carroll will move on after the graduation of star quarterback Blake Bell |
Carroll will move on after the graduation of star quarterback Blake Bell.
Coach: Alan Schuckman (134-40 in 15 seasons at Carroll, 149-45 in 17 seasons overall)
2009 Recap: 11-1 (7-0), lost 42-21 to Hutchinson in state semifinals
Returning Starters: Offense 7, Defense 8
Returning Lettermen: 15
GWAL PREDICTION BLOG
2010 Outlook:
Offense:
Record-setting quarterback Blake Bell is now at Oklahoma. Bell was a two-time first-team all-league quarterback and led the Eagles to an 11-1 record in two seasons.
It falls to senior Tyler Nance to step into Bell’s shoes as he moves from wide receiver to quarterback. Nance was one of Bell’s top targets with 663 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
Second-team all-league running back Blake Rollins is also gone, and he too will be replaced by a wide receiver from last season’s team in senior Brandon Weber. Weber had 623 receiving yards last season with seven touchdowns.
That leaves Danny Crippen and Shane Brittain as the top two receiving options. Crippen had 458 yards receiving and three touchdowns last season. Brittain had 180 yards and one touchdown.
The offensive line returns seniors Kevin Harper and Collin Hawk, both were all-league selections last season. Trent Arion will step in at center in his senior season. Schuckman’s only worries about the offense are replacing Bell’s leadership and a lack of size on the offensive line.
Defense:
The Eagles return five all-league players on the defensive side of the ball.
Carroll loses Zach Nielsen and Timmy Chadd off the defensive line. Nielsen and Chadd were both first-team selections on the line as seniors last season, but the Golden Eagles are more than competent this year even without the two leaders. Seniors Nick Bui, Beau Bell and Tucker Chadd will return to lead the frontline of the defense at nose tackle and defensive ends respectively.
Aaron Jackson, who was a second-team all-league selection last season, will be a leader at linebacker and first-team all-league safety Max Martinez will be the heart of the secondary.
Jackson’s fellow returning starter in the secondary, junior Alec Maly, will play both ways at cornerback and running back for the Golden Eagles.
Odds and Ends:
Bishop Carroll opens up on Sept. 3 at Heights in a battle of City League favorites…Bishop Carroll’s only loss came at the hands of six-time defending state champion Hutchinson in the state semifinals last season. Bishop Carroll has six straight district titles, but that streak is in jeopardy as Carroll and Hutchinson are in the same district this season. The two juggernauts will play each other in the final game of the season…Carroll has lost only four regular season games in the last six years and has no fewer than six wins in a season in the past 14 seasons…The Golden Eagles made the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons…Schuckman has led Carroll to eight City League titles in the last 15 years.
