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Kendrick High School
School Info
Conference: 1AD2 District 1-2 White Star League
Classification: 1A D2
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Head Coach: Zane Hobart
Years as Head Coach: 4th Season
Previous Experience: Youth Football
Record Last Year: 5-4
State Titles: None
Assistant Coaches:
Morgan LeBlanc
Tim Olson
Returning Players:
Mason Hewett, RB/LB, Senior
Blake Marker,RB/LB, Senior
Wyatt Hardin,TE/DE, Senior
Cody Taylor, WR/DB, Senior
Peter Towne,OL/DL, Senior
Hunter Jones, RB/LB, Senior
Leighton Lunceford, RB/DB, Senior
Jerry Gorbett, QB/DB, Junior
Hayden Deeds, OL/DL, Junior
Brian Lawrence,OL/LB, Junior
Returning Players with Honors:
1st Team All Conference- Wyatt Hardin, Hunter Jones, Blake Marker
2nd Team All Conference- Mason Hewett, Peter Towne, Hayden Deeds.
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Photo By: Jason Duchow - #2 Mason Hewett
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Team Preview:
Written by: Brandon McIntosh
Coming off of a Quarter Final loss in the post season to eventual 1A D2 Champion Salmon River, the Kendrick Tigers, led by 4th year coach Zane Hobart, look for a solid 2016 campaign by returning every player from last season.
With 6 players named to last season’s All-Conference teams, the Tigers look to utilize all of their offensive weapons and spread the ball around. Having many different weapons on offense has been great, but the Tigers are looking for the emergence of a big play maker who can open up games.
In order to assist in getting the ball spread around to their weapons, Coach Hobart believes that the run game must improve and is hoping to find that game changer there.
“We have to consistently run the football with success to open things up offensively,” Coach Hobart stated.
He hopes to spread the ball around by utilizing senior running backs Mason Hewitt and Blake Marker so opponents are unable to key into where the ball goes each play, creating a big play or two from this duo on offense.
Defensively, the strength lies on the edges. Both defensive ends, junior Hayden Deeds and senior Wyatt Hardin, are big and athletic (both stand 6’6” and over 220 Lbs.) and could cause some problems for the opposition to run or pass the football to the outside. Both have controlled the edge and have gotten after the opposing quarterback. Coach Hobart hopes for similar success this season from these two monsters of the edge.
With such success on the edge, this past season saw many opponents running the ball up the middle. If Kendrick is successful this season, their returning and more experienced linebacker core will need to stop the power running game better than a season ago.
Coach Hobart wants to “see more physicality and playing downhill with a good pad level” like he knows they are capable of doing and make running the ball difficult on the Tigers.
The Tigers have a solid senior core, most of which have been 4 year starters on this 8-man roster. Having taken their lumps the first 2 seasons, the Tigers and Coach Hobart made great strides a season ago and are looking for that breakout season.
Standing in the way of that breakout season are the Deary Mustangs.
With less than 20 miles separating this rivalry, these two small Whitepine communities have battled for the league title the last two years on the final night of the regular season. The Tigers look to turn the tides on the road at Deary.
Other key matchups for the Tigers are on opening night hosting Genesee and a mid-season Thursday night affair with Troy.
Both teams are 1A D1 teams which bring great challenges and pack the stands in non-conference games.
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