Written by: Brandon Baney
North Fremont’s football team has enjoyed several outstanding seasons recently, and the numbers back that up.
A group of seven talented seniors graduated last year, and took with them a 34-6 overall record, three trips to the semifinals and one trip to the quarterfinals of the 2A postseason.
12th year head coach Ben Lenz said that all seven seniors will be missed for different reasons.
Take for example, tight end/defensive ends Dax Cherry and Hank Richardson: “Both were strong and good sized kids. They were experienced and hard workers that you could rely on. Both had good hands at tight end and were super at setting the edge for our run game.”
Or Nuclear Conference Player of the Year and 1,000 yard rusher Carson Packer: “He was a tough nosed back that played with great physicality and a motor to go with it.”
Or offensive linemen Jacob Bellas and Jacob Fabanich: “Powerful and strong, they were key in paving the way for our off-tackle plays. They also brought senior leadership and perseverance.
Or center/defensive tackle Val Wynn: “He was undersized but played with a big heart. He was pesky at nose tackle and was extremely quick off the ball.”
Or wide receiver/defensive end Angel Romero: “He was a quick defensive end that could contain the edge using his strength and speed. On offense, he had breakaway speed and the ability to make big plays.”
Hearing Lenz espouse about his departed seniors, one can glean the core tenets that make the North Fremont program so competitive, year in and year out: toughness, perseverance, an attention to detail, and doing the little things correctly.
It’s why North Fremont is expected to keep churning, despite the loss of those seven seniors.
“We have an overall experienced group with many seniors along with a good group of young players that I’m excited to see have their chance at making an impact on this season,” Lenz said.
Headlining the returnees is senior quarterback Jed Hill. He’ll operate the Huskies’ split back offense, and has the nimbleness required to execute North Fremont’s option scheme. Hill has no shortage of backs to give the ball to, including senior Karson Bohn, junior Roy Wynn, and senior Jacob Hill. Jacob is Jed’s twin brother and suffered an ACL injury early in the 2022 season.
Those fleet backs will run behind an experience offensive line led by All-Conference performers Orrin Miller, Teyson Gunnell, Tucker Reynolds and Cutter Bowman. All four are seniors.
A lot of the same names will be featured on defense, starting with Bowman at linebacker and Miller on the defensive line. Additionally, the entire starting secondary is back, led by Jed Hill and Bohn.
North Fremont went 10-1 last year, and was the only team to defeat eventual 2A champion Bear Lake. They’ll start their season with a rematch, and the schedule only gets tougher from there. “We get Bear Lake right out of the gate and Kellogg the next week, so we will have to be ready from the get go,” Lenz said.
The game fans will circle on the calendar is a home game with Nuclear rival Firth on October 13th. The Cougars have ended North Fremont’s season each of the last three years in the postseason.
“The potential is there for us to have a lot of success, but there’s much work to be done,” Lenz said. “The boys are showing up with great spirits and energy.”