Submitted photo / Images by Mandy The 2024 Chaney football team.

YOUNGSTOWN — With a group of older players carrying some on field experience, combined with some fresh faces, the Chaney Cowboys eagerly await the dawn of the new season.

Last year, Chaney posted a 5-4 record, having to overcome some growing pains after losing a senior class from the 2022 campaign that went 10-2. Finding players to replace most of the starting offense and leadership that graduated following the playoff run doesn’t happen overnight, but coach Seth Antram feels the pieces are back into place.

“We’re excited, we have some guys looking forward to stepping up and contributing this year, and a good nucleus of guys returning that have been on the field quite a bit the last two or three years, so we’re going to rely heavily on them and the sooner we get these younger guys, or guys with not as many reps, varsity-ready the better we’re going to be,” Antram said. “The 2022 class was a big group, a lot of leadership graduated with that group, we had Elijah Carter, Jawaun Harmon, a decent amount last year that had fallen on their footsteps.”

“That sophomore group, that’s now seniors, was on the field quite a bit with that group, so hopefully we take another step forward and get back to that type of season.”

As is the case everywhere, time flies. The surrealness of the current senior class getting prepared to embark on their final high school football season isn’t lost on Antram.

“This three-year span has gone real fast these last couple of years. They’re looking forward to it. I had a relationship with a lot of this class when they were seventh and eighth graders when I was teaching at Volney with them, also with football,” Antram said. “It’s just exciting to see them kind of step up their senior year and take the reins. Time goes so fast, these guys don’t realize it. Some of these seniors, it’s hitting them, but not just your four years in high school. Your seventh grade year to senior year, especially when you’re a part of a program, that time goes quick.”

“Sometimes it’s easy to take for granted. That’s what we’re trying to point out to these guys, that they have a good class and a good senior group, and this is the last time they’re going to put pads on a bit here at Chaney.”

After having a bye week last fall, the Cowboys have a full 10-game slate on deck. The home opener features non-conference foe Akron East, then three straight weeks on the road at Struthers, Boardman and West Branch. A jog to Youngstown State to start Steel Valley Conference play against Cardinal Mooney, then a trip to University School rounds out the road schedule. Canfield, then SVC foes Ursuline and East all make the trek to Rayen Stadium this fall to tangle with the Cowboys.

“We’re going to have to coach them up, make adjustments, and you get through that four game stretch there, there’s a good possibility you’ve seen a wide variety of offenses and defenses that you’re going to see the last six weeks of the schedule.” Antram said.

OFFENSE

Having taken reps at quarterback since his freshman year, senior Matt Jones (389 passing yards, 817 rushing yards, 15 total touchdowns) is ready to lead an offense full of playmakers. Having multiple Division I offers, he’s taken strides in his passing game over the past few seasons, transitioning from a running quarterback to more of a dual-threat style of player.

“He’s made great strides reading the defense, he’s always been looked at as a running quarterback, we’re trying to get him to read the coverages a little better, spread the ball around,” Antram said. “We try to make the game as easy as we can for our guys up front. So anything we can do to lighten the box, if we can spread the ball around a little bit to get some guys out of the run box, we feel like that’s a benefit to us.”

Sophomores Dillion Wright and Asuante Mickel will assume backup duties at the quarterback position.

A slew of faces will rotate between running back and wide receiver, notably, seniors Darius Stonework (236 receiving yards, three touchdowns), Jordan Hewlett (255 receiving yards, one touchdown), Antwon Naze, junior Dewayne Thompson Jr. and sophomore Jadon Ervin.

Additionally, at the wide receiver position, twins Alex and Allen Hill, with senior DaShawn Langston and sophomores Jamar Gilford and Daylon Ferrell will look to be big targets.

“They’re getting to be very interchangeable, we can move some guys from the inside to the outside, to the outside to the inside. This year we’re taking another step with it being able to get into the backfield,” Antram said. “To me, that’s huge football-wise because that lets me know they know the whole concept of what we’re trying to do, not just one position or aspect of it.”

“When you start getting guys to see the concept of the play offensively or defensively, that’s huge because it means they see the game well. We’re able to be two or three deep at each position, not necessarily because of numbers, but because those guys have learned other responsibilities.”

There’s some experience found on the offensive line in seniors Atreyu Rinehart, Trenton Winford, Jovon Labooth and sophomore Falcon Mickel.

“Over the last few years we’ve tried to get more technical up there to be able to do a little more adjustments, then when we first started implementing our offense, we have two or three guys that see our adjustments and are on the same page as the coach. That’s big to have some veteran experience up there.”

DEFENSE

The defensive line will feature plenty of new faces, starting with junior Keion Stella and freshman Frank Perry alongside Rinehart.

“We always had the battle of playing the same six, seven guys up front on offense and defense. To have some guys that are interchangeable up there, know multiple positions, a little bit more depth, that’s a necessity to stay healthy, keep guys fresh to try and make a run,” Antram said. “Their attitudes are great, I’m excited to see how much they grow. We need to grow up there, but they have the mindset. The first four games are going to be huge for that growth.”

Alex Hill and Naze (28 tackles, three pass breakups, two interceptions) are going to man the linebacker position, the latter of whom could move between the inside or outside linebacker spot.

Taking a look at the secondary, Allen Hill, Jones, Langston, Stonework and Thompson are all familiar from the wide receiver position.

“They’re all pretty much interchangeable between corner and safety, we’re going to implement some new coverages and stuff, so having those guys be interchangeable is valuable for us right now,” Antram said. “We’ve been fortunate to have some great defensive lines in years past, we’re going to get to that out of different looks. Our linebacker might be more of a speed rusher, we’re going to try and get into the same types of pressures we’ve been in, just with different looks for us out of the defense.”

SPECIAL TEAMS

Junior Eder Gomez returns for kicking duties, and the spot of punter is still up for competition. There isn’t a shortage of returners with the plethora of skilled upperclassmen.

“You want them to step up and be leaders, but ultimately these guys need to police themselves. We’re going to have 11 of those guys out there playing together. They need to communicate,” Antram said. “It lets us know that they know what our expectations are, whether that be with discipline or execution of the scheme or the play, that reiterates to us that they understand what we’re trying to implement.”

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