Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Chaney head football coach Seth Antram, right, coaches up his players during a practice earlier this month at Rayen Stadium. Antram enters his second season as the head coach at Chaney after returning to the program a season ago.

YOUNGSTOWN — While waiting for their all-purpose field at Chaney to be completed, the Cowboys find themselves practicing at Rayen Stadium on the north side of town.

Coming off their best season since their football program returned, the Cowboys look to write their own chapter of the Youngstown football lineage. They’ll attempt to do so after graduating key seniors lik Jason Hewlett and DJ Waller —both of whom are now suiting up for the Michigan Wolverines.

In his second season at the helm, Cowboys coach Seth Antram feels good about the current batch of upperclassmen.

“We got a lot coming back from last year. We had a great senior class that graduated, but we also have guys that got reps, and also have some guys that played JV last year that got quality reps,” Antram said. “We have enough to build on, that’s for sure.

“We have a real good nucleus of guys coming back that have played together, and that’s something to build on.”

The 10 wins Chaney posted in 2022 was the most they’ve earned since 2001. Their run included a 35-21 playoff win over Alliance and a 16-13 regular season victory over eventual Division III champion Canfield, which was the Cardinals’ only loss of the season. Finding that postseason experience isn’t something a staff can coach, and Antram feels that the Friday night playing time will be an edge going into 2023.

“We had a younger group on special teams for the most part last year and toward the end of the season we played some younger guys that we weren’t really expecting to. Those guys got enough reps on the field to build off of,” Antram said. “I think just as important, they saw (Hewlett and Waller) and saw what it takes, and they saw if you move on mentally to the next play, something positive can come out when there’s zeroes on the clock in the fourth quarter.

“That was a great group of kids (the 2022 senior class) that came up through the program. So, there’s definitely plenty of opportunities for those guys to step up because we have plenty of holes to fill. The rising junior class is very similar to that senior class we just lost. They played together, they work together, they compete and push each other.”

With only nine games scheduled, there is an early season quirk tossed at Chaney. The Cowboys find themselves without a week two opponent and with their season-opener being played at Akron East on a Thursday there will be an emphasis on staying focused.

“If you’re not a mentally focused team, you can kinda be on summer vacation until week three, and that’s what we’re fighting right now,” Antram said. “We’re focused on Akron East, we’re focused on us more importantly.

“It’s not ideal. At the same time, we play on a Thursday night, we have an extended week two where we can get some quality reps in at practice, and get a lot of film in to correct ourselves.”

Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes
Chaney’s Andrew Gault throws a pass during a practice earlier this month at Rayen Stadium. Gault is competing with Matt Jones for the starting quarterback spot at Chaney this season.

OFFENSE

Junior Matt Jones handled a majority of the quarterback duties last fall and completed 38% of his passes for 786 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions. As a dual-threat quarterback, Jones did beat teams on the ground, tallying 1,036 yards and 15 touchdowns on 150 carries.

It won’t just be Jones leading the offense. Senior Andrew Gault has stepped up to potentially take the starting position after seeing plenty of early playing time two seasons ago when Hewlett sustained an early season-ending injury.

“Matt is an athletic player that can throw the ball, Drew is more the pocket passer guy, but he did some running for us last year,” Antram said. “Both are doing a better job this year of grasping the offense and understanding what their part of that is. Some of what we do depends on how our o-line pans out. Last year, our offensive line really was a strength; we had some depth up there.

“We were able to lean on them a little bit, and knowing that running the ball was going to get us in some games. We may be in a situation where we need to expand our passing or whatever and Drew right now, that’s more his thing, but they’re both doing a good job this summer of learning and meeting our expectations.”

If anything, Jones (6-foot-2, 177 pounds) has a big frame and could be a potent weapon at the wide receiver position if he isn’t under center. Junior Darius Stonework and sophomores Dewanye Thompson and Dashawn Langston will also see time on the outside.

Someone who’ll play a massive role on offense is senior Jawann Harmon. He carried the ball 47 times last season for 311 yards and five touchdowns. Senior O’Ryan Dukes and junior Devari Davenport are looking to earn some touches in the backfield as well.

A lot will revolve around the experience found on the offensive line, starting with senior Saion Ivey at center, senior Elijah Carter at guard and junior Tristan LeFlore. It’s a group that finds value in what they do on the gridiron.

“They worked good, the main thing about that group, and it started last year with Rolando Bruno and Jaheim Jackson setting the tone, just kinda taking ownership where that’s become a prideful position for over the years,” Antram said. “That’s huge because not everybody looks at it that way, especially in our setting. It hasn’t been an emphasis in the years past and these guys work together, push each other and pick each other up.

“When you’re developing as a leader, you got to learn that you instruct and lead certain guys in a different way, and that group behind Elijah, Tristan, and Saion, they know those guys as individuals and they know what they do as a unit.”

DEFENSE

A big name returning on the defensive line is sophomore Sarmad Shakoor. Seniors Javon Huff and Keion Young will key in at the defensive end spots with Ivey working into the mix, too.

Carter returns as an all-league selection, posting 29 tackles, two sacks and an interception.

“Elijah is another one that just over the years has gone at it during the offseason. He’s one that goes 110 miles per hour on the field,” Antram said. “Whatever we ask of him on a Friday night, he’s willing to do. Really reminds me of Jawan Freeman of last year, those two kinda were the energy at practice and on game days. They have a different focus that the team feeds off of.”

Senior Clifton Scott (74 tackles, three sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery), junior Antwon Naze, Bennett-Davenport and Harmon (51 tackles, 16 for a loss, two sacks) will hold down the linebacker position for the Cowboys.

“The key for Jawann is what he’s done in the offseason and in the weight room for us,” Antram said.

“He’s a great linebacker at the next level, he’s really been something for us defensively and that comes from his focus and what he’s done in the offseason.”

A younger group roams the secondary, but the pure athleticism found on the roster will help Chaney rally to the ball. Freshmen Kane Pickard, Jadon Ervin, Andrew Parrish and Dwanye and Dillion Wright look to fill spots.

“You play at least 10 games, then provided playoffs, the amount of reps when you count offense, defense and special teams, you need all the help you can get, all the depth you can get,” Antram said. “If not you’re moving bodies around, which we get to the point of last year, but these guys coming in with the rising junior class, we’re going to get reps out of the freshman class and the depth they provide.”

SPECIAL TEAMS

Sophomore Eder Gomez returns for kicking duties after going 24-for-32 on PATs in 2022, along with a 24-yard field goal.

2023 Schedule

Aug. 17 at Akron East 7 p.m.

Sept. 1 vs. Boardman 7 p.m.

Sept. 8 at Marlington 7 p.m.

Sept. 15 at Canfield 7 p.m.

Sept. 22 at Warren G. Harding 7 p.m.

Sept. 29 vs. Cardinal Mooney 7 p.m.

Oct. 6 vs. Howland 7 p.m.

Oct. 13 at Ursuline 7 p.m.

Oct. 20 at Youngstown East 7 p.m.

2022 Results (10-2)

at Poland (5-6) W 34-2

at Boardman (4-6) W 40-14

at Cardinal Mooney (6-7) W 22-17

vs. Marlington (1-9) W 35-10

vs. Canfield (14-1) W 16-13

vs. Ursuline (10-3) L 27-30

at Harvey (5-5) W 33-14

at Howland (2-8) W 42-0

vs. Warren G. Harding (2-8) W 21-14

vs. Youngstown East (1-9) W 34-0

#vs. Alliance (8-3) W 35-21

#vs. Kenston (9-4) L 7-31

#-OHSAA playoffs

Coaching staff

Head coach: Seth Antram, 2nd season, 10-2 at Chaney

Staff: Brandon Dotson, Eddie Driskel, John Kopp, Jason Hewlett, Mike Lawerence, Jalyn Powell, JT Thompson, Dom Thomas, Bob Toth, Allen Underwood

Team facts

Division III, Region 9

Independent

Players on roster: 64

Returning letterwinners (23): Jawaun Harmon, Bryson Douglas, O’Ryan Dukes, Jordan Hewlett, Drew Gault, Javeon Young, Dashawn Langston, Matt Jones, Tylon Miller, Eder Gomez, Darius Stonework, Marcus Harrison, Devari Davenport, Dewayne Thompson, Antwon Naze, Clifton Scott, Saion Ivey, Javon Huff, Sarmad Shakoor, Trent Winford, Tristan Leflore, Jovan Labooth, Elijah Carter.

2022 season: Last year was a big year for the Cowboys, but after a big first round win over Alliance they fell to Kenston in the second round. They were the only team to defeat Canfield, the Division III state champion, and suffered their only regular season loss to Ursuline. That loss was sandwiched by two 5-game winning streaks.