HIGHLAND HORNETS
HIGHLAND HORNETS
HEAD COACH: Mike Gibbons, 10th year, 71-29
LAST YEAR: 11-3, 7-1 POSTSEASON: Division II, Region 6
Highland football's top returning players
Brady Bendau, OL 6-1, 280, Sr.
Ben Coyne, OT/DE, 6-4, 265, sr. Jameson Gordon, MLB/TE, 6-2, 210, Jr.
Caleb McKeen, DE/TE, 6-2, 230, Sr. Casey Myser, RB, 6-1, 210, Jr.
Carson Noonan, DE/OT, 6-3, 270, Sr. Garrett Phillips, S/RB, 5-10, 170, Sr. Ryan Zywiec, DT/OL, 6-3, 255, Sr.
Highland football's impact players
Myser is the unquestioned leader on offense. … As a sophomore, the Division II honorable mention All-Ohioan rushed for 1,309 yards and scored 16 touchdowns on 179 carries (7.3 average). … Noonan returns as a first-team All-Ohioan and Miami (Ohio) commit after a junior season in which he tallied 56 tackles, including 141⁄2 for loss. He had 61⁄2 sacks and a pass breakup for a defense that allowed just 12.3 points and 182.6 yards per game. … Zywiec is the reigning Suburban League American Conference Lineman of the Year and was a third-team All-Ohioan. … He made 83 tackles, 121⁄2 for loss and registered seven sacks last season.
What's new with Highland football in 2024
There's an influx of young talent coming to Highland this season but by no means should anyone expect the squad to take a step back. The junior varsity was 10-0 last season and the freshmen were 9-1. … Senior quarterback Dylan Borla takes over for Peyton Janickas. … Janickas was 78-of-139 passing for 1,177 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also rushed for 929 yards and 13 touchdowns on 174 carries. … Sophomore Evan Foust will help Myser in the backfield. Jonah Kowza takes over as the kicker for Carson Kwiatkowski, who is out with injury. Kwiatkowski was 72 of 72 on extra points last season. … With no returning starting wide receivers, junior Lukas Gerding, who will also play safety, is the player to watch out wide.
Highland football's outlook
The Hornets don't change much, but why would they? The senior class is 34-6 at the varsity level and has logged three straight seasons of 11 wins or more. The offense is going to line up under center, read the linebackers and run at you and dare you to stop it. … Last season, Highland rushed for 276.8 yards per game and had an offense that gained 367.1 yards per game. “We are excited to get things started for the 2024 season,” Gibbons said. “We return key players from a regional finalist team while also adding good young players from very good lower level teams. We are experienced up front on both sides of the ball. We do not return any receivers from last year, but I feel like we have some really good players that are going to fill those roles. Our goal is to win the Suburban League, make the playoffs and win a state title.”
Highland football schedule for 2024
Aug. 23 at Hudson
Aug. 30 NORTH ROYALTON
Sept. 6 BRUNSWICK
Sept. 13 COPLEY
Sept. 20 at Tallmadge
Sept. 27 at Barberton
Oct. 4 KENT ROOSEVELT
Oct. 10 REVERE
Oct. 18 at Cuyahoga Falls
Oct. 25 at Aurora
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival
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