This is the first installment of a six-part series of columns that will look ahead to the upcoming year of high school sports for our six area schools. Up first is the Southern Coffey County Titans.
Southern Coffey County appears poised for a big year. In every sport, the Titans have will return their most successful athletes in each sport, led by seniors Chonnor Ludolph, Danielle Kasprzak, Erikah Lyons and Adina Ratzlaff.
BOYS BASKETBALL
This has been a season to point toward for several years now with Ludolph representing one of the area’s top all-around athletes.
Southern Coffey County was dealt a blow right after this past season when Ludolph’s partner in the backcourt, then-freshman Zeke Lyons, transferred to Parsons.
With Lyons in the fold, Ludolph was allowed to be a more versatile weapon and play off the ball a bit.
Without Lyons, Ludolph would appear poised to step back into the role of the team’s exclusive ballhandler.
Ludolph, despite proving to be one of the best players around, is not without his own share of questions.
During this past season, he reinjured a back injury that he hurt during his sophomore football season. This injury slowed him near the end of the basketball season last year and the health of his back will be the biggest key to the season.
Ludolph’s primary running mate this next season will be junior Dawson Leimkuhler, who gives the Titans a rare combination of size and speed.
The 6-foot-4, 225-pound center is a sprinter of the Titan track and field team and is fully capable of running a full-court game with Ludolph.
Leimkuhler’s classmate Kolgan Ohl should be counted on for a bigger role this year and take to team’s other frontcourt spot.
Seniors Luke Gillis and Lane Gibson will likely be a part of the backcourt rotation around Ludolph
GIRLS BASKETBALL
While the Titan boys have their top player returning, the Titan girls have even more experience back with four returning starters.
Seniors Erikah Lyons and Kasprzak return, much like Ludolph, as versatile options. Both players are capable of leading the team in all three categories — points, rebounds and assists — in any given game.
Lyons was the team’s primary point guard last year, but late in the year, then-freshman Bryli Copeland began to hit her stride and may allow Lyons to play more off the ball next season.
Copeland is coming off a major knee injury and her return to form will be another key for the Titans.
Jordyn Stone and Kimberlyn Gunlock will also add to the backcourt depth with Lyons and Kasprzak’s ability to play any position adding to coach Jeff True’s lineup options.
The frontcourt will be led by juniors Haven Harvey and Crystal Alumbaugh, who each gained a lot of experience last season.
TRACK & FIELD
Ludolph suffered a tremendous disappointment last season when he was edged out of a state championship in the 110-meter hurdles and finished second. Ludolph’s redemption tour will be a big storyline for the season.
Ludolph also placed at state in the 300-meter hurdles and will be looking for a big season in those as well.
Ohl and Cooper Harred return as state qualifiers with Harred qualifying in the shot put as a freshman and Ohl making it in the javelin.
Ratzlaff leads the girls’ team as she excels in all the sprinting events and seems poised to qualify for state in four events this season.
Erikah Lyons is the school’s record holder in the javelin and will be a likely candidate to medal next year.
FOOTBALL
The Titans football team returns a lot of experience next year, but for the second-straight season, they will be without a star underclassman receiver.
After Ludolph was forced to give up football last season following his back injury, Zeke Lyons stepped into his role last year and had a terrific freshman campaign, but with his move to Parsons, the Titans will have another opening a receiver.
The Titans return a trio of playmakers with senior quarterback Nick Spencer, senior running back Luke Gillis and junior receiver Leimkuhler.
That will be the core for what should be a strong offense, but the biggest key for the Titans will be rebuilding a defense that has struggled in recent years.
Senior linebacker Dale Hall will be a big key for the defense and he 245 pounder bruiser is also a threat in the running game on offense when the Titans chose to pound the ball.
VOLLEYBALL
Kasprzak and Lyons will also be the biggest keys to the Titans’ volleyball team as they are both capable of setting the ball or killing it, giving True plenty of options with how he chooses to deploy them.
The development of the supporting cast will be the key for the Titans with Harvey, Alumbaugh, and Gunlock all being experienced returners.
