Carmichaels has more to offer, better defense
By Chris Dugan
Sports editor
dugan@observer-reporter.com
CARMICHAELS – Alec Anderson was as far under the radar as a backup quarterback could be a year ago.
As the second-string quarterback at Carmichaels, Anderson played behind Trenton Carter, who did a little of everything for the Mikes, rushing for 1,069 yards and passing for 1,220 and 17 touchdowns. There were not many meaningful snaps for Anderson to take – he threw only one pass – as the Mikes went 8-3 and finished second in the Class A Tri-County South Conference.
With Carter now gone, Carmichaels will turn to Anderson to keep the Mikes’ wide-open spread attack moving. At least that is the hope.
“We’ll roll the way Alec rolls,” head coach Ron Gallagher says.
That’s because Gallagher doesn’t plan to change the Mikes’ style of offense with Anderson at the controls. That’s not because Gallagher is reluctant to change his offense. Instead, it’s because Gallagher has supreme confidence in his senior quarterback.
“He can move,” Gallagher says. “He’s actually faster than Trenton. He doesn’t have Trenton’s size, but he’s tough and he throws the ball well. Because of his ability, we haven’t changed the playbook. It’s the same. We feel like our run-pass ratio will be the same.”
What has changed is the names in the lineup. Only three starters return on offense and four on defense.
Though they will lack the varsity experience that many of their opponents will have, the Mikes do have big-play potential.
Last season, Carter’s favorite target was wide receiver Michael Stewart, who caught 38 passes and scored an amazing 19 touchdowns. He too was lost to graduation, but the Mikes have a dynamic player who can fill that role. Senior wide receiver Tyler Richmond, who averaged almost 17 yards per catch, will give Anderson a big-play threat.
Another exciting player could be senior running back Peyton Schooley, who was slowed by an injury last season, when he was limited to 434 rushing yards (6.9 per carry). Though only 5-8 and 160 pounds, Schooley has the quickness and elusiveness to take any carry the distance.
“He had a meniscus issue last year but played with it,” Gallagher explained. “We’ve seen a difference in him this spring. He’s a small back but very quick, with change of direction. That is something we missed last year. He adds that speed element.
“What we’re expecting is to not be as explosive offensively but we might have more to offer in all areas. We’ll be able to do more things with different players.”
One area that must improve for the Mikes to make a return to the playoffs is the defense. In five games against teams that finished at .500 or better a year ago, the Mikes gave up an average of 27 points per game.
“We’re really focusing on defense,” Gallagher said. “We felt good about what we did offensively, but at time, we were not that good defensively. In the bigger games, we couldn’t get off the field on third down. It wasn’t Xs and Os, it was not understanding down and distance and not playing situational football. We didn’t play smart football.”
The Mikes have some potentially strong areas on defense. One Carmichaels defensive player who will attract plenty of attention is end Parker Hyatt, who set the school’s single-season sacks records last year. He will be joined on the defensive front by Bradley Schoenfeldt (6-2, 300), who played as a freshman and senior Chris Mincer (6-2, 225). Schoenfeldt and Mincer also start on the offensive line.
Gallagher says the Mikes’ linebacker play should be improved with Anderson moving to the outside and brothers Ambrose and Aydan Adamson playing the inside.
Because of what they lost from last season, the Mikes have been overlooked and perhaps underestimated in the preseason predictions. Gallagher expected that to be the case, but he knows the talent cupboard is rarely bare at Carmichaels.
“I addressed that the first day,” Gallagher said. “I told the guys that if you want to know what the storyline is – and it hasn’t even come out yet – it’s that we lost everyone and we’re not going to be good.
“But those guys know my expectations. They know I don’t think that. We have a next-man-up mentality here. If we do the right things in practice and on the game field. … We have some seniors who put in hard work, lifting and practicing. That’s the culture here. It’s good to have.”