FAIRVIEW YELLOWJACKETS
Coach: ROBERT BERNARD
10-2
OFFENSE
After advancing to the Class A quarterfinals last season, the Fairview Yellowjackets are ready to make a deeper playoff run. Head coach Robert Bernard’s squad lost some players from last year’s team, but he looks for guys to step up and fill in those gaps. “We will have a lot of new faces on the field but they are a talented group,” he said. “We will have good team speed with some good size upfront. We will have a balanced attack on offense with a defense that will be very physical and athletic.” Making the move from wide receiver to quarterback this year is Aiden Nightingale (6-0, 170, Jr.). He is a smart kid who knows how to work hard and should do a solid job leading the offense. He has some outstanding playmakers at his disposal. Running back Alex Houk (6-2, 190, Jr.) is back after registering 734 offensive yards and 15 touchdowns. A threat on the outside, Haddon Miller (6-3, 175, Jr.) is back at wide receiver. He had 47 receptions for 566 yards and three scores last season. Colt Hamen (5-10, 195, Sr.) will be at tight end and will be a guy that Nightingale will look to get the ball to. Ridge Cottrill (6-0, 200, Jr.) and Jacobi Withers (5-11, 220, Sr.) will anchor the offensive line and work to keep the defense out of the backfield.
DEFENSE
The Yellowjackets have a solid core of the defense returning that gave up about 20 points per game last season. They will look to be more stingy and get the ball back to their counterparts on the offense. Leading the charge will be the linebacker trio of Hamen, Cottrill, and Houk. As a group, they combined for 277 tackles and six sacks last season, and they are expected to continue that dominance this season. Up front, wreaking havoc on the defensive line are Ray Walters (6-5, 305, Sr.) and Whithers. Withers ended last season with 39 tackles, while Walters tallied 27. They will be a problem for the opposing offensive line. In the secondary, Nightingale will be working to keep the big plays to a minimum after a solid defensive performance last year, where he had 47 tackles and eight interceptions, two for touchdowns.
8-29 – vs. Alva
9-5 – vs. Kingston
9-12 – at Tonkawa
9-26 – at Watonga
10-3 – vs. Merritt
10-10 – at Crescent
10-16 – vs. Hooker
10-24 – vs. Hinton
10-31 – at Sayre
11-7 – at Cashion
