Strong junior class heads up Greencastle fortunes

Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Nick Costin heads up the offense against Southmont. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

It's no easy feat replacing players who made All-Conference, when they graduate however first-year coach Greencastle Mike Meyer knows that the offseason is the place to begin the transition.

"Our off-season was good," Meyer said who is returning to the head coaching position for a second tenure. "The kids worked very hard. Obvoiusly theyre was a little bit of a transition as I got picked up late. But the kids came together and worked hard. I came away feeling very good about our offseason."

Greencastle's football team went through some significant changes this offseason but none more than a second coach in two years. While the Tiger Cubs may have lost Nate Tesmer and defensive player of the year Zach Secrest, GHS still looks very imposing with size and skilled players.

Greencastle's Devin Clar breaks a Southmont tackle to get extra yardage on the outside during the scrimmage. (Banner Graphic/JAY LOCKETT)

"They are a very good group," Meyer said. "They work well together and it seems to me that they have a very positive attitude. As a coach I have a good time being around them. Chemistry is good.

"The big thing that we always talk about is everyone being on the same page," Meyer continued. "Everybody has got to believe. That's what we've been talking about. I think they are very receptive to the change."

Nick Costin is a junior quarterback with some helpful experience under his belt and he has already established a connection with 6-6 receiver J. T. Matthews. GHS also has a tough defense that was able to make some plays against Southmont in the scrimmage Friday, including a forced fumble and a interception.

Defensive players like Trae Carrington, Derek Ummel and Matthew Fajt were the biggest disrupters for the Tiger Cubs.

"Our strength would be in our junior class," Meyer said. "We've got a strong junior class that is a very tight unit. I think they will kind of lead us in the right direction."

Meyer said he meets with the senior leaders on the team once a week as well as the juniors and together they discuss the direction of the team and the importance of everybody stepping up.

"I don't really worry about the past," Meyer said. "I worry about where we are going. We have a great group of kids like I said."

Greencastle went 3-7 last season under coach Ryan Spoonmore before losing to Edgewood in the sectional round. This season GHS will open with North Putnam at home on Friday before playing Cloverdale on Aug. 28.

"Our expectations are just to try and win the first one," Meyer said. "Then we will worry about the second one when it gets here and so on. We'll just work on one game at a time and work hard and believe in each other. Hopefully everything turns out in the end the way you want it."

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