By Brock Sisney (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
For the 2021 season, the Cassville Wildcats return only one full-time starter from last season’s Class 3 state semifinal team.
Among those players who graduated include standout running back and linebacker Zach Coenen, offensive and defensive tackle Jaiden Reibert, kicker and receiver Drake Reese, and quarterback Hayden Sink, all of whom have signed with area colleges to continue their academic and athletic careers.
Junior safety Hernan Hernandez returns as the lone full-time starter and junior linebacker Keaton Shellenburger earned four starts last season. Offensively, senior Ethan Fuchs started three games at fullback and fellow senior Cutter Hicks two games at quarterback last season, and junior Christian Tidwell started three games on the line.
Other than that handful of players with previous varsity starting experience, though, it will be all new starters for Cassville head coach Lance Parnell and his assistants Clay Weldy, Josh Schmitt, Mark Elliott, Ben Glidewell, Bobby Bishop, and Collin Pearman.
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“We will be looking to replace a ton of experience and starters from graduation,” Parnell said. “I am excited to see how our young kids improve throughout the season. We had a lot of underclassmen get some valuable experience in 2020. I think the added practices late in the season will go a long way in developing our young players that will be asked to step into full-time starting roles on Friday nights in 2021.
“Our philosophy is always to improve as the year goes along and be playing our best football at the end of the year. Our schedule is very tough from Week 1 to Week 9. The Big 8 is a tough Class 3 conference and you have to be ready to play each and every week. The last 20-plus years have shown that playing in the Big 8 can prepare you for a postseason run. Many teams from the Big 8 have shown that over the years.”
Cassville showed that with back-to-back state titles in 2008 and 2009, and the Wildcats finished state runner-up in 2019.
Every season, it seems at least two Big 8 schools make a deep postseason run. Last season, it was Cassville in Class 3 and state champion Lamar in Class 2.
Hicks and Fuchs each rushed for 101 yards last season, and Hicks completed 7 of his 14 pass attempts for 182 yards and one touchdown. Hicks also caught one pass for 13 yards and Hernandez made a 23-yard gain on his lone reception of the season.
Shellenberger leads all returning players with 35 stops last season, Fuchs added 29 tackles and one sack, and Hernandez tallied 21 tackles and two interceptions.
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Other players in the Cassville mix this season are tackle and defensive end Michael Morgan, lineman Landry Mills, receiver Eli Pickett, lineman Wyatt Cochran, and receiver and defensive back Jason Jacobson (seniors); running back and linebacker Trey Wilson, receiver and defensive back Jake Anthonysz, tight end and linebacker Isacc Hadlow, defensive back Wyatt Alexander, lineman Brennen Cieslinski, running back and defensive back Kurt Deaver, receiver and defensive back Easton Fare, running back and defensive back Jadon Ewing, lineman Bryson Hendrix, tight end and defensive end Kaden New, lineman Austin Revolerio, defensive end Josh Yount, kicker Peter Littlefield, and lineman Ethan Morgan (juniors); and sophomore receiver and defensive back Garret Ewing.
Offensively, Wilson and Jadon Ewing also picked up carries last season, Wilson good for 91 yards on 16 carries and Ewing 43 yards on 12 carries.
Defensively, Morgan recorded 18 tackles, one sack, and one fumble recovery.
The Wildcats open their 2021 season Aug. 27 at home against Big 8 East crossover opponent Mt. Vernon, and the rivals have played some memorable games over the years. Last season, for example, Mt. Vernon defeated Cassville 21-13 in the season opener with a TD pass in the final 20 seconds and then 10 weeks later, Cassville upended Mt. Vernon 35-13 for a district title. Mt. Vernon defeated Cassville by a similar score in 2019 to win district.
Other particularly notable tilts include consecutive weeks on the road against defending state champion Lamar (Week 5) and at home against Monett (Week 6) in the Barry County Brawl.
In the annual jamboree one week before the start of the season, Cassville takes on Republic, Willard, and Parkview, all three bigger schools they will not otherwise face.
