By Chris Parker
Republic football entered the 2024 season coming off a state runner-up finish with many new players stepping up after graduating a deep senior class.
The new players answered the bell and brought Republic a second straight district championship on the way to a 10-3 record overall. The Tigers fell to eventual state runner-up Helias Catholic 24-21 in the state quarterfinal round.
“I think our program is in a really good place,” Republic head coach Ryan Cornelsen said. “I think the kids understand the expectations. I think the kids are willing to work at it year-round. When you are willing to do that, you like to think year in and year out you have the chance to put a quality team on the field. I would say we are in a good place right now with the kids’ effort and the kids’ accountability to the program, doing the things it takes in the weight room and summer practices to have a quality team each year.”
Six starters return on each side of the ball.
Preston McCracken returns to run the offense at quarterback. He missed two games due to injury last season, but that did not stop him from earning First-Team All-COC West honors. McCracken rushed for 1,262 yards and 22 touchdowns on 159 carries while throwing for 448 yards and three touchdowns.
“The first we saw Preston was as a sophomore on JV. He really made a lot of ground as far as being able to run the ball and understanding our offense and had a great sophomore year at the JV level,” Cornelsen said. “Last year, he did a nice job throughout the year of playing within the system, understanding his reads and taking control of the offense and did a great job of leadership. There is no doubt he is a natural talent, and he has a lot of ability, but I felt like he did a good job of commanding the offense and being a leader for us offensively.”
McCracken is a multi-sport athlete who is committed to Missouri State for baseball. His is a blueprint that Cornelsen hopes more Republic athletes follow.
“I think (playing multiple sports) says a lot about him and a lot about what we are trying to build here (at Republic),” Cornelsen said. “We try to provide an environment where multi-sport athletes can participate in two or three sports and not feel like they are falling behind. We have had others, but he is a great example of the system working as far as allowing the kids to be able to do the travel ball in the summer and chase their dream in whatever sport it is but also participate in other sports. It is a great thing for him. It is a great thing for our football program. To me, it is a great thing for Republic athletics to see that you can still be a Division I athlete and still help multiple sports be successful.”
Republic focuses on the run and three of the four leading rushers from last season return.
Izaiah Hull moved from defensive line to fullback last season and found immediate success rushing for 892 yards and nine touchdowns on 149 carries.
“(Hull) was a big key to our offense last season and will be a huge key this year,” Cornelsen said.
Owen Klier will have a bigger role after turning 91 carries into 484 yards and four touchdowns last season.
“(Klier) did a nice job last year of playing within the system,” Cornelsen said. “We are hoping (with) his confidence of having a year that now he can see some different holes and different cuts and be the back that makes guys miss and creates come stuff on his own as well.”
Republic is looking for a third back to put in the rotation.
Chance Gimlin and Landon Harper are a pair of returning all-conference offensive linemen. Harper earned second-team all-state honors in Class 5.
“They know the offensive scheme as well as I do,” Cornelsen said. “They have been playing since sophomore year. They are great kids and leaders on the field. They lead by example. They truly know the offensive schemes. They can make the adjustments really quick. It is like having two coaches on the field. I think that pays huge dividends for the rest of the line to go out there as a unit and be confident that you have some guys who can make adjustments, understand what we are doing and hopefully put us in a position to move the ball offensively.”
Braxton Lundberg, Avien Ferguson and Blake Luna are also offensive linemen to watch.
Republic has a lot of options at wide receiver that include Brennan Overstreet, Keiran Govan and Gavin Lawhon.
Defensively, things start in the middle with linebacker Kaleb Norman. Norman led the Tigers with 65 total tackles on his way to first-team all-conference honors last season.
“(Norman) is truly the quarterback of our defense,” Cornelsen said. “(His experience) allows us to run multiple fronts and to adjust based on what formations come at us and know that he can get us lined up. He is not just communicating with linebackers. He is in charge of our defensive line. He is shifting them where he wants them based on what we talked about that week.”
Ethan Montiel is an outside linebacker but more of a true defensive end. Grayson Hart will be at defensive end.
The secondary returns a pair of all-conference players in Govan and Gavin Lawhon.
Govan earned first-team all-conference honors with 54 total tackles.
“First, (Govan) is extremely athletic. Second, he is really smart. He understands the game,” Cornelsen said. “You put those two things together and you are obviously going to have a really good player. He is the quarterback of the secondary making sure we know where we are at. We use him in a lot of different ways. We will move him all over the place to try to utilize his ability to take something away (from the opponent). He is able to be a cover corner to a run-support safety.”
Lawhon is great in coverage with a team-high 12 passes defended last season on his way to second-team all-conference honors. He also had two fumble recoveries and 41 total tackles.
“(Lawhon) is a really good cover guy. He will cover most team’s quickest, best receiver,” Cornelsen said. “Him and KG are probably as good as I have had since I have been here in the secondary. I think very highly of those two guys in the secondary. We are excited to have two guys back there we feel like we can do a lot of things with.”
In the special teams, first-team all-conference kicker Elijah Phiri returns. He had 54 points kicking and booted 31 touchbacks last season.
His strong leg provides Cornelsen with some options other teams may not have.
“It does change your play call up maybe on a third and long when you feel like to have to get it versus lets get the yards and kick a field goal,” Cornelsen said. “It does change your play call and allows you to score points in a way that maybe some years you can’t.”
Republic kicks off the season on Aug. 29 at home against Nixa where the Tigers hope to make another deep playoff run.
“We try to create a culture where success is defined daily,” Cornelsen said. “Did we work hard enough in practice today to call it a success? When you look at overall wins and losses, we expect to win every game. We are not concerned with who we are playing, we just expect to win and put a plan together to make that happen. Now we have been past districts for two years in a row and the kids have gotten a taste of it; I think their expectation is let’s see how far we can push it each and every year.”
