By Chris Parker
East Newton football posted a 4-7 record last season, which was the most wins for the program since 2008.
Eight starters return on each side of the ball this season.
Seniors Virgil Rosiere (WR/FS), Caden Youngblood (WR/CB), River Enlow (RB/CB), Alan McFarland (OL/DL), Layton Pilcher (OL/DL) and Darryan Moore (OL/DL) along with juniors Ethan Bales (WR/S), Aidan Wolfe (TE/DL), Lachlan Letterman (FB/LB) and Coltin Noone (RB/LB) are the returning players.
Enlow was a second-team all-conference running back who had 129 carries for 701 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
Rosiere earned honorable mention all-conference honors as a wide receiver. He had 48 receptions for 671 yards and eight touchdowns. Youngblood had 20 catches for 218 yards and earned his all-conference honors as a punter. Bales had 16 catches for 200 yards.
Letterman is the only returning defensive all-conference honoree. He earned honorable mention status at linebacker after pulling down 71 total tackles last season.
Rosiere (50), Noone (48), McFarland (45), Enlow (36) and Wolfe (36) all had more than 30 tackles last season.
Junior Carson Rinehart has been the backup quarterback for two years and is looking to take the starting job this season. He will also play free safety.
Cole Moore (sophomore OL/LB), Hunter Howe (junior WR/S), Brodie Litchfield (junior OL/DL), Kenny Barrett (senior OL/DL), Payton Brown (junior OL/DL), Chase Mountford (junior OL/DL) and Fredo Clymer (sophomore (OL/DL) will be newcomers to watch.
East Newton will jamboree at Miller with the host Cardinals, Diamond and El Dorado Springs. The Patriots open the season on Aug. 29 at home against Springfield Catholic.
“We need to continue to grow as a program to compete weekly in the Big 8 conference,” East Newton head coach Tom Ellis said. “One of our goals is to have a winning record. We won four games last year for the first time since 2008.”
