By Chris Parker
Hollister is poised for a bounce-back season with 18 total starters returning from last season’s 2-8 team.
Offensively, things will start up front with an experienced offensive line.
“We should be very good up front,” Hollister head coach Mike Johnson said. “For the past two seasons we have had a very young group up front. Many of our now juniors have been starting on the offensive line since they were freshmen. We have two very good senior linemen that should be leaders on our team to help make that a huge strength of ours. We also have three-year starting running back Bryson Whitman returning and junior quarterback Owen Houser returning to the backfield after he started as sophomore and played a bunch for us as a freshman.”
Senior Tyler Carpenter and junior Issiah Nicholl both earned all-conference honors last season.
Carpenter was named honorable mention all-conference as an offensive lineman. He will also play on the defensive line. On defense, Carpenter contributed 18 tackles and two sacks.
“(Carpenter is a) team captain,” Johnson said. “He has a great skill set up front. He has good feet and is incredibly long. He has the ability to move people where he wants.”
Nicholl was an honorable mention all-conference defensive lineman in addition to his offensive line duties. He had 21 total tackles last season.
“(Nicholl is a) great kid that is rolling into his third year as our starting left tackle and we are expecting big things,” Johnson said.
Junior Will Lebsock returns to the offensive line after earning academic all-state honors as a sophomore.
Cason Kemp (senior), Trevor Aksamit (junior), Chance Hreha (senior) and Zeke Norris (junior) will each play both the offensive and defensive lines. Kaeden Taylor will play offensive line and linebacker.
Aksamit is poised for a big season in his second year of high school football. He had 12 tackles on defense as a sophomore.
“(Aksamit) is a great kid with loads of potential,” Johnson said. “He played football for the first time ever last year and started for us on the defensive line. He has grown a ton and got much stronger in the weight room. I expect him to have a breakout year.”
Norris enters his third season as a starter.
“(Norris) has started at guard for us since his freshman year,” Johnson said. “He has grown up, and I expect him to be solid for us up front.”
Blake Smith is a senior transfer who will look to add to the already experienced offensive and defensive lines.
“Blake is a move-in this year,” Johnson said. “He brings an attitude we need up front both offensively and defensively. He is a very tough kid and comes from a great football program. We are incredibly excited to have him.”
Bryson Whitman will be a two-way force for Hollister in his senior season. Last year, Whitman carried the ball 162 times for 1,350 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes for 175 yards. On defense, Whitman pulled down 86 total tackles. He earned first-team all-conference honors as a running back and a second-team all-conference selection as a defensive back and returner. He will play linebacker this season on defense.
“(Whitman is a) team leader who will carry the load for us on offense this year,” Johnson said. “He has been a three-year captain, all-conference player, and starter for us. He is also a two-year state placer in wrestling. He has a great skill set both offensively and defensively.”
Owen Houser returns to the quarterback position after throwing for 364 yards and rushing for another 260 with 12 total touchdowns. He added 18 tackles and three interceptions from his defensive back spot. Houser was named second-team all-district as a defensive back.
“(Houser is a) great kid who is very smart with the ball,” Johnson said. “He is an amazing athlete and has grown a ton as a quarterback.”
Robert Mora was impactful on defense last season with 63 tackles, two fumble recoveries and one interception as a defensive back. He also saw some action on offense as a running back with 54 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards.
“(Mora is a) great competitor,” Johnson said. “He is very physical for his size and possibly the fastest kid on our team. He has started since his sophomore year on defense. I am expecting a breakout year for him offensively.”
Wyatt Jones is back after earning honorable mention all-conference honors as a tight end. He had five catches for 56 yards. Jones also pulled down 23 tackles with two sacks as a linebacker on defense.
“(Jones) has started for us at multiple spots over the past two seasons and has settled in at outside linebacker and tight end,” Johnson said. “He is a very good receiving option on offense and brings a ton of athleticism as a pass rusher.”
Academic all-state linebacker Connor Johnson returns after pulling down 48 tackles as a junior. He will also play tight end on offense.
“(Connor Johnson) has really developed into a heck of a football player,” Coach Johnson said. “He works his tail off in the weight room and is an amazing kid.”
Santi Mendoza had a big freshman year at linebacker with 67 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery. He is also an option at running back.
“Santi started for us a freshman last year at inside linebacker,” Coach Johnson said. “I expect him to build upon the season he had last and also to be a big contributor on offense.”
Quaid Hasler earned academic all-state honors as a junior and returns as a kicker.
Look for Ashton Goebel (junior), Tarrant Hall (senior), Ryan Southern (junior) and William Browning (senior) to all be options at wide receiver and defensive back.
Easton Woods (senior) and Lucas Rice (junior) both are running back and linebacker options that return.
Jaivyn Brayfield is a sophomore newcomer who brings athleticism as a wide receiver and defensive back.
“(Brayfield is a) very athletic kid who we think can really be a weapon for us on the outside,” Coach Johnson said. “He has a 34-inch vertical jump.”
Nick Quinn will be an option at tight end and defensive line in his sophomore season.
“(Quinn is a) very tough kid who works his butt off,” Johnson said. “He should a big impact for us offensively and defensively.”
Defensively, the front seven are experienced.
“Our front seven should be very solid,” Johnson said. “We have a lot of experience coming back and should have very good depth up front as well. We have two returning starters at inside linebacker and six defensive linemen who all got tons of playing time last year. Both of our starting outside linebackers return as well.”
Hollister travels to Sarcoxie for a jamboree on Aug. 22 before hitting the road to face Green Forest (Ark.) in the season opening game on Aug. 29.
“We finally have a group of seasoned kids that I feel can really compete in our conference,” Coach Johnson said. “The past two seasons we have been incredibly young. We have started a ton of freshmen and sophomores these past two years. I feel like this team brings a ton of experience and we are finally mature up front. We have made huge gains in the weight room, and our kids have really worked hard to turn things around. Going into last season we only had three kids who could bench 200 pounds and squat 300. This season we go in with right around twenty. I feel like we have an experienced group that should be solid up front. We have an experienced and confident quarterback and bell cow running back.”
