By Chris Parker
Ava has long been known as a run-first, ball-control offense. Last season, the Bears rushed for 3,030 yards as a team while passing for 439 on the way to a 7-3 record.
This season, with four offensive starters returning, things could look a little different.
“We have always been a ball control offense but plan on going to the air more than in recent years,” Ava head coach Casey Merrifield said. “A quarterback that has started in games four years in a row has earned the opportunity to air it out a little more.”
That quarterback is senior Aiden Lane.
Lane threw for 423 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 630 and 10 touchdowns on 76 carries last season. He was honorable mention all-conference honors at quarterback last season.
“Aiden has turned into an amazing leader. His ability to process information very quickly is his best asset in the flexbone,” Merrifield said. “He has always been the guy that got the ball to the right place in our offense and now the right place will be in his hand a lot more of the time. We expect him to drive our offense instead of manage it.”
Braxton Swearengin returns for his junior season after earning second-team all-conference honors as a wide receiver last season. He hauled in nine receptions for 107 yards and one touchdown after converting from the offensive line to the outside.
“He works as hard as any kid I have ever got to coach,” Merrifield said. “He actually started last year on the offensive line, but injuries moved him to wide receiver Week 3 and his toughness earned him the all-conference honors.”
Kyle Pitts (wide receiver) and Cash Collins (tight end) will also factor into the passing game. Pitts had nine catches for 133 yards last season.
In the backfield, look for Ben Stewart and Gunner Evans to split time at fullback.
Stewart was a first-team all-conference honoree on the offensive line last season, but moves to the backfield this season.
“We expect Ben to be a bruiser from the backfield this year. We think he has the ability to grind away at the tough yards for us this year,” Merrifield said. “He will run downhill and be a chain mover for us. We expect him always gain positive yards and will be a guy that no one wants to tackle all night long.”
Kell Abraham, Jacob Laub, Grant Swatosh and Jack Tate will see carries from the A-back position early in the year while the weather is still warm. Merrifield expects to whittle the rotation down to two as the weather cools.
Up front, Thomas Brown and Maeson Trujillo return as starters. They will be joined by Oliver Williams, Preston Jenkins, Logan Swearengin, and Kale Hall.
Four starters also return on defense.
Williams, Hall, Pitts and Hayden Kirklin will handle defensive line duties. Williams led that group with 28 total tackles and five sacks.
Evans, Stewart and Laub will be in the middle of the defense at linebacker. Laub led the team with 85 total tackles last season with three tackles for a loss. Stewart had 28 total tackles.
The secondary will feature Lane, Braxton Swearengin, Tate, Abraham and Swatosh.
“We plan on making big plays defensively,” Merrifield said. “We understand that at times big plays will be given up, but we want to attack all game long.”
Ava opens the season on Aug. 29 at home against Buffalo.
“This group of kids understands that we are going to be underdogs on a lot of Friday nights and are willing put in the tough work to compete anyways,” Merrifield said. “I want this team to stay healthy. We battled injuries last year and believe wins and losses will take care of themselves if we stay healthy.”
