BEREA, Ohio – March 12, 2020 will go down in infamy for the Baldwin Wallace University campus and its athletics programs as the COVID-19 global pandemic canceled athletics and in-person classes. Now a year later, the BW football program is set to embark on an unprecedented season that takes place in a time of year that few see the sport compete.
Head Coach Jim Hilvert and his staff have had to face the adversity of a no fall season, limited fall contact with their student-athletes and lastly the bitter cold of January and February practices.
With the shortened Ohio Athletic Conference season on the horizon, Coach Hilvert returns 39 letterwinners, 10 Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference selections and six All-OAC players from the 2019 squad that finished 7-3 overall and 6-3 in the OAC.
QUARTERBACKS
Sophomore Keagan Armitage (Ashland) returns as the incumbent starter. Armitage completed 105-172 passes for 1,523 with 14 touchdowns in eight games last season. Senior Academic All-OAC performer A.J. Miller (Cape Coral, Fla.) returns for his fifth season after suffering an injury after two games. Miller completed 56-of-97 passes with four touchdowns. Junior Andrew Zimmerman (Chesterton, Ind.) will look to get reps behind Armitage and Miller.
RUNNING BACKS
The rushing attack load will once again be handled junior All-OAC running back Jon Murray, Jr. (Cincinnati/Withrow). In two seasons, Murray, Jr. has appeared in 20 games and has racked up 1,480 yards on 298 carries with 17 touchdowns. Look for sophomores Gino Fornaro (Chesterland/West Geauga) and AJ Johnson (Clinton/Manchester) and freshman Jonah Shrock (Howell, Mich.) to get involved in the rushing attack.
TIGHT ENDS
The tight end position will look very different but with familiar faces this season. Juniors Andrew Cregan (Navarre/Strasburg-Franklin) and Jack Gibbons (Willoughby/Lake Catholic) enter as the favorites to land the starting spot after switching from wide receiver and quarterback. In addition, Ian Baker (Springville, N.Y. /Griffith Institute) adds veteran depth.
WIDE RECEIVERS
The receiving corps will be led by junior Darius Stokes (Canton/GlenOak) after having a breakout season in 2019. Stokes caught 20 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns. Seniors Cody Kobielus (West Middlesex, Pa.) and Josh Kriebel (Saltsburg, Pa. /The Kiski School), junior Jake Hyduke (Painesville /Lake Catholic), sophomore Elijah Arnett (Akron /Woodridge) and freshman Vinny Lomeo (East Amherst, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute) all look to be a factor in the passing game
OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line will be anchored by senior All-OAC tackle Patrick Simon (Olmsted Falls), junior Academic All-OAC center Jivan Meguerditchian (Avon Lake/St. Ignatius) and junior tackle Austin Stafford (Riverview, Fla./Newsome). Juniors Luke Breudigam (Strongsville (Padua Franciscan), Jacob Coppenger (Seymour, Tenn. /Heritage), Liam Leveto (Conneaut /Edgewood) and Nathan Parker (Columbus/Olentangy Orange), sophomores George Newcomb (West Seneca, N.Y.) and Jimmy Vargas (Palmetto Bay, Fla./Immaculata La Salle) and freshman Chris Hatcher (Mentor) will look to fill the openings on the line.
DEFENSIVE LINE
The defensive line returns seven players that either started or saw action last season. Seniors Sekou Imani (Dover) and Taino Arocho return as All-OAC performers and starters. Juniors Cole Lavorini (Poland/Seminary), Tim Monroe (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield), Matty Reid (Mount Gilead/Highland), sophomores Harvey Rauch (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair), Devon Slocum (Cincinnati/Elder) and Frank Soukup (Painesville/Riverside) got time last season and look to push for more time in the rotation.
LINEBACKERS
The linebacking unit returns all three starters in senior All-OAC performer Brenton Miller (Carrollton), senior Chris Burnside (Medina/Highland) and junior Academic All-OAC performer Nick Pankow (Ashland). Pankow was second on the team in tackles with 78 and Miller was fourth with 56.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
The secondary returns two starters and both at the safety position. Juniors Anthony Kendall (Port Richey, Fla. (River Ridge) and Sam Severino (Highland Heights (Lake Catholic) will patrol the middle. The two cornerback sports will have new faces as senior Iyan Mitchell (Tampa, Fla./Robinson) switches from wide receiver and junior Robert Williamson (Columbus /Beechcroft) take over the starting spots.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Sophomore Dean Sarris (Canton/GlenOak) returns to handle the kicking duties. Sarris converted 37-of-38 extra points and 7-of-11 field goals during his rookie campaign. Cregan will handle the punting duties, a job he did last year before a season ending injury last year.
RETURN GAME
Mitchell will handle most of the return duties as he returned 19 kickoff for 350 yards and one punt for 17 yards. Kriebel and Stokes will also be in the mix to handle kick returns.
THE SCHEDULE
Just like everything else in 2020-21, the 2021 spring season is unique in itself. The OAC has been divided into a five-team East and West Division with each division playing a four-game Friday night regular season schedule. The fifth and final week of the season will feature the teams finishing in first through fifth in each division facing each.
BW opens the season on Friday, March 12 as it travels to University Heights for the 32nd Battle of the Cuyahoga Gold Bowl Trophy Game against crosstown rival John Carroll University in Don Shula Stadium. The Yellow Jackets remain on the road for week two as they travel top Marietta for an OAC game against Marietta College on March 19.
BW closes out the regular season with home games against Muskingum University on March 26 and the University of Mount Union on April 9.
The fifth and final game will be played on April 16 with the East Division hosting the first, third and fifth place games and the West Division hosting the second and fourth place games.
