McComb trying to stay at high level despite losses

McCOMB – McComb football had to a lot celebrate in 2021: a Blanchard Valley Conference championship, a sweep of the top individual all-league honors, a trip to the regional semifinals, all-Ohio recognition galore. But that was then and this is now. And McComb coach Kris Alge has not built one of the state's most consistently successful programs, averaging 9.1 wins a season in amassing a 219-68 record over his 24 years as head coach, by sitting on his or any of his players laurels. "You don't dwell on the past," Alge said. "We lost a lot. But we don't feel sorry for ourselves. We know there's not going to be a pity party for us. "We had a good group of seniors that helped win a conference championship. But hey, you have to replace them. We have some good players coming back, and they're going to have to grow up fast because they're next in line." Graduation cost McComb some real headline grabbers, especially lineman Eli Franks and talented all-around athlete Ka'Von Bailey (605 yards receiving, 300 rushing, 18 TDs). Both were first-team all-Ohio, with Franks (44 tackles, 17 tackles for loss) named Ohio Division VII Defensive Player of the Year. Dylan Swisher, a two-way lineman who had 14 tackles for loss and teamed with Franks on an offensive line that helped the Panthers average over 230 yards a game on the ground, was third-team all-state. All-BVC selections Kaden Sherrick (LB), Brandon Hall (OL) and Ryan Carter (DB) also graduated. Major losses for any program. But one reason no one around the BVC or Region 26 is even thinking about throwing the Panthers a pity party is that seven all-BVC players – including two all-Ohio selections – return from an 11-2 team. Much of that returning experience is on a defense that last season was the best in the league, and McComb appears as healthy at a key position – quarterback – as it has been in a while. Hit rewind, flip the page, it's business as usual at McComb. "We had an excellent summer," Alge said. "Coach (Chris) Myers has done an excellent job in the weight room and we had 28 to 30 kids showing up at 7 a.m. all summer, doing all we asked of them. "We had a bunch of them in this morning and they lifted their butts off for an hour and 30 minutes, then they come back out here for practice tonight. It wasn't just going in and lifting. It was a workout. I know I'd have been dead if I had to do it. "That's why I appreciate it and why I love coaching here, because the kids just work hard." Alge will be counting heavily on two all-Ohio returnees – both two-way all BVC selections as well – in seniors Andrew Swisher and Camden Glaser. Swisher (5-11, 180) was first-team all-BVC at running back after churning out 997 yards and scoring 16 touchdowns. He was also the BVC Defensive Player of the Year – and second-team all-state – after recording 98 tackles (17 tfl) and intercepting two passes from his linebacker position. Glaser (6-2, 175, sr.) was first-team all-BVC – and third-team all-Ohio – at defensive back (3 ints.) and second-team all-league at receiver (25 recps., 459 yards, 3 TDs). Senior Montana Pierce (5-7, 170), who was first-team all-league linebacker after leading McComb with 107 tackles during the regular season, also returns, along with defensive ends Wilson Grubb (5-9, 170, jr., 22 tfl) and Thane Steinbrook (5-9, 190, sr). Nick Bormuth (6-4, 260, jr.), Elijah Gibbs (5-11, 245, soph.) and Owen DeWeese (6-0, 215, jr.) will be the defensive tackles in McComb's alignment. Swisher, Pierce, Blake Wittenmyer (6-2, 190, jr) and Brad Miehls (5-10, 175, soph,) will be the outside linebackers, Chase Woodruff (5-11, 165, jr.) and Braxton Althauser (5-11, 60, jr.) will be the corners and Glaser and Grant Dishong (5-9, 165, sr.) the safeties. "We actually do return quite a few starters on defense," Alge said of a group that last year pitched four shutouts in 13 games, gave up just 65 points in the regular season, and allowed an average of just 8.8 points a game overall. As with many smaller schools, many of McComb's players will be doing double duty on both sides of the ball. While McComb will mostly utilize a one-back set, Althauser, the team's second-leading rusher last season with 594 yards and five TDs, and Pierce will be in the backfield when the Panthers go to their wishbone set. Miehls adds depth to the running game, with Wittenmeyer, Woodruff and senior Brycen Gault (6-0, 180) the wide outs. Dishong will be McComb's starting quarterback for the third straight year, but for the first time in those three seasons he'll be in the starting lineup for the Panthers' season opener at Galion. Woodruff got the start while Dishong was on the early season IR in 2020 and 2021. Once he was back under center, though, Dishong completed 63 percent of his passes (56 of 89) for 1,315 yards and 20 touchdowns as McComb rattled off eight straight win to claim and unbeaten BVC title. Overall, including three playoff games, Dishong completed 72 of 123 throws (58.5 percent) for 1,602 yards and 22 TDs. "Last year, Grant hobbled through the whole season – the basketball season, too – with that bad ankle," Alge said. "This year he's healthy. He got to do the 7-on-7's (camps) his summer, which last year he was not able to do." Up front, 5-10, 250-pound junior Logan McGill moves in at center. Stainbrook moves from center to left tackle, with Gibbs the guard on that side as well. Manning the right side spot will be Bormuth and DeWeese. "That's what you have to do at small schools where you don't have 10 quarterbacks or 70, 80 kids on the roster," Alge said. "In practice, if you're not out there on defense, then you're out there on offense because we just don't have enough guys. If you get a break, it's get a drink quick because you're needed right back out there on scout team." That mindset has been pivotal, Alge says, in keeping the win totals up while the roster numbers may have gone down. "That's how it is and our kids know it," he said. "We'll play hard, that's one thing these kids will do. They're going to play as hard as they can and give you four quarters. "That's McComb football, and we expect nothing less of them." 2022 MCCOMB ROSTER No. Name Grade Ht. Wt. 2 Camden Glaser Sr. 6-2 175 3 Blake Wittenmyer Jr. 6-2 190 4 Gracin Romero Fr. 5-3 130 5 Braydon Shoop Soph. 6-0 150 6 Wilson Grubb Jr. 5-9 170 7 Brayden Heller Fr. 5-7 130 8 Donavin Hepperly Soph. 6-0 150 9 Chase Woodruff Jr. 5-11 165 11 Haden Ebright Soph. 5-5 125 12 Montana Pierce Sr. 5-7 170 13 Tristan Wilson Soph. 6-3 180 14 Grant Dishong Sr. 5-9 165 16 Grady Schroeder Fr. 5-10 160 17 Andrew Swisher Sr. 5-11 180 20 Braxton Althauser Jr. 5-10 160 22 Peter Vance Sr. 6-1 170 24 Bryson Gault Sr. 6-0 180 25 Zane Steinbrook Fr. 5-5 120 26 Brad Miehls Soph. 5-10 175 27 Octavian Gonzales Soph. 5-11 135 42 Jake VanAtta Soph. 6-3 210 45 Landon Bankey Soph. 5-10 155 52 Owen DeWeese Jr. 6-0 215 53 Logan McGill Jr. 5-10 250 54 Madden Amador Soph. 6-1 260 60 Griffin Amador Fr. 6-1 155 61 Nick Bormuth Jr. 6-4 260 63 Brady Womack Jr. 5-10 175 65 Thane Steinbrook Sr. 5-9 190 67 Elijah Gibbs Soph. 5-11 245 75 Caleb Robinette Fr. 5-9 125 2022 MCCOMB SCHEDULE Aug. 19 Galion A Aug. 26 Marion Local A Sep. 2 Vanlue* H Sep. 9 Van Buren* H Sep. 16 Pandora-Gilboa* A Sep. 23 Riverdale* H Sep. 30 Arlington* A Oct. 7 Cory-Rawson* A Oct. 14 Plymouth A Oct. 21 Liberty-Benton* H *Blanchard Valley Conference game – All Games 7 p.m.