CHARLOTTESVILLE — Excitement around the Eastern Hancock football program is as high as it’s been in recent years.
Now in the second year with head coach Pat Echeverria back at the helm, a familiarity and sense of calmness can be felt around the team.
“Year two, you always see a big jump. The kids feel comfortable, the coaches feel comfortable, and everybody knows what to expect now,” Echeverria said. “We’ve had a great summer so far, and I haven’t been looking forward to a season like this in a long time.”
The Royals finished last year 5-6 and 1-3 in the Mid-Eastern Conference, but closed out the season with wins over Lapel and Union County before dropping the rematch with Lapel in the sectional semifinals.
“Last year it started off a little rough, but eventually we got in our groove,” senior offensive lineman Jacob Wickard said. “After seeing what we’ve done this off season and in some of our scrimmages, I really think we can make a run this year just because of how the team and all the coaches have come together and have bonded. I definitely think last season was a really great building point. This season, we know that we can line up with any of our competition.”
Another senior lineman, Logan Hoskins, echoed that statement.
“Everyone is really buying into the culture, and we’ve really started to find our identity as a team,” he said.
Priority No. 1 for the Royals will be finding a way to replace leading rusher Kain Sotelo. He ran for a team-leading 1,645 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Peyton Speer was second on the team with 64 rushing attempts and graduated along with Sotelo.
“It’s not going to be one person. It’s going to be multiple people, and a couple backs have really stepped up this summer and should do a great job,” Echeverria said. “We have a ton of good receivers that we can get the ball too as well, so really it’s going to be a lot of people trying to step up and fill that hole.”
Filling the running back void will be sophomore Mark Kube and junior James King. In limited varsity action last season, Kube ran for 132 yards and one touchdown. King ran for 104 and a score.
“I don’t think we have a star this year like we did with Kain,” Echeverria said. “It’s going to be a multitude of guys stepping up.”
With more of a committee approach in the run game, the Royals believe they could be even better on the ground this season.
“I honestly think our running game will be just as good, if not better, this season,” defensive back and wide receiver Dylan Bowman said.
The growth of the offensive line will be the main factor in making that happen.
Hoskins, Wickard and Brayden Hill return to anchor that part of the offense.
“We got to develop some of the younger guys, and they have looked good. I think our line has gotten bigger and stronger, too,” Wickard said. “It’ll be some trial and error at first, but I think we’ll be just fine.”
With quarterback Elijah Edon entering his sophomore year and second years as a starter, the passing game is expected to be improved, too.
As a freshman, Edon threw for 1,525 yards and 19 touchdowns.
“The game has slowed down for him. Last year, his head was spinning, and he was still trying to figure out what everybody was doing,” Echeverria said. “Now, he’s comfortable, and it’s shown in his performance this off season. He’s just starting to understand what we’re trying to do.”
Along with Edon, the Royals return their top five pass catchers. Senior Cameron Volz caught 34 passes for 365 yards and four touchdowns, junior Kayden Ruble caught 26 passes for 310 yards and five scores, Bowman added 282 yards and four touchdowns, senior Aaron Redmon hauled in 16 passes for 165 yards and a score, while sophomore Eli Manship added 212 yards and a touchdown.
“You would think we’d lean on the passing game more, but up front we’re actually really strong. I think we’ll be able to do both,” Echeverria said. “That’s the beauty of it. When a team is trying to defend us, and they take away the pass, we’ll just run the ball, and if they want to stop that we’ll throw it. I think we’ll be able to do a lot with either one this year.”
Defensively, the Royals return a slew of starters.
Senior linebacker Dominic Shelby had 67 tackles and a sack last season. Sophomore Ayden Trueblood (65 tackles) will join him at linebacker as a two-year starter.
Similar to the offensive side of the ball, Hoskins will help anchor the defensive line. Last year, he finished with 58 tackles and a team-leading 6.5 tackles for a loss.
Safety Garrett Shaw and Gabe Johnson are returning starters as well. Both finished with over 40 tackles in their sophomore seasons.
Bowman will be tasked, as he was last year, with limiting the opposing team’s best receiving threat. He had seven interceptions and 44 tackles last season.
“We’re going to put him on the other team’s best guy every week, so he’s always going to have a tough job, but I know he’s up for the challenge,” Echeverria said.
The Royals open the season Friday at 7 p.m. at Frankton.
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2023 Eastern Hancock Football Schedule
Date;Opponent;Time
Aug. 18;at Frankton;7 p.m.
Aug. 25;vs. North Decatur;7 p.m.
Sept. 1;at Centerville;7 p.m.
Sept. 8;vs. Heritage Christian;7 p.m.
Sept. 15;vs. Knightstown;7 p.m.
Sept. 22;at Milan;7 p.m.
Sept. 29;vs. Monroe Central;7 p.m.
Oct. 6;at Shenandoah;7 p.m.
Oct. 13;at Lapel;7 p.m.
