Rensselaer: Bomber by blood

Updated: August 18, 2011 4:57PM

Returning running back Keaton Lyons will be Rensselaer’s biggest offensive threat in 2011.

But it will be quarterback Hunter Hickman that will be expected to carry the team on his shoulders.

He isn’t concerned, though. The junior is fulfilling a life-long dream to play quarterback in Rensselaer.

That’s because Hickman has been on the Bombers’ sideline essentially since he was born, having a father that used to be the school trainer. His dad, Ken, is now the school’s athletic director.

So he’s been bleeding red and black from the time he could walk.

“It feels great. I’ve been waiting for this a real long time,” said Hickman, who started on the junior varsity squad last season. “I’ve grown up watching Bomber football. I was probably five or six years old when I was at my first game. My fondest memory is probably getting to meet all the players through the years.”

Taking his first snap this season will probably be a little nerve-wracking, but once the moment is done, Hickman should be pretty confident in his ability.

Coach Chris Meeks said he’s not worried for one second about his 5-foot-8, 135-pound quarterback.

“People are going to see his size and question his ability as a quarterback,” Meeks said. “But he’s a kid that’s been on our sideline ever since he was born. He’s got tremendous savvy. He understands the game well. For what he lacks in size, he makes it up with all the other intangibles. We think he’s going to be a special quarterback in our system.”

“We groomed Hunter to be our next starting quarterback and he’s done everything he’s had to do. That will help take the pressure off him. He’s a calm, cool, and collected kid and understands the game very well. He’s an outstanding student-athlete and he’s one of the top kids in his class and his teammates do a nice job listening to him and following him. They understand what Hunter brings to the table.”

Lyons should get plenty of touches on the offensive end and that will make the junior’s job a little easier.

Hickman is expecting big things from the senior standout and a couple other offensive players.

That’s why he believes the community and fans shouldn’t count them out.

“Every year our goal is to win a state championship. That’s been our goal for the last 10 years. We just have to come prepared every day in practice. We have to stay on top of our game,” he said. “We’ve been waiting for this moment a long time. Just because we lost 14 seniors doesn’t mean we can’t do the job. These seniors have been waiting five years to get this chance. It’s all we’ve talked about all summer. When it comes down to playing Kankakee Valley, we’ll be ready.”

Coach

Chris Meeks

Record

At school: 97-49 (13th year)

Overall: 97-49 (13th year)

Last season

Lost 41-21 to Fort Wayne Bishop Luers in the semistate

Key returnees

QB Hunter Hickman

RB Keaton Lyons

RB/LB Jeffrey Martin

WR/DB Josh Balvich

Key losses

QB Nick Green

RB/LB Ben Ahler

OL/LB Jacob Smith

OL/DL Ben Davisson

College prospects

Keaton Lyons

Season outlook

After claiming their second straight regional title, things will be different for the Bombers this year. They graduated all but one offensive starter and will be inexperienced at the varsity level. Coach Chris Meeks doesn’t think he’s got a squad that will be sub-standard, however. On the contrary, he believes that this team can still compete for a conference and sectional crown. “I think the biggest asset with these kids is that every practice last year they went up against a pretty good Class 2A football team… and at times, they gave us fits. We’re faster than last year. That was the one downfall. We were big and strong but Luers exploited our lack of speed. We will be smaller than last year but I wouldn’t call us a small team.” The team will rely on 1,600-yard rusher Keaton Lyons to carry the load on the offensive end. Lyons scored the game-winning touchdown against Bremen on his birthday to give the school its second regional title in history.

Postseason

Class 2A Sectional 25 (Andrean, Boone Grove, Bowman, North Newton, Lake Station, Rensselaer, River Forest, North Newton)

Schedule

Aug. 19 Kankakee Valley

Aug. 26 at North Newton

Sept. 2 at North Judson

Sept. 9 Tipton

Sept. 16 Twin Lakes

Sept. 23 at West Lafayette

Sept. 30 Delphi

Oct. 7 at Lafayette C.C.

Oct. 14 at Benton Central

HISTORY LESSON

Season Record

2001 10-2, 5-1

2002 8-3, 5-1

2003 8-5, 2-4

2004 11-1, 6-0

2005 11-2, 5-1

2006 6-7, 2-4

2007 4-7, 2-4

2008 7-6, 2-4

2009 11-3, 4-2

2010 13-1, 6-0

Sectional titles: 1986, 1992, 2003, 2005-06, 2008-10

Regional titles: 2009-10

Roster

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos.

1 Jacob Buczek 5-9 120 10 WR/DB

2 Eli Isom 5-9 175 10 RB/DB

4 Hunter Hickman 5-9 145 11 QB/DB

5 Trevor Hill 5-4 120 9 RB/DB

7 Josh Balvich 5-10 165 12 RB/DB

8 Andrew Johns 5-5 140 11 RB/LB

9 Rylan Arihood 5-5 145 9 RB/DB

10 Jacob Spurgeon 6-1 185 10 QB/DB

13 Dakota Souza 6-2 170 12 RB/LB

15 Ab Kiger 6-0 160 9 QB/DB

17 Aron Mattocks 5-11 155 9 TE/DE

18 Evan Green 6-0 150 11 QB/DB

21 Jeffrey Martin 5-4 150 11 RB/LB

22 Keaton Lyons 6-2 210 12 RB/LB

25 Bryce Wilson 6-0 165 10 WR/DB

28 Dylan Wright 5-9 155 9 QB/LB

30 Dalton Michael 5-9 145 10 WR/DB

31 Avery Walker 5-8 150 10 WR/DB

34 Jordan Phillips 5-10 150 10 RB/DB

35 Nathan Myers 5-8 140 9 QB/DB

41 Jake Steinke 5-7 135 9 RB/LB

43 Brad Boget 5-9 185 11 FB/LB

44 Skylier Chambers 5-10 170 11 TE/LB

45 Beau Boswell 6-1 180 10 FB/LB

48 Claytor Geyer 6-1 170 10 TE/DL

49 Dalton Murphy 5-10 200 9 FB/LB

50 Austin Fleming 5-9 140 9 OL/LB

51 Ben Phillips 6-1 205 12 OL/LB

52 Jacob Foster 6-0 205 10 OL/DL

53 Derek Anderson 5-7 140 9 OL/LB

54 Chris Myers 5-10 220 11 OL/LB

55 Cole Hickman 6-0 175 10 OL/LB

56 Luke Robertson 6-1 200 10 OL/DL

57 Nick Myers 6-0 165 9 OL/DL

58 Tanner Stone 5-7 155 10 OL/LB

59 Justin Hanna 6-1 205 10 OL/DL

63 Coy McAlister 5-11 165 9 OL/DL

65 John Ohanis 5-7 210 10 OL/DL

67 Adam Langley 6-0 190 10 OL/DL

68 Joey Linback 6-3 240 9 OL/DL

71 Coltyn McNelly 6-1 200 12 OL/DL

73 Michael Roe 5-10 170 11 OL/DL

75 Shane Martin 6-0 260 12 OL/DL

77 John Fleming 6-0 315 12 OL/DL

78 Tim McAlister 6-2 325 10 OL/DL

79 Tyler Morrow 6-2 380 11 OL/DL

80 Adam Black 5-9 145 11 WR/DB

81 Braden Mattocks 6-2 160 11 TE/LB

84 Jake West 6-2 200 12 TE/DB

85 Thomas Potts 6-3 180 12 TE/DL

87 Travis Flanigan 6-0 165 11 TE/LB

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