Over
the last two years, Anderson
has posted a 25-5 mark with a Division II state title in 2007 and a runner-up
finish in 2008. So what kind of reward do the Redskins get as a reward? They
get moved up to Division I after the latest enrollment survey by the OHSAA.
Cincinnati Anderson
(12-3, Division II State Runner-Up)
* Players to Watch – OL
Andrew Norwell (6-7, 275, Sr.), OL Greg Mancz (6-5, 270, Sr.), QB Brandon
Bornhauser (6-0, 185, Sr.), TB Kyle Slater (6-0, 195, Sr.), LB Kevin Cripe
(6-0, 175, Sr.), NT Ty Knabb (5-10, 220, Sr.), LB Jake Lackner (6-0, 215, Sr.).
* Outlook – Over
the last two years, Anderson
has posted a 25-5 mark with a Division II state title in 2007 and a runner-up
finish in 2008. So what kind of reward do the Redskins get as a reward? They
get moved up to Division I after the latest enrollment survey by the OHSAA.
“We are moving up and we will be the smallest school by
enrollment in Region 4,” said Anderson
coach Jeff Giesting. “We will do the best we can. It’s a chance to show where
our program is at. The biggest difference is the physicality of the football.
In Division I, hardly anybody plays both ways. We do two-platoon.
“It is a chance for us to play some great teams like St. X
and Elder and Moeller and Colerain. We get to see where we stack up after two
pretty successful years in D-II.”
Giesting has five starters back on offense and six on
defense.
“I think we have some ability and a chance to be a pretty
good team this year,” Giesting said. “These guys were good as freshmen. Then,
they were sophomores on our state championship team and last year played on a
state runner-up team. They are a tight-knit group of kids. We have some juniors
to mix in with them and that could give us a chance to be successful.”
The key name is Norwell, who is considered among the
nation’s best OL and has already verbaled to Ohio State.
“He is a very physical player who works to get better,”
Giesting said. “He has size and long arms and good balance. He works at it. He
works on his technique. Plus, he has an attitude and a nasty streak about him.”
Giesting said Bornhauser played a “fair amount” at
quarterback last year and is ready to step in. It helps to have a talent like
Slater at running back. He tallied 1,965 yards rushing and 30 touchdowns last
year, including 26 carries for 177 yards and three touchdowns in Anderson’s 29-25 loss to
Sylvania Southview in the D-II state title game.
In the nonconference, Anderson
will play Cincinnati Taft, Cincinnati Woodward, Florence
(Ky.) Boone,
Columbus DeSales and Batavia Amelia.
“DeSales and Winton Woods are two very good teams,” Giesting
said. “We know in Division I we don’t have much margin for error. Just to get
into the playoffs, we know we may need eight or nine wins.”
Schedule
Aug. 28, Cincinnati
Taft
Sept. 4, Cincinnati
Woodward
Sept. 11, Florence (Ky.) Boone
Sept. 18, at Columbus
DeSales
Sept. 25, Batavia
Amelia
Oct. 2, Cincinnati
Winton Woods
Oct. 9, at Loveland
Oct. 16, at Cincinnati
Glen Este
Oct. 23, Milford
Oct. 30, at Harrison
