WOODLAWN - Graduation was not kind to Woodlawn Coach Zach Meyer this year but he feels his Bears may have the parts on the way to reload rather quickly.
Woodlawn lost several key contributors on both offense and defense to graduation that helped the Bears advance to the eight-man football state semifinals last year. Those included All-State selections Jaxson Martin (quarterback) and Caleb Martin (fullback/defensive back) along with All-Conference performers Landen Booth (running back/linebacker), Fisher Hale (running back/ linebacker), Jais King (running back/linebacker), Payton Leveritt (full back/linebacker), Jaxson Raney (tight end/defensive end) and Manny Wagner (offensive/defensive line).
Meyer said one of the good things about that group of skill players was that they were basically plug-and-play types capable of filling several positions.
If everyone comes through as expected for this fall, Meyer said he could be seeing a similar situation as the Bears begin summer preparations for the 2023 football season.
Meyer had a delayed start for spring football this season since four of his players, including some possible key contributors, were playing on the state championship baseball team.
Those four include returning running back/linebacker Ethan Oliver and tight end/defensive end Aidan Johnson, and new additions Brayden Jones and Garrett Weatherford.
Jones and Weatherford did not play football last year but Meyer said both can be major contributors as the Bears this season.
Jones, a rising senior, was quarterback for an undefeated junior high team while Weatherford, a rising junior, played both running back and quarterback for the Junior Bears as an eighth grader.
Aidan Moore, a rising junior, was the Bears' back-up quarterback last year and has been getting work at that position during the off season. With Jones and Weatherford rejoining the team, Meyer said he will have a threew...
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