By KYLE LUTZ

For The Times Leader

WHEELING — While it was another early exit for Wheeling Park, Patriots coach Chris Daugherty felt 2019 was a pretty successful year. After going 7-3, Wheeling Park fell in the opening round to Capital. However, a strong nucleus of players are coming back in 2020 with many of them getting varsity experience as underclassmen.

“Obviously, we had a good season and an early exit from the playoffs isn’t really what we wanted. We ran into a good Capital team,” Daugherty said. “There’s no doubt last year that we played a good amount of juniors and sophomores. We had a handful of seniors, but we were playing a lot of young and new faces. At times, we looked really explosive and during a quarter we didn’t. Then we would get it together again. It made some good football for fans sometimes. The inconsistencies showed it face in the playoffs, but overall it was a great season and we’re returning a lot of those kids this season.”

It was a different approach this year for not only the Patriots, but for all other schools in the country with the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s been very difficult, but I thought our kids and coaches handled it really, really well. We just started to attack it day by day,” Daugherty said. “And that’s all you could do because it was literally changing every day too. And I thought our kids did a good job. We took in on as a staff as, ‘We got to make these kids fit.’ We tried the best we could. We knew we were going to lose some weight room, some strength, maybe. They did a good job. We feel a little bit behind where we would normally be, obviously, but we’re happy that we’re playing.”

While Wheeling Park returns a solid core to a handful of positions, the quarterback spot is looking to be filled. The Patriots have had an embarrassment of riches at the position for the past decade with the most recent being Alex Dunlevy. Dunlevy, who picked up his diploma, set seven Wheeling Park passing records in a stellar career in a Patriots uniform.

Daugherty, though, feels very confident in finding the next guy to be the signal caller.

With that, Daugherty thinks three guys could be the one that gets the signal to guide the Patriots, one of which is senior Beau Heller.

Sophomore Brett Phillips also a choice to go behind center as well as junior Bobby Yocke.

“We feel like we have three good kids to turn to,” Daugherty said. “Who exactly, we still have time, but we’re really happy with where our quarterback position is.”

In the backfield will be Stevie Mitchell. Mitchell lined up in the slot position last year. However, the running back position was where he played his whole career up until last season.

“He’s kind of back in his personal home,” Daugherty said. “But good football players are good players no matter where you put them. He’s a dynamic kid and he’s going to be dynamic at slot and he’s going to be dynamic at running back.”

Daugherty is also excited about the plethora of talent he has at wide receiver all of which are seniors. Nate Harrison will be an option as well as classmates Carson Namack, Sincere Sinclair, Shaheed Jackson and Torrence Walker.

On the offensive line, Wheeling Park returns both tackles in seniors John Olako and Caleb Bryan.

“I would say they are the anchor of that offense,” Daugherty said.

Daugherty also looks to move senior Qwentin Hibbitts from center to guard while classmate Keegan Ayers will play center. Eli Kutrovac will also be in the mix.

“Essentially, we’re bringing back an offensive line that got their fare amount, if not every snap last year,” Daugherty said.

While the offensive line returns everybody, the defensive line is almost going to be green.

“That’s where we have to find new faces,” Daugherty said. “We feel pretty good with some kids, but you’re going to see some new kids there. Especially early on, we might have to play some of our linemen two ways. We try not to do that here, but it might be a situation we do early and get some of those young kids ready to play.”

Juniors Jacob Stewart and Devon Rayford will be two players that Daugherty feels like can step up, even though they are new faces.

The linebacking corp was really young last year, and now with a year of playing under their belt, Daugherty feels like the players at that position can really make some noise.

Juniors Colton Thomas returns at the position as well as classmate Hunter Nixon. Juniors Trevor Howell and Brandon Mundy and sophomore Erick Brothers will also see the field.

The secondary returns a lot of experience that includes many of the wide outs. Jackson will be safety and Sinclair will be at corner. Junior Nate Shelek will also see time in the secondary as well as Walker.

Senior Isaac Wiley is also a returning starter. If needed, Mitchell and Namack can play in the secondary, too.

Senior Andrew Glass will fulfill both placekicking and punting duties.

“He is a better kicker today than he has at any point and time,” Daugherty said.

“He gives us a whole-new added strength to our football team. I think he’s got a powerful leg that can get us some touchbacks this year and put our defense in a situation where they are playing from the 20.”

Brijaun Baylor, Mason Diehl Cole Greer, Taurel Irvin, Brandon McDaniel, Kyle Murray, Delavawntay Petterson, Charlie Tamburin, Matt Taylor and Deondre Tickerhoof round out the senior class for Park.

The junior class includes Zane Ackley, Zach Frye, William Helton, Braden Hupp, Hayden Lewis, Merrick Miller, Isaiah O’Bryant, Zach Parsons, Gage Richards, Trenton Richards, Brad Temple, Layne Wade and Kaleb Webb.

Jordan Bachie, Christian Bain, Trey Bennett, Max Cunningham, Charlie Disaia, Max Dunn Jaxsen Edgmon, Mike Hogan, Will James, David Lemasters, Harmon Lewis, Ian Litman, Seth Lucas, Miquan Macklin, Josh Miller, Chaz Murray, Lucas Nolte, Evan Vansickle, Quinton Velas, Max Wiley and Isaiah Zelaski are the sophomores.

“It’s a hard year,” Daugherty said. “We feel good about where we are, but we also feel behind. If we had a really young team, I’d be extremely worried right now. We don’t so that helps us, but at the same time we are in a situation where we have to hurry up and get going. We feel like we’re playing catch up, especially with Ohio and all the practice time they’ve had. But we do have an older team and if we have a team that can handle it, it’s this team. We got to stay humble and I think if we do that, this is a very good football team.”

And this veteran team will face a significantly schedule this year. The Patriots will face off against the likes of St. Clairsville, Hedgesville, Steubenville, Oak Glen, Morgantown, Musselman, Brooke, Parkersburg South and John Marshall.