Pioneer football preview: Berry ‘excited’ for more growth from ‘upperclassmen-heavy’ Panthers

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Pioneer coach Adam Berry said his team often had defenders in position to make a play last year.

And then they wouldn’t.

Still, Pioneer improved from two wins in 2022 to five wins in 2023. They avenged 2022 losses to Lewis Cass, Hammond Central and Culver, beating them all last year.

But they also went 0-5 against LaVille, Triton, Knox and North Judson. Knox, who won the conference, left for the new Indiana Northern State Conference, and LaVille left with them.

In their final four games of last season, Pioneer went 1-4 and allowed 32 points per game. That included losses to eventual regional champion North Judson in both the regular season finale and the sectional quarterfinal the following week.

So far this season, Berry already has noticed that practices are more physical.

“We went back and watched the North Judson film last year,” Berry said. “Obviously, we had to play them two weeks in a row. The first half, we played them tough both weeks. And you go back and watch, there were a lot of times we were in the right spot. We were doing exactly what we needed to do; we just couldn’t make the play. And … that just comes with getting bigger and stronger. Some of the coaches that hadn’t seen some of the players in a couple months, they’re definitely looking like upperclassmen now.”

Now much of the work involves getting bigger, stronger and faster physically and making those plays that they did not make last year.

The team went to Trine University for team camp and said the players got better “in the team aspect of things.”

“Just the unity,” Berry said. “I thought the kids just enjoyed being around each other. It’s a non-contact camp. You don’t have pads on. It’s strictly the drills and skills of our offense from wing-T coaches that have been around the wing-T since forever. It was just nice.

“We have a team skills competition at the end, and we did not lose a point on that, so that means they knew their rules, they knew their steps and they knew their plays. It’s just nice getting away from home and being up on a college campus for three days and just being around each other. I thought this year at the camp, there was just more team unity, the kids were hanging out together and enjoying each other’s company, and I’m excited to see how that plays out for the season.”

After an injury-plagued sophomore season in 2023, Micah Rans is back at quarterback.

“He’s definitely bigger and stronger, and he’s looking more comfortable at the quarterback position now,” Berry said. “We always knew he could run the ball, and he showed that early on last year that he could be a threat running the ball. He looks even better running, and then the passing game, his throwing, seems to have improved that much more. He’s putting the ball where it needs to be in practice, and that’s been a bright spot so far early on in this fall camp.”

Pioneer did graduate nearly 75 percent of their total rushing yards with the departures of Rylahn Toloza, Cayden Hill and Tyler Zellers. Toloza ran for 1,030 yards and 14 touchdowns from his fullback spot.

Berry said Noah Van Meter will fill the void.

“He started as a guard his freshman year, a little probably 150-pound guard,” Berry said. “Last year, he was a tight end, and obviously losing Toloza, a big gap to fill. And he’s been begging: ‘Coach, just give me a chance, give me a chance.’ And even before he said that, we knew he would be fighting for that position. And he was very committed to the weight room. He did miss a day during the summer, and I think he missed only one day during the spring.

“So he was very committed this offseason for his strength and speed, and so far, it’s showing. I’m not saying he’s going to be a Rylahn Toloza, but he’s going to be more hit-that-hole-and-get-north-and-south and get you yards. And he actually showed that a little bit last year when Toloza went down. He was hitting the hole in our wing-T offense like we want our wing-T fullbacks to hit it.”

Senior Eli Nicoll, juniors Eli Guffey and Cole Franklin, sophomore Shiloh Rine and freshman Phillip McFatridge are in what Berry calls an “open competition” for playing time at wingback. He also mentioned that Guffey could factor in at tight end, where he played last year.

J.J. Solano could also see time at tight end if Guffey moves to the backfield.

Wide receivers include sophomores Carter Mize and Mason Shaver. Berry said they have been working with assistant coach Josh Hardy on their fundamentals. Berry said the hope is that having threats at wide receiver will allow him to vary formations on offense from the typical two-tight-end sets.

On the offensive line, Brady Price moves from guard to center for his junior season. Senior Fletcher Smith will start at left guard, and sophomore Mikaden Tolosa will start at right guard. Two juniors will start at tackle in Liam Rouch and Tyler Schnurpel. Rouch checks in at 282 pounds and is in his third year as a starter.

Sophomore Blair Burns provides depth at tackle.

“I thought it got better,” Berry said of the offensive line play in 2023. “We were still underclassmen-heavy last year, and our guys are just that much older. We even had Blair Burns playing a lot last year as a freshman when Liam Rouch went down. I’d say this is the most experience we’ve had on the offensive line coming back in awhile. They’re just that much bigger and stronger.

“We always talk it doesn’t matter who the backfield is, if we have a dominant line, we can throw anyone back there.”

The defensive line includes Smith and Jorge Martinez, both seniors, at tackle as well as Rouch and Burns. Ends include Price, Schnurpel, Tolosa and Shaver, and Burns could also see time at end.

“Another thing we’re hoping to be able to rotate those guys constantly, and really at this point, when we put one in at practices, we don’t lose a lot,” Berry said. “We’re expecting all those guys listed to contribute every Friday night.”

Solano will play middle linebacker, and Van Meter and Guffey will flank him on the outside.

Guffey started at safety as a freshman but has moved closer to the line of scrimmage as his career has progressed.

“You could tell he was more comfortable last year as a sophomore, and then he’s even that much more comfortable this year at the linebacker spot,” Berry said of Guffey. “He’s that much quicker, that much stronger, reading his keys that much better so far.”

Rans, Nicoll and Franklin will factor in at cornerback. McFatridge and Rine will play safety.

“We did not create too many turnovers last year, so that’s definitely been a point of emphasis of going after the ball, attacking the ball, being more aggressive. Once again, I think we’re seeing that when we have our defensive pass sessions.”

Berry was asked if this was as confident as he has been coming into a season in awhile.

“We are excited,” Berry said. “We’ve relied on a lot of the juniors the past couple years, and they’re now upperclassmen. We only have four seniors, but all four are going to contribute in some aspect. We’re finally going to be upperclassmen-heavy, and that’s the first time we’ve had the last couple years.”

Schedule

Though Knox is no longer in Pioneer’s conference, they stay on the schedule as a nonconference opponent in Week 2. Pioneer will play North Miami for the first time since the 2008 sectional final.

Aug. 23 – at Lewis Cass, 7 p.m.

Aug. 30 – at Knox, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 6 – vs. Winamac, 7 p.m.

Sept. 13 – at Caston, 7 p.m.

Sept. 20 – vs. North Miami, 7 p.m.

Sept. 27 – at South Central (Union Mills), 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 4 – vs. Culver, 7 p.m.

Oct. 11 – at Triton, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18 – vs. North Judson, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 25 – Class 1A, Sectional 42 quarterfinal

Class 1A, Sectional 42

Pioneer, Carroll (Flora), Caston, Frontier, North White, Taylor, Tri-County, Winamac