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Next man up.

Basehor-Linwood will look to the next Bobcat to take the helm at key positions in 2024, but as usual, BLHS will have another solid team under Rod Stallbaumer.

Stallbaumer enters his 11th season with Basehor-Linwood, notching a 75-30 record in that time. The Bobcats come off a 7-4 season a year ago, and will need to replace the likes of quarterback Brady VanDonge, running back Sam Boetcher and the top of the receiving corps.

But the Bobcats have enjoyed a winning season in every year under Stallbaumer at the helm, averaging 8 wins per year (non counting the COVID 2020 season), and have the experience on defense returning to hold serve while the offense gets going.

Among six returning defensive starters will be three-year starter Caden Gedney (6-foot-1, 220) on the line, who tallied 47 tackles in 2023. Sophomore Jack Lough (6-foot-1, 265) also will help clog the middle, while senior Luke Swanson (6-foot-3, 200) and junior R.J. Madrigal (5-foot-10, 185) line up on the outside at defensive end.

Senior linebacker Garrett Pierce (5-foot-8, 185) returns after leading the Bobcats with 115 tackles – 14.5 for loss – and being names first-team all-United Kansas Conference a year ago. Fellow senior linebacker Will Howard (6-foot-1, 190) also will patrol at inside linebacker, tallying 60 tackles – 10.5 for loss – in 2023. Senior Christian Locke (5-foot-11, 175) and juniors Tucker Hutchinson (5-foot-9, 170) and Jacob Sharp (5-foot-9, 170) step up to share time at outside linebacker.

Cornerbacks in senior Kyle Burnett (5-foot-8, 145), who broke up eight passes last year, and junior Cole Hofer (6-foot-1, 165) return as well as junior Nate Martin (5-foot-11, 175), who logged 30 tackles and two interceptions last year. Also in the secondary will be senior Wyatt Hoelting (5-foot-10, 165).

“We feel pretty good about the blend of having our returning starters and having one or two at each level, but also new players to the varsity level who’ve seen what’s its taken from the players ahead of them,” Stallbaumer said.

Offensively, Carson Dixon (6-foot-2, 175) looks to step in at quarterback, and will look to target newcomers to the varsity level in senior Connor Reavis (5-foot-8. 140), junior wideouts Nash Morrison (6-foot-4, 155) and Roman Miller (6-foot-2, 185), and sophomore Peter Rodriguez (5-foot-9, 155). Martin does return after snaring 12 balls for 163 yards as a soph. Senior Austin Adair (6-0, 175) also returns after missing the junior campaign with a back injury.

Senior Nick Doering figures to step in as the primary running back.

Up front, the Bobcats return a pair of seniors in Joe Tollett (6-foot-1, 26) and Gabe Ruis (6-0, 200). Joining the duo will be senior Erick Jons (6-foot-6, 285) and juniors Jacob O’Neil (5-foot-1, 230), Isaac Renfro (6-foot-2, 300) and Eli Stanton (5-foot-10, 230).

“We’ll have our growing pains early in the season offensively but feel confident with our system and talent that we’ll be ready by the end of the year and the postseason,” Stallbaumer said.

The Bobcats have some difference makers on special teams with sophomore kicker Colin Zimbelman, and Howard at punter, an all-conference selection in 2023. Martin and Burnett will return kickoffs and punts.

Basehor-Linwood will open the season vs Leavenworth on September 6.

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