HAMILTON — Badin coach Nick Yordy remained optimistic about the upcoming football season becoming a reality. The journey getting to this point hasn’t been a straight path for his Rams the last couple of months, but the fourth-year mentor said it’s all coming together through resiliency.
“With obviously every team going through everything with the pandemic, it’s been really different,” Yordy said. “I have to give a lot of credit to our kids, specifically, with how they’ve kept battling and kept showing up to practice. They’ve worked hard.
“They wanted to keep getting better even though in the back of their minds, they may not have been playing a season,” Yordy added, “To me, that’s the biggest thing that has stuck out the most from our guys.”
Badin, which ended its season at 9-4 last year and fell to Trotwood Madison in the Division III regional finals, returns plenty of its defensive unit. Yordy said “that it’s no secret there.”
NOTABLE RETURNEES
Jayden Carter — Senior experience will prove to be key for Carter, who was dubbed all-conference, first-team at defensive end.
Max Lauer — Returning at wide receiver, Lauer will provide a boost in the Rams’ air attack his senior season.
Dane Lauer — The senior was given an all-conference, second-team nod on the defensive line.
Hunter Harrison — The junior lineman also brings back some experience. Harrison received all-conference, second-team honors last season as a sophomore.
David Schweinefuss — The senior will see action at wide receiver on offense and defensive end on defense.
Michael Schweinefuss — Also a senior, Michael Scheinefuss will play wide receiver and defensive end. He also did most of the place kicking in 2019.
Dallas Rawlings — The senior will see plenty of time in the offensive backfield.
Bobby Young — The senior received all-conference, second-team accolades last season at safety.
Conner Young — The senior grabbed all-conference, second-team honors as a lineman in 2019 and has becoming a leader, according to Yordy.
Henry Birchwell — The senior lineman, according to Yordy, “will look good this year.”
ON THE RADAR
Landyn Vidourek — The junior quarterback steps in to lead the way under center for the Rams. “He’s got some potential to do some big things for us,” Yordy said.
QUOTABLES
“Right now, we haven’t had the chance to worry about scrimmages, gameplay and film of your opponents,” Yordy said. “Those types of things just weren’t able to happen for us. A lot of programs have been scrambling just like we are.”
“They really have done their part to make sure that they get to see the field this Friday,” Yordy said. “To be able to see that, and to see our guys rally together and follow guidelines, it’s been pretty remarkable.”
“When you talk about the scheduling, at least we’re not losing an entire season,” Yordy said. “All of our rivalries, to be able to still go up against the teams we want to play against, it benefits our communities and our schools. We got to keep Ross on as our opener, and we thought that was important for these kids, especially with what has been going on the last couple of months. Myself and (Ross coach) Kenyon Commins were in agreement that the community wants this right now. It’s big to have this rivalry game this year again.”
“Wins and losses will take care of themselves at this point,” Yordy said. “It’s such a great time to get these kids back to stable mental standpoint, some normalcy and getting them back to school, practice and doing homework. That’s a big thing that these kids need right now. All of that makes us happy, and it makes us happy to have a season.”
IN THE KNOW
Badin defeated Alter twice last season, including once in the postseason. It was the first time since 1999 the Rams beat its Greater Catholic League Co-Ed rival.
KEY GRADUATES
Alex DeLong, Marshall Flaig, Zach Switzer, Evan Schlensker and Joshua Hegemann. “With those guys graduated, it’s giving others an opportunity to step up and make some plays,” Yordy said.
2020 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE (6-game)
Aug. 28, at Ross
Sept. 4, at Alter
Sept. 12, Chaminade Julienne (at Edgewood) Sat.
Sept. 18, at Fenwick
Sept. 25, Carroll (at Edgewood)
Oct. 3, McNicholas (at Edgewood) Sat.
