The Logansport Berries graduated some great players but return a lot of talent for second-year coach Troy Hudson.
The Logansport mentor is looking forward to what could be a special season. The Berries will be led by 14 seniors.
A year ago the Berries largely went how Elliot Baldini (6-1, 205) went. He rushed for 1,431 yards and 15 touchdowns and wasn’t even healthy for basically the entire season as he battled illness and injury.
The Berries still managed to go 8-4 and finish runner-up in their Class 4A sectional with a narrow loss to Lebanon.
Hudson is looking forward to what Baldini can do when fully healthy for his senior year.
“He’s been 100% since probably I would say since Christmas time and he’s just worked hard in the weight room to get stronger in the summer,” he said.
The Berries return 100% of their rushing production from their wing-T offense and have players capable of contributing much more this year, Hudson said.
They return starting wingbacks Quincy Jackson (5-10, 185) and Jaxsyn Walker (5-10, 175) for their senior seasons and both enter with a lot of varsity experience. Sophomore Karsen Jackson (6-0, 200) is another home run hitter that will play both fullback and wingback this year and could also play some wide receiver.
The Berries will have a new quarterback this year, as junior Kuper Jones is replacing three-year starter Bryson Herr, who passed for 820 yards and 14 TDs a year ago.
“Right now it’s looking like Kuper Jones will get the first crack at it there at quarterback,” Hudson said. “He’s had a pretty good summer for us and he’s a very athletic kid, good baseball kid as well. So he can make all those throws on the run, got a good arm, still learning to make the correct reads, which just comes with more repetition and everything. But he’s had a good summer in regards to learning the offense and taking it all in.”
Hudson said sophomore Zach Peterson is the backup quarterback.
The Berries’ leading receiver from a year ago, Nickenson Hyppolite, is now playing at Saint Francis. Hudson said that senior Jackson Wicker (5-9, 175) looks to be the No. 1 receiver this year. Senior Hudson Shank (5-11, 170) is also a top threat. Sophomore Tyrese Jean (6-1, 180), a move-in from Florida who is Hyppolite’s cousin is another talented option.
The Berries graduated a tight end who was an all-state player, Loran Taylor. The starting tight end this year is senior Louis Rozzi (5-10, 190), who is a good blocker and receiver, with backup junior Greyson Cottrell (5-11, 225) also a talented option as a former fullback.
The Berries lost a couple of solid starters on the offensive line with Michael Berry and Larry Umholtz. But they’ll return three starters, anchored by Wake Forest recruit senior RJ Clem (6-7, 285) at left tackle. Clem was listed by the Indianapolis Star in a recent Mr. Football preseason outlook, unlikely to win the award due to his position but still deserving of recognition.
Junior Adrian Medina-Moreno (6-2, 220) returns as a starter alongside Clem at left guard.
Junior Leonardo Medina-Moreno (6-2, 245) is the returning starting center.
On the right side of the line, the starters look to be junior Esau Cortes (6-0, 195) at guard and senior Christian Humana (5-11, 250) at tackle. Both enter with a good amount of varsity experience.
The Berries have two young coordinators who took over the play calling duties early last season, Jesse Medina-Moreno on offense and Carson Loposser on defense.
The defense loses just two starters to graduation, Taylor and Hyppolite. They’re going with a three-man front with Cottrell, senior Christopher Curry (5-10, 230) and sophomore Kaleb Jones (6-1, 255) starting with Cortes and sophomore Collin Taylor (6-4, 200) rotating in.
Karsen Jackson and Louis Rozzi are the starting inside linebackers. Jackson was the Loganland Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman. Junior Kolten Hudson (6-0, 185) and Elliot Baldini will start at outside linebackers.
The cornerbacks this year are Jaxsyn Walker and Hudson Shank. The safeties are Quincy Jackson and Jackson Wicker.
Twins Elijah Hopper and Josiah Hopper, two juniors from the soccer team, will handle the kicking duties.
A change this year is there are no more divisions in the Hoosier Conference.
The Berries will play everyone other than struggling Benton Central, who asked to drop them this year. The Berries will play Culver Academies instead.
But it’s a strong conference top to bottom to get the Berries ready for a new sectional field.
“Hopefully they get an opportunity to get down to Lucas Oil at the end of the year,” Hudson said.
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