Football preview: Graduation forces St. Vincent to rebuild

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Experience can be a fleeting commodity for a high school team.

The St. Vincent football team is a good example of the cycles that require a coach to never get too comfortable.

A year ago, the Indians returned a deep, all-senior offensive line that had been playing together for years. That was part of an overall team that featured senior talent at several key positions, including senior C.J. Pavlovsky at running back and Kyle Rollet at receiver.

After a season that ended in the Class 1 regionals and a 5-6 record, the Indians find themselves paying for the wealth of last year's experience.

"Offensively, we're starting over," said St. Vincent coach Paul Sauer, who begins his second season in his second stint with the Indians.

St. Vincent only returns two players who started on offense for last year's team that went 3-0 in Class 1 District 1 to win the district championship. (Laura Simon)

St. Vincent enters the 2010 season with only one starter returning to the same position on offense.

"We've graduated almost the whole side of the ball before," Sauer said. "We've talked to the kids that even if they're second team, they're one play away from being a starter. When it's their time, they need to step up. We've got a whole bunch of them that need to take that step this year."

The lone returner is junior quarterback Tim Schumer, who will be operating the predominant I-formation offense behind a whole new line, handing off to new backs and throwing to new receivers.

"There's some new faces in the huddle," said Schumer, who completed about 80 percent of his passes and nearly all of his touchdowns last season to Rollet. "I think we'll be all right."

Schumer said he's been working with Adam Winkler, Ryan Boxdorfer, Justin Breig and Phillip Ernst to develop new chemistry. The latter two return from last year's team, while Winkler has not played since his freshman year and Boxdorfer has not played at all.

St. Vincent's offense huddles during Friday's jamboree.

One familiar face for Schumer in the huddle is senior Josh Welker, who is switching from tight end to guard and become a more intricate part of the rebuilt line, which also will include Taylor Sauer at center, Sean Martin at guard and Travis Koenig and Dominic Haertling at the tackles.

Sauer had been a fullback, while Martin is getting his first taste of football.

"I definitely think it will take a couple of games just to get familiar with everybody," Welker said. "Just like anything else, you've got to learn how your teammates are going to play, so whenever they go this way, you'll know where to go and who's got whose back. I think we're picking up a little bit of that in practice."

While the line is not game tested, Schumer likes what he's seen in front of him thus far.

"I'm comfortable with it right now," Schumer said. "I think they're doing a good job."

St. Vincent senior Nathan Comte looks for an opening during Friday's jamboree.

While depth on the line helped the Indians through an injury-filled first half of 2009, Sauer may not have that luxury this year.

"We're pretty thin up front this year," Sauer said. "We graduated quite a few of them, so injuries will be a key to avoid, especially here early."

Instead of handing off to Pavlovsky, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards and was named the Southeast Missourian player of the year last season, he'll be giving the ball to junior fullback Derek Joggerst and senior tailback Mitchell Presnell. Sauer calls the 165-pound Joggerst one of the team's biggest hitters pound for pound.

Nathan Comte will fill Welker's spot at tight end.

With the makeover on offense, Sauer said the Indians will be need Schumer to step up to a bigger leadership role.

"This year they're giving me more freedom," Schumer said. "Like last year, I had to do certain stuff. But this year I can do a little bit more on my own. They're giving me more of a rein to the offense."

Sauer has been encouraged by the offense's steady improvement in practice.

"If they do that throughout the season and we avoid injuries, I think they'll be pretty solid by the time districts roll in," Sauer said.

The defense has seven players that have varying degrees of starting experience.

Taylor Sauer returns to the defensive line with Joggerst, Ryan Hastings and Comte, while Breig and Presnell are back at cornerback.

Welker returns to a linebacker corps that lost defensive leader Derek Triller to graduation.

The defense and offense will be giving up some size to opponents on most nights, but while his team is smaller than in years past, Sauer thinks his team is a little bit quicker.

"We're definitely undersized," Welker said, "but I definitely think a lot of people are underestimating us, which is good. I think we have a lot to come out and prove."

St. Vincent, which opens its season Friday against Park Hills Central, has moved from Class 1 District 1 to Class 1 District 2. While Chaffee made the move with the Indians, new district foes will be Class 1 power Valle Catholic and Cleveland NJROTC, which dropped down from Class 2.