The “Ville” was rocking last fall and new head coach Paden Grubbs is hoping to bring that excitement back, but will have to do it with one of the youngest rosters in Southwest Missouri.
Head Coach: Paden Grubbs (1st year)
2015 Record: 10-2 (lost to Thayer in District championship)
Players to Watch: Josh Goodman (So RB), Alexis Gracia (So Ath), Jake Redus (Jr CB/WR)
Grubbs, a 2005 Marionville alum, was part of the glory days of Comet football and is looking forward to bringing those days back to his hometown.
“I’m very excited,” said Grubbs, who was Marionville’s head basketball coach and football assistant for the past four years. “It’s kind of a dream come true for a small town kid coming from his hometown and really being able to do something I’m passionate about. I’ve never been more excited to leave vacation for a job.”
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Grubbs knows he has a rebuilding process in front of him. Despite having overall better numbers than last year, his roster features no seniors.
“These kids are going to get a lot of experience and if you want to look to the future we’re going to have everybody back next year. That’s an exciting thing for our younger kids.”
With just one starter back on both sides of the ball Grubbs is calling on a slew of younger players to step up. Sophomore Josh Goodman emerged this summer as a go-to playmaker; one Grubbs compares to the likes of Comet greats Lee Flood, Ryan Wilson, Nick Smart and Josh Holder.
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“He’s going to have a chance to be the next good Marionville running back,” said Grubbs. “He has the kind of makeup and capability of being one of those guys. He’s got good speed, he’s a strong young man and we’re excited as a coaching staff to watch him run the football this fall.
Aurora transfer Ryan Mayberry is taking snaps at quarterback. Alexis Gracia is another option under center, but is a guy Grubbs wants to use in several different roles.
“He’s probably our best overall football player both IQ wise and physical capabilities as far as speed, strength, agility and quickness. We’re going to move him around offensively to try to find different scenarios to put the ball in his hands. That’s your job as a coach to put the ball in the hands of your athletes.”
One of those returning starters is junior cornerback Jake Redus, who earned All-Mid-Lakes honors with seven interceptions last season.
“Jake really stepped up his game last year. Now we’re just going to ask a little bit more of Jake, not only defensively but offensively, catching some passes, running the football occasionally, but defensively if we can have another year out of Jake like we had last year that would go a long ways in making us successful on defense.”
Don’t expect the Comets to match last season’s success, and it will take some time to adjust to Friday night lights, but Grubs believes it’s a group that can pick it up quickly and compete every single week.
“I think that’s something that’s exciting as far as the rebuild. These kids saw the success they (last year’s seniors) had, the work ethic that those guys had and now we preach to them it’s their turn.”
Marionville opens the season Fri. Aug. 19 at Sherwood.
