By Chris Parker
Lebanon football won its fourth district title in the past five years posting a 10-2 record in 2021. The Yellowjackets lost 35-13 to eventual Class 5 state champion Webb City in the state quarterfinals.
This year, Lebanon has the pieces in place to make a run at another district title. Yellowjacket football is predicated on running the ball and controlling the clock on offense. Seniors Cade Muscia and Nathan Bartel give Lebanon the area’s best returning 1-2 punch in the backfield.
“We have been very blessed with some great running backs at Lebanon during my 18 years,” Lebanon head coach Will Christian said. “This duo of seniors ranks highly on that list. Both have good size, speed, power, and vision. Both bring experience and both are very unselfish players.”
Muscia was a third-team all-state selection last year. He carried the ball 315 times for 1,724 yards and 27 touchdowns. Bartel took his 115 carries for 1,148 yards and 12 touchdowns averaging 9.98 yards per carry.
Muscia does most of his work between the tackles while Bartel is a menace for opposing defenses on the edge.
The running game goes deeper than Muscia and Bartel with sophomore Jax Glendenning. He carried the ball 38 times for 465 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman while also starting eight games on defense.
“We highlighted two excellent backs above, but without question this young man (Glendenning) will garner respect. Jax physically is advanced for his age through his hard work and talents. He is very explosive and physical. I fully expect him to show improvement from his freshman year and I believe he is capable of big things,” Christian said. “Even though he was advanced physically for a freshman, he was still a freshman. So, he will be another year stronger and faster. He also will have a full year of high school experience under his belt. Experience will bring improved execution and confidence. Faster and stronger will bring bigger plays and more results.”
Jacoby Fultz also returns for his senior year after his junior year was cut short due to injury in Week 4.
“This young man (Fultz) has worked very hard and has returned very nicely,” Christian said, “He will start at corner, and we will use him at slot and wide receiver. He will also return kicks. Jacoby will have a big impact for us.”
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Success running the ball starts up front with the offensive line where Lebanon returns just one full-time starter from last year in junior Danen Conrad.
“This group is for sure unproven. However, they have operated within our system since they were in fifth and sixth grade,” Christian said. “I’m confident they will execute and improve as the season goes on. At our team camp, I felt they were solid and competed hard. We are not as big as some years, however I know this group will get off the football and play physically.”
Brandon Hutson will start at center in his senior year. Classmate Ethan Faircloth will start at right tackle and play some defensive line.
Senior Austin Hendrix is the final returning starter on offense where he started 12 games at wide receiver in 2021. Hoyt Honey will also see starting time at wide receiver and in the secondary.
Gavin Smith started 12 games at linebacker/defensive back last year. This year he will be Lebanon’s starting quarterback.
The defense returns four players that started in all 12 games last year and 11 total who started at least two games.
Junior Gunner Williams was a first-team all-conference selection as a defensive end last season. He had 46 total tackles with nine tackles for a loss.
Bartel was an all-district selection playing linebacker and safety last year. He had 65 total tackles.
Hendrix and Smith are the final two players to start every game on defense. Hendrix had 49 tackles and will play free safety. Smith is the team’s leading returning tackler with 82 total tackles and including nine tackles for a loss last year. He will play outside linebacker and defensive back.
Glendenning started eight games on defense last year and led the team in tackles for a loss with 11.
Jarrett Sing returns at defensive back after starting six games as a junior. He had 68 total tackles last year.
Kaleb Nail (senior defensive back), Preston Ellingson (senior defensive end), Cole Dustin (junior inside linebacker), Honey (junior safety) and Muscia (linebacker) all saw time starting on defense last year.
Christian highlighted the following seniors as other newcomers to watch: Ryan Heinrichs (OLB), Hager Hufft (WR / FS), Walker Smith (ILB), Adrew Isbell (DB / WR), Keaton Mizer (TE), Sean King (ILB), Joseph Tietze (OL), Richard McConnoughey (DL), Jacob Suha (DL) and Dathan Durbin (OL).
Christian identified the following juniors as other newcomers to watch: Andrew Bowling (FS), JC Wells (WR), Jamall Rogers (RB), Ben Cluck-Schmoutey (WR), Griffin Jones (OLB), Wyatt Shumate (OL), Thomas Howe (OL), Thomas Wrinkle (OL), Ben Cooper (TE/DE), Jesiah Mebruer (DL), Sam Henson (OL), Jacob Wells (DB) and Cannon Roark (DB).
Lebanon will host Branson and Reeds Spring for a jamboree on Friday, Aug. 19. The Yellowjackets open the regular season on Friday, Aug. 26 at Parkview.
