By Chris Parker & Jacob Cersosimo
Ash Grove football won eight games for the first time since 2016 last season. The Pirates finished 8-3 overall.
This season, Ash Grove will have to replace a lot of graduated production.
“We lose a big core of three-year starters, so we have a bunch of kids playing different spots. (We have) have a lot of inexperience,” Ash Grove head coach Ryan Long said. “We have some talented kids. I am excited about them, but the experience just isn’t there. When you have a group of kids like we did last year…they take a lot of reps.”
Four all-district players were among that group led by quarterback Brock Mooneyham. Mooneyham threw for 1,510 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 1,538 yards and 18 touchdowns. On defense, Mooneyham had 54.5 total tackles with two forced fumbles and three interceptions.
Second-team all-state defensive back Parker Crow also graduated after pulling down five interceptions and 54.5 tackles. He had 36 catches for 496 yards and seven touchdowns on offense.
Elijah Morrison and Nate Trammell also graduated after all-district seasons.
This season will be a committee approach to success.
“We are going to have to do it as a unit. It is not going to be one or two kids,” Long said. “We are going to have to all come together and try to figure out the pieces as we go.”
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One stalwart does return in senior Brady Nicholson. He was a third-team all-state selection at wide receiver last season. Nicholson led Ash Grove with 40 catches for 661 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also had 27.5 tackles and three pass deflections on defense.
“We have Brady Nicholson back as an outside receiver. He had a great year last year. He is looking good,” Long said.
Cooper Burks will take over as quarterback.
The line will lack size for Ash Grove, which has the Pirates focused on technique to have success.
“We are going to be small up front on the line, but we are going to try to teach them to beat (the opposition) with the first step and use snap count to keep teams off (balance) a little bit,” Long said.
Blake McNeese returns to the line after earning all-district honors as a defensive end last season.
“He (McNeece) is one of our bigger kids, so we’re hoping (for) him to anchor the line down,” Long said.
McNeese led the team with 14 tackles for a loss last season. He had 43.5 total tackles.
Jasper Seidel will also be on the line.
Harison Thompson and Kyler Reece are a pair of sophomores who will see varsity time.
Ash Grove opens the season on Aug. 25 at home against Diamond. The score of that game will matter very little in the scheme of things, as the Pirates are focused on steady improvement throughout the season.
“These kids are still learning. It is one of those things where I have to tell the kids it isn’t how you start; it is how you finish. We are hoping to continue to get better every single day,” Long said. “We will just keep growing as we go. It is a long season, so we are looking to take our lumps early in the year, and hopefully by the end of the season we really hit our stride.”
