By Chris Parker
Ash Grove football returns 13 total starters from last season’s 6-4 team.
Among those 13 returning starters are a trio of two-way all-conference players in Kyler Reese (RB/LB), Peyton Self (OL/DT) and Ammon Crocket (TE/LB).
Reese led the team in rushing as a sophomore with 164 carries for 808 yards and 11 touchdowns. Defensively, he had 55 total tackles and three interceptions. He was named First-Team All-Southwest Conference as a linebacker and second-team as a running back.
“Kyler’s best asset on the field is his competitiveness. Friday night under the lights he really turns it on,” Ash Grove head coach Ryan Long said. “His biggest growth will probably be simply understanding the game on both sides of the ball. Last year as a sophomore he just went out there and played. This year he is asking more questions which will help him understand the game better.”
Self, a second-team all-conference selection on the defensive line and honorable mention on the offensive line, is the lone returning starter on the offensive line this season. Defensively, Self had 57.5 total tackles last season.
“Peyton is a strong athletic kid. He works hard at practice which allows him to stay in great condition which allows him to stay on the field the entire game,” Long said. “His experience up front will be key this year. He will be the only offensive lineman that started for us last season. So, the kids will look to him for guidance.”
He will be joined on the offensive line by Jonathan Davis, Blake High, Landon Lobdell and others.
Crockett led Ash Grove with 60.5 total tackles last season on his way to second-team all-conference honors at linebacker. He was also honorable mention all-conference on the offensive line. This season he will play tight end offensively but could see time in a multitude of roles.
“Ammon is a very special player for us. He will start for us at tight end, but he is just a couple of injuries away from moving to running back or offensive line. This is just how versatile of a football player he is,” Long said. “Ammon is the captain of our team and a very unselfish player that just wants to win.”
Sawyer Burks will join Crockett at tight end. Alex Acosta and Brock Long will be the top wide receivers.
Harrison Thompson will step in at quarterback and hand the ball off to Reese and Nate Carter at running back.
Defensively, seven starters return with Reese and Crockett in the middle of the defense at linebacker with Burks who will play linebacker and corner. Burks also earned all-conference honors after he pulled down 33 total tackles last season.
Thompson, Acosta and Long will make up the secondary. Thompson was a force defensively last season with 48.5 total tackles on his way to honorable mention all-conference honors.
Self, Carter and Blake Hight are set to play on the defensive line with others in the mix as well. Carter was an honorable mention all-conference selection on the defensive line with 38.5 total tackles and a team-high eight tackles for a loss.
“Our defense as a whole must work together to be successful,” Long said. “We don’t feel any lever of our defense is above the others. We are excited about our defense this year.”
Ash Grove travels to Sarcoxie for a jamboree on Aug. 23. The Pirates open the regular season on Aug. 30 at Diamond.
