Bay Port restocked with talent
The cupboard is seemingly never bare for the Bay Port football team.
Despite returning only three starters from last year’s Fox River Classic Conference championship team, the Pirates are still considered one of the favorites to win the 10-team conference again this season.
Bay Port’s ability to restock talent each year is something that has just come to be expected from the program in regularly being picked as a contender during Gary Westerman’s six-year tenure as head coach.
“It’s pretty typical of us to have to replace a majority of our starters,” said Westerman, who is 38-4 in FRCC play with the Pirates.
“We run a system where we double it up in practice and get kids tons of reps even if they’re not starters, so these kids played a lot of football. It really doesn’t concern me, honestly. It’s just the reality of what we’re dealing with.”
The Pirates have to replace 10 players that earned first- or second-team all-FRCC honors last season, including Matt Lorbeck, the state’s defensive player of the year.
“There are a number of kids that can play, so it will be interesting to see how it goes,” Westerman said. “We’re really young (defensively), and we’ll start a number of sophomores. We’ll see how that all pans out.”
Bay Port’s roster features a NCAA Division I recruit for a fourth straight year with senior Jack Plumb garnering attention from several Big Ten programs before ultimately deciding to verbally commit to the University of Iowa.
The 6-foot-8, 235-pounder is projected to play offensive tackle in college, but will remain a tight end for the Pirates.
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“The biggest thing that sticks out to me is that he’s a great teammate,” Westerman said. “I know (basketball coach) Nate Rykal would say this as well. It doesn’t matter if he gets the ball or doesn’t get the ball, he’s great. He understands in our offense he’s a lot like an offensive tackle at tight end. He’s just a great person and a great teammate.”
Along with Plumb, the size and athleticism of senior receivers Elijah Gash (6-3) and Cordell Tinch (6-4) gives Bay Port its biggest trio of targets since Westerman’s first season in 2012, when Drew Neuville, Steven Minzlaff and Peyton Armstrong were featured.
“They’re all big, physical kids that will be matchup issues for anybody,” Westerman said.
“What we have on the outside is pretty unique, and we need to really work hard as a coaching staff to do a good job of getting them the football.”
Senior Isaac Krause will have the task of doing that as well in replacing Quinn Pierner, who completed 77 percent of his passes for 2,106 yard and 26 touchdowns in addition to rushing for 984 yards and 12 touchdowns last year.
Senior Ryan Smith got some experience at fullback at the end of last season, while senior Jacob Calawerts will take over at tailback.
Senior Owen Trast is the only returning starter on the offensive line. His twin brother, Eli, will join him there this season following an impressive showing in preseason practices.
“Eli probably had once of the best camps by an offensive lineman that we’ve had since Cole (Van Lanen),” Westerman said. “He really looks good. He’s got a nasty side to him and had a great offseason in the weight room. He’s really making things move.”
Senior lineman Brady Van Ess is the only returning starter on defense.
Senior Matt Barnard will be one of the linebackers trying to replace the production of Lorbeck, who is a freshman at Northern Illinois University.
The secondary will feature senior Tanner Hendricks, senior Alec Nagle and sophomore Isaiah Gash.
“We have to play together, play well, play hard,” Krause said, “and I think if we do that we’ll be successful again this year and go far in the playoffs.