Paden City High School
For Paden City, As Usual, It’s A Numbers Game
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PADEN CITY -- With a roster that boasts just 16 players heading into the 2023 season, Paden City and third-year head coach Robert Price know that the Wildcats cannot afford to be an injury-riddled team.
If the injury bug can be avoided The City has a good mix of seasoned playmakers to get them started on offense.
"Numbers are always an issue here, but there has actually been a huge dip in players statewide over the last eight to 10 years," Price commented. "Paden City will field a competitive team this season, which is a big win for the kids, the school and the entire town.
"Obviously we are walking a fine line with numbers and the possibility of injuries, but we have focused on conditioning and avoiding those situations and the kids that want to play have shown up every day.
"We have managed to avoid the injury bug the last few seasons, but it is something that is always in the back of our minds here. There are a lot of kids that go both ways and play special teams, and some kids that just plain will not come off the field. But they enjoy that, and we will continue to grow."
Leading the way will be junior quarterback Kayden Myers (6-0, 170), who has completed 105 of 240 attempts in his career for 1,407 yards and while he has tossed for 19 touchdowns he has also been intercepted 18 times.
Coach Robert Price on the upcoming season
Senior veteran running back Joey Baker (6-1, 185) is a force for the 'Cats and has rushed 400 times for 2,861 yards and 25 scores in his career.
"Joey is a kid we continue to be excited about because of how much he brings to the table," Price admitted. "He has averaged 170 carries and over 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons. He is the hardest worker on the team, a very good runner and has bought into everything we are doing here."
Sophomore Brayden Neff (5-8, 140) is the leading returning receiver with 60 catches for 435 yards and nine scores while senior Ashton Little (6-0, 205) has 27 catches for 385 and seven touchdowns.
Senior Jeremiah Thomas (6-1, 180) and sophomores Jessup Higgins (5-10, 13) and Riley Dennis (5-8, 125) are also available at receiver.
Senior Bryson Stackpole (5-9, 195) is the top returning lineman with the remainder of the front coming from a group that includes seniors Arvid Sandin (6-0, 190) and Philipp Eichhorst (6-3, 205), junior Isaiah Brady (6-0, 330), sophomores Skylar Wright (5-11, 210), Brady (Pennell (5-7, 200) and Jakob Billiter (5-10, 230) and freshman Josh Stine (5-8, 150).
Defensively Paden City will be strong at linebacker with Baker, Thomas and Little while Myers will lead the defensive backfield with help from Dennis, Higgins and freshman Jason Wilcox (5-11, 155). Stackpole anchors the defensive front with an assist from Sandin, Eichhorst, Brady, Wright, Pennell, Billiter and Stine.
A total of 12 of the 16 Wildcats are letter winners.
"I am just very excited about some of these kids," Price added. "Stackpole is a four-year letterman, Thomas is a big, strong kid, Little is very good on both sides of the ball and has some very strong hands.
"Myers is a kid that we gave the keys to the offense to in ninth grade as a wide-eyed kid and while he has struggled with his throws at times he continues to grow and progress. We are expecting big plays from him this year. He is really coming around and getting stronger and gained 15 pounds over the off-season."
Paden City has a schedule conducive to their enrollment, however, they were hit with bad news just weeks before the season opener when Trinity Christian shut down its football program before their scheduled August 24th opener.
"My heart sank when I was told the news," Price said. "We were scheduled to open the year at home on a Thursday night and we had a lot of things planned. It was going to be a huge night for the kids and the community. But at the same time we are well aware of the numbers issue and totally understand.
"We had a bye week in week two, so we are hoping to find someone to put on the schedule the first or second week and be able to play a 10-game slate.
"Overall, it is a competitive schedule with some nice games. Moncalm is a nice game for us early and Mount View is new to the schedule. We have Belpre in week four, and while they are a bigger school than us, they have also struggled with numbers. We have a big three-game run later in the season and there are some games that will be good measuring sticks for us along the way."
Price will be assisted by Ron Casto, Joe Anderson and Josh Billiter.