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By KYLE LUTZ
WELLSVILLE -- For the past two years, Wellsville has turned in a 5-5 season. This year, the Tigers look to get over the .500 mark and also bring in a new head coach in Rob Ramsey.
"The kids are buying in to what the coaches are putting in," Ramsey said about his first year. "We got a great staff that we have here and we have been accepted by the community pretty well and things are going pretty good."
The Tigers, playing their second year in the OVAC 1A division, have 28 players on the roster, including nine returning letterman.
In 2016, Wellsville won three of its final four games and outscored its opponents 131-14 in those victories. The team came in second place in the 1A division behind Bishop Donahue.
At the quarterback, two underclassmen are vying for the position in freshman Troy Carter and sophomore Darien Suggs.
In the backfield is returning letterman Derrick Suggs, a junior. Also looking to carry the rock for Wellsville is sophomore Justin Wright. Ramsey had some high praise for Wright as he can move running a 11.06 in the 100 as a freshman.
Seniors Brandon Patterson, Matt Rawson, Cam Davis sophomores Connor Ramsey and Quinton Burgess are the receivers.
On the offensive line, the Tigers return three starters from 2016 in senior Ryan Miller and juniors Justin Thirtyacre and Gage Ramos.
"We have some sophomores and juniors that are stepping in. They're doing a very good job," Ramsey said.
Ramsey pointed out having a veteran offensive line is going to a major key to the offense, especially with having a young quarterback.
The defense also looks to have some experience as six to seven players will be returning, including three of the four on the defensive line.
The linebacking core, according Ramsey will look a little different. "This is going to be a new core that's going to be in there," Ramsey said. "We got a couple of older guys and a couple of younger guys in there fighting for that."
In the secondary, three of the four are back including Rawson, Derrick Suggs and Connor Ramsey.
Jacob Cornell, Zane Pearson, Ricky Tice and Cameron Cramer round out the seniors for the Tigers while Cole Corbin and Colton Green are the juniors.
The underclassmen are sophomores Draven Crow, Justin Sarge, Ethen Freguson, Braden Cartwright and Briar Cunningham while Austin Giralico, Caden Weekley, Noah Hetherington, Gavin Whitman and Corbin Hall are the remaining freshmen.
"We want to finish above .500," Ramsey said about the goals for the year. "We want to do well in league and just go out and surprise some people.
Ramsey is assisted by Jim Arcuragi, Jon Carter, Shawn Carter, Rob Long, Pat Wright and Dirk Hall.