Toronto High School
Red Knights Returns Experience, Losing Only 2 To Graduation
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TORONTO -- The Toronto football team's roller coaster season came to a disappointing end in the first round of the playoffs in 2022. The Red Knights entered the season with high expectations, but they were not able to achieve their goal of making a deep postseason run as Lucas defeated Toronto, 35-26, in the opening round of the Ohio Division VII Region 25 playoffs.
The boys from the Gem City began the season 4-0, but then the boys from Jefferson County were hard hit by the injury bug resulting in the team losing its next three games. The Red-and-White rebounded to win its next three games on the field, however, a regular season ending victory against rival Catholic Central was wiped away due to Toronto playing an ineligible player resulting in a forfeit.
Toronto officially ended the season at 6-5.
"We started off pretty strong, and then we got hit with the injury bug," Toronto head coach Josh Franke said. "Zane missed the Oak Glen game. That was in Week 5. Zeb got banged up, and he missed the second half of the Oak Glen game.
"Then, we played Edison and Barnesville. I think we only dressed 19 against Barnesville. We only had 29 kids on the roster. We were missing 10 kids, and I think we started six freshmen. Barnesville was really talented, and they had a really good season last year.
"Then, we started to get healthy. We started to kids kids back, and we were able to finish the season strong. We were able to get three wins. We showed what we could do when we were fully healthy."
Coach Josh Franke on the upcoming season
Toronto only had two seniors on the roster last season resulting in many younger players getting time at the varsity level.
"It was good," Franke said. "You don't necessarily want to play a lot of younger guys, but it will benefit us and help us this year. We only lost two seniors, so we return pretty much everybody. We have a ton of experience coming back, and I think that will help us this season."
Toronto lost running back Zane Kinsey and lineman Max Silverthorn. Kinsey was a threat to score every time he touched the football.
"We lost Zane Kinsey, and there is no replacing him," Franke said. "He was a phenomenal player. He was one of the best running backs to come out of Toronto.
"We lost him, but we have Kam Baker. Kam took last season off, but he started at cornerback as a sophomore.
"You can't replace Zane. It is tough losing a kid like Zane, but we do have some experience coming back.
"It is kind of nice how things have played out. We are light years ahead. We have had a full week of camp, and the kids know the system. They got a lot of experience last year, and they have not skipped a beat.
"After the first week of practice, I feel like we could play tomorrow and do well. It is an exciting time. We are happy with where things are at. It is a very exciting time here at Toronto."
Zinsey and Silverthorn are big losses, however, Toronto still has a plethora of talent on the roster.
The Red Knights have 38 players on this season's roster.
"That is a great increase in number," Franke said. "With that number, we are going to be able to play a full nine game JV season. That is not something we have been able to do since I have been here. It will help give the young guys experience, and that will pay dividends for us down the road.
"It will also help us establish some depth. We will be able to rotate some guys. We will be able to plug some guys in who have experience. We will be able to rotate players and still have experienced players to plug in to the lineup.
"When we want to give Dom Bouscher a break, we can plug in Kam Baker or Aiden Filby whether it is on offense or defense.
"We are looking to rotate seven or eight games on the defensive line. We believe we have some freshmen who can help us this year.
"We have a lot of experience coming back this year and that is a luxury."
Leading the way in that category is Zeb Kinsey, who returns as the team's starting quarterback, and the junior standout has made great strides from the end of last season. He has already received offers from some major college programs.
"He has gotten three Division I offers," Franke said. "He has gotten offers from West Virginia, Oklahoma State and Cincinnati. I think you are going to see that list grow. There are a lot of teams that have interest in him.
Baker, a senior, will replace Zane in the backfield.
Senior Dom Bouscher leads the way at receiver. He is capable of scoring every time he gets the ball in his hands.
Junior Mason Marchbank will serve as one of Toronto's tight ends. Marchbank missed all of last season with an injury. Expectations are high for Marchbank going into this season.
The Red Knights have a talented group up front on the offensive line.
Junior Andy Silverthorn will play right tackle, while sophomores Heath Thomas and Chase Heckathron are battling it out to start at right guard. Senior Cale Chiasson will be the team's starting center. On the left side, senior Seth Thomas will be the guard, while classmate Cayden Benton will be the tackle.
The group up front will also see time on the defensive line. Andy Silverthorn, Benton and Thomas will be the starters.
Zeb Kinsey leads the way at linebacker. He will be the team's starting right outside linebacker. Russ Dickinson will start outside on the left, while sophomore Landon Jaworski will start in the middle.
The Red Knights have a talented secondary.
Dom Bosucher and Baker will be the team's starting cornerbacks, Nolan Dickinson will be at strong safety and Filby will be at free safety. Winters and Drake Bouscher will see time as the team's nickel safeties, and junior Oren Scott will see time at cornerback.
Toronto enters this season looking to win its first playoff game since 2020, but to do so the Red Knights will need to remain healthy throughout the season.
"Expectations are high," Franke said. "We are working hard to reach those expectations.
Toronto is scheduled to open the season against East Canton Friday night at home.
"The kids are excited," Franke said. "We lost way too early in the playoffs last year. That loss hurt. We want to play against quality competition."
Franke has surrounded himself with a good group of assistant coaches: Matt Ludewig (defensive coordinator), Dan Shaffer (special teams coordinator), Rick Daugherty (offensive line) Michael Conlon (defensive line), Blaine Rawson (quarterbacks and wide receivers), Darrick Phillips (running backs) and Jaret Aubiel (linebackers).