Vermilion wants more after big 2024

VERMILION — There's been growth every year under coach Bill DiFucci. After going 0-10 in 2022, Vermilion was 3-8 in 2023, losing in the first round of the playoffs. The Sailors made a big jump last season, finishing 9-3. Vermilion hosted and won a playoff game for the first time in school history. The Sailors went 3-1 in the Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division, finishing runner-up to Edison. "Expectations have changed," DiFucci said. "That's been our driving force the last three years here. We're not just happy to put on the pads and the colors. We want to compete week in and week out. Last year, we checked some boxes, being able to host a playoff game. Those are great benchmarks, but it goes back to maintaining that level of play and hopefully being hungry enough to climb above it. "Certainly, it provided a spark to the program." Vermilion had not won nine games in a season since the last of Ralph Mayer's 15 seasons as coach, going 9-2 in 1997. But, the Sailors don't intend on dropping off anytime soon. "It was a remarkable year with the amount of records that we broke and the things we accomplished last year," DiFucci said. "We ended some streaks. The group this year wants to remind everybody that they were part of that. We talk about how special that senior class was last year, but the guys still here are carrying that torch. That's the standard we want to maintain here now. "I'm very excited with the approach they have in the locker room moving forward off of the success we had last year." Offense Quarterback Aaron Mathis was a honorable mention all-league pick after completing 61 of 130 passes for 688 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions. He added 123 rushes for 776 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. But he, as well as backup Terrence Anders, has graduated. That opens the door for junior Drake Hooks to take over a run-heavy offense. "We were fortunate last year to have two senior quarterbacks," DiFucci said. "It was a great opportunity to provide some comfortable depth at the top. What that didn't do for us was develop Drake. He didn't get very many varsity snaps last year. He was learning the offense, but we've put a lot on his plate at this point because we want to maintain that level of success. "He's done a tremendous job of everything we've asked him to do and he's very coachable. He wants to do well." Hooks will have a nice group in the backfield to join him. Leading the way is senior Evan Kuhns, a second-team league pick. Kuhns racked up 135 rushes for 849 yards and 10 scores. He caught six passes for 186 yards and a touchdown. "Having that philosophy of wanting to run the football first, we've been fortunate to reload this running back room year after year after year," DiFucci said. "We're in that boat right now. Sure, we have Evan coming back and he's a different breed. He gets it. He's explosive, strong and quick." DiFucci said Aiden Kyser, Isaac Kyser and Zack Werth will all have the opportunity to get carries. After Kuhns and Mathis last year, Cohen Mooney tallied 105 carries for 513 yards and five touchdowns and Logan Peterson registered 58 rushes for 479 yards and two scores. They both graduated. The offense will flow behind All-Ohio guard Chad Ellis while Sean Brownell, Evan Wagner, Luke Richardson, Trey Colahan and Trenton Garcia will get opportunities on the line. "We're not going to deviate," DiFucci said. "We believe in running the football and playing good defense. We're going to continue to run the football. We'll put Drake in situations where he can make the decisions in a timely fashion for us to be successful in the passing game, but maintain that run-first mentality that we've established." Defense Vermilion pitched two shutouts last year and limited four other opponents to 12 points or less. First-team league picks Mooney (95 tackles) and Beau Benesh (75 tackles, 5.5 sacks) both graduated. Mathis (43 tackles, four interceptions), Oliver Roy (93 tackles) and Mason Plas were all honorable mention honorees who graduated. Back to lead the defense is Brownell, a honorable mention selection at linebacker, who made 60 tackles last year. Aiden Kyser recorded 55 tackles and 4.5 sacks. "We graduated a lot," DiFucci said. "We're returning a little less on the defensive side of the ball than we are on the offensive side. It starts up front. We're having to fill some voids on that defense, but up front, we're confident in the group we have. Our linebackers are pretty tough. We're a little young on the back end." Kuhns will see plenty of time at linebacker while Werth and James Bengele will play on the back end. "Defensively, we pin our ears back and get after it and that's not going to change," DiFucci said. "It's making sure they're in the position they need to be in. We tell these kids that any position, if you get to where you're supposed to be, you give us a chance. "If you don't get to where you're supposed to be, you've knocked us out of the water. We have no chance. The speed and development will come along." The Sailors have right around 50 players out this season. Every coach would like a bigger number, but the Sailors have a little bit of everything in each class. "My senior class is strong. My junior class took a little bit of a dip," DiFucci said. "My sophomore class is strong, not just in numbers, but in talent. My freshman class is strong in numbers and talent. We're bridging a gap with that junior class. Not terrible, but I want to play football at all three levels. I'm stubborn like that. I know we're a Division IV program and I know a lot of programs don't. "My first year we had football at all three levels and the development and time that we have with those kids to actually instruct them is so valuable." 2025 schedule Aug. 22: Margaretta, 7 p.m. Aug. 29: at Firelands, 7 p.m. Sept. 6: at Willard, 7 p.m. Sept. 12: at Elyria Catholic, 7 p.m. Sept. 19: Sandusky, 7 p.m. Sept. 26: at Norwalk, 7 p.m. Oct. 3: Port Clinton, 7 p.m. Oct. 10: at Huron, 7 p.m. Oct. 17: Edison, 7 p.m. Oct. 24: at Bellevue, 7 p.m. 2024 results (9-3) Vermilion 26, Margaretta 0 Vermilion 42, Firelands 23 Vermilion 41, Willard 12 Vermilion 25, Elyria Catholic 9 Sandusky 36, Vermilion 20 Vermilion 21, Norwalk 0 Vermilion 36, Port Clinton 27 Vermilion 13, Huron 10 Edison 17, Vermilion 0 Vermilion 26, Bellevue 12 Playoffs Vermilion 37, River Valley 31 Perkins 48, Vermilion 7 2025 roster No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. 1 Brock Meyers WR/DB 6-3 195 12 2 Jeramiah Lopez WR/DB 6-1 170 12 3 Joe Schaub WR/DB 6-0 165 12 4 Peyton Mooney QB/LB 5-8 155 9 5 Drake Hooks QB/LB 6-4 210 11 6 Mark Benson QB/LB 6-0 150 9 7 Mathew Gatlif WR/DB 5-5 125 10 8 Zack Werth RB/DB 5-8 180 12 9 Nate Schloesser WR/DB 5-4 125 10 James Bengele WR/DB XXX XXX 12 11 Conner Graff WR/DB 5-9 150 10 12 Dawson Coates WR/DB 5-11 145 9 13 David Plott WR/DB 5-10 130 9 14 Chase Jackson WR/DB 5-11 170 10 15 Elijah Castrucci QB/LB 5-10 170 10 16 Marshall Flew WR/DB 5-10 165 10 18 Micah Smith WR/DB 5-9 160 10 23 Landon Mooney RB/LB 5-8 150 9 25 Riley Miller TE/DL 6-0 165 9 26 Mack Mooney RB/DL 5-9 185 9 32 Louis Fleming RB/LB 5-5 140 9 34 Aiden Kyser RB/LB 5-10 175 12 40 Daniel Roy TE/LB 5-10 180 10 41 Evan Kuhns RB/LB 5-11 200 12 42 Austin Sergent RB/LB 6-0 195 9 43 Isaac Kyser RB/LB 6-2 195 10 50 Sean Brownell OL/LB 5-9 195 12 52 Bear Benesh OL/DL 6-0 165 9 55 Zach Benton OL/DL 5-11 200 9 56 Chad Ellis OL/DL 5-10 210 12 57 Colin Adkins OL/DL 6-0 235 9 58 Rob White OL/DL 5-3 190 10 61 Cole Rini OL/LB 6-0 180 12 64 Eric Ward OL/LB 5-9 140 9 65 Jacob Wagner OL/DL 5-8 230 9 67 Brysen Martinez OL/DL XXX XXX 9 68 Evan Wagner OL/DL 6-1 310 12 70 Wes Mayer OL/DL 5-11 320 10 71 Trey Colahan OL/DL 6-2 250 10 74 Luke Richardson OL/DL 6-7 245 10 77 Gabe Wood OL/DL 6-2 210 11 79 Trenton Garcia OL/DL 6-0 230 10 82 Aiden Saunders TE/DL 6-1 200 12 85 Conner Webb TE/LB 5-8 160 9 87 Ryder Martinez WR/DB XXX XXX 11