Senior Jamo Sarver returns at quarterback for Olathe North. (Photo: Darryl Woods, 810 Varsity)
Olathe North will welcome many new faces to both sides of the ball, but the Sunflower League will only see the Eagles on the helmet.
And that’s enough to get amped up for O-North every Friday night, as Eagles have won 8+ games since 2018, and averaged nearly 9 wins per season in the six-year span under head coach Chris McCartney, including a 9-2 mark last year.
But the Eagles will return just four starters on offense and three on defense in 2024.
Senior quarterback Jamo Sarver (6-foot-1, 185) does return after throwing for 1,680 yards and 16 touchdowns with just four interceptions. Sarver will connect again with two of his top targets from last year in senior wideout Cole Smither (6-foot-2, 185), who snared 235 yards and three touchdowns, and junior Sam Simmons (5-foot-10, 165), who added 224 receiving yards and four scores. Seniors Jeremiah Rhodes (6-foot-1, 185) and Ben Stone (5-foot-9, 160) also will snag balls from Sarver.
The backfield will look to replace TJ Porter’s 1,208 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns behind senior Blasé Adger (5-foot-7, 165) and junior Justin Grace (5-foot-8, 150). Senior Jalaan Watson (5-foot-9, 160) will step across to the offensive side from defensive back and see time at running back and wide receiver.
The offensive line will click refresh, with only one senior as well in center Baden Jokerest (5-foot-10, 185). Junior guards William Cooper (6-foot-5, 230) and Aaron Enright (6-0, 240) will line up with junior tackles Leeland Barth (6-0, 165) and William Cooper (6-foot-5, 230). Fellow juniors in center Tyler Smith (5-foot-11, 200) and tight end Ethan Naidu (6-0, 200) will help comprise the line.
“We definitely have some new names and a learning curve at the varsity level, but they’ve learned from a great group ahead of them and will continue to improve as the season goes along,” said McCartney, who owns a 74-26 career mark at Olathe North.
The defense will returns most its secondary, led by junior cornerback Kelvin Parker (6-0, 170), who registered 45 tackles and 10 passes defended and named all-league as a soph in 2023. Fellow seniors in strong safety Wyatt Flood (5-foot-10, 170) and free safety Jeremiah Rhoades (6-foot-1, 185) will line up with Senior cornerbacks Bennett Shearer (5-foot-11, 165) and Justin Roland (5-foot-11, 160) along with junior Justin Grace (5-foot-8, 150) and Watson at times, also will rotate into the secondary.
“Our strength to start off the season will definitely be our secondary, and they can help us in a lot of areas,” McCartney stated.
The front seven will feature newcomers to the starting lineup, including senior defensive tackles Landon Linkous (5-foot-9, 190) and Connor Weigum (6-0, 265). Junior defensive ends Ajani Lamb (6-0, 205) and Juan Yam (5-foot-11, 190) will line up on the outside.
Seniors Keegan Wright (5-foot-11, 195) and Vance Provost (5-foot-10, 170) join junior Taggart Murphy (5-foot-10, 170) at linebacker.
The Eagles will face another tough schedule, opening with Shawnee Mission Northwest before encountering Rockhurst, Lawrence and Mill Valley by early October.
“We’ll have to learn what it takes to win and fast with our schedule, but will get us ready for the postseason,” McCartney said.