What Hall of Fame head coach Tim Able didn’t have was a magic wand to erase an unusual amount of key injuries and enough cold medicine to keep postseason illness from ravaging his squad.
“You always want to be healthy at the end if you can and, obviously, not only physically but health wise,” said Able Monday during TC’s media day availability ahead of the 2023 football season. “We were suffering from six two-way players going into the (regional) game we lost through the season and then you turned around and many kids were sick. And our quarterback was sick but probably had his best game of the year in the first half (against Evansville Mater Dei).
“I can’t say enough about how the kids fought through it. They gave us a chance at the end of the game to win a game against a state championship team.”
Indeed.
Triton Central finished 10-3 in Able’s 10th season at Triton Central and captured a fourth-straight sectional title before bowing out of the postseason with a 35-28 loss to Evansville Mater Dei, who went on to capture the Class 2A state championship at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Of Mater Dei’s six postseason victories, the Tigers were the only team not to be beaten by at least 10 points.
Thirteen seniors were lost to graduation including five who will be playing on Saturdays this fall – Mitchell Ryan (Franklin College), Lucas Kleeman (Anderson), Hadyn Ball (Wabash), Brad Schultz (University of Indianapolis) and Aidan Wasson (Indianapolis).
There is still plenty of talent at the skill positions including Eastern Michigan commit Jace Stuckey (main photo), a junior All-State quarterback who threw for 2,657 yards and 23 touchdowns last season.
“He is special one because of his talent, but more importantly because of his work ethic,” said Able. “He goes at least twice a week to throw on top of what he does here. He comes early. He stays late. His dad’s fingers and hands are broke from catching passes from him because he always wants to do extra.”
With several offers to consider, Stuckey opted for Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti, Michigan, because it was the right fit.
“It was a great balance between the head coach and the offensive coordinator there,” said Stuckey (photo), who intends to graduate from Triton Central in January and enroll at Eastern Michigan in the spring. “They are two different personalities that I think I can benefit from. It’s a really great place and the culture there is something I want to be a part of.”
Stuckey will work behind a newly-bolstered offensive line that has rare depth and in front of a talented group of athletes in Ray Crawford – third in program history for career rushing yards, Brayden Wilkins and Sam Kemper.
Crawford was one of those key players injured and unavailable for the regional championship game after suffering a high ankle sprain in the sectional championship game win over Indianapolis Scecina.
“I am completely past the injury,” said Crawford Monday. “It doesn’t affect me anymore.”
While Kemper will fill more of a fullback role in the TC backfield, he moves into a vaunted linebacker role this season, replacing Kleeman.
“This year is a lot more of a leadership role because the linebackers are the captains of the defense,” said Kemper (photo). “They are in charge of getting everyone in place. The linebackers need to communicate a lot and get our star players in places to make plays.”
Kemper realizes the new found role comes with more responsibility and the need to step outside his comfort zone.
“I need to be vocal. I am kind of a quiet, shy guy,” he said. “These guys take me seriously but they don’t take me super seriously. I need to be a lot more vocal this year and show I am a leader. I’ve been a leader by example but I need to be a vocal leader this year.”
Able will count on seniors like Mason Compton, Levi Dewey, Garrett McElfresh, Henry Smith, Max Ray and the returning Anthony Dunville to keep the program successful. Triton Central has won 10 games in four of the last five seasons and played in a sectional championship game in each of Able’s 10 seasons (winning five sectional titles) in Fairland.
“We have a lot of kids back so our experience will be to our benefit,” said Able (photo), who was inducted into the Indiana High School Football Hall of Fame earlier this year. “We are looking forward to seeing how all that mixes. We have a lot of junior and sophomore linemen and a lot of senior skills guys.”
Triton Central opens the 2023 season on Aug. 18 at Cascade (6-5 last season, finishing with a winning record for the first time since 2013).
The Tigers’ home opener is Aug. 25 against New Castle (3-8 in 2022).
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